Question on lightning

Has anyone on here ever had their tent struck by lightning? If so, what happens? Does it ravage the tent? Were you okay inside and the tent poles channelled the electricity into the ground? Or are you pretty much toast if your tent gets struck with you in it? I've experienced this situation in a game on Apknite but in real life, it's not the same.
I’m curious. Last weekend I got caught in a wicked thunderstorm that seemed to strike very close to my tent. I was on top of a barren plateau so the tent was one of the taller objects around. I minimized my space and stayed on my sleeping pad for insulation, but was still terrified until the storm passed. What is the proper protocol in this situation?

I'd think you're toast on a direct hit. The possible mitigating factor would be if there's enough water pouring outside your tent to conduct the energy. The sleeping pad may help in avoiding the current running along the ground.

In my non-scientific guess, I would say you are screwed. I remember hearing that when people get struck it is usually not direct but is through the ground current. I would assume it would be enough energy to arc the few inches around your pad. But then again, this is pure speculation. 

Burnt toast 

Follow-up question: a few days ago, my 10-year-old asked me if a shark has ever been hit by lightning.  Funny how vacation sparks (pun intended) such philosophical questions.  Any evidence for or against?

Chris Brown wrote: Has anyone on here ever had their tent struck by lightning? If so, what happens? Does it ravage the tent? Were you okay inside and the tent poles channelled the electricity into the ground? Or are you pretty much toast if your tent gets struck with you in it? I've experienced this situation in a game on Apknite but in real life, it's not the same.
I’m curious. Last weekend I got caught in a wicked thunderstorm that seemed to strike very close to my tent. I was on top of a barren plateau so the tent was one of the taller objects around. I minimized my space and stayed on my sleeping pad for insulation, but was still terrified until the storm passed. What is the proper protocol in this situation?

Move your tent.

Never had tent hit by lightning, but was hit myself. 3rd degree burn on my head where the arc "sparked" between my helmet and scalp, 3rd degree burn where it left my body on my left toe, "coring" a burn hole through two pair of wool sox.   My friends said I was totally incorherent for about 30-45 seconds (but still standing, so not unconscious) then responded to only the most direct instructions: "Bob, come here!! "...."I can't"....."Why not?"..."Because I'm clipped in"..."Then unclip and come here"..."OK..." (It was 25 ft of flat ground between  us) .

They say that if your heart is starting a beat when you are hit the shock often "scrambles" the signal and the heart goes into filbrilation; but that if the hit happens on the "relax / downbeat" then you're probably going to be OK, provided that the strike isn't so powerful as to totally "fry" you.

I would think (pure speculation) that an external-frame tent would do better (for it's inhabitants, at least) than  being outside in a bivi.  But if it's a choice between being in a tent and being 25-30 ft away in a sheltered overhang or something, I'd vacate the tent.

Robert Hall wrote:  But if it's a choice between being in a tent and being 25-30 ft away in a sheltered overhang or something, I'd vacate the tent.

Depending on where the strike is, that sheltered overhang can become a spark gap like an automotive spark plug. 

Was taking cover under a makeshift 'lean-to' with a buddy, making some Mrs. Grass chicken noodle soup when we were hit.  Ground-splash I believe, because I have a vivid memory of a bouncing ball of fire.  At any rate, I came to after being out for 30 seconds or so......to the sound of my friend screaming at the dude whom he was sure must have thrown a grenade at us.  There wasn't a dude.  My screaming buddy then knocked himself out when he ran smack into a tree.  I peeled the melted tarp off of myself and dragged him out of the rain.  The camp stove was on fire.  My hair was burned up pretty good.  3rd degree burn on my ass and left fore-arm.  My friend had 3rd degree on the top of his head where it exited.....and a big goose-egg on his forehead where he smacked the tree.

People have survived being hit by a direct lightning bolt, and I don't believe a tent would amplify the bolt.  I say go for it

Robert Hall wrote: Never had tent hit by lightning, but was hit myself. 3rd degree burn on my head where the arc "sparked" between my helmet and scalp, 3rd degree burn where it left my body on my left toe, "coring" a burn hole through two pair of wool sox.   My friends said I was totally incorherent for about 30-45 seconds (but still standing, so not unconscious) then responded to only the most direct instructions: "Bob, come here!! "...."I can't"....."Why not?"..."Because I'm clipped in"..."Then unclip and come here"..."OK..." (It was 25 ft of flat ground between  us) .

They say that if your heart is starting a beat when you are hit the shock often "scrambles" the signal and the heart goes into filbrilation; but that if the hit happens on the "relax / downbeat" then you're probably going to be OK, provided that the strike isn't so powerful as to totally "fry" you.

I would think (pure speculation) that an external-frame tent would do better (for it's inhabitants, at least) than  being outside in a bivi.  But if it's a choice between being in a tent and being 25-30 ft away in a sheltered overhang or something, I'd vacate the tent.

The Lightning is looking for the best way to get to the ground. I would think staying prone could negate much of the advantage of traveling thru you. I'm guessing Mr Hall was standing up when struck.

Hamish Malin wrote: Follow-up question: a few days ago, my 10-year-old asked me if a shark has ever been hit by lightning.  Funny how vacation sparks (pun intended) such philosophical questions.  Any evidence for or against?

Well....?

Hamish Malin wrote: Follow-up question: a few days ago, my 10-year-old asked me if a shark has ever been hit by lightning.  Funny how vacation sparks (pun intended) such philosophical questions.  Any evidence for or against?

When the ground/rocks around you start to hum and buzz and when all the hair on your body starts to stand up and it feels like there is a hive of bees inside your helmet

Hold on and get moving fast outa there....

At least three times I've been in the strike zone feeling these things as I got outa the area as fast as possible

Once came over the top of a climb in the South Platte and my partners hair was all standing up straight up, he just looked at me and said, "yea I know lets get outa here" 

A lightning bolt isn’t gonna think twice about that quarter inch of foam insulation your sleeping pad provides. And I imagine that the relatively elevated metal that is your tent frame is only gonna attract some bolts. However like people have said you can maybe be ok even if you take one straight to the nads. In conclusion, a tent is probably not gonna make much of a difference. 

Not climbing/alpine related but oddly relevant:
https://www.msn.com/en-us/weather/topstories/toilet-explodes-in-florida-home-after-lightning-strikes-septic-tank/ar-AAFqTNl

Chris Brown wrote: Has anyone on here ever had their tent struck by lightning? If so, what happens? Does it ravage the tent? Were you okay inside and the tent poles channelled the electricity into the ground? Or are you pretty much toast if your tent gets struck with you in it? I've experienced this situation in a game on Apknite but in real life, it's not the same.
I’m curious. Last weekend I got caught in a wicked thunderstorm that seemed to strike very close to my tent. I was on top of a barren plateau so the tent was one of the taller objects around. I minimized my space and stayed on my sleeping pad for insulation, but was still terrified until the storm passed. What is the proper protocol in this situation?

How was it? Did you manage to get out unscathed?

Jim Amidon wrote: When the ground/rocks around you start to hum and buzz and when all the hair on your body starts to stand up and it feels like there is a hive of bees inside your helmet

Hold on and get moving fast outa there....

At least three times I've been in the strike zone feeling these things as I got outa the area as fast as possible

Once came over the top of a climb in the South Platte and my partners hair was all standing up straight up, he just looked at me and said, "yea I know lets get outa here" 

All that, plus just before I was hit...like no more than 2-3 seconds , there started an overwhelming smell of ozone.  (If you're old enough, you'll remember that hospitals used to have small ozone generators running in the hallways to "kill germs", home models were sold for bathrooms and we had one. )  The smell was "thicker" than anything I had smelled before, like in hospitals when I was young.

Hamish Malin wrote:

Self-cooked fish. #notsushi

Drederek wrote:

The Lightning is looking for the best way to get to the ground. I would think staying prone could negate much of the advantage of traveling thru you. I'm guessing Mr Hall was standing up when struck.

Most lightning injuries are due to ground current.  So the general advice is to stay low, but reduce your footprint on the ground by keeping your feet as close as possible (i.e. crouch with your feet together) in order to reduce and potential differences between your points of contact with the ground.