Lightning: Nantahala

First forecast for days ago, the upcoming storm had been an active topic of conversation on the trail for many days giving people time to make plans. Many who had endured the bitter ice storm on April 3-4 choose to head to trail towns. Hotels and hostels were full. But many chose to stay in the mountains, especially when the forecast on Thursday didn't seem so bad. Accuweather predicted just two short periods of rain during the night, totaling 0.12 inches, with occasional thunderstorms. Accuweather was wrong. 

The storm delivered its full fury. Fortunately it was not cold, but the wind and rain were intense.

Lightning flared in the clouds every few seconds for several hours. Wind howled so loud I couldn't distinguish it from thunder. The rain on the tent wasn't the familiar sound of rain drops but instead the constant roar of a hose. 

I've been too close to lightning on hikes before, watching it ricochet off rock walls and smelling the ozone while crouched in the safety position. I had no interest in climbing high tonight. I camped low, in a protected area. 

Just after dark a hiker passed, headed to the next shelter, 4.5 miles and two balds away. I tried to convince him to stop since in this weather and dark it could take an hour per mile, a very long time to be exposed. 

Fortunately the lightning was all in high altitude clouds. There were no land strikes. But with the howling wind and pouring rain I was happy to be in my tent. 

I have just a TarpTent, a single silnylon tarp. Both the head and feet are open except for mosquito net, and the sides are a few inches of the ground. There is no floor.  In a heavy rain water splashes in from all sides and I retreat to the center. With wind the rain blows through the net. 

A little beak is Velcroed to the top front of the tent to reduce some of the wind blown rain. Last night the wind was too strong for the Velcro and the beak flapped in the wind. Rain drove through the net door, soaking the head of my down sleeping bag. 

In the morning I found the hiker who had gone on. He safely reached the shelter at 12:30 am after a harrowing night, and vowed not to try that again. On the other hand sometimes the worst days are also the best days and he also really enjoyed the challenge. 

With a late start, waiting for the rain to stop, and a break mid-afternoon to dry gear in the sun, I made 21.3 miles today.