Lightening

[SWINTJJ]

With the recent death on Mount Blue Sky I would like to remind everyone to start early and get below the tree line by 10:00 if possible. I see lightening as our biggest threat hiking 14ers and we can try to mitigate that threat by starting early.

[IntrepidXJ]

*Lightning*

[bdloftin77]

It really depends on the current weather though, too. No reason to run down below the trees when it's a bluebird day and there're no clouds forming. But interesting to see the stats on when the casualties have occurred.

[Jim Davies]

Also, running down exposed rocky terrain might be more dangerous than lightning. Descend if you get caught, but don't panic.

[corunner]

While I don't disagree with the premise of the data shown, it might be helpful to provide some context to these numbers. These are not all lightning deaths on 14ers or high mountains. Most lightning deaths are from doing other activities outside during these hours of the day and months of the year. You're at risk doing anything outside in a storm - hiking 14ers included. The link below shows from 2006-2025 what people (27) were doing when killed by lightning. Only one of them was on a 14er. Another on an exposed hiking trail. Another in a tent on a ridge.

http://lightningsafetycouncil.org/States/CO.pdf

[bigredmachine]

Are we talking about "lightening" of the colors of the paint on the wall, or LIGHTNING from the sky???

Being back below tree-line before 10AM is also ridiculous unless the forecast is ominous, in which, it probably makes sense to reschedule. I think the general rule of thumb, of getting off the summit by noon is much more realistic. Again, pay attention to the weather… If you have a 20% chance of thunderstorms, you are likely going to want to start earlier and be off earlier...

Some of my best days we're starting at late morning and getting back to the trailhead at six or 7 o'clock at night because I had a fantastic weather window. It's all subjective.

[Sbenfield]

Thank you for the lightening reminder. I had forgotten that 10:00am was the agreed upon time.

Regards,

Steve
Denver, CO

[yaktoleft13]

Thank you for the lightening reminder. I had forgotten that 10:00am was the agreed upon time.

Regards,

Steve
Denver, CO

[Jim Davies]

Only one of them was on a 14er.

And that one was well below the summit.

[Dragonfolly]

I'd be mad as hell if i got hit by lightning at 7 am

[RobLowe]

I do not feel more enlightened about lightning based on this thread. I am not a fan of hard and fast rules. As with everything, I’d say the answer is it depends. Approximately 50% of my 500+ 14er summits were after 12 pm (most of those 50% were 3pm to 1am).

A more nuanced approach would say mid-day, high heat (when the greatest potential for condensation and electrical activity) is most dangerous depending on what you are seeing in the sky. In other words, mornings before condensation events and late-afternoons after condensation events are safer than mid-day. Any hard and fast get off the mountain by x time misses an equally safe pm window at 14,000’ (as is supported by your own data). /end soap box.

[seannunn]

Also, running down exposed rocky terrain might be more dangerous than lightning. Descend if you get caught, but don't panic.

+1
I did an analysis of 14er deaths (over a 5 year period) several years ago.
The most common cause of death is falling. My guess is that some falls are precipitated by attempting to hurry down a mountain in a thunderstorm. I do not have data to back that up, but I think many of us that testify experientially that having lightning nearby is scary and can affect judgment at times.

This in no way obviates the recommendation to start early and be back in the trees early.
Another valid argument for "start early, finish early" that is often overlooked at that, in the unlikely event that a serious accident necessitates a call to Search and Rescue, they are much more likely to be able to get to you the same day if your call is at, say, 8:30am, than if it is at 3:30pm.

Sean Nunn
Peculiar, MO