Lightning can be a beautiful and frightening scene. When in the mountains, it’s just downright frightening. I’ve been in a couple of situations where I’ve been near the top of granite mountain peak in Utah, when I heard thunder in the distance, and that will make your hair stand up on end. I had two options: Hastily scramble up the last quarter-mile to summit, or head down and try for another day. I can wisely say that I chose the latter, and while it killed me to know that I had been so close to reaching the summit, I realized that sitting on top of a mountain peak with a thunderstorm nearby, may
Lightning is a concern anywhere in the United States, but should you find yourself in mountain country, you need to be very attentive and aware of the weather conditions. In Utah alone, lightning has killed 67 people in the last 60 years. Mountain tops are not the only place lightning can strike, the deserts in the Southwest have thundering and lightning storms more often than one would think, as well as hiking destinations throughout the country. If you find yourself in this precarious situation, this is what you should do.
Get off the mountain immediately. It’s well-documented that even though the thunderstorm is a couple of ridges away and that it’s not raining where you are, that lightning can still strike you even if the cloud is ten miles away or more.
I hope that none of you have this experience, but if you’re on a mountain or in the desert and your hair starts to stand on end and you hear audible buzzing, crackling, and popping, that could mean that you’re seconds away from a direct strike. Remove all metal items, watches, knives, rings, belt buckles, metal frame backpacks, keys, everything. Place them in a pile and get away from the area.
Don’t get under one lone tree. Try to avoid being under a tree at all, but if you must, get under a thick collection of low trees, and crouch with only your feet touching the ground. If in the desert, crouch by making yourself as small as you can, and limiting your contact with the ground in a depression on the ground, with all metal removed.
A good rule of thumb to determine how close you are to lightning, is to count how many seconds pass from the time you see the lightning to the thunder-clap. Divide that number by five, and that will give you an approximate distance away in miles. Remember the best way to avoid lightning strikes is to watch the weather reports and stay inside if thunderstorms are forecast. It may be a bummer, but it could save your life.
If someone in your group is struck by lightning while hiking, provide first aid immediately by checking if they are breathing and have a pulse. Performing CPR on the victim may be necessary while waiting for help, or while waiting for the weather to improve. Then get the victim immediate professional medical attention.
For more hiking safety tips, click here.
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