Mt. Whitney Portal Store & Hostel Forums General Mt. Whitney Portal Store Message Board sleeping on the trail

it is indeed well known. see altitude tutorial:

from http://www.ismmed.org/np_altitude_tutorial.htm#goldenrules

Certain normal physiologic changes occur in every person who goes to altitude:
- Hyperventilation (breathing faster, deeper, or both)
- Shortness of breath during exertion
- Changed breathing pattern at night
- Awakening frequently at night
- Increased urination

Thanks all for the interesting discussion. It was actually very helpful. Some of the recommendations I have never even considered. I think I need to do some more experimenting.

I think a better description for myself camped at the portal would be a restless sleep until about midnight or so, followed by deeper sleep until about 2:30 am - 3:00 am....when the alarm goes off. I am always happy if dreaming or snoring is involved because then I know I was actually asleep.

My first night backpacking I toss and turn a lot. Sleeping on your side with a thin pad and a small pillow isn't that great.

By the second night backpacking, you are considerably more tired and I sleep a little better.

I have done a 2-week solo Sierra trip for twenty consecutive years and have actually studied my personal sleep patterns. No pills or (unfortunately) booze.

No matter what the exertion level, sleep for the first few nights is intermittent. Gets better with time, but it seems like the body just requires an adaptation period when sleeping outdoors. After 4 or 5 days, I become immersed in the wilderness environment and sleep soundly. Maybe it's a subconscious reaction to strange noises, or a different mattress, or the confines of a sleeping bag, although everything seems ok when I crawl in.

I struggled with finding the proper pillow (neck injury from Navy jet flying) and two years ago decided to spend the $ on 2 down pillows at REI (can't remember who makes them and I'm writing this while on business travel in DC so can't open the pack and look). Pack small, light weight and provide needed support - even when choking on the ridiculous cost.

As far as a down pillow I take my down sleeping bag stuff bag and fill it with some of my extra clothes and stuff my down jacket over them. Then I have a nice compfy down pillow.No extra weight or expense.

Hey,
2 words, Thermarest.
AD

I think that's one word

don't most of us keep a fleece with us year round even in summer at EL. its cool so fold that up and under the head it goes..mark

One word ... "not"

Also, extra clothes in a stuff bag hasn't worked well for me either, but it has worked better for a pillow than the Thermarest has worked for padding.

CaT

The key component of extra clothes in a stuff bag is the down jacket on top of the clothes.I agree that clothes in a bag itself is not much of a comfortable pillow.I personally like the Agnes air pad inserted into my Agnes bag. There is no slipping off the pad while tossing and turning.

Actually, it's three words.

Therm-a-rest

Whatever duds, look i sleep when im at AL, as long as i'm comfy.T.Rest works for me.I keep a repair kit with me.As long as i'm off the ground i'm good.I belive that there are as many different reasons that folks don't sleep up there as there are people,every one is dif.As befor, 1 word...

AD

Excitement is a natural sleep killer. It's also a natural reaction to hitting the trail!
I just try and "go with it". If I'm too excited to sleep, I don't try and force the issue. When I get tired enough, I will sleep.
I don't get out there too often, so I get really excited when I finally hit the trail.
I try and enjoy every waking moment. I also don't try and get more sleep than I 'really' need. I think we can go on much less than we realize. ENJOY THE EXPERIENCE!

Let's see here:

Therm: –noun Physics. any of several units of heat, as one equivalent to 1000 large calories or 100,000 British thermal units.

A : –noun, plural A's or As, a's or as. 1. the first letter of the English alphabet, a vowel.

Rest: -verb, what y'all should do about the 'how many words is this' argument...

Otherwise, I use a TaR knock-off (and between that and the padding G-d gave me I've got a fairly soft bed), stuff my clothes in the stuff sack for my sleeping bag, take a single Tylenol PM, and have whoever's with me bash me over the head so I actually knock out for a few hours. To catch up, I find a creekside rock or meadow along the way and conk in the sun for an hour or so. I think someone said earlier that funky sleep at altitude is just part of the deal, and so be it.

-L

Hey,
I know this is about sleeping but i had one of the strangest experiences getting woke up one night on the MWT.

We were expecting lighting that night so i guess it was in my psyche, anyways, while in a deep sleep i was awakened by a violent electrical shock.I mean it hurt.So i thought, you know "hissing in the air" and all that, for sure when i poked my head out of my tent i would see clouds.Much to my surprise it was clear as a bell.I don't know what woke me but it was weird.

AD

Anyone using the Montbell UL SS down versions out there? I'm considering the #1 15F or #2 25F
I had a -20F bag > 4lbs on my first Whitney trip but was still cold in early October. I since got an Exped pad (I know...heavy) but it has made a world of difference in heat and comfort. I hoping to shed a couple lbs. yet maintain some versatility.

Thanks,
Sheila

Get a Big Agnes Air Core pad. Especially if you sleep on your side. You also need to get an inflatable pillow, and put your fleece in a stuff sack to supplement the inflatable pillow. I used to use the Thermarest crap, but it just doesn't do the job.

I actually was side sleeping on a BA Insulated Air Core on that trip. It just didn't have a high enough R rating. A thin closed cell pad with it might have made a difference.
Thermarest doesn't cut if for me either.
My Exped's storage bag/air pump combo makes for a great pillow though.

I have to figure out what I can get rid of in order to add a feather pillow After 3 days of hiking in Yosemite, I am in even more awe of you on this board who go out for longer periods of time...my feet and shins hurt so bad by the time I got back to my car - mostly the downhill did the damage. I thought I was down to the bare minimum - using the "how to lose" thread as a guide, plus, most of my stuff is considered "light weight". Oy!

If you want a feather pillow Blooty just take a down jacket and then stuff it into your sleeping bag stuff bag. Instant down pillow and you also have a lightweght duel purpose warm layer.