Acclimate how to?

“I posted this on another thread sorry!


I have a question about peaks?
how did you get ready to do them?
I have never done anything over 1500.
What about acclimate (did i say that right?)
I mean what did you do to prepare yourself?
If you have never done something like that and don't have a big mnt. near you then what?
you just can't go running up to the top without getting sick.
The reason I ask this is becasue ive been invited to go next July to Mt. Antero. I have 10 months to get into shape. Can this be done in 10 months? If I feel that there is the sligtest chance that im not fit, then I will not go!!"”

“How high is Mt. Antero? (please forgive my lack of knowledge :( )”

“One word: slowly.

Take your time. Become familiar with the signs of altitude sickness. Here is a good resource

Read up on it and come back with more questions if you have them.”

“Mt. Antero is in Col. and it's about 14.000 ft”

“Here are a few suggestions I pulled out of “The Backpackers Field Manuel:”

· Try not to drive of fly directly to high altitude. Start below 10,000 feet and walk up.
· If you go above 10,000 feet, only increase your altitude by 1,000 feet per day and for every 3,000 feet of altitude gained, take a rest day.
· Climb high and sleep low. You can climb more than 1,000 feet in a day as long as you come back down and sleep at a lower altitude than you climbed to.
· If you begin to show symptoms of moderate altitude sickness, don’t go any higher until symptoms decrease. If symptoms remain, descend to a lower altitude.
· Different people will acclimatize at different rates. This means that you may need to adjust your group’s rate of assent to accommodate the people who are acclimatizing slowly.
· Stay properly hydrated. The body’s fluid loss increases at high altitude (at least 3 quarts or 3 liters per day).
· Avoid tobacco or alcohol and other depressant drugs, including barbiturates, tranquilizers, and sleeping pills. These depressants further decrease the respiratory drive, especially during sleep, resulting in a worsening of the symptoms.
· Eat a high-carbohydrate diet (more than 70% of your calories from carbohydrates) while at altitude.

The way that most people get altitude sickness is by going too high too fast. Ironically, it is often the more “in shape” person that gets altitude sickness (rather than someone that is not in as good of shape) because the in shape person is able to push themselves higher, faster.

There’s a bit more in the book if this helps.”

“oh well i tried


thank you Erehwon!!

yes this is what im talking about..”

“I suggest you look into Yogic Flying. You may not be able to get to 14,000 feet in under ten months, but its probably your best bet.”

“I replied in the high peaks thread.

You can do it. Mozark and OM made it up Whitney after living in the lower elevations of Arkansas and Florida, but they had a few days to acclimate.”

“I can't seem to find out what Yogic Flying is...”

“I theenk the reel werd is "climatise" you crazy man!”

“Maple Leaf - I believe Yogic Flying is when Yoga Masters bounce around on their butts "willing" themselves up into the air (looks like a lot of silly bouncing).”

“I used to get AMS everytime I went to the Sierras (2-3 time/year). In the early 90s I started using Diamox (diuretic/prescription). I also started going to the Sierras more often (twice/month). I was able to get by with lower doses of the Diamox, and after one season I quit using it.

Diamox gives you tingly fingers and beer (or anything carbonated) tastes metallic. Also makes you pee a lot. But it works!

Be sure to eat and drink a lot. Last weekend I skipped lunch and crawled towards the end. I thought I was drinking a lot, but only peed before I started my trip at 11am, once at 3pm, and before I went to bed at 9pm. I forced myself to drink before sleeping, and got up at 1am and drank more. The next morning I was feeling better.”

“That's Stage One Yogic Flying, Erehwon. Stage Two is flying through the air for a short time. Stage Three is complete mastery of the sky.

To acclimate for 14,000', Maple Leaf really needs to shoot for Stage Three. Ambitious yes, impossible?...”

“Maple Leaf,

Hundreds of unprepared idiots from the flatlands climb Colorado's 14ers every year. This unprepared idiot from Texas has done 13. Last May I drove to the foot of Blanca Peak from Texas in a day. The next morning I drug a full pack from around 9000' to 11600', and then scrambled to the top of Blanca. I don't recommend that, I've done it a bunch of times and think I know what I'm doing. But you'll never get to the top of a 14er if you only go up 1000' a day!

The most important part of acclimatization is physical conditioning. If you get your cardio-pulmonary systems in shape from running regularly you will be fine provided 1)you stay hydrated and 2)you don't over-exert. (I run a lot so I guess I'm not really unprepared, just unacclimated)

If you spend a couple days in the area (ride a white-water raft) you'll be ready to go. Heck, you can drive to within a couple hundred feet of the top of Antero!

disclaimer: this rant in no way negates the intelligent and informed advice of other forum participants”

“If you will be there for a few days (which for your sake will help alot) do a dayhike or two. Just take it easy going to the summit. To be honest with you, you might make it or not, it really depends on your physical conditioning. The elevation gain is the hardest thing to overcome. If you run, for conditioning, this will help you, but it is no guarentee that you will make it. Going higher and higher is the only real way to acclimaze. I met a guy a few months ago that works out everyday on the threadmill and stair stepper and we did a dayhike of about 1000-1500 elevation gain over about 3-4 miles (which is really nothing) and it kicked his butt big time. You have to buildup to it. Like the saying goes if you want to be a bowler, bowl.”

“Once you get high, stay high.”

“Climb high, sleep low.”

“A couple of months ago 3 of us went on a dayhike. Keesler Peak, 10,403/3 Miles One Way/3000 elev. gain. It has little exposure and some scrambling. On the way back we meet 4 people. They said they were from Deleware and they forgot were they parked their car. I pointed out were the car lot was. One woman ask where we came from and I pointed thru those trees up there. They asked how they could get up there, my one friend pointed her to the trail I said that there was an easier hike across the street. They kind of looked at me funny. My friend started talking to them, telling them that there was a MacDonalds at the top, I started laughing, but what was funny they were believing him. I only noticed one guy was carrying any water. They were all out of shape. If they attempted this hike it would have been a disaster. Some people just don't get it. People make things look easy, that's because they have been doing it for a very long time.”

“Reminds me of 2 guys from Kansas I met above treeline on Shavano while I was racing down because of an approaching thunderstorm. They continued and got a full-on mountain experience! But they survived and now have a really good story to tell.”