July 2012 I was in Wind Rivers with some Boy Scouts. I agreed to drive them there if I could hike with them. We were on the highline trail. The sky behind us started getting this weird color:


So above tree line-- and the wind came in hard. Hail was coming in horizontal. Lightning cracked everywhere. Instead of asking their scoutmaster what to do they asked me what to do! No shelter above tree line! I yelled “Scatter, everyone find their own boulder and get on the SW side!”

That buffeted the wind. I whipped out my 6oz umbrella and held it over me as I crouched by my boulder. Wind Rivers shredded my umbrella. Ironically my cheap poncho held out. This lasted for 2 hours as the boys were scattered and crouched. Then the boy in jeans with a 50lb pack started to exhibit hypothermia. I told the patrol leader we need to get moving in this rain to get 50lb-backpack boy warming. The patrol leader called his boys in and said “let’s pray!”. Within 10 seconds of saying Amen, the skies turned like this:



Why didn’t we pray sooner? How can boys have that much power? It’s funny; in storms I always forget to take pictures; I want a picture for remembering those good times!
After Wind Rivers I got the 8oz Golite umbrella. That performs much better! --- Though I gave up a little weight and pack size. BTW, Wind Rivers is perfect for sandals. It was wet and a lot of stream crossings. One adult leader had boots. He didn’t care anymore after 5 days and just walked through streams with them. They dried out a month later; but the smell never left.

I have several other storm stories --- because I seem to always get caught in storms; it’s my luck. But it reminds me we are peons on this planet. Mother Earth rules and we can’t change her --- nor would I try. She’s beautiful.

May everyone weather the storm
-Barry
-The mountains were made for Tevas (I found that out when I moved here)