Glad nobody got hurt and they have insurance. Lightning hit a big pine near our house once, stripped the bark all off one side and strangely enough it must have traveled along a root which was close to the surface because it blew all the soil off the root exposing it for about 6 feet.
If you don't stand for something, you will fall for anything.
In my younger years, I was a football official on the high school and collegiate level. When there were storms predicted for the area, someone from the home team had monitor weather conditions both visually and electronically. If as an official we saw lightning bolts, we immediately suspend play until conditions cleared, even if it meant completing the game the following day.
Blackheart
This may be as true as the anecdote of the #1 snake bite victims being 25 yo drunk males, but I was once told the story of a drowning victim being pulled from a pool, and a dentist who happened to be there asking fellow patrons for help holding down the victim so he could do CPR on him.
It is what it is.
Yes.
Shallow caves and overhangs will find you with ground currents near openings from a strike. Many people have died this way. There is a small cave on halfdome in yosemite for instance, people took shelter in when storms come, that a several groups of people have died in. One had seizure and rolled off and fell to death, people with him couldnt stop it. It was a long fall.....
Now, is it more dangerous than standing on top of halfdome in an electrical storm, where you the lightning rod? No.
But its not safe either is point.
Last edited by MuddyWaters; 07-21-2018 at 18:16.
A lot of AT hikers will hike right through storms, ridge or whatever... what worries me most in a storm is my aluminum trekking poles. Anytime lightning is around I stop hiking and take all metal (poles, pack) off weather near a shelter or not. First I get off a ridge and away from big trees and ill just wait out the storm standing or squatting in the spot I feel safest in, if I cant set up shelter.
I like to minimize phone/internet use while outdoors as much as possible but I try to keep up on weather/radar and make sure I don't get caught in a storm.... few days ago did a 6 mile day and set up at noon just so I didn't get caught hiking in any lightning.
i'd rather be on a ridge and get struck than be in a hospital bed getting struck by cancer, hodgkins, parkinsons, als, etc.
All good input but what about the metal in our gear (ie tent stakes, poles) pack, add we are like 70% water.
I have been out in wicked storms, and some FAST hiking and I am pretty big, old and slow...........used to stay in shelters now tents only past 6+ years.............it's a bit of luck. I sleep great in big nasty storms, I figure that if I do get hit it will be instant and then???
I do stay 100 feet or more from the next person - that does make sense to me. Don't be the tallest thing around.