Lightning - Scurge of Hikers and Mountaineers
Lightning is the scourge of hikers in summer and even skiers during spring skiing in the high mountains. Lightning can even happen if the weather is nice! I was once on a peak at 14,000 feet in August watching a cloud coming towards us. I didn't think about it until the boom and the lightning struck me simultaneously. It was terrifying! I found myself literally jumping from landing to the top in a pile of rocks hurting me in the process. If there had been a serious lightning strike, I would still be struck by Earthing and Lightning Protection, because jumping 12 feet would not have been far enough to save my life.
Every year, 24,000 people are killed worldwide by lightning. According to the National Weather Service, there are 51 lightning deaths in the United States each year. What is lightning? It is an electrical charge that forms from the friction between water droplets and ice particles. The result is a cloud that is positively charged relative to the ground. This can cause a discharge between two clouds or between clouds and earth. Although lightning is beautiful, it can be deadly, especially for mountain hikers or those exposed in the open plains. Even if you are not killed by lightning, long-term injuries can be caused. People who experience a close strike may experience long-term effects: chronic pain, sleep problems, attention deficits, and even depression.
How far are you from lightning? Use the "F to B system" or the Flash to Boom system:
Count the time it takes between the moment you see the lightning and the moment you hear the arrow. Divide the time by 5 for miles (by 3 for kilometers). The danger occurs if lightning is 25 seconds or less, i.e. less than 8 km.
How does lightning work? Lightning is always trying to reach the ground. If you are between the ground and the sky - you, being at more than 90% water, you are a perfect conductor for electric charging. So you have to go down so you don't stand out. And/ or insulate yourself from the ground so that the currents above or below can't connect in you! Keep in mind that lightning doesn't strike a single point of contact. Earthing and Lightning Protection strikes an area and spreads instantly so that you are in an area loaded with electricity.
You may be in danger if you start to feel tingling on your skin as if you were falling on a spider web! You know you are in a potential strike zone if your hair is at last! You might laugh at the sensation, but you should also go down the mountain at the same time being careful not to hurt yourself. Another indication of the danger of lightning is the presence of a blue glow around metal objects such as top markers or even ice axes sometimes called "St. Elmos Fire". These are all signs of static discharge occurring in the storm around you. Do not wear skis or long axes on your back. They should be abandoned and recovered at a later date. Also stay away from metal railings or any other metal structure in the mountains such as lifts, electric towers or weather towers.
Here are a few things that will save you money: people are most often injured by ground currents rather than direct strikes. The rubber soles on your boots are a good start. What if you are caught in the middle of a large field with no shelter in sight? You can crouch in an Asian style with only your boots touching the ground. Do not lay your buttocks or hands on the ground as this will complete a path or circuit through which electricity can travel. You won't have to stay there forever, even if it will be felt. Storms move quickly and the immediate danger will pass in 15 to 20 minutes. You will be wet and cold but you will be safe from lightning. If you have a climbing rope or a backpack, you can sit on these items to cancel or "short-circuit" the circuit.
Every year, 24,000 people are killed worldwide by lightning. According to the National Weather Service, there are 51 lightning deaths in the United States each year. What is lightning? It is an electrical charge that forms from the friction between water droplets and ice particles. The result is a cloud that is positively charged relative to the ground. This can cause a discharge between two clouds or between clouds and earth. Although lightning is beautiful, it can be deadly, especially for mountain hikers or those exposed in the open plains. Even if you are not killed by lightning, long-term injuries can be caused. People who experience a close strike may experience long-term effects: chronic pain, sleep problems, attention deficits, and even depression.
How far are you from lightning? Use the "F to B system" or the Flash to Boom system:
Count the time it takes between the moment you see the lightning and the moment you hear the arrow. Divide the time by 5 for miles (by 3 for kilometers). The danger occurs if lightning is 25 seconds or less, i.e. less than 8 km.
How does lightning work? Lightning is always trying to reach the ground. If you are between the ground and the sky - you, being at more than 90% water, you are a perfect conductor for electric charging. So you have to go down so you don't stand out. And/ or insulate yourself from the ground so that the currents above or below can't connect in you! Keep in mind that lightning doesn't strike a single point of contact. Earthing and Lightning Protection strikes an area and spreads instantly so that you are in an area loaded with electricity.
You may be in danger if you start to feel tingling on your skin as if you were falling on a spider web! You know you are in a potential strike zone if your hair is at last! You might laugh at the sensation, but you should also go down the mountain at the same time being careful not to hurt yourself. Another indication of the danger of lightning is the presence of a blue glow around metal objects such as top markers or even ice axes sometimes called "St. Elmos Fire". These are all signs of static discharge occurring in the storm around you. Do not wear skis or long axes on your back. They should be abandoned and recovered at a later date. Also stay away from metal railings or any other metal structure in the mountains such as lifts, electric towers or weather towers.
Here are a few things that will save you money: people are most often injured by ground currents rather than direct strikes. The rubber soles on your boots are a good start. What if you are caught in the middle of a large field with no shelter in sight? You can crouch in an Asian style with only your boots touching the ground. Do not lay your buttocks or hands on the ground as this will complete a path or circuit through which electricity can travel. You won't have to stay there forever, even if it will be felt. Storms move quickly and the immediate danger will pass in 15 to 20 minutes. You will be wet and cold but you will be safe from lightning. If you have a climbing rope or a backpack, you can sit on these items to cancel or "short-circuit" the circuit.
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