Vomiting at altitude

[WoodBow]

Asking this for the benefit of a friend. I have done many hunts with him. Anytime we camp over about 10k feet, he has pretty severe nausea/vomiting. Some yeats to the point of ending his hunt. Is this just AMS more or less? Is there anything he can do to help prevent it or treat it besides acclimating?

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[ODB]

Wow. Presume he’s gaining all the elevation at one go? Can you add a day or two at half-elevation for an extra day of acclimatizing? Gaining no more than 5k a day?

 

[WoodBow]

Wow. Presume he’s gaining all the elevation at one go? Can you add a day or two at half-elevation for an extra day of acclimatizing? Gaining no more than 5k a day?

Yea we drive from sea level basically. We drive it straight through and are at 10k plus that night or the next morning. Last couple years have been at 12-13.

Hate to add too much time stopped because it eats into hunt time. It did seem like he had less issues (and I felt better physically) when we would sleep in town the night before and then hike in late morning the next day.

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[MattB]

Hate to add too much time stopped because it eats into hunt time. It did seem like he had less issues (and I felt better physically) when we would sleep in town the night before and then hike in late morning the next day.

You have answered your own question.

 

[Dos Perros]

My boy does this. I assess it's AMS*. I rule out HAPE and HACE and then just try to tough it out.

More acclimation time, more water. Can you hunt high and sleep low, at least the first few days?

*-Not a doctor, but I stayed at a Holiday Inn Express last night

 

[Pony Soldier]

When I was in Peru at 17,500, some compensated with tea made from coca leaves but that probably isn't an option in Colorado

 

[WoodBow]

My boy does this. I assess it's AMS*. I rule out HAPE and HACE and then just try to tough it out.

More acclimation time, more water. Can you hunt high and sleep low, at least the first few days?

*-Not a doctor, but I stayed at a Holiday Inn Express last night

Not really an option. The lowest we could get and even be in the same vicinity is only about 1k lower. We try to camp where we can wake up and glass without a significant climb.

I guess I know that altitude is the issue. I'm asking is there anything he can take it to help. We will strongly consider not going up thr mountain immediately.

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[TaperPin]

I couldn’t go from 0 to even 10k with my weak stomach. 7k is my limit, but I’ve known one guy that hiked 14ers with me who can’t do more than 6k without acclimating, or at least sleeping at a lower elevation. We lived at 5k and about 11k he’d puke and keep going, but on the way down he’d quickly feel better under 11k.

Your buddy would really enjoy the trip a lot more if he arrived a few days early.

 

[backyardbandit]

Zofran is some pretty badass stuff, I'd assume it will work at altitude also? Hit up his doctor ahead of time.

 

[Dos Perros]

Not really an option. The lowest we could get and even be in the same vicinity is only about 1k lower. We try to camp where we can wake up and glass without a significant climb.

I guess I know that altitude is the issue. I'm asking is there anything he can take it to help. We will strongly consider not going up thr mountain immediately.

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How much drive time to get from up high down to say 9000ft?

 

[mxgsfmdpx]

When I was heavy backpacking at altitude lots of folks would get really sick going over 6K increments in single days. Bring excedrin and drink double the normal amount of water.

We used to spend minimum 12 hours at 6K before going up to 12K which would help. We would then spend minimum 12 hours at 12K before going up to 14K+.

Not everyone is a ROAL Reaper and can handle altitude without acclimation and extra precautions.

 

[WoodBow]

How much drive time to get from up high down to say 9000ft?

Not an option. We are backpacked in several miles.

If we were camping at truck we could drop elevation pretty quick, although it would be on real rough road.

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[87TT]

Caffeine and aspirin has helped me. But taking it slow and acclimating the day before is best. I used to live at 7000ft but still got headaches and queasy if I went up past 11000ft too quick. Not good to screw around with altitude, it can kill you. Sorry but no hunt is any fun if you’re puking.

 

[Htm84]

Besides all the normal ideas of just gradually gaining altitude you could try diamox. 10,000 feet isn’t all that high though. But it’s what mountaineers use on high altitude expeditions

 

[SuperDUECE22]

It did seem like he had less issues (and I felt better physically) when we would sleep in town the night before and then hike in late morning the next day.

You already answered your own question. LISTEN TO YOUR BODY
ACCLIMATIZATION !!!!!!!

 

[Dos Perros]

Not an option. We are backpacked in several miles.

If we were camping at truck we could drop elevation pretty quick, although it would be on real rough road.

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This seems like an inflexible, unreasonable approach, to me.

 

[WoodBow]

I don't understand. Are you suggesting we hike out and in 2 hours each way every day? And then drive down the mountain to sleep at lower elevation? That seems unreasonable to me.

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[Dos Perros]

I'm suggesting hunt somewhere else until acclimated, although your option works too if preferable to hunting somewhere else.

 

[WoodBow]

I'm suggesting hunt somewhere else until acclimated, although your option works too if preferable to hunting somewhere else.

We are hunting mule deer above timberline. Lower really is not an option.

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[OkiechasingElk]

I'll be in the same situation next month. Coming up from 1100'. We'll drive overnight, get there midday. I plan to scout and stay at the cabin at 9400' the first night, then ATV up the rest of the way to where I'll be hunting and spike camping between 11-12k' before sunup the next day.