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Wild10Basecamp

Weather

Reduce your lightning risk in the field

You cannot make yourself lightning-proof, but you can dramatically reduce the odds of being struck.

Weather 5 min practice
All skills
Warning: Metal frame packs, trekking poles, and wet ropes conduct current. Set them aside 30 feet from you during a storm.

Step-by-step

  1. The moment you hear thunder, start moving off exposed terrain — ridges, summits, open meadows, and shorelines.

  2. Head to lower ground, ideally uniform terrain in a stand of shorter trees of similar height.

  3. Avoid isolated tall objects (single trees, poles, boulders taller than the surroundings).

  4. If you cannot reach shelter, spread your group so any strike affects only one person, and squat on the balls of your feet on a foam pad — never lie down.

  5. Wait 30 minutes after the last thunder before returning to exposed terrain.

Warning: Metal frame packs, trekking poles, and wet ropes conduct current. Set them aside 30 feet from you during a storm.

Related outdoor skills

Educational reference only. Wilderness conditions change fast — practice in low-stakes settings, take a certified wilderness first-aid course, and confirm regional regulations before you rely on any of these skills in the field.