about at what elevation does altitude sickness start?

[ozy clint]

considering a fit person.  

i'm just dreaming about marco polo and ibex.  

[Arwin]

I don't know, but would love to find out!!  

[reddogge]

I think you can become aclimated to altitude in a few hours or maybe a day.  I'm a flatlander so a little altitude can get to me.

I got off of a bus this year out west and we were at 8,000 ft and it hit me like a ton of bricks.  Funny lightheaded feeling in the head, weakness in the legs, couldn't take very deep breaths.

In a day I was fine and eventually went to 13,000-14,000 ft with no problems.

[Tree man]

This is not tied to a scientific study  but based upon my observations it can happen at about 4000 feet above the elevation where you normally live and function. -That differential is usually easily acclimated to in a day. As you add more you need more time to acclimate.

[Dave Lay]

I think tree man is right, I live at about 2500 ft and I can tell it when I am at about 7000 and above...

[wingnut]

Heck you guys are talking about thin air a altitude.  Altitude sickness is a whole different thing and can lead to some nasty stuff.  I had a partner on a high desert (11,000 ft) hunt come down with it and we had to get him down.

Here is some info:

Altitude sickness, also known as acute mountain sickness (AMS), altitude illness, or soroche, is a pathological condition that is caused by acute exposure to low air pressure (usually outdoors at high altitudes). It commonly occurs above 2,400 metres (approximately 8,000 feet).[1][2] Acute mountain sickness can progress to high altitude pulmonary edema (HAPE) or high altitude cerebral edema (HACE).[1][3]

The cause of altitude sickness is still not understood.[1][4] It occurs in low atmospheric pressure conditions but not necessarily in low oxygen conditions at sea level pressure. Although treatable to some extent by the administration of oxygen, most of the symptoms do not appear to be caused by low oxygen, but rather by the low CO2 levels causing a rise in blood pH, alkalosis. The percentage of oxygen in air remains essentially constant with altitude at 21% up until 70,000 feet (21,330 metres) but the air pressure (and therefore the number of oxygen molecules) drops as altitude increases - consequently, the available amount of oxygen to sustain mental and physical alertness decreases above 10,000 feet (3,050 metres)

[Aeronut]

Tree man hit pretty close to my experience too.  When we went skiing in Colorado we always spent the first day sightseeing and were fine after that.  We were going from around 900' elevation at home to 9600' at Breckenridge.

Dennis

[Steve O]

http://www.wildsheep.org/pdf/high_altitude.pdf

[John Nail]

rolaids helps - seriously

[Dan Chamberlain]

It can also be different on different excursions!  Case in point.  I made it to 12,000 once for a day and had no trouble.  Next time, I couldn't get above 10,000 without BP spike, excruciating headache and a strong desire to lay down and die!

Dan

[Mike Mecredy]

It depends on the person as well. But it's weird because it might not effect you for the first 5 trips but then it might on the 6th trip, or might not.

[va]

There is an excellent reference book called Medicine for Mountaineers.  Call your library.

[hunt it]

Clint,

Mike has all the correct info posted for you. It is not predictable who it will effect. On many an expedition the fittest fall to AMS. I have friends that have trained beyond most peoples imagination and have fallen with AMS. Now here is one for you. A good friend of mine at age 70 decided to hunt blue sheep in China. Instead of taking the helicopter to base camp 17,000 FT. He elected to walk it. An extra 10 day hike but he wanted to experience the area and new that the climatization would do him the world of good. When he gets to start of trek guides tell him to throw out all altitude drugs Dr. gave him and do as they do. So, he took their advice, they had oatmeal with a bulb of garlic in it for breakfast. Soup with bulb of garlic in it for lunch and yes another bulb of garlic with dinner! My friend says he never had any issues period and hunted at 17,000 to 18,000 ft for four days. The garlic thins the blood and helps to greatly reduce the effects of AMS. Wouldn't plan on the wife being to affectionate on night of your return but otherwise it works.

[Flatshooter]

Hunted the past fours years out of Gunnison Co. up around Crested Butte to 11,000 feet. Four hunting buddies and I packed in with five horses. My close friend and I walked up the 8 mile trail, the others rode with the pack horses. last two years we hiked the last four miles at night in 1 2/2 feet of snow. never had a problem. BUT we prepared for that trip! Worked out in the gym five days a week with plenty of cardio. I agree everyone is different but preparation can save you a lot of grief! Oh, by the way, I just turned 60. Not bragging, just trying to make a point about the importance of being fit.

[Pat B]

When I went to Colorado 2 years ago I flew into Albuquerque, spent the night, rented a car and drove to Durango, by way of Chama. I took my time on the road trip to acclimatize myself to the altitude and to defrag from normal life. The next day we went into the San Juan Mts to about 10,000' then dropped down to 9000". We hunted between 9k and 10k for 6 days. I felt something(?) when we first started our trek but after about an hour I was OK for the rest of the trip.
  I live at 2600' in Western NC and trained for 8 months, mostly with a 60# pack on, and had the opportunity to hike up to 6200" on a few occasions during my training period.
  The year before I went out to Colorado, my wife and a friend toured the Four Corners area and she was sick for almost her whole trip. Not too ill to do things but sick enough to where it wasn't as enjoyable as it should have been.
 The more training and conditioning you can do the better off you will be.     Pat

[john fletch]

Age, shape and base altitude.

When I was young and fit and living in Montana, I was all over the mountians, especially Glacier Park.  Worked there for 4 summers while going to college.  Altitude was no problem.

Then later a desk job in Seattle for 20 years...

Older, fatter and sea level.  Seems I would get dizzy and winded just going to the 10th floor!

Now I am retired back to Montana and on a Diabetic weight loss program.  My desire is to be able to go with my sons on and elk pack in next fall.  Could be up to 7600'  Base here is 2800'

[longbow55]

Got me around 8500 ft. Headache, vomitting, and the thought of dying would have been a relief. The next day and alot of tylenol later, no problems.

[Pat B]

Drinking lots of water helps also.

[DJTJR]

Really depends on the person and the amount of time they let themselves acclimate to an area.  also some people who have never had issues can get it at alts that are familiar to them a lot of variables involved.

[NorthernCaliforniaHunter]

Approximately 8,000 ft. Symptoms vary depending on physical conditioning.