Episode 15: COLORADO STORMS
video description
Avoid open fields, the top of a hill or a ridge top.
Stay away from tall, isolated trees or other tall objects. If you are in a forest, stay near a lower stand of trees.
If you are in a group, spread out to avoid the current traveling between group members.
If you are camping in an open area, set up camp in a valley, ravine or other low area. Remember, a tent offers NO protection from lighting.
Stay away from water, wet items, such as ropes, and metal objects, such as fences and poles. Water and metal do not attract lightning but they are excellent conductors of electricity. The current from a lightning flash will easily travel for long distances.
The other reason to spread out if in a group, is that if somebody gets struck, the others are less likely get hit by the current as it spreads out across the ground, and they can go for help. One of my storm chasing partners is a lightning researcher and atmospheric scientist. He says if you're caught out in the open and the CGs start coming down (cloud to ground strikes, you have a little better chance standing on one foot. The differential between your feet creates a pathway through your body for the current of an indirect strike as it radiates through the ground. Standing on one foot can lower the chances of the current making it up to your heart. We're always sitting in our cars if there are CGs in the area. And I've heard stuff buzzing before, and man nothing makes me move faster to dive inside that vehicle.
Date: 2020-08-18
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Comments and reviews: 9
Richard
Have followed you thru AT, PCT, and now CDT. Many times I have wondered just where the heck you were at, location wise. Probably a pain but have you considered getting the coordinates from your phone and placing them on your video at the appropriate points? I'll probably do my thru hikes thru google maps, so with the coordinates I could follow your trail and get a first hand video idea of the area. Thanks, after the big 3, and El Camino, I guess all else will be just a little walk in the park.
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Have followed you thru AT, PCT, and now CDT. Many times I have wondered just where the heck you were at, location wise. Probably a pain but have you considered getting the coordinates from your phone and placing them on your video at the appropriate points? I'll probably do my thru hikes thru google maps, so with the coordinates I could follow your trail and get a first hand video idea of the area. Thanks, after the big 3, and El Camino, I guess all else will be just a little walk in the park.
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jackillin
Damn, that happened to me in Port Blair in the Andaman Islands. Massive thunderstorm, were were sharing a room on the 2nd floor of a small hotel & it was pretty much the tallest building around for miles. We had the windows and balcony doors open because it was so hot & no aircon, I was wearing a light nylon dress to sleep in and got up during the storm & my nightgown was crackling as I walked around the room. was fairly weirded out.
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Damn, that happened to me in Port Blair in the Andaman Islands. Massive thunderstorm, were were sharing a room on the 2nd floor of a small hotel & it was pretty much the tallest building around for miles. We had the windows and balcony doors open because it was so hot & no aircon, I was wearing a light nylon dress to sleep in and got up during the storm & my nightgown was crackling as I walked around the room. was fairly weirded out.
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Ralph
Dixie, be very careful of lightning. It is not how close you are but how electrically close and that are two very different things. Lightning can strike over 25 miles away from the storm. The portion where you saw the static off of your hiking poles is very scary. You created a very high electric field and this is how a lightning rod works so you. Dixie was a Lightning Rod.
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Dixie, be very careful of lightning. It is not how close you are but how electrically close and that are two very different things. Lightning can strike over 25 miles away from the storm. The portion where you saw the static off of your hiking poles is very scary. You created a very high electric field and this is how a lightning rod works so you. Dixie was a Lightning Rod.
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Alfie
You were pretty lucky in that thunderstorm you know. If your hair stands up in a storm, its a sign that positive charges are rising through you, reaching toward the negatively charged part of the storm. That's very dangerous.
Glad it all went OK though. I hope you see this post and exercise caution when dealing with this kind of phenomenon.
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You were pretty lucky in that thunderstorm you know. If your hair stands up in a storm, its a sign that positive charges are rising through you, reaching toward the negatively charged part of the storm. That's very dangerous.
Glad it all went OK though. I hope you see this post and exercise caution when dealing with this kind of phenomenon.
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Eric
Absolutely beautiful video. As a resident of CO, there's not a day that goes by that I don't appreciate being here. Dixie. Being up on those peaks and faces is absolutely no joke during monsoon season and to actually hear and feel that electricity is insanely scary. Beautiful. but scary. Glad you were able to get through it ok.
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Absolutely beautiful video. As a resident of CO, there's not a day that goes by that I don't appreciate being here. Dixie. Being up on those peaks and faces is absolutely no joke during monsoon season and to actually hear and feel that electricity is insanely scary. Beautiful. but scary. Glad you were able to get through it ok.
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Pamela
Perfect! I live in Colorado, and you have captured it so beautifully. Even though I get to see and experience some of this, in real life, I am so happy to follow along and see what you are seeing, learning and growing, along with you guys. Thanks for documenting this, for all of us!
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Perfect! I live in Colorado, and you have captured it so beautifully. Even though I get to see and experience some of this, in real life, I am so happy to follow along and see what you are seeing, learning and growing, along with you guys. Thanks for documenting this, for all of us!
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Sam
Find what you love to do and do it so it doesnt feel like a job
I did that. And im miserable.
Marketing. Accounting. Entitled parents and their bratty kids. Tournament politics. Maintenance. Repairs. Taxes.
Its too much. Im not having fun anymore.
Im tired.
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Find what you love to do and do it so it doesnt feel like a job
I did that. And im miserable.
Marketing. Accounting. Entitled parents and their bratty kids. Tournament politics. Maintenance. Repairs. Taxes.
Its too much. Im not having fun anymore.
Im tired.
reply
Michael
I have noticed a few drone shots in some of your scenes and wondered a little about that. The weight, portability, battery life etc. In one video you mentioned the way ahead was sketchy so I was thinking why couldn't you have checked out the track ahead by drone?
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I have noticed a few drone shots in some of your scenes and wondered a little about that. The weight, portability, battery life etc. In one video you mentioned the way ahead was sketchy so I was thinking why couldn't you have checked out the track ahead by drone?
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Matt
I was hoping to see footage from Indian Peaks Wilderness, just south of Estes Park, as that's the one section of the CDT that I've hiked, up to Pawnee Peak. Love Colorado, going back this summer! Incredible footage though, enjoying this!
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I was hoping to see footage from Indian Peaks Wilderness, just south of Estes Park, as that's the one section of the CDT that I've hiked, up to Pawnee Peak. Love Colorado, going back this summer! Incredible footage though, enjoying this!
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