Altitude aclimation

imported
#1

I want to hike the first three, maybe four, sections of the CT. I live in Kansas City and am concerned about altitude sickness. It concerns me because I lived in Idaho Springs and Floyd Hill most of my childhood and remember seeing friends and friends parents who were from lower elevations get sick.

I’m in great shape. No asthma or anything. But I haven’t been back to the mountains in about a decade (sadly, I know).

Am I over analyzing here? Am I letting little insipid doubts eat into my funzies?

Donovan

#2

Altitude seems to effect everyone differently. I hadn’t been at any real altitude for many years when I started the JMT last year. I did an overnight stay at 8000ft before starting and had no problems. Others did. I would recommend trying to get in a day/night at altitude to acclimate before pushing it.

Still Lookin

#3

Thank you. That sounds like a smart plan.

Dono

#4

While serving in the military I lived in Colorado for a number of years and was constantly deployed to areas around the world (with much lower elevations). Subsequently I/we suffered the re-acclimation issues when returning home and soon discovered there was a way to assist the body to physiologically prepare itself for higher elevation living. My advise is to prep yourself in two ways, cardiovascular training and pre-hydration steps. Expand those lungs to be able to transfer oxygen more efficiently and hydrate those cells with water long before you start hiking. Being in good physical shape is key and will help avoid certain high altitude injuries (just my two cents). I wish you the best of luck. Peace, WB CT08

WB

#5

Good advice above. Sleep at altitude, be in good condition, eat and hydrate well. Also consider a higher-iron diet to build up hemoglobin in the blood before you arrive in CO. Dark leafy greens are good–there is an iron atom in the chlorophyll molecule. Eat your spinach, as Popeye says.

Garlic

#6

Thank you all. Advice that can keep one alive (or functionally efficient and pleasantly conscious) is always appreciated.

Dono

#7

Keep an eye on where your feet are and altitude won’t affect you. One wrong step and gravity takes over.

Hiker Jack

#8

I live in North Carolina at 600 feet elevation. A couple of years ago I made a trip to Colorado. After an overnight in Denver I camped at 10,000 feet, then for two days did a slow easy day trips at 12,000 feet. On the second day of this went noticeably better than the first. The third and subsequent days I climbed easy 14ers, slowly and breathing heavily but with no ill effects. I consider myself to be in somewhat better than average shape, but no athlete. For what it is worth.

Dioko

#9

Donovan:I live at about zero altitude,Two years ago I went to Cartgena,Columbia at 100’,spent a few days there and then went to Quito,Ecuador at a little under 10,000’we hiked in the Quito area and then by car to higher altitude.No problem at all.I’am sure you’ll be ok.:cheers

old&intheway

#10

Like it was mentioned above it affects all people differently. I hike a section of the CT with my brother who is in much better shape then I. We drove out from NH and immediatly hiked to 10,000 where we spent the night the next day we got over 12,000 and both were feeling the ill effects of the altitude (headache, nausea, listless) but he was feeling it much worse. That night we dropped to 9,000 ft and stayed about that level for a couple of days and were both fine after that. I guess you never know until you actually get there.

Big B

#11

Another thing to keep in mind it that AMS (acute mountain sickness) can hit anyone, anytime, even the most fit and acclimated. After a long season of peak-bagging 14ers in CO (25+ summits) with no problems and lots of nights above 11,000’, I got AMS on an “easy” 13er at the end of the season. No apparent reason, it just happened, and it was pretty debilitating. I felt fine after walking downhill about 4,000’, so first aid is pretty easy.

Garlic

#12

Spinach is an excellent source of iron (but the metal molecule in chlorophyll is magnesium, not iron).

Brian