JJL Posted March 16, 2008 Report Share Posted March 16, 2008 Does anyone have any interesting "altitude influenced" stories that they'd like to share?? My family and I live at 8000ft. in SW Colorado. We've been here for 9 months and the elevation adjustments have been an adventure. For starters, normal everyday trips to town and work will take you on an elev. rollercoaster. 8000-5000-11000-6000-8000 is not uncommon and tends to have an adverse affect upons one's body. Not just the ears popping, by the time you get where you're going you feel like someone has beaten the crap out of you. We take the kids sledding oftentimes on the weekends. The trip down the hill is a blast but, the walk back up will kill you. It's a Colorado "hill"....300ft. of vertical drop with a total running distance of about 1200 ft. The hike back up almost got me another ambulance ride the first time. I could not catch my breath and it took nearly 5 minutes of breathing as hard and as deep as I could to restore it. Baking anything is a total new adventure, from bread to scrambled eggs it's taken lots of failed attempts to finally get it right. Here's my tips for Flatlanders heading up High............. 1. Get in shape..........you should be able to jog a mile, two would be better. Weather permitting I do 10 on my bicycle everyday and I'm not close yet. 2. QUIT SMOKING......... for other reasons as well, but Oxygen exchange is crucial and your lungs need every chance that they can get. 3. Eat alot of Leafy green vegetables.........not only are they rich in vitamins, but they help your body produce red blood cells that carry the Oxygen. 4. Drink ALOT of water, and remember to BREATHE. It's real easy to get yourself into a bad situation up here, you better give yourself every chance you can. It's taken me 9 months to fully adjust. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VermontHunter Posted March 16, 2008 Report Share Posted March 16, 2008 I can tell you that altitude can play some nasty tricks on your body .. :eek: I think I had a headache every single day in Colorado, I'm not a water drinker and this made it even worse.. Lugging water up a small hill for camp was an adventure to say the least .. The NOT forgetting to breathe thing isn't a JEST statement you will find yourself gasping for a breathe every now and then .. Sure glad I quit smoking well in advance for this trip .. But with this all said and done,, I'd do it again in a heartbeat,, the outdoors and great people to hang out with with can't be beat .. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DU_man_84 Posted March 16, 2008 Report Share Posted March 16, 2008 yep when i use to go out to colorado couple times every year the altitude always was fun, like you said its different cooking, burned alot of things, when i would do my running out their compared to home i would have to stop alot and catch my breath, but colorado is still a great place Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
buckee Posted March 16, 2008 Report Share Posted March 16, 2008 I can tell you that altitude can play some nasty tricks on your body .. :eek: I think I had a headache every single day in Colorado, I'm not a water drinker and this made it even worse.. Lugging water up a small hill for camp was an adventure to say the least .. The NOT forgetting to breathe thing isn't a JEST statement you will find yourself gasping for a breathe every now and then .. But with this all said and done,, I'd do it again in a heartbeat,, the outdoors and great people to hang out with with can't be beat .. Got me good too Luke. Those altitude headaches in the mornings were something else. I've lived at sea level for the past 30 years. When I was logging many moons ago, I was in the best shape of my life, but that was many moons ago .. It sure was nice up there, in spite of my lack of get-up-and-go ...LOL. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevebeilgard Posted March 16, 2008 Report Share Posted March 16, 2008 yep. we were camped at 8000', same as where jim now lives. i live every day at 4500', so i'm a bit better adjusted. and we didn't do too bad at camp cooking.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VermontHunter Posted March 16, 2008 Report Share Posted March 16, 2008 and we didn't do too bad at camp cooking.... The camp cooking was actually GREAT especially the Elk Chili and the Rainbows buckee and I caught .. The potato's were a treat also,, I've never quite had them prepared that way before .. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JJL Posted March 16, 2008 Author Report Share Posted March 16, 2008 The headache in the morning is caused by the body's limited breathing at night. Your respiration slows and so does you oxygen intake, so when you wake up in the morning you're already suffering from oxygen depletion. I've got a couple of buddies who guide in the HIGH country in the fall, and they love to tell the stories of the fallen flatlanders who aren't ready for the altitude. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chrud Posted March 16, 2008 Report Share Posted March 16, 2008 I spent a week in Breckenridge, Colorado and that was enough time to learn a few differences. - Opening a pop, or other beverage, has a different sound. In the mountains, it sounds much flatter than it does at home. - No humidity is great! - You can't really prepare yourself for the thin air until you've experienced it. - My brother got bloody noses every morning. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reloader Posted March 16, 2008 Report Share Posted March 16, 2008 Yup, I used to camp every summer at 7-8000 feet in the sierra nevada range. Takes at least a couple days to remember how to breathe each time, and a bit more after that to get used to any kind of exertion... One sugestion that I have always found useful, Eat spicy foods, hot peppers improve your blood's ability to cary oxogen. Every little bit helps when the air is thin... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stick Posted March 17, 2008 Report Share Posted March 17, 2008 I live just below Pikes Peak at 8500ft, and I work in Cripple Creek that is at 9500ft. I have been here a year and a half and came from southern oklahoma 600ft. I completely agree with you about the roller coaster I feel it every day but it seems to be letting off a little. When I went turkey hunting last april the temp was 0 and we were at 8500ft I got a severe infection in my lungs from sucking air so much. since then I have gotten in a lot better shape and elk season was not that bad at all, but I still feel the effects of no air. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davetucker Posted March 17, 2008 Report Share Posted March 17, 2008 wow i lived in colarado springs and didn't even realize it when we went to pikes peek!!!Although i was only 12 when i lived there!I guess i better get to work if i think i'm going to go elk hunting there in a couple yrs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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