Thunder and Lightning while mountain hunting

[Timberjack]

Wicked thunder storm rolled through town last night. Some crazy loud claps of thunder - thought the mountains were coming down!!

Reminded me of a sheep hunting trip in the rockies a couple of years ago. Fosey and I were glassing late afternoon and could see a lightning storm brewing in the peaks to the west. Weather continued to deteriorate with winds picking up and impending rain... We figured it was time to go - 500' vertical climb up over the ridge and a short drop down a scree slope to the tent at our 7600' camping spot. By the time we had the tent in sight we were running down the scree slope trying to beat the storm to the tent... Just started to pour as we climbed in. A couple of minutes go by and now the rain is full on coastal - pouring!!!

Within another 15 minutes the lightning was all around us. max 15 seconds between lighning strikes that were so close there was no discernable time delay between the lightning and the thunder. So loud you couldn't hear yourself think. Smell of ozone and burning rocks all around. hair standing straight up. So much electrical energy the aluminum tent poles and my rifle barrel had a dull glow. This goes on from about 8 at night till it finally subsides 5.5 hours later. HOLY SH*T!!! Thought lots bout the family that night...

Got a couple of hours sleep then up glassing rams again in clear morning skies. Didn't seem to phase them much. Anyway, needless to say it took a bit for my heartrate to settle down last night...

Anybody had similar experiences? I know I'll be giving some thought to where I put my tent for future alpine hunts. Pretty sure the air mattress helps reduce the risk of getting hit - at least I'd like to think so...

Let's hear your stories...

TJ

[kootenayelkslayer]

The worst night I've ever experienced in the outdoors was getting hit by a storm while camped up high on a bare ridge during a sheep hunt. It scared the sh** out of me. All the metal around me was humming for about ten minutes. Unfortunately, I'm pretty paranoid about storms while in the mountains now. I can't even sleep anymore if i'm camped up high in the mountains and I can hear thunder rumbling in the distance. I'm definitely very careful about where I put my camps now.

[Buck]

So what would be a safe place in the alpine?

[kootenayelkslayer]

So what would be a safe place in the alpine?

I just try to make sure that there is some sort of structure (a ridge or a peak) that is close by and significantly higher than I am. I still never feel comfortable in storms when camped high...storms are just another reason I prefer to camp down in valley bottoms.

[Timberjack]

I just try to make sure that there is some sort of structure (a ridge or a peak) that is close by and significantly higher than I am. I still never feel comfortable in storms when camped high...storms are just another reason I prefer to camp down in valley bottoms.

yeah we had a tiny little ridge around us that I'm pretty sure made a difference - but I'll try to be a little further down in the future!!!

TJ

[BromBones]

Had a few rough nights in thunder storms, but the worst I ever had was in a windstorm this past fall. Probably the fastest winds I've ever been in, and I was sleeping in the timber :)

I was camped on a small timbered island at one of the lakes in my area doing some moose hunting. My 3rd night, at about 2am the wind started to whip up, not too bad though, so I dozed off again. An hour or so later I hear what sounded like a jet taking off over my head - the wind was funneling up two draws that met at the lake shore, and doing a header into the island I was camped on. It was almost deafening.

After I heard a few trees come smacking down fairly close to the tent, I decided I wasn't gonna lay in that dome all night and wait to be squashed as there were a couple trees close by that were sketchy. I got up and grabbed my pack & rifle, and sleeping bag, and with my headlamp on, me & the dog scooted off the ridge & found a depression surrounded by big rocks on two sides and a skookum fir tree beside it - looked fairly safe from trees coming down on it. I holed up there for the night and managed to get a bit of shuteye, but the sound of that wind ripping onto the lake and all the trees falling down made it a tough night.

Had to wait until about 3 pm the next day for the lake to settle enough to load up my canoe and paddle out. Was an interesting experience for sure.

[BromBones]

I can't even sleep anymore if i'm camped up high in the mountains and I can hear thunder rumbling in the distance. I'm definitely very careful about where I put my camps now.

Earplugs help?:-D

[todbartell]

storms make me stay out of the mountains. Well, that and they're steep......and full of grizzlies!

[Buck]

So thunder/lightning in the Alpine and Grizz in the Valley hmm are hiking poles conductive?

[NaStY]

storms make me stay out of the mountains. Well, that and they're steep......and full of grizzlies!


Ill bet there behind every tree too...:mrgreen:

[Islandeer]

storms make me stay out of the mountains. Well, that and they're steep......and full of grizzlies!

Don't worry much bout those brown bears, they mostly eat grass. :?

[kootenayelkslayer]

Earplugs help?:-D

Yup, they're a necessity! And I hear ya on the wind story. Strong winds have made for some pretty uncomfortable nights in the tent for me as well.

[hunter1947]

In the EK hunting elk years back we back packed a few miles back into this basin one of the worst thunder storms I have experienced came in just before dark.

We set the tent up in the thickest timber we could find this storm lasted for about 4 hours was very scary experience thinking that maybe anytime we might get hit from a lightning bolt.

[swampthing]

Watch for dead trees next to your camp spot as well.

[Gateholio]

You know how you count seconds between the lightning flash and the thunderclap to determine how far away it is? (Or at least pretend you can determine it :) )

We were under a tarp with a candle one night as the thunderstorm rolled in. We were counting (one Mississippi, two Mississippi )And it kept getting closer.

Then there was a bright flash and "on-BOOM!"

Blew the candle right over, rocked the tarp, and made us almost wet our bags.:mrgreen:

[Big Lew]

I've had some nasty incidents with lightning storms while trekking and camping in the sub-alpine. Had one storm roll up from the valley far below in the early afternoon. Had just enough time to set up my lean-to and bed in a depression at the base of a ridge before all hell was upon me. It was undoubtedly the most frighting weather-related experience I've endured. Lightning was striking above and below me, some were so close my hair was crackling, and I could feel the wind and smell the explosions. The flashes were so bright, I kept my eyes closed as the storm passed over me. then the torrents of rain pounded me. If I hadn't roped the lean-to down to large rocks and boulders, the wind would have ripped everything away and down the mountain. I didn't have any metal poles or metal pack frame (was using a trapper nelson with wooden frame), but it makes one wonder, if a golfer can get struck when swinging a metal club, how much are you at risk when in a metal-poled tent if you are camped out in the open during one of these storms?