Man killed by lightning on JMT

[bobby49]

Lightning engineers will tell you that there is a _theoretical_ 60-degree cone of protection under some isolated high conductive object. However, there are so many variables that nobody can conduct a decent experiment.

[oldranger]

Back in the 80s a man was killed by lightning when taking shelter under a large rock along Bubbs Creek. overhanging rocks and shallow caves are not good places to take shelter. once spent a couple of hours huddled in my poncho leaning against a low rock, next to another ranger in Milestone Basin during a thunderstorm, figuring we were the lowest points in the area. During a lull in the storm we set up our tents and holed up for another couple of hours. Yes luck has a lot to do with it but picking the right spot lowers the odds of a bad consequence.

[Shawn]

Funny thing Mike, some years back I had just signed the register on Sawtooth above Mineral King when all of a sudden the skies got dark. Shortly thereafter came the rain, thunder and lightning. I hustled off the peak with the intent to descend off the ridge the same way I came up but all hell was breaking loose around me so I went straight down as fast as I could until I got cliffed out. And even though I knew better, I did exactly the wrong thing and took cover in a shallow cave. Thankfully the storm passed about as fast as it arrived and I was able to tuck my tail between my legs and wander out of there.

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