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Thread: weather safety?

  1. #1
    Senior Member rcurry's Avatar
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    weather safety?

    http://www.weather.com/sports-rec/fi...nwide-20130625


    I stumbled on this information at weather.com and was honestly surprised to read the lightning deaths 2006 – 2012 had camping listed as #2 with 15 deaths. Checking the weather and then double checking it before I go camping has served me well so far. The older I get the more uncomfortable I have become in regards to storms. Strong dangerous winds scare me silly and lightning makes me twitchy nervous. We have had over 30 huge trees destroyed and some damage to our home by sudden straight line winds a couple of years ago in two separate storms. The crashing of trees all around the house sounded like a soundtrack from a war movie. Lighting has struck two trees within twenty feet from our home and caused electrical damage inside our home and killed the trees.

    To my point; what weather safety recommendations can you suggest if I am caught out camping in a lightning storm? Keep hanging and hope the trees I’m using aren’t hit? Advice would be appreciated.

  2. #2
    all secure in sector 7 Shug's Avatar
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    I have always thought in a really worst case scenario I would leave my hammock, don my rain gear, grab my sit-mat and go squat in the woods in a place that I had pre-chosen. Ride it out and hope for the best. I always try to see a spot when I check my camp perimeter. Maybe by a big rock in a low area.
    So far I have just succumbed to the fact that I was out there and enjoyed the glory.
    Shug



    Whooooo Buddy)))) All Secure in Sector Seven

  3. #3
    SilvrSurfr's Avatar
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    I also check the weather before going out, but it's gonna take a lot of weather to cancel my plans. Hurricane Irene cut short one trip, but a thunderstorm isn't going to cancel my plans.

    I even took my HG CF tarp out in a hailstorm with plenty of lightning last year. I slept right through it.

  4. #4
    Senior Member Chug's Avatar
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    Here is a good read on Lighting safety.. It's something not to mess with. Amazing power and paths of travels.

    Not sure where I picked up this website info.. but great to read and learn about it.

    Enjoy... and fear the ZAP.

    Backcountry Lightning Risk Management
    Linky: http://www.wec.ufl.edu/safety/Backco...ningSafety.pdf

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    Comfortably surviving a weather incident gives a feeling of accomplishment. Spending a couple of days of a couple day trip soggy and cold leaves one wondering why one bothers. The trick is to find the balance of when to hunker down a bit vs when to put things off a bit. That and having a system that handles the weather. ;-)
    YMMV

    HYOH

    Free advice worth what you paid for it. ;-)

  6. #6
    Senior Member MDSH's Avatar
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    Lightening chased my son and me off of Uncompahgre once. The whole thing is in the open. Was really glad to get back in the trees.

    .
    Mike

    Learn to survive and thrive in any situation, for you never know what might happen. Love family and friends passionately. Suffer no fool. Know your purpose in life and follow it with all your heart.

  7. #7
    Senior Member lesspayne's Avatar
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    A Response to the Shug

    About Lindville Gorge Trip (1st video)

    1st that was AWESOME!!!!!!!!!!!

    2nd It may have been risky but the beauty of mother nature on that evening and night was just amazing. If I had been in your shoes that night and mother nature decided to reach out and touch me (getting struck by lighting) they would have found me crispy but with a unmistakenly huge simile on my face. Did I mention that that storm was $%^&!@# AWESOME!
    Mother nature is the most beautiful woman in the world even though she is centuries old.

    3rd your Cajun still needs a bit of practice...if ever hanging in the swamps of Louisiana look me up.

    And did I mention that storm Was AWSOME! awesome.......

    About Lindville Gorge Trip (2nd video)
    That was an amazing spot that you found along the trail with the waterfall very scenic.

    Was the campsite ya'll selected in the second video the same as the campsite from the first video?

    How long is the trail up to the top?

    And Thanks Shug for making the noobie videos they helped a lot.

    Did I mention how awesome the first video is... cause it is AWESOME!!!

    And I guess I should mention something about being safe in thunder storms and not hide under trees and stay away from other animals and people and don't hold onto anything metal.........

  8. #8
    all secure in sector 7 Shug's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by lesspayne View Post
    A Response to the Shug

    About Lindville Gorge Trip (1st video)

    1st that was AWESOME!!!!!!!!!!!

    2nd It may have been risky but the beauty of mother nature on that evening and night was just amazing. If I had been in your shoes that night and mother nature decided to reach out and touch me (getting struck by lighting) they would have found me crispy but with a unmistakenly huge simile on my face. Did I mention that that storm was $%^&!@# AWESOME!
    Mother nature is the most beautiful woman in the world even though she is centuries old.

    3rd your Cajun still needs a bit of practice...if ever hanging in the swamps of Louisiana look me up.

    And did I mention that storm Was AWSOME! awesome.......

    About Lindville Gorge Trip (2nd video)
    That was an amazing spot that you found along the trail with the waterfall very scenic.

    Was the campsite ya'll selected in the second video the same as the campsite from the first video?

    How long is the trail up to the top?

    And Thanks Shug for making the noobie videos they helped a lot.

    Did I mention how awesome the first video is... cause it is AWESOME!!!

    And I guess I should mention something about being safe in thunder storms and not hide under trees and stay away from other animals and people and don't hold onto anything metal.........
    It sure was...both times. More awesome to be with my ol' buddy Hickory.
    I need to hang in Cajun Country with Cajuns and I will work on it.
    That trail runs along the top..high part of the Gorge. About 5 miles long. Those are two different campsites. First video Lost Dog site. Second we call Bean Camp.
    Whooooo Buddy)))) All Secure in Sector Seven

  9. #9
    Senior Member lesspayne's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Shug View Post
    It sure was...both times. More awesome to be with my ol' buddy Hickory.
    I need to hang in Cajun Country with Cajuns and I will work on it.
    That trail runs along the top..high part of the Gorge. About 5 miles long. Those are two different campsites. First video Lost Dog site. Second we call Bean Camp.
    Fantastic area, wouldn't mind hiking there one day.

  10. #10
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    Quote Originally Posted by rcurry View Post
    2006 – 2012...15 deaths.
    Uhhhh....
    Thats 2.5 deaths a year.

    I for one agree that on pretty much any subject, any number greater then zero is too many deaths...

    But again... 2.5 deaths. How many people die in the woods every year? Divide 2.5 by that number and your gonna end up with a pretty darn low % chance.

    If your gonna die in the woods, its not gonna be by lighting.
    Don't be the highest thing in an open area, and stop worrying.

    Just my 2 cents. Your probably gonna die in a car accident on the way there anyways

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