Lightning Strike on Mt Bierstadt

Threads related to Colorado mountaineering accidents but please keep it civil and respectful. Friends and relatives of fallen climbers will be reading these posts.
Forum rules
Please be respectful when posting - family and friends of fallen climbers might be reading this forum.
Post Reply
User avatar
DaveSwink
Posts: 837
Joined: 9/21/2006
14ers: 37  12 
13ers: 4
Trip Reports (6)
 

Re: Lightning strike

Post by DaveSwink »

GregB wrote:lightning just does strange things sometimes; it is not entirely well understood scientifically. When out in any exposed area, countermeasures are probably only a matter of fine-tuning the odds....
High-pitched screaming while running top speed? How about running a zig-zag pattern down the mountain? Running in a crouch? Does outrunning your partner help, or is that just with bears?
Tortoise1
Posts: 417
Joined: 8/23/2009
14ers: 15 
Trip Reports (0)
 

Re: Lightning strike

Post by Tortoise1 »

Screaming is OK if it makes you feel better. Zig zagging is formally called "serpentine". Serpentive worked here - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cC0keDGobck" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; But there's no scientific evidence that it will mitigate lightning risk.
User avatar
Yukon Ron
Posts: 125
Joined: 7/13/2014
Trip Reports (0)
 

Re: Lightning strike

Post by Yukon Ron »

A few years ago, My wife and I were hiking to summit on Mt. Huron. Forecast was perfect, we started at 0300, and by the time we hit the saddle, daylight was breaking. There was zero evidence of a storm cloud, nor was there any indication on our weather monitoring gear. We decided to stop to hydrate and fuel up for the summit, dropping our backpacks and taking a rest. I decided to make some french press coffee, to go with the cliff bars, and by the time we were done, repacked and electrolytes replenished, ready to summit, a very small stray line of clouds started building.

I checked the weather monitor again for storms and direction, it showed nothing. I was concerned, but thought, based on data available to me, to go for it. We started up the scramble to the top. I had even captured an image of my wife smiling on her way up behind me, which showed no evidence of a storm. In about 20 meters from the summit, all Hell broke loose upon us, in not more than maybe 30 mins, after we started up. Thunder began rolling, loudly.

Strikes were incredibly close, and buzzed right by us both. We both dropped our gear and poles and shed everything with metal. I still had my compass and camera. I got my wife to the ground in an insulating blanket, and I got some shelter under a boulder. It was the best we could have done given the circumstances. Then the sky opened up with sleet and hail. the storm lasted about a little over 1 hour. There was one strike, so close, it felt it fry my camera in my cargo pocket, and my compass vibrated insanely.

When it was over my wife was in no shape to go forward, and frankly neither was I. I was afraid we would make bad decisions from being a little scattered from the storm, we decided to descend from that point. It was slick and muddy, but when we got down to the flat plain just above the trees, we were met by another group of people, on their way up, who also got caught in the storm. I was as amazed at seeing them as they were amazed at seeing us. I talked everyone to head back due to the conditions, they did not appear to be prepared for a sloppy, slick climb to the top.

Just a side note, the only equipment we had that suffered any damage was my camera and the compass, both of which were in my cargo pockets.

It was my luckiest day ever in the Mountains.

We tried again next day. We bagged her.
Post Reply