High altitude prep

time2hunt

Active Member
Messages
412
With two elk hunts already planned this year one in Colorado and the other in New Mexico both unit at 9000 feet plus in elevation. Beside getting in physical hiking and backpacking is the any other secrets to combat high altitude sick and fatigue ? Special supplement ? Diet beside carb load and lots of water prior to leaving.
Brian
 
We Had this Discussion a while back!

It can Tip You Over!

Sometimes even if you're in the Best of Shape!

Spent alot of Time Hiking/Hunting up to about 11,500 And never Experienced it!

But We Live at 6,000!












It Ain't Easy being Me!:D:D:D
 
I do hypoxic swim workouts now. Trains my body to use oxygen much more efficiently.

I have a lot fewer issues up in thin air since starting this.
 
There is no substitute for days in high altitude to acclimate. If you can get closer to your hunting altitude for a day or two I'd put that in the schedule.
 
Acclimate!
It makes a world of difference.
I've hiked a lot of miles at elevations over 9000 ft.
The times I have felt the best were the hikes that I was able to spend nearly 24 hours above 7000 ft to acclimate before really pushing myself to hike long distances over 9k ft.

Altitude sickness is no joke






"Wildlife and its habitat cannot speak. So
we must and we will."
Theadore Roosevelt
 
I also get a prescription of Diamox from my doctor. It apparently helps 02 molecules bond to your red blood cells better which helps you at higher altitude. It seemed to work very well last year as I was flying in from 3000 feet and hiking over 12,500. Very inexpensive and often they can prescribe it right over the phone if you tell them what youre doing etc.

Otherwise acclimation and stay super hydrated.
 
Ginko a supplement that adds oxygen to your blood. It really does help. I have used this for years and as I get older it seems to work even better
 
Yes, acclamation is the answer. I live at 8000ft and really don't feel altitude until I get to 12,000ft and it's minor. Usually gone before the day is done.

If I spend a day at 10,000ft and then the next day go to 12,000ft I feel nothing.
 
https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/page/travel-to-high-altitudes

I recommend acetazolamide (Diamox) for truly low altitude folks (less than 1k ft where you live). It helps your body adjust its pH because you will be huffing and puffing and blowing off CO2 to keep your oxygen levels normal, and the carbonic anhydrase inhibitor will help you urinate off bicarbonate, so instead of of having a respiratory alkalosis and high blood pH, you will be close to normal pH. I also recommend getting to your hunt several days early, drive up to about 9k ft, spend the day there doing nothing but glassing from your vehicle. Descend to about 7k ft to sleep, then back up the next day with only some light activity.
Tylenol for headache, drink plenty of water/gatorade etc. If you're a coffee drinker, don't stop doing that, but keep it on the lower side of what you drink.

If you tell me where you'll be hunting out here in CO, I'll give you some spots to spend your acclimatization days.
 
I used to use diamox but didn't like the side effects. I have used both the wilderness athlete product and another one called altitude adjustment. Comes in 3 day packs and 2 packs is plenty. Each is about $5 so for $10 one person is good to go for a trip. Sold by a nice guy in Colorado.

Txhunter58

venor, ergo sum (I hunt, therefore I am)
 
txhunter58... can you message me the details? I'd like to try some this June and into july
Thanks



"Wildlife and its habitat cannot speak. So
we must and we will."
Theadore Roosevelt
 
>I used to use diamox but
>didn't like the side effects.
>I have used both the
>wilderness athlete product and another
>one called altitude adjustment. Comes
>in 3 day packs and
>2 packs is plenty. Each
>is about $5 so for
>$10 one person is good
>to go for a trip.
>Sold by a nice guy
>in Colorado.


Just to be clear, supplements all should come with a big black box that says "we have no idea how this might affect you, and it could be bad." This includes the altitude adjustment supplement which contains Reishi mushroom which can make you hypotensive or more likely to bleed, especially if you are on blood thinners or high blood pressure medications. That's just one ingredient, so use all of these with caution.

Food for thought.
 
>https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/page/travel-to-high-altitudes
>
>I recommend acetazolamide (Diamox) for truly
>low altitude folks (less than
>1k ft where you live).
>It helps your body adjust
>its pH because you will
>be huffing and puffing and
>blowing off CO2 to keep
>your oxygen levels normal, and
>the carbonic anhydrase inhibitor will
>help you urinate off bicarbonate,
>so instead of of having
>a respiratory alkalosis and high
>blood pH, you will be
>close to normal pH. I
>also recommend getting to your
>hunt several days early, drive
>up to about 9k ft,
>spend the day there doing
>nothing but glassing from your
>vehicle. Descend to about 7k
>ft to sleep, then back
>up the next day with
>only some light activity.
>Tylenol for headache, drink plenty of
>water/gatorade etc. If you're a
>coffee drinker, don't stop doing
>that, but keep it on
>the lower side of what
>you drink.
>
>If you tell me where you'll
>be hunting out here in
>CO, I'll give you some
>spots to spend your acclimatization
>days.
We will be hunting unit 83 just out of Weston. I've hunted the Maroon bells wilderness and sangre de Cristos both time right around 10500 to 11000 I start getting a little sick. I've alway been physically in shape but with a little age creep ( almost like point creeep ) I want to make the best of theses hunts
Thanks
Brian
 
>We will be hunting unit 83
>just out of Weston.

If you're on the east side of the Culebras, with Weston, that's unit 85, but if you're on the west side of the Culebras in the San Luis valley, that's 83 which is 100% private (I'm assuming you have access.)
Weston at 7k, or Trinidad at 6k would be good places to sleep for a day or two on the east side. As far as getting up a little higher in the day time, Monument lake on hwy 12 out of Weston, or even Le Veta pass on hwy 160 are nice places.
If you are going to be on the west side, the floor of the San Luis valley is over 7k, which should work for sleeping, and I would say try to get with your outfitter for some high spots that won't interfere with their other hunters. Or you could go fishing up the Conejos or Alamosa rivers on the west side of the valley for a warm up.
 
Thanks for info I got invited to the Bar ni ranch for a DIY hunt so no guides just acess to ranch. I hoping for at least a day in Weston then slowly work up the mountain in elevation hunting as I go.
 
LAST EDITED ON May-10-18 AT 10:02AM (MST)[p]Another vote for Wilderness Athlete products. Altitude Advantage, which I start 5 days before the hunt, Hydrate and Recover every morning and evening and Nighttime Optimzer with dinner. Makes all the difference in world for me. Been using it for 6 years now.

"You can fly a helicopter to the top of Everest and say you've been there. The problem with that is you were an a$$hole when you started and you're still an a$$hole when you get back.
Its the climb that makes you a different person". - Yvon Chouinard
 
When I was studying human physiology in undergrad I remember my professor talking about this. There is something in Rolaids that helps with altitude sickness. I don't remember what it was though. I work at almost 10,000 feet so I've never experienced it but thought I would pass that info along.
 
>When I was studying human physiology
>in undergrad I remember my
>professor talking about this.
>There is something in Rolaids
>that helps with altitude sickness.
> I don't remember what
>it was though. I
>work at almost 10,000 feet
>so I've never experienced it
>but thought I would pass
>that info along.

+1...... Years back, on a outfitter hunt in Colorado, we camped at the tree line. Prior to the hunt, the outfitter recommended bringing along some Tums or Rolaids to help with altitude sickness. He said it helped oxygenate the blood. I never needed it, but I still remember that recommendation.
 

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