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Submitted by admin on Sat, 08/09/2008 - 14:53
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 Symptoms - Headache
- Nausea
- Coughing
- Loss of appetite
- Fatigue
- Extreme Cases: At extreme altitudes, people are susceptible to Pulmonary Edema and Cerebral Edema, in which the lungs and the skull, respectively, fill with excess fluid. This is why Everest climbers must summit and return quickly. We won’t have to worry about this.
Threshold (varies) - May start at 7,000 ft. (2100 m)
- Depends on the person, although even the strongest/fittest hiker may be susceptible
- Generally, younger people are more at risk
Prevention - Acclimatize to new altitudes before you climb; in other words, don’t drive to the trailhead, which may be significantly higher than where you live, and immediately start a steep climb.
- Limit ascents to no more than 2,000 ft. (600 m) per day
- Limit overexertion in the first few days
- Keep yourself well hydrated - drink lots of water.
- Eat well before you climb - high carbohydrate meal
Once It Occurs - Inform your hiking partners
- Stop and try to stabilize
- If this does not work, you may have to return to the last altitude at which you felt good.
- Don’t be a hero; there is no such thing as “walking through it”
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