Elk season fitness-altitude issues for flatlanders

[Erussell01]

8500ish is when the air gets thin enough to start having some effect. If you’re camping above 10k I would factor in acclimating and diamoxx into the hunt plans, personally. Above 11k and it’s more of managing the symptoms then actually avoiding them, for most people.

That makes sense- I camped at 9400 last year and made the pull straight from the truck to there

 

[Erussell01]

A lot of issues I see with folks coming into altitude is related to being dehydrated!

Lay off the booze prior to heading up as well.

No booze for me before the hunt. I quit having any during the month of August as a precaution. I'm not a big drinker anyway so cutting the couple glasses of wine a week with my wife isn't a big deal.

 

[willfrye027]

That makes sense- I camped at 9400 last year and made the pull straight from the truck to there

Yeah, that’s not terribly high I’d just plan on sucking wind for a day or better yet arrive a day early and take it easy. Your kidneys need 24-48 hours to adjust your bloods acid-base balance before you start feeling good

 

[Erussell01]

Yeah, that’s not terribly high I’d just plan on sucking wind for a day or better yet arrive a day early and take it easy. Your kidneys need 24-48 hours to adjust your bloods acid-base balance before you start feeling good

I didn't think it sounded too high either but apparently I'm a big ol biotch at elevation for a day or two. If I could glass up from down low I'd stay low for a day to acclimate. But I get all crackhead and have to run right up the first night and try to glass so I can find the elk

 

[Poser]

This has been well studied and documented in the mountaineering realm. There is really not much you can do short of spending money on a acclimation tent to sleep in. The fact of the matter is you need time spent at altitude, preferably not involving stressful activity. Lengthen your trip by as many days as you can spare and spend some time relaxing before heading out to hunt. Otherwise, it is going to suck.

I have a partner who comes out from sea level and spends a week in town (6500 feet) and another week in camp at ~10,000 before the season opens. You really need to sacrifice some vacation times for acclimation: drive some FS roads, soak in the hot springs, eat a steak house, sleep in, take some naps, etc.

 

[Poser]

This has been well studied and documented in the mountaineering realm. There is really not much you can do short of spending money on a acclimation tent to sleep in. The fact of the matter is you need time spent at altitude, preferably not involving stressful activity. Lengthen your trip by as many days as you can spare and spend some time relaxing before heading out to hunt. Otherwise, it is going to suck.

I have a partner who comes out from sea level and spends a week in town (6500 feet) and another week in camp at ~10,000 before the season opens. You really need to sacrifice some vacation times for acclimation: drive some FS roads, soak in the hot springs, eat a steak house, sleep in, take some naps, etc.

 

[Poser]

This has been well studied and documented in the mountaineering realm. There is really not much you can do short of spending money on a acclimation tent to sleep in. The fact of the matter is you need time spent at altitude, preferably not involving stressful activity. Lengthen your trip by as many days as you can spare and spend some time relaxing before heading out to hunt. Otherwise, it is going to suck.

I have a partner who comes out from sea level and spends a week in town (6500 feet) and another week in camp at ~10,000 before the season opens. You really need to sacrifice some vacation times for acclimation: drive some FS roads, soak in the hot springs, eat a steak house, sleep in, take some naps, etc.

 

[Poser]

This has been well studied and documented in the mountaineering realm. There is really not much you can do short of spending money on a acclimation tent to sleep in. The fact of the matter is you need time spent at altitude, preferably not involving stressful activity. Lengthen your trip by as many days as you can spare and spend some time relaxing before heading out to hunt. Otherwise, it is going to suck.

I have a partner who comes out from sea level and spends a week in town (6500 feet) and another week in camp at ~10,000 before the season opens. You really need to sacrifice some vacation times for acclimation: drive some FS roads, soak in the hot springs, eat a steak house, sleep in, take some naps, etc.

 

[Erussell01]

This has been well studied and documented in the mountaineering realm. There is really not much you can do short of spending money on a acclimation tent to sleep in. The fact of the matter is you need time spent at altitude, preferably not involving stressful activity. Lengthen your trip by as many days as you can spare and spend some time relaxing before heading out to hunt. Otherwise, it is going to suck.

I have a partner who comes out from sea level and spends a week in town (6500 feet) and another week in camp at ~10,000 before the season opens. You really need to sacrifice some vacation times for acclimation: drive some FS roads, soak in the hot springs, eat a steak house, sleep in, take some naps, etc.

If I only have 10 days one time a year to kill an elk- that's a hard bargain to be made but I get your point. I wonder if I can just slow way way down the first day or 2 rather than having complete rest. I'm not much of a sit still person so that would be tough on me

 

[timekiller13]

The only way you do anything about altitude sickness is train at altitude. Your body has to acclimate. So you either go a few days early and slowly work your way up in elevation. Or you can buy one of those stupid expensive elevation simulation/oxygen deprivation tents.

That’s the only thing that will help you.

You have to understand that it’s the lack of pressure that reduces the gas exchange (oxygen) in your lungs. You can’t change that. Doesn’t matter how good or shape you are in, your lungs are used to what your lungs are used to when it comes to gas exchange.

Diamox only helps with SYMPTOMS of altitude sickness, but it does nothing else. It does not cure the altitude sickness.

 

[shwacker]

I would recommend pedialyte and lots of water, plus maybe ibuprofen or whatever makes you feel better. Hike more slowly than you might like to at first. Obviously plan for the first few days to be a bit tougher. I usually don't sleep as well if I go up too much. Everyone's body responds differently and each trip can be different.

 

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[Erussell01]

I would recommend pedialyte and lots of water, plus maybe ibuprofen or whatever makes you feel better. Hike more slowly than you might like to at first. Obviously plan for the first few days to be a bit tougher. I usually don't sleep as well if I go up too much. Everyone's body responds differently and each trip can be different.

Yeah I don't sleep at all up there. Worse than my normal crap sleep at home

 

[Erussell01]

The only way you do anything about altitude sickness is train at altitude. Your body has to acclimate. So you either go a few days early and slowly work your way up in elevation. Or you can buy one of those stupid expensive elevation simulation/oxygen deprivation tents.

That’s the only thing that will help you.

You have to understand that it’s the lack of pressure that reduces the gas exchange (oxygen) in your lungs. You can’t change that. Doesn’t matter how good or shape you are in, your lungs are used to what your lungs are used to when it comes to gas exchange.

Diamox only helps with SYMPTOMS of altitude sickness, but it does nothing else. It does not cure the altitude sickness.

I wish I could do something more. In my head, better shape means working less hard compared to v02 max which should help but I totally get what you're saying too.

 

[bozeman]

to the OP- you dont have time to acclimate before you hunt? do you have time to train before you compete in CrossFit? no shortcuts........I am sure you have told that to people you have coached in XFit.....

 

[Erussell01]

to the OP- you dont have time to acclimate before you hunt? do you have time to train before you compete in CrossFit? no shortcuts........I am sure you have told that to people you have coached in XFit.....

My issue is time off work and time away. If I only get 10 total days to hunt, I have to maximize that time because I only get to do it once per year and I can't get myself to burn a whole day sitting below the mountain looking up at it. Unless I could glass from low, then I'd be ok I guess.

 

[bbkick25]

I come from sea level every year as well. I start Altitiude RX pills a day before I leave town and have never had a problem with them. We drive from about 30' elevation through the night, park, and hike in to 11,000' all in one trip. Just take the pills through the hunt and you'll be just fine. You can order them from Walmart for about $35, which is enough for about 3 people on a 7 day trip.

 

[dreamingWest]

Training in the heat is my best advice. You can find some academic articles on the subject. It's not quite as good as training at altitude, but it's a similar adaptation. I live in Texas and just embrace the suck in July and August. I've not had any trouble at altitude (yet). Taking it slow the first day helps.

 

[sodaksooner]

Training in the heat is my best advice. You can find some academic articles on the subject. It's not quite as good as training at altitude, but it's a similar adaptation. I live in Texas and just embrace the suck in July and August. I've not had any trouble at altitude (yet). Taking it slow the first day helps.

I should be good in Oklahoma then . That said, to this point have never had an issue except year 1 when I got to 10k feet at 1030pm and was climbing up the mountain at 430am the next morning and that was just a slight headache. We had an oxygen tank with us so I took a few hits after the morning hunt and some ibuprofen and I was fine. I take an altitude supplement normally, which is mostly ginko biloba and take a couple of days to get there, stopping at a mid altitude the first night, typically around Salida (7000 feet). get to camp before noon typically and just take it easy setting up camp, then an easy hunt out of camp that night. I never really get over the lack of oxygen, but have never had any altitude symptoms since that first year.

 

[TaperPin]

While in Colorado I joined a hiking club and we went on a lot of all day hikes from 10k’ to 14k’. We lived at 5,000’ and one guy would get puking sick as soon as he hit 11,000’, and feel fine once we were below it. I can do ok until 7,000’ above where I’m sleeping and then I get cranky - I’ve stopped with an easy 500’ to the peak just to sit and enjoy the sunny day - I lost all motivation to summit. At 9,000’ above home I’m getting an upset stomach and headache - which goes away as I drop in elevation.

Outside of a prescription I‘ve never heard of a way to acclimate other than spending time at altitude. Ironically, jet travel only pressurizes the cabin to the equivalent of something like 10,000’, so if you fly a lot the week before your hunt that would help a little. I’ve hunted with sea level guys that could hunt at altitude, but had to sleep at the lower elevation trailhead for two or three days.