sierraclub.org - sierra magazine - sept/oct 2011 - survive
I've experienced thunderstorms while hiking in the Scottish Highlands and Italy's Dolomites and ghostly ball lightning in British Columbia's Coast Range. But I've never brought on the wrath of Zeus like I did while climbing Mt. Langley in the Sierra last July.
—Peter Rowat
Sascha Paris, outdoor activity training manager, Sierra Club Outings
"Peter should have dumped his poles immediately and run like heck down the mountain. In a lightning storm, you do not want to be the tallest thing around. You can better your odds of survival by familiarizing yourself with local weather patterns, identifying safe terrain, and summiting early in the day, when storms are less likely. Don't forget that lightning can strike miles ahead of, behind, or to the side of storms. "
Illustrations by Koren Shadmi