27
votes
Accepted
Can I expect to visit Camp 1 and beyond on an Everest base camp expedition?
No one is allowed to just show up at base camp and expect to be able to advance to any of the other camps.
First of all, there is a lot of paperwork that must be completed before you're even granted ...
- 53.3k
15
votes
Accepted
Why do Everest climbers go up, down and up again, instead of acclimatizing by simply staying in a camp longer?
Basically what happens is that the body needs some time to start producing more red blood cells. If you stay at the higher level your body can't cope with the acute lack of oxygen and as a result you ...
- 9,050
11
votes
Accepted
Are there any studies showing that being in good aerobic shape will lessen the risk of altitude sickness?
No - the studies show that aerobic fitness has no protective effect. This is from the Institute for Altitude Medicine:
MYTH - PHYSICAL FITNESS PROTECTS AGAINST ALTITUDE SICKNESS.
Physical fitness ...
- 11.7k
10
votes
Accepted
Why would people descend to sleep while acclimatizing?
What they are doing is following the maxim "climb high, sleep low". Going too fast will cause altitude sickness.
Humans have a lower respiration rate while sleeping, which is why they can be okay at ...
- 69.1k
9
votes
Acclimatization Question
A reason could be, that your digestion works worse in altitude. Because your stomach is getting work to do when you drink (or even worse, when you eat), you could feel sick so generally your condition ...
- 12.1k
8
votes
Why do Everest climbers go up, down and up again, instead of acclimatizing by simply staying in a camp longer?
Acclimatization is like training a muscle. You create a stimulus and recover. If you stay at a high altitude, your recovery will be limited and acclimatization will be slow.
Note that while this is ...
- 6,750
8
votes
Accepted
Does the altitude you live at influence the time required for acclimatization?
Living or spending time at higher altitudes will increase your performance via the number of red blood cells you have in your blood. Athletes do this to increase their performance (after they ...
- 12.6k
7
votes
Accepted
Water preparation on desert hiking
This sounds to me like a bad idea because you don't want to go into the hike already a little dehydrated. My recommendation would be to go into the hike very well hydrated, and to drink a lot of ...
- 186
7
votes
Is it possible to acclimatize to a cold weather in a short time?
For these kinds of issues I like to look at how militaries handle it, since they are heavily invested in optimizing personnel performance in a wide range of climates and conditions. Some anecdotes ...
- 3,949
7
votes
Case example on Altitude Mountain Sickness: How to detect and react properly?
I guess one of the central concerns with AMS is that you can never know when it hits you. You can prepare, acclimatize and try to avoid all the stupid mistakes - but even under perfect conditions, and ...
- 12.6k
6
votes
Water preparation on desert hiking
I have served in an Army that tried that, “water discipline” was used to try and make soldiers get used to using less water.
It failed miserably, people have died or got seriously hurt and there was ...
- 521
5
votes
Is it possible to acclimatize to a cold weather in a short time?
Roald Amundsen, the arctic explorer, would stand by his open window without a shirt from the time he was 11 or 12. Myth or fact?
Personal experience, living in a climate with big changes between ...
5
votes
Case example on Altitude Mountain Sickness: How to detect and react properly?
As a speculation, you may have a ceiling of about 16,500 feet. This speculation is reinforced by your starting to feel stronger as you passed 16,500 on the way down. Was this the first time you ...
- 22.8k
5
votes
What is the lowest altitude where the effect of lack of acclimatization can be observed?
The best research I can find is from The Institute of Altitude Medicine in the US.
Quoting studies on skiers visiting high resorts in Colorado:
AMS (Acute Mountain Sickness) can afflict any ...
- 11.7k
5
votes
Accepted
How best to condition oneself to do day hikes at an altitude peaking at 6,000 to 8,000 ft?
Older people better tolerate high altitude. For that altitude you don't need to do any special trainings\preparation. It would be enough to do any sport activity like running swimming or bicycle. The ...
- 1,387
5
votes
Accepted
Is there any measurable effect on acclimatization rate for people living in middle mountains?
When one talks of adapting to an altitude, what also matters is how fast one is ascending. The critical part to note is that having a higher haemoglobin level does not mean one is better equipped at ...
- 7,795
4
votes
Is it possible to acclimatize to a cold weather in a short time?
Research has established that humans adapt well to heat.
Adaption to cold is a more controversial topic, but according to this literature survey any benefit from cold training is small and unreliable,...
- 11.7k
4
votes
Is it possible to acclimatize to a cold weather in a short time?
This will depend a lot on the individual.
Some people may be able to acclimatize quickly, others will not. In parts of Western Canada the temperature is regularly +30°C in the Summer and -30°C in ...
- 53.3k
4
votes
Accepted
What is the lowest altitude where the effect of lack of acclimatization can be observed?
According to the International Society for Mountain Medicine, in its article Normal Acclimitization:
Acclimatization is the process of the body adjusting to the decreased
availability of oxygen ...
- 22.8k
4
votes
Accepted
What affects the acclimatization process?
Bringing gear up when climbing high won't really affect the rate.
There is a possibility that a higher pressure system could increase the amount of oxygen, but true acclimatization takes long enough ...
- 69.1k
4
votes
Accepted
Acclimatizing to Hot weather
I'd typically go about it in two scenarios, not just the heat alone.
Hot + Humid, Typical Example: Coastal regions of India, Sri Lanka, Caribbean Islands.
Hot + Dry, Examples, Deserts.
In both the ...
- 31.7k
3
votes
Water preparation on desert hiking
I have heard that if you drink a lot of water as a habit, the body
doesn't do much retention.
That just means that your body will not retain excessive water.
Therefore, if you are preparing for ...
- 1,319
3
votes
Is it possible to acclimatize to a cold weather in a short time?
About 12 years ago, I moved from Britain to Finland, just in time for one of the coldest Februaries on record for Helsinki. Most days were -20°C, with some at -25°C, once the moderating influence of ...
- 404
2
votes
Water preparation on desert hiking
Water preparation on desert hiking?
It is almost impossible to training the body for hacking or trekking in the desert, especially if one is not use to it.
Heat acclimatization seems to be a much ...
- 9,589
1
vote
Water preparation on desert hiking
Summary: Heat adaptation (i.e. being able to do physical excercise in the heat) has a number of mechanisms, but among them the "water-related" mechanisms rely on having and needing, i.e. using more ...
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