climbing lightning struck trees

[Nish]

Is this a bad idea? For a freshly struck tree, what's the best way to insure that it still has sufficient structural integrity for climbing/rigging? What, if any, are the hidden dangers here?

Assuming the heart wood is not rotted out and waterlogged, and the tree isn't blown to bits, I would think that the destroyed portion should always be a continuous path down the outer part of a tree, leaving most large trees strong enough to climb. Thoughts? Experiences?

 

[flyingsquirrel25]

Inspect inspect inspect... All trees react differently to a lighning strike. And strikes can differ in intensity. You must follow your instinct and what you are seeing. ALWAYS err on the side of caution, its not worth dying for. Even among the same species damage can vary wildly. I have seen white pines that you barely knew they were struck, and others that I didnt like to stand around let alone climb. The same with tulip poplar, norway spruce, white oak ect. ect. ect.

One of the big hidden dangers I have found is the wood can sometimes split, and you cant tell until you cut the piece from above off. Normally this starts to show by pinching the saw but some times its just a sudden pucker moment. Pay attention to everything you are doing and that the tree is doing. Inspect inspect inspect.