Mt. Whitney Portal Store & Hostel Forums General Mt. Whitney Portal Store Message Board The Physiology of Old Age and Altitude

burtw,
Are you sure that this is altitude related?
Are you OK when you are hiking a trail with the same mileage and elevation gain but at a lower altitude?

Have you ran out of gas at the beginning or at the end of this trip?
Do you have any experience with longer trips that should have provided better acclimation to altitude?

I am about twenty years younger but twice had a similar experience - I ran out of steam around Whitney crest. In both cases I turned back using a coming thunderstorm as an excuse.
In both cases I spent two nights at higher elevation for better acclimation.

Similarly, after spending a night at a Leadville motel I ran out of gas about 300 ft below Mt. Elbert summit, but was able to reach it hiking slower.

I am not sure whether this is altitude related or not.
I had a similar experience at a lower altitude when attempting a Great Range traverse in Adirondack.
It might be due to a combination of a distance and elevation gain.

I would like to figure out a root cause and a way to address it.
I hope that considering my "young" age I still have a chance to partially alleviate this issue using a proper training.


Harvey,

Do you believe that there is a way to figure out why I was running out of steam (e.g. by using such devices as heart rate monitor and blood oximeter)?

P.S. I live and work at a sea level.

Yury, I'm pretty sure it's related to altitude. I regularly hike Mt. Baldy without experiencing these symptoms. These symptoms come on very fast, not like the accumumlating tiredness of a long hard hike that continues to build even coming downhill. In contrast, I was in Humphreys Basin last week. Going up tp Desolation Lake I felt "normal" fatigue until I started the short climb between Lower Desolation and the upper lake. Then I had to sit and rest several times.

Sunday I took Diamox morning and evening and drove to the Grandview campground (8K+) in the White Mtns. Monday I took another Diamox, drove to the locked gate and started up to the summit.

The most I hoped for from Diamox was that when I reached the altitude where I had previously completely run out of energy to continue (about 12K) that I would be able to go on. What happened was much more dramatic.

As soon as I left the locked gate (11,670')I felt better than I have felt above 10K for years. I wasn't racing anyone but going at the pace that felt right for me I easily outdistanced a group of young students from the research lab. I continued to feel great all the way up to the summit at 14,252. I did slow down as I neared 14K. But I always have. My first time on Whitney, when I was 24 and in great condition (finishing a JMT through hike) I slowed down about 1-1/2 from the summit. But yesterday, like then, there was no question that I would be able to make the top.

This morning I feel fine, not like I overdrew my account yesterday and have to pay the price today.

My conclusion: Diamox isn't just a preventative for altitude sickness, it feels close to a miracle drug for an old man who still loves the high country.

Harvey, thank you for all the good input to the discussion and the recommendation to try Diamox. And thanks to my Kaiser primary, Dr. K. Burns (who is also a hiker), for prescribing it.

Burt this is great news. Good for another 100,000 miles

Wish I was out there with you, I am in mountain withdrawal for the next 2 months

Harvey, I hope your mountain withdrawal isn't forced by something negative beyond your control.

I'm sorry we had such a near miss on Piute Pass. Maybe next time.

B.

I just meant being stuck in the flatlands for 2 months before the next big trip

I do not have cloud access to my collection of quotes but there are several versions of this; a mountaineer when up high dreams of being back down in the valley, and when he is back home dreams of going high again

"For an old man, any hill is a mountain."

~Jewish saying

Yep. That summed it up just fine.

I usually like a three-day lead time if I feel the need for the drug. Unfortunately for me, I only found my stash this morning... but then again, maybe I'll get skunked on a permit for tomorrow anyway...

I've posted plenty of times about using Diamox. The Bucket Lister's who don't have the time to properly acclimatize would be well-served to read your story... I wouldn't classify it as a miracle drug, but it sure can make for a much more pleasant experience at altitude.

OK, how about some tips/advice on back injuries now?! Last major hike was end of June,got above Meysan Lake, missing Mt. Irvine/Mallory summit, had some back soreness on way down. Admittedly it was sore long before that, but finally threw it out in mid-July, and it has been long progress to get it healed. No running, walking, biking, jogging, etc, etc. Finally determined, after 3 Dr. visits, that it is a lower back/L4-5 Lumbar bulged disc. Physical Therapy in the works before more invasive treatment. Have heard this could take 6 months or longer to completely heal. Does that mean I'm off the mountains before then? Mt. Baldy and Baden-Powell have always been a weekend option. Don't want to prolong the healing, but this kinda sucks.....my 51-year old body feels 80.