For vacationers, summer and the month of August are ideal times to take a breath of fresh air. Short family walks or long hikes between athletes, everyone benefits. However, with the strong heat that France has been experiencing since the beginning of summer, thunderstorms are rumbling all over the territory. Finding yourself in the middle of a storm while you are outside can be perilous, even dangerous. If we already know what to do or avoid doing at home during a thunderstorm, what about when you’re in the middle of a mountain hike?
These storms can last several hours, so it is necessary to react as quickly as possible. The first thing to do is to move away from the peaks of at least 30 meters according to Montagnes Magazine. And be careful not to rush, you have to remain vigilant because the ground becomes slippery with the storm. It is best to be as close to the ground as possible: seated, knees bent and feet together.
When there are several of you, it is advisable to move away from each other, several meters (without losing sight of each other) so as not to spread the lightning if it falls near you. The ideal is to find a place like a cave or a shelter, as dry as possible and to take shelter by staying well away from the walls.
If you have equipment, such as walking sticks or ice axes, often made of metal, you must either put them away from you, or store them in a bag. They could draw lightning towards you. However, don’t throw them too far, these tools will still be useful to continue the expedition or to come down from the mountain. Finally, even with these tips, it is best to wait for the storm to pass before starting the descent.
Ideally, it is better to plan your hike upstream and watch the weather: even if thunderstorms can arrive unexpectedly in the mountains, they are most of the time predictable.
