[pct-l] getting high up high

[pcnst2001 at covad.net (pcnst2001@covad.net)]

> A little vino, a mountain and a seeing sunset over the
Rockies seems to go well together.


Your mileage may vary as you get older.    Two years ago, I decided to do
Horseshoe Meadows
to Walker Pass one way, and after a lousy morning trying to hitch, hired a taxi
from Ridgecrest.

So I arrived late at 10000' after spending the night in Ridgecrest at 3000'.   
To get back
on schedule I had to get moving, but... a guy hiking out was having some beer to
celebrate
and had an extra and offered me one.    It seemed impolite to pass on it, so I
chugged it,
picked up my ultraheavy pack and set off up to Trail Pass.  Dusk found me
somewhere at 11000'
and I found the water source and got pumped just before it got dark.    I had a
quick dinner
and went to bed in my tent.   It was cold.

And the altitude was not treating me kindly.    Besides the usual headache and
queasiness, I
had the worst gas I've ever experienced, both in quantity and malodorousness.     
Being confined in a tent I feared I would asphyxiate
myself and wondered how the coroner's report would read.    I vowed no more
alcohol at altitude
at the start of a hike.

Fortunately things were better in the morning and I had a fine outing after that.