cp2000
New member
Can anyone give me any suggestions on what to do if caught out in the woods during a bad thunder storm.
put on a raincoat.cp2000 said:Can anyone give me any suggestions on what to do if caught out in the woods during a bad thunder storm.
don't worry about metal buttons, buckles, etc. - if electricity jumps 6000 feet down from the clouds do you think a few inches of metal is going to matter? you shouldnt use your hiking poles either since they could be a path from the ground to you (if it strikes nearby there will be current along the ground) - but fold them up and carry them on your pack, a 2 foot long piece of metal will not matter when it can jump through thousands of feet of air...jjmcgo said:remove clothing with metal parts,
if your legs are apart you will be in "parallel" with the ground & the "ground current" - that means current will flow up one leg and down the other - the further apart your legs are the more current will go through you - also if you crouch down do not put your hands on the ground, the ground current will go up your legs and out your hands (with your heart someplace in the middle).griffin said:I've gotten conflicting advice (all from reputable sources) on whether your feet should be close together while in "lightning position" (to make it less likely you'll get hit with a ground current) or whether they should be shoulder width apart (so that the current can flow out your other leg
many foams absorb water (closed cell foam doesn't), but get back to reality... if lightening jumps thousands of feet through air (which is a very good insulator) what do you think an inch of wet foam would do for you???sapblatt said:Be thankful that you are in the forest and not above treeline!
I have heard that sitting/crouching on a foam sleep pad is a good thing to do...as others have said, stay away from the tallest trees, water, open fields, etc.
You also made a similar comment about metal.ken said:if lightening jumps thousands of feet through air (which is a very good insulator) what do you think an inch of wet foam would do for you???
Cloud reading is an important skill. Basic cloud reading is pretty easy--there is a section on it in Freedom of the Hills. (Must also be info somewhere on the web.)Stan said:Keep a watchful eye on clouds and wind shifts and act accordingly, especially if on an exposed ridge.
Avoid caves, as we're being all esoteric here
hardrain said:HTML:Avoid caves, as we're being all esoteric here
Huh? Is this a joke? I thought caves were a safe option during lightning storms.
Not at all. Caves are often part of a (wet) crack system reaching to the surface. The current can follow the wet crack.hardrain said:HTML:Avoid caves, as we're being all esoteric here
Huh? Is this a joke? I thought caves were a safe option during lightning storms.
moonrock said:Feet-together crouch IS valid, but you can still catch ground current if leaning against a cliff or overhang, or in a shallow cave.
camper near Mahoosuc Notch (NE of Old Speck, in ME ?) got zapped the same night because he was sleeping in a tent pitched ON TREE ROOTS.
Enter your email address to join: