Skiing and Altitude Sickness

[Peter Minde]

With some pretty heavy hiking at 11-12k.

But, if you haven’t you really should.

Spent some time at altitude - Mt Rainier, Leadville CO, and it wasn't easy. Shoot, putting on ski boots at 6500 feet on Mt Bachelor took some effort. In Leadville, we met a California couple who were camping for 3 weeks to acclimate for the Leadville 100. Wish I could had that sort of time in my 40s.

 

[raisingarizona]

Spent some time at altitude - Mt Rainier, Leadville CO, and it wasn't easy. Shoot, putting on ski boots at 6500 feet on Mt Bachelor took some effort. In Leadville, we met a California couple who were camping for 3 weeks to acclimate for the Leadville 100. Wish I could had that sort of time in my 40s.

My home is at 7k but I’ve been living just over 8k this whole summer and the difference is very noticeable. I get dehydrated much easier and sleep is always more challenging here.

 

[DomB]

My home is at 7k but I’ve been living just over 8k this whole summer and the difference is very noticeable. I get dehydrated much easier and sleep is always more challenging here.

I find that really interesting from 1k change.

We are going to Cooper over Christmas, base 9,700.

I went there a few years ago when I was turning 40 and worked out like a madman (for me) out of fear of altitude sickness.

I was ok except huffing on some hike to at 12.200 feet(?) but did wake up a bunch at night.

My understanding is all this is caused by less oxygen by volume in the air, causing increased respiration, causing mor exhilarating, causing more dehydration, causing headaches and eventually altitude sickness if you don’t hydrate.

 

[DomB]

More typos sorry. Copper, more exhilation, I meant.

 

[DomB]

My house is somewhere between 0 and 100 feet above see level.

 

[raisingarizona]

I find that really interesting from 1k change.

We are going to Cooper over Christmas, base 9,700.

I went there a few years ago when I was turning 40 and worked out like a madman (for me) out of fear of altitude sickness.

I was ok except huffing on some hike to at 12.200 feet(?) but did wake up a bunch at night.

My understanding is all this is caused by less oxygen by volume in the air, causing increased respiration, causing mor exhilarating, causing more dehydration, causing headaches and eventually altitude sickness if you don’t hydrate.

It’s weird for sure but going above 8k is where I really start to notice a change for myself. I normally tour between 9-12k and above ten I have to really slow my roll and pace myself.

 

[Benny Profane]

I find that really interesting from 1k change.

We are going to Cooper over Christmas, base 9,700.

I went there a few years ago when I was turning 40 and worked out like a madman (for me) out of fear of altitude sickness.

I was ok except huffing on some hike to at 12.200 feet(?) but did wake up a bunch at night.

My understanding is all this is caused by less oxygen by volume in the air, causing increased respiration, causing mor exhilarating, causing more dehydration, causing headaches and eventually altitude sickness if you don’t hydrate.

I can feel the difference skiing at JH, which is lower than most of high Colorado, and you sleep at a lower elevation, which is very important, because that's most of your 24 hour day.
Whistler is the best. Highest peak is about 7000. You sleep at 2000. But, of course, it rains a lot. The plus side to all this is that Abasin doesn't really mush up and freeze thaw until May. Even Breck decided to extend its season a few years ago into May, to compete.

 

[TonyC]

I went there a few years ago when I was turning 40 and worked out like a madman (for me) out of fear of altitude sickness.

Marginal if any effect. It's individual physiology/genetics.

I was ok except huffing on some hike to at 12.200 feet(?) but did wake up a bunch at night.

Insomnia is one of those clear signs. I did not sleep a wink all night at Trail Camp 12,000 feet on Mt. Whitney in 1999. Very weird, as I was relaxed and completely comfortable otherwise. I had slept the previous two nights at 8,000 at Mammoth, but more of that would have been better.

My observation over many years is that a few skiers will have sleep,headache or other issues sleeping at 8,000, but many more will have issues sleeping at 9,000. That included my ex-wife in 1992 at Crested Butte and 1993 at Taos. She did much better at Keystone in 1997 with a Diamox prescription. I used Diamox on that two day 6,100 vertical climb of Mt. Whitney and it definitely prevented any headache. Diamox is a diuretic so I was up peeing 5x during that sleepless night. The next most common side effect is tingling fingers. For those of you who complain about effects at 6,000 or 8,000 I recommend Diamox strongly. On a one week destination ski trip, you really can't afford to feel like crap for the first 2-3 days.

 

[Bandit]

My experience with altitude agrees with Tony’s. I’ve slept many times around Mammoth at 8k feet and had virtually no altitude issues with the exception of getting winded easier.

Sleeping at 9k in Winter Park for the first time I had bad altitude sickness, comparable to the worst hangover I’ve ever had. First two days I was able to ski just fine but starting around 6pm I had a bad headache, throwing up, it was bad. Each time I felt fine the next morning, and by the third day I was good in the evening too.

On our last winter park trip, four of us took Diamox. I got home from work the day before, popped a diamox, cracked a beer, and started packing. About half way through my beer I noticed that it tasted like crap. I opened a fresh one, same thing. I texted the others and they all had the same story! Popped a beer and a diamox and 15 minutes later the beer tasted like crap. I found one side effect online that said “some travelers have reported that carbonated beverages taste flat.” It was interesting that four out of four of us had the side effect.

I will use diamox next time I sleep at 9k. I had no symptoms compared to the first time, only symptoms were tiredness on the first day and getting winded easier when hiking.

 

[Harvey]

When I went to Colorado (hut-to-hut) you sleep at 10,000 and above. I think the highest hut I slept in was 11,700. It was a great time, I loved it. But I felt like shit most of the time. I started to feel bad when I got to about 5,000 on the bus on the way up. If I was moving (skinning) above 10,000 my head was pounding.

The good news is I am moving from 200 feet to 1940! So I should be all set right?

(I'm breaking this out).