Storm-safe camping terrain in high southern Sierra?

[Lisina10]

Getting ready for my first trip to the southern Sierra. I'm much more familiar with the terrain up north where it's not hard to find trees to camp in if thunderstorms are upon you. Looking at the proposed itinerary my friend has drafted and much of the travel appears pretty devoid of vegetation. Fun for views and wandering but unsure what that means for storms, which I'm anticipating many afternoons. We're looking at a mix of on and off-trail travel in the vicinity of Dusy, Ionian, Evolution, and Darwin basins. What's your best practice around there? Just make sure you're off peaks and passes and call it good? Or perhaps the Google Earth view looks more exposed than it feels from ground level? Thanks for the insights!

[thegib]

Being above tree-line doesn't suddenly make you the highest point around. (If it does, and a storm approaches, it's time to be nervous.) Almost always there are many landscape features rising above you about you. Areas where you're 'it' are relatively rare. I had 5 or 6 days in a row of thunderstorms a couple weeks ago, all above tree line, and never felt unduly exposed. (It's still scary.) L Lake near Pine Creek pass is pretty big and open and exposed, yet still has a higher ridge that runs beside it that allowed me to feel protected.

[SSSdave]

Glad to read you wisely are concerned. Have a strong science background in electromagnetic forces. Below is an older thread thoroughly discussing lightning with links. Please read some of the link articles. Many people including many quite experienced hikers, backpackers, peakbaggers, and climbers, never bother to understand more than simplistic dumbed downed advice thus poorly understand the physics of lightning so beware of anecdotal inputs. Just because they haven't been zapped yet doesn't at all mean what they do is safe. I see such visitors hiking, climbing up peaks, and siting camps during storms in dangerous places regularly. Ignorance is bliss.

viewtopic.php?f=35&t=8001&hilit=lightning&start=20

Relate locations you are likely to camp and I'll take the time to show on topos where siting is least dangerous and why.

[c9h13no3]

lightning-14.png

Rather than "having a strong science background in electromagnetic forces", just refer to that.

[TheMarmot]

lightning-14.png

Rather than "having a strong science background in electromagnetic forces", just refer to that.

You are the biggest D------G in this forum. There is always one know it all, complete d---------g who talks like the all knowing, while putting others down. Hey bro, instead of talking **** online, why don’t you actually go outside and go for a hike instead of reading about it online.

[MountainMinstrel]

lightning-14.png

Rather than "having a strong science background in electromagnetic forces", just refer to that.

You are the biggest D-G in this forum. There is always one know it all, complete d-g who talks like the all knowing, while putting others down. Hey bro, instead of talking **** online, why don’t you actually go outside and go for a hike instead of reading about it online.

So the person with two whole posts is calling the person with 800+ posts a d-g and a d-g (I'm not even sure you can be both of those) because they posted some good and easy to understand information...?

[TheMarmot]

Yes, the guy with two posts had another account where this ******* offended me, along with others. btw, You can be both a d-g and a d-g, it’s a terrible combination worse that either one on its own. Why don’t you go through this guys past posts and actually see what kind of a-e he is, instead of just basing your information on post counts? You too, are a seemingly uneducated d-g

[maverick]

Please keep the name-calling to yourself; there is no reason to react to his posts; if you do, you give him the satisfaction of getting you upset.
Instead, consider why a person may have written it, possible childhood issue, or a lack of attention: either way, ignore it.

Back to the subject matter please.

[dil950]

I’m pretty new at this as well. But after being caught in storms my last few times out…my simplified observation is clouds moving in + past noon = prob a good idea to have a plan to get out of open or high areas quick if the action starts. Some of those storms blow in fast. Another observation is use your own judgment on the weather. I saw clouds that looked rainy and asked the packer what he thought. He said don’t worry, won’t rain. It rained for 3 hours right after he left lol. And he’s been up there 50 years.

[freestone]

….I read that during a lightening storm there is some measure of protection by keeping both legs together so that current does not travel through your body from one leg to the other. Any truth to that?