NEED AIR?

[Russ]

Hi! This is my first post, have been lurking for a year. This coming fall will be the third trip to C0. for OTC elk hunting. We live in south central Kansas. And we both are in farming and cattle so due to lack of being able to take off to much in the fall we drive out to Colorado in one day, get out there at dark and camp for the night at 9500ft. we get up early the next morning put enough in our packs for six days and hike to 12,000ft to camp and hunt from there. (No time to acclimate) We get in the best possible shape we can but it still seem to suck some pretty good wind , and get bad muscle cramps. We were wondering if anybody used the little compressed oxygen bottles to help get enough air until acclimated, or if it would even work? Anyone have any experience with them?

[pointysticks]

haha. my buddy got it bad in montana. he shot the biggest buck of his life while wearing a oxygen mask. the ER doc did everything possible to keep him hunting. they sent him back to camp with O2 bottles. pretty funny story to hear.

now that same guy takes the wilderness athlete altitude pills. he swears by them. i hunt with him now, and he does alright even up and over our 10,500 pass..there might be something to those pills. i think his regular doctor gave him some pills too. something he takes a week before he gets to the mountains..it doesnt help him hike, but it keeps him from getting nauseous and sick.

might be worth a phone call to the doc. i am lucky..i live at 63 feet. i do pretty decent up at elevation. not bad for a 40something city boy.

[RichM]

might ask your doc about this:
http://www.webmd.com/men/news/20050201/ ... e-sickness

Might just be an urban legend.

[Trumkin the Dwarf]

Drink more water (and get in even better shape ?). I don't have any experience with meds to alleviate symptoms. Altitude can be absolutely awful to deal with. I had to pretty much carry my dad out of the back country when I was a teenager because of altitude sickness. Thankfully there were other guys around to help us. If you can get an extra night of sleep at elevation before hiking in it would do a lot to help you acclimate. That said, dehydration really seems to amplify the effects of altitude, so drink more fluids, preferably with some mix of electrolytes.

[Trophyhill]

Altitude adjustment is different for each person I think. I remember 1 year while mule deer hunting (altitude did not play a role) at about 4000', the temps were in the mid 70's to low 80's and I had been sweating profusely. I spotted a bedded muley near the top of a ridge and started to move in on him when suddenly both calfs cramped at once. It was painful to say the least and I had to lay down and stretch. This sucked. The deer were rutting and the bucks I had tried to get close to prior to this all had a bunch of does with them. So finding this lone bedded buck was the opportunity I'd been hoping for. Well needless to say I think the buck heard me moaning and grimmising in pain and eventually jumped up and trotted away. It took these cramps a good 30 minutes before I was able to walk again without cramping. I think this was caused from dehydration, which can most definitely happen at higher elevation. I don't know if salt tabs could help in a situation like this or not.

[pointysticks]

my friend filled a small gatorade bottle up with bloody phlegm. he was really sick.

[Gselkhunter]

Slower pace, small steps, don't stop and lots of water.The real trick guys is breathing and heart rythm. If you can find the pace and keep moving your body adjusts faster than stopping and starting. The other part of the high country is you can dehydrait sitting still. The climate is so dry the moisture in your body is sucked out of you. Having a filter to refill your water bottle is a great choice so you can carry less weight and still survive.

[RP]

First trip out we to Colorado for elk hunt, my buddy and I ordered the Wilderness Athlete High Altitude kit. Which consists of pills you start taking a week before you leave and while there. Plus a recovery and rehydrate drink mix. It worked never had headaches or nausea. Already have ordered some for this years trip.

[Swede]

A doctor that uses the handle of Deertick on another elk hunting forum, informs people what they can do to avoid, or minimize the adverse effects of altitude sickness. It is the best information I have read on the subject. If anyone is interested you can PM me and I will give you the address. From what I remember, going up high fast and planning to hunt hard, makes for a difficult proposition.

[Gutpile]

+1 gselkhunter

I try to take medium regular steps. The key for me is never redlining. You know when your heart is pounding, you're out of breath and you HAVE to stop. I go a pace where I'm working but able to sustain the uphill push. No matter what shape you're in you can avoid a lot of problems with altitude activity by preventing over-exertion. I go faster when my fitness is better but I feel the same when slow and out of shape b/c my breathing and heart rate are similar.

[elkmtngear]

http://elkmtngear.com/blog/altitude-sickness.html

[elk.addict]

Slower pace, small steps, don't stop and lots of water.The real trick guys is breathing and heart rythm. If you can find the pace and keep moving your body adjusts faster than stopping and starting.

You nailed it. Pace is everything, especially when covering a lot of miles with a load.

[Elkduds]

Welcome to the forum. How goes the drought? Any pheasants to be had in KS this Nov? RE altitude, all my experience comes from teaching skiing @ 10K elev and higher to people who recently arrived from sea level. Those least fit felt sick first, often giving up after 2 hr. Remember, the 1st 2 hours getting on skis is not an easy activity. Dizziness, nausea, fatigue. Hydrating is essential, keep your urine as clear as possible. Avoid alcohol, it worsens every symtom of altitude sickness. Get sleep, that is when your body acclimates without expending energy. Be ready with antacids, your body's pH begins to change to acidic. Keep foods bland. I have seen no data RE whether OTC meds or prescription meds for adjusting to altitude are effective.

[idahoghost]

Compressed breathing air will only have an oxygen content of 20.8% O2. In order to get a higher concentration of O2 (say from a scuba facility)you would have to be certified in the proper use of the gas you requested. In order to boost your PPO2 (partial pressure) you would need a much higher concentration of O2 then 21% for the altitude change you are in reference to .
Follow the advice of the above individuals.

[steveo]

I've used Diamox every year since the first time I went to Colorado. No nausea or sick feeling. Google the drug for altitude sickness and you will get the facts. I believe it works.

[Elkduds]

Also, consider camping lower than 12K. You will get much better sleep and recover more @10.5 K, then you can hunt uphill in the am. Timberline is around 11.5K in central CO, a little higher as you go south, and lower to the north.