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[pct-l] Mt. Whitney
how much was from the altuatde and how much was from her not eating
right. I have had plenty of disbteics take it with no problim. Nothing
in my high altutde back country emergency tech books say a word about it.
dude wrote:
>This all sound slike good advice, but I have one thing to add:
>
>****DO NOT take any medicine on the mountain that you have not
>previously taken at home with no ill side effects!!*****
>
>I once took a diabetic woman up whitney who was feeling the effects
>of altitude and decide dto "borrow" some Diamox from a fellow
>climber. Everyone has heard of Diamox and how it is suppose dto help
>with altitude sickness, so she figured "yeah! that's what I need. I
>will fell better in no time and be ready to race up the mountain!"
>
>WRONG! It turned out that diabetics cannot take Diamox and she
>almost died on the mountain! Her blood sugar went down to 19 (normal
>is like 80-120) and she passed out 17 times on the way down the
>trail. When she got to the hospital in Lone Pine, she needed 2
>liters of intraveinous saline solution to bring her back from severe
>dehydration. She is really lucky to be alive. I tell doctors that
>story and they are amazed that she was conscious with a blood sugar
>level of 19.
>
>this story is not meant to scare you or anyone who wants to climb
>Whitney or any other mountain. Its just meant to prove a point:
>don't take medicine that you are not familiar with on the mountain.
>It doesnt matter if its Tylenol, Tums, Imodium, or Sucrets. You
>never know if you will be the 1 in 10 million people who will be
>allergic to it and you do not want to find out at 14,000 ft and 10
>hours from a hospital.
>
>
>godo luck.
>
>peace!
>dude
>
>
>
>
>
>>You most likely will acclimate quite quickly to "altitudes above,
>>say, 9,000' "..
>>and since you are not going to have an extended stay above 10,000
>>feet there is naught to worry about for 99% of the people who go
>>there...any symptoms of high altitude sickness (which you should
>>read up on FYI) will not occur, typically, in the few hours you
>>are at alttitude. Appetite changes usually take 4-5 days AT
>>ALTITUDE to occur and you will be totally hungary for the mere day
>>you are there...
>>
>>Please do not be fearful of the negative implicaitons of those
>>comments as they truely don't pertain to someone hiking to the
>>top of Whitney and going back down in a few hours or so...most
>>sicknesses need several days for most people to occur (at altitude
>>above 10,000- 12,000) feet and at most if you stay overnight @ the
>>high camp (about 12,000) feet you will feel short of breath, a
>>little nausa perhaps but that is about it... I have spent entire
>>summers above 10,000 and after a few days most people acclimate
>>very easily. For 4 days just take what you like to eat, is easy to
>>prepare as per my other post, and is not too heavy.
>>But,additionally, most of your weight will be carried to trail
>>camp and u leave your tent and heavy bag there.
>>
>>Most people fare well..if you feel a lot of gurgling in your chest
>>or extreme lightheaded,severe headachey, drink several liters of
>>water..at leaast 2,
>>and wait 20-30 minutes. Maybe take 2-3 aspirin. If those
>>symptoms worsen head down to lower altitude
>>just about immediately...the symptoms will magically dissapear
>>around 8000-9000 feet in an hour. U can then rest there for a day
>>and try again, stopping
>>for half a day at 10,500 and proceed leisurely up to 12000 and
>>camp; then the summit the next day.
>>
>>As far as winds and delta temps, dont worry...during Aug it is
>>very very much late spring/ early summer above 9000', in 25 years
>>of hanging around Whitney area it does not fluctuate that much in
>>Aug...but be prepared for 40's F.
>>You have more to worry about with the bears at the Portal than
>>alititude loss of appetite, or wind or whatever!
>>
>>Check out my web site for a great pic (IMHO)
>>http://www.infolane.com/calliger
>>
>>If you want to discuss it more, I am considered somewhat of an
>>expert after several months of mountaineering schools and 25+
>>years of accident/event free mountaineering of quite a few peaks
>>(although I did fracture my foot in my driveway at home!!)
>>in the ice..but that don't count!!... please write me off-line.
>>
>>
>>Richard
>>
>>Ps-
>>
>>There are bold mountaineers, and there are old mountaineers.
>>
>>There are few,if any, old, bold mountaineers.
>>
>>PPS-
>>
>>An expert is defined as one who knows his and others limitations
>>and usually exceeds them-- cautiously!1 <smile>...
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>At 10:02 AM 6/2/03 -0700, Christine Kudija wrote:
>>
>>
>>>Jane,
>>>
>>>A couple of questions for you: (1) are you accustomed to
>>>altitudes above, say, 9,000'/~3000m? Appetite changes at
>>>elevation, especially if going to high elevations is not
>>>something you usually do. (2) are you accustomed to an alpine
>>>environment, where temperatures and winds can fluctuate
>>>substantially, depending on where you are on the mountain?
>>>
>>>I'll have some suggestions after you reply....also, are you
>>>asking only about food, or about gear as well?
>>>
>>>Christine "Ceanothus" Kudija
>>>
>>>"Never measure the height of a mountain, until you have reached
>>>the top. Then you will see how low it was." Dag Hammarskjold
>>>
>>>----- Original Message -----
>>>From: "Jane E Overton" <jeoverton@sbcglobal.net>
>>>To: <pct-l@mailman.backcountry.net>
>>>Sent: Sunday, June 01, 2003 11:52 AM
>>>Subject: [pct-l] Mt. Whitney
>>>
>>>
>>>| I am climbing Mt. Whitney in August (permit in hand). I have a
>>>number of books, but not one has a sensible list of supples for
>>>the climb. Does anyone have a link, where I could hust get the
>>>grocery list fot a four day hike. I am not a picky eater.
>>>| _______________________________________________
>>>| pct-l mailing list
>>>| pct-l@mailman.backcountry.net
>>>| http://mailman.hack.net/mailman/listinfo/pct-l
>>>
>>>_______________________________________________
>>>pct-l mailing list
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>>>
>>>
>>>
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>>
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