Nowhere outside is safe when a thunderstorm rolls through.
But if you’re in Colorado’s backcountry, with no shelter nearby, there are some steps you can take to minimize your risk.
In Colorado, an average of about 500,000 lightning flashes hit the ground each year. The state, known for its unpredictable electrical storms, is third-highest in the nation for lightning deaths, according to data provided by the National Lightning Safety Council.
“Keep in mind that many lightning victims were seeking safety when they were struck,” John Jensenius, a lightning safety specialist with the council, said in a recorded safety video. “The problem is that they just didn’t start soon enough. It is a common mistake. People wait far too long to start seeking safety and that puts them in a dangerous and potentially deadly situation.”
Before recreating outside, check the forecast and consider canceling or postponing a trip if thunderstorms are predicted. Keep an eye on the sky for storms and monitor conditions on your phone or satellite device, if possible.
And if the sky looks threatening or you hear thunder, go inside immediately. Lightning can strike 10 miles from the area where it is raining in a thunderstorm, according to the safety council. If you can hear thunder, you are likely within striking distance of the storm.
Shelter will always be your safest option to protect yourself from lightning. But when that’s not an option, here’s what experts from the National Weather Service and National Lightning Safety Council recommend you do:
Get to lower elevation
Avoid open fields, the top of a hill or a ridgetop. Instead of crouching to the ground in a ball, experts say running to lower ground should be a priority to decrease your lightning risk.
Stay away from tall, isolated trees
Lightning more often — not always — strikes the highest object in the area. If you are in a forest, stay near a lower stand of trees. When lightning strikes a tree or other object, the charge carried by the lightning is then dissipated across the ground. Don’t lie flat on the ground and spread out from others in your group.
According to the National Weather Service, being under a tree is the second-leading cause of lightning casualties.
If camping, set up camp in a valley, ravine or other low area
If camping in a high elevation or exposed area, get out and away from your tent and try to shelter near a grove of trees. A tent offers no protection from lightning.
Stay away from water and metal objects
Water and metal don’t attract lightning, but they are excellent conductors of electricity. The current from a lightning flash will easily travel for long distances.
If you have any metal — a metal frame backpack or hiking poles — make sure they are at least 100 feet away from you, experts at the American Hiking Society advise.