Altitude Sickness/Baby Aspirin

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Roy
Posts: 2824
Joined: January 25th, 2010, 6:35 pm

Re: Altitude Sickness/Baby Aspirin

Post by Roy » September 13th, 2013, 10:04 pm

Altitude sickens is strange imo learning the rest step pace is the key at altitudes, if your prone to that stuff. My wife got head aches above 11,000 ft. But we flew to Salt Lake left Portland at seven and road a lift to over 10,000 ft by one. And skied till almost four between 8,000 ft and 10 plus with only my wife getting a minor headache.

But one time on Shasta at 13,000 she got it bad and scared the crap out of me.

If your hurting your body's telling you something, Imo learning to pace and acclimatizing is better than drugs for what might happen.

They use Dexamethasone to treat it when your really in trouble. Thats what real high altitude climbers carry in the first aid kit.
Last edited by Roy on September 13th, 2013, 10:25 pm, edited 1 time in total.
The downhill of the mind is harder than the uphill of the body. - Yuichiro Miura

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romann
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Joined: May 28th, 2008, 10:03 pm
Location: Vancouver, WA

Re: Altitude Sickness/Baby Aspirin

Post by romann » September 13th, 2013, 10:24 pm

One time hiking to the top of Rock Creek Butte (the Elkhorns) I felt strange at around 9,000'. No headaches or anything, just kind of confused. Took frequent breaks and the feeling will let up, then returned when I went up hill too fast. This kind of surprised me as it was the 4th day of the trip. Back on trail at 8,100 I still felt I wanted to be lower, but at Twin Lakes at 7,600' it was great.

I've been to almost 10,500 in Yosemite and didn't get any problem - maybe over-exertion increased the effects of altitude. Or maybe I was not yet acclimatized to high terrain - the Elkhorns hike was in July and the Yosemite in October, after many high-terrain hikes over the summer.

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Roy
Posts: 2824
Joined: January 25th, 2010, 6:35 pm

Re: Altitude Sickness/Baby Aspirin

Post by Roy » September 13th, 2013, 10:36 pm

romann wrote:

- maybe over-exertion increased the effects of altitude.
This is a very detailed version of the rest step, but Its very effective. I have climbed using this and seen some one blow by me once or twice and then turn around before the top. And I would pass them on the way down after summiting, or pass them before the top and see them coming up on my way down.

Sometimes its just faster to go a little slower.

http://beta.active.com/outdoors/article ... -rest-step
The downhill of the mind is harder than the uphill of the body. - Yuichiro Miura

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