How can you Minimize your Risk of Lightning in the Backcountry?

You’re not alone if the lightning incident at Enos Lake this week has instilled an elevated sense of fear of thunderstorms in the backcountry. We are having many of those same feelings, as it appears the Enos Lake strike was a random accident. According to preliminary reports, the group had shelters spread across an equitable distance, located in a low-lying area of terrain, and among evenly height trees and shrubs. This is pretty much by the book, according to the National Lightning Safety Institute.

The recent lightning fatality stresses the need to know how to prepare for a lightning storm in the backcountry. This file photo is not from the event in question. Photo: Matt Hansen/TCSAR Foundation

It’s important to remember that lightning fatalities are still rare. This was the first lightning fatality in Wyoming in at least a decade, and only the ninth such fatality this year in the U.S. Given the millions of backcountry user days across our region, the chances of getting struck by lightning are small. And yet it still poses a significant danger and it’s good to know how to minimize your risk. (Our podcast, The Fine Line, dove deep into one of the most dramatic lightning events and rescue efforts in Jackson Hole history.)

So what can you do if you are in the backcountry during lightning activity? A critical piece is being hyper aware of weather patterns and where you are in relation to approaching thunderclouds.

Local meteorologist Jim Woodmencey addressed this question in a recent column for the Jackson Hole News & Guide. He includes the following tips:

1. Get off ridgetops. Avoid open meadows. Get off the lake or out of the water.

2. Never run for cover under a lone tree. A grove of trees of similar height is a better option. Be cognizant to not stand on top of tree roots.

3. Avoid direct contact with any metal or graphite objects. Climbing gear, fishing poles, your bike, hiking poles, etc.

4. If you are stuck in an exposed location, stay put and protect yourself from ground currents by standing still with both feet together. This can prevent the ground current from traveling up through your body.

5. If in a group, never huddle together. Spread out, 25 to 50 feet apart. That way, when the grenade drops fewer people in your party will be affected by the blast.

6. If all else fails, run like hell to get to a safer location, and hope whatever Thor is throwing down that day misses you by a wide margin.

Be safe out there, everyone. For more backcountry safety resources, visit BackcountryZero.com.

TCSAR Responds to Lightning Strike in the Teton Wilderness

August 3, 2022

Jackson, Wyo. — Teton County Search & Rescue was notified at 6:25 p.m. on Tuesday, August 2, that lightning had struck a group of backpackers camped at Enos Lake in the Teton Wilderness. One person, a 22-year-old male, died in the incident, while another, an adult male, sustained major injuries. The lightning bolt reportedly hit the backpackers at camp. The men were part of a group of 14 adults on an organized wilderness trip.

TCSAR mobilized a response by issuing a request for the interagency helicopter from Teton Helitack. The request was approved and the helicopter flew three SAR volunteers to the site on Tuesday evening. CPR had been in progress for more than an hour when the ship landed with the SAR team members. TCSAR members took over but the patient could not be revived. 

The Teton Interagency Helicopter departs with TCSAR volunteers for a callout about a lightning strike on a group of campers in the Teton Wilderness. Photo: TCSAR

The helicopter did two flights out. In the first, the ship flew the injured patient and one SAR member out of the backcountry. The injured patient was transferred to an ambulance in Moran, transported to St. John’s Health, and then flown to Eastern Idaho Medical Center. The helicopter returned to the scene for a second flight and transported the deceased patient to the Jackson Hole Airport, where he was met by the Teton County Coroner. Out of respect for the family, TCSAR is not releasing the name or residence of the deceased.

Due to nightfall and inclement weather, the helicopter could not return to the scene on Tuesday. The two remaining SAR members stayed overnight to manage the scene and provide support to the other members of the party.

In the morning, the TCSAR volunteers on scene communicated to Incident Command that two additional members of the party would need an air evac from the backcountry. Enos Lake is a 12-mile hike from the Pacific Creek Trailhead. There was concern that the two individuals would not be able to make it due to acute emotional reaction and medical concerns exacerbated by the long hike out. TCSAR again requested the interagency helicopter, but lingering fog delayed a flight until after 11 a.m. When the weather cleared, the interagency helicopter flew to the site and picked up the two additional patients and two SAR members and transported them out of the backcountry.

According to the National Lightning Safety Council, this was the first lightning fatality in Wyoming this year, and the ninth in the U.S.

TCSAR recognizes the tragedy of this rare event, and extends its sincere condolences to the deceased man’s family and friends and everyone involved in the incident. The team also appreciates the partnership with Teton Helitack and support from Grand Teton National Park that facilitated the use of the interagency helicopter.

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About TCSAR: Teton County Search and Rescue (TCSAR) was started in 1993 by the Teton County Sheriff’s Office ​to provide vital emergency search and rescue services for Teton County and surrounding areas to those in need. The TCSAR Foundation supports TCSAR volunteers through direct support, community education and advocacy. Together, we create an organization that works to keep Teton County residents and visitors safe in the backcountry 24 hours a day, seven days a week.