Altitude Issues

[rlc1959]

I just emailed my Outfitter and requested to fly in a day early. Montrose CO looks to be around 6000 feet. A day at that altitude may help me get ready for the next day riding up to 10,000 feet then hunting up from there. I also asked what altitude the Base camp is going to be. Have not heard back.Thanks for all your advise. i am doing some research on the Altitude Adjustment tablets.

Take care, Randy

[Dave Earley]

Diamox is worth considering, helped me with headaches. start it before you go.  Find a doctor who ski's Colorado; in our town, the docs reportedly prescribe it for each other for ski trips. If you are on any prescription meds, check out whether they may worsen altitude issues (happened to me once).  Good suggestions as far as I am concerned also include doubling the water (bring extra TP too    ), laying off the coffee.

[Bjorn]

I got a prescription med from my doc it helps a bit I guess, but at my age it is hard to tell. Double up on the Pilsner Urquell when finished for the day works as good as anything. If you don't go over 8000 feet you are OK.

[rlc1959]

Something I currently take must not work with Diamox. My Doctor said no when I requested a prescripton ???

[jhg]

Originally posted by rlc1959:
... The Outfitter does not seem to think so...

Everyone is different in how their body handles rapid altitude gain. And your doc may not be very experienced in giving advice for what you are about to embark on- you are working pretty hard usually hunting. I bet a doc who works with climbers would tell you something else.

I would take over-the-counter meds. And figure out a way to limit your work the first day or two so you have time to rest (on stand maybe). I live at 5500 feet and when I go above 10k it always tires me the first day or two.
 It is very easy to get dehydrated and not know it, then suffer headaches and fatigue which sucks when you are hunting and getting up at 3:30am etc.

Joshua

[Stumpknocker]

Bring sinus headache meds for sure.  My Dad and I both got altitude sickness mid-week hiking off the mountain on night.  It can sneak up on you even when you think you are acclimated and it not something to take lightly.  

Sounds like your outfitter is not as concerned about the potential as I would be.  It can cost you a hunt, or a trip if you have to come out of the hills entirely.  I think your concerns are valid and justified. CYA

TG

[widow sax]

Yes tums can help but for me like I told Rick in my pm Altitude Adjustment works make me feel like I'm at home except for breathing more. I start taking it 3 days before AND THE WHOLE TIME I'm there 4.99 for a three day supply is cheap to feel good.    widow

[STUMP THUMPER]

I hunt Co every year (DIY) @ 8,800-9,500 feet, we drive in from Pa and stop in Montrose before we head up to camp. We spend the night in Montrose to get aclimated  to the altitude.
Then next Mornimg it's up on the Plateau. A couple of us are not in the greatest shape and even wear cpap and oxygen at night.
The biggest thing we have found is to only drink bottled water. We use to drink water from a spring ,that locals get from there, and we would all have a couple days of being sick. Since drinking only the bottled water (a lot 1-2 gallons a day) we haven't been sick in quite a few years. As for elevation sickness none of us have had a problem with it. But the air is thin and when bending down, getting up slowly helps a lot and keep head level. I've pasted out a couple of times from standing up to fast. If your in good shape you shouldn't have any problems at higher altitudes. Try not to think to much about it to the point of phsycing your self out. Just have fun.

[rlc1959]

Thanks for all the help.

[eflanders]

Much of the advice given already is spot-on.  Get there early if possible to acclimate slowly, no caffeine for a day or two, no alcohol for a day or two as well, get several sticks of lip balm and drink lots and lots of just plain water.  FYI: Alcohol sensitivity increases at altitude in addition to dehydrating your system.  I usually buy my lip balm out there as the stuff around home doesn't work nearly as well as the local stuff does.  I think it has something to do with added UV protection, but I am not sure...

[straitera]

This one was too near home. Altitude Sickness can be fatal!

Lot of good advice so far & I unquestionably agree with taking several days to acclimate to final altitude. NOT sure I would trust a pill for quick relief when waking up dead is such a real possibility? BTW, I lived in Aurora, Colo. for a year once in 1982.

1993 Elk Hunt west of Denver around 13K feet. I was a long distance runner then {(7) 5+ mile days weekly} & lifted weights often. No worries...WRONG!

Left Houston around noon for 2 hours to Denver & rented a car for the remainder of the trip that day. Well stocked, well rested, & definitely in shape! When I met the guide in town I felt sluggish. From sea level, any altitude can make you feel funny. I forgot it thinking about the 2 record book moose & single cow we saw coming into the hunt area. Yep, Colorado moose!

Felt too bad to hunt the first morning & stayed in but the condition continued to get worse. 3rd day I knew I was in big trouble! My sickness progressed quickly. Felt I could barely move. Completely lethargic, nothing painful however. LSS, I never hunted elk on that trip & had to return to Houston on an emergency flight. Wrecked the rental hitting the median fence while driving back to Denver! MY GF took me straight from the Houston airport to the doc. He wanted me in the hospital. I talked him into a hypo & meds w/understanding that if not better in 24 hours I'd go to the hospital. Believe me, I'm not a sick, nor doc, nor hospital kind of guy! But, this is as close to dying as I've ever been! Coughed up tennis ball size yellow phlegm for a week! Could NOT get a full breath of air all that time too!

My hunt buds know elk are my favorite game animal. They know also I will not hunt above 6K feet anymore. NEVER will forget Altitude Sickness! Be prepared AND careful partner!

[Roadkill]

Our Marine Battalions arriving at the Mountain Warfare Training Center from home bases at sealevel often had problems.  I made them hang in base camp doing Pt and sorting gear while we took the staff on tours of the various cliffs they would assault or hills they had to ski over in winter packages.  Gatorade in camel backs, layering clothes, and my personal favorite, snickers bars for instant energy all paid dividends for guys in generally better shape than the average. Hydrate hydrate. Hydrate. If you get dizzy or sick, drop down for an hour and do not be too proud to say it.  Spoke to a boy scout leader today who told me they cancelled a hike at 8500 because the other leader got alt sickness, we live at 5000 feet!  Can happen to anybody and it will do you in

[joe ashton]

I live at 5200ft and hunt at 10,000ft.  Drink lots of h2o, not soda,  not beer, water and go easy the first day.  If you start to feel bad going down in altitude even a little does wonders.
Have a great hunt....
Joe
PS my daughter lives at 10700 ft.    

[achigan]

Latest issue of Filed & Stream has a story by Bill Heavy. Coastal types going to altitude too fast. Really scary. A day or 2 to acclimate is highly recommended. I wouldn't trust a pill. "Into Thin Air" by Krakauer talks about climbing Everest and the extreme measures needed to acclimate. My one experience had me going from IN to Colorado with an overnight in Burlington, about 5K elevation I think. What sticks out was how dry the air is. I moved too fast, had to breathe hard and irritated my throat/lungs, it left me coughing for hours. No headaches or altitude sickness tho.

[Beanbag]

Everything above is pretty much spot on. The tums thing is true. My sons clued my brother and me in on them for our hunts. When you go up in altitude the lack of oxygen affects your body chemistry.I guess your blood actually starts to alter it's chemistry to accommodate the lack of oxygen.  We were told to start eating tums about a week before we were leaving for CO, we are at sea level. Something about the antacid changes your system. I'm no doctor but it worked. My brother who is very susceptible to altitude sickness never had any problems.We kept eatting them while hunting also.Get the mint ones, they are like little snacks LOL  Hope this helps

[SKITCH]

Spent some time in the mountains both in the Northwest and Colorado. Follow the advice you've been given here and use your common sense when up there. Take the time to listen to your body and take care of what it's asking for.  It's definitely a person by person thing. I've never been bothered too much by it but my wife gets VERY ill. I'm convinced that a good part of it is that now she gets so darn worried about it that it does turn into a mental thing. She gets so worried that its going to happen by the time she does start getting actual symptoms (headaches, nausea, etc) she's already in a lot worse shape than she would be in if she just reacted to the symptoms as they came. She literally "freaks" herself out!!  Something to think about if your that type of person.  Just have fun, be prepared and enjoy your hunt!!!  
Oh....there is the whole....it's harder to breathe up there thing too!!   That part has an effect on everyone!!

[bowslinger]

I have to deal with mild altitude sickness every time I get over about 7500 feet for a day or two.  What helps me the most is drinking a lot of water, slow walks two or three times a day, but nothing too terribly strenuous, and concentrate on long deep breathes.  My heart beats pretty rapid at night the first few nights.  Concentrating on deep breathing and lowering my pulse rate helps me sleep better.  No problems after the scond day.

[DayTripper]

Hi Randy,
I am surprise that your doctor said that. In all my years of mountaineering I saw altitude sickness affect a wide range people without discrimination. You can never tell who will or will not affect by altitude. Your overall physical condition can make the acclimation process a little easier. But you'll never know.

My cardinal rule, is climb high sleep low. If possible, set your base camp at a lower altitude 8,000-9,000ft. Hope this helps.

[mmgrode]

Randy, you mentioned taking aspirin when in the backcountry.  Not sure if you need it, but I'd recommend against anyone taking aspririn in wilderness situations.  Because it thins your blood, it can affect clotting should you slip and cut yourself with a knife or broadhead.  Much harder to stop bleeding when aspirin is involved.

[reddogge]

Altitude sickness, it's real for us flatlanders. A few years ago we took a trip out west and stepped off of the bus to view the sites and WHAMMO, I felt like I was paralized from walking about 500 yards or so. Can't remember the elevation but to this flatlander it was real. Eventually passed but for the moment I couldn't function.