[pct-l] Preparing for Altitude

[PCT-L Guest Post <milt@backcountry.net>]

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* by our guest Ed Carlson <Jed94568@aol.com>.
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Long term change involves the red blood cell count. I believe short term change is a matter of a blood ph change. My plan is to day hike and sleep overnight at some alitude above 5000 ft. Drink tons of water to flush thru the kidney's (to change that ph value). Stop alcohol days before your trip (it dehydrates your body). Stop caffeine unless you plan to continue daily coffee doses. On my latest trip up Whitney, after an early pancake breakfast in Lone Pine including two quarts of water, I drank another two quarts up the road and while unloading in the parking lot. Yeah, I had to stop alot and when I did I replenished the water. I did the same thing the next morning at the high camp and felt well enough to eat food at the top without a headache, and that's a good sign hydration and preparation success.


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