Hiking first time at 14,000 feet?

[Hair Trigger]

She's an experienced hiker and me...not so much, but I am in pretty good shape from lifting weights several days/week, boxing class, dance class, and mountain biking. Anyway in July were going on a whitewater rafting trip in the Royal Gorge and hiking to the top of Pikes Peak the next day which is over 14,000 feet. We will be taking a shuttle down but any ideas on the best way to get in shape for that hike and altitude.

As many have already said, you need to acclimatize before tackling that hike. You sound like you're in pretty good shape for your age, which is good, but your body still doesn't have the adaptations you need in order to manage fairly extreme exertion at altitudes that high. If you have the opportunity before that hike, do a shorter hike at a lower altitude, say about 8-9 thousand feet, and see how you do. If you manage that, try something a bit higher, and do several before you do Pike's Peak. If you try this before you get acclimated, you're setting yourself up for a miserable time, and a potentially dangerous one. There is a condition called HACE, that can be lethal if it hits you and you don't get immediate treatment. This is High Altitude Cerebral Edema. Google it.

I don't speak as a mountaineer, but as a former military medical aircrew member. FAA requires supplemental oxygen for pilots in unpressurized aircraft at altitudes greater than 12,000 feet, and the effects of hypoxia increase at an accelerating rate as you go higher and partial pressure of oxygen decreases. Just sitting still and breathing without exertion at 18,000 feet, your time of useful consciousness is about 30 minutes at best; with the exertion of walking or doing aerobic tasks, that time decreases by half. At 14,000, you could not count on more than 20-25 minutes of exertion before becoming lightheaded, confused, and unable to make rational decisions. By the time you reached that height, you'd already be fatigued and lightheaded.

The body compensates over time, for those who live, work or otherwise stay at higher altitudes, by making more red blood cells to carry the reduced amount of oxygen to the cells. The other issue is the decrease in exchange in the lungs, due to the reduced pressure gradient of atmospheric oxygen and the partial pressure of oxygen within your lungs and body. This compensation takes several weeks of constant exposure to higher altitude.

 

[5spotter]

I live at 8,240' in the Sierra Nevada mountains and hike, bike or ski higher.

Everyone responds differently to the altitude. Some visitors show few or no symptoms, but a low grade headache and sleeping poorly is common. After days of headache and poor sleep some visitors feel washed out. Maybe bring a sleep aid and something for headaches.

Drink more water. I hand new arrivals their own mug for the duration and remind them to keep sipping. Drink less alcohol. Lots of folks while on vacation seem to drink more and that can lead to trouble here. Two drinks can feel like 3 or 4 at sea level.

You might be lucky and feel almost normal at altitude but be ready to scale back plans if you're not.

Awesome you're going to the mountains.

 

[ancient-one]

We were at our home altitude of 1100 ft one day and camping at about 10000 ft the next day. I didn't notice anything getting there in the car. There was water about three hundred feet below us and I volunteered to take the bucket and get us some water.
I thought that me and the water would never get back to the campsite. I was probably in my early forties and in decent physical condition but altitude without adjusting lets you know who is boss.
I have driven to the peak of Mt. Evens twice and never felt it. Driving and hiking are two very different things. Don't worry, they will either send a mountain rescue team or a helicopter.

 

[hannstv]

You need to find out if she has an older sister.

 

[terry_tr6]

by chance is she now a beneficiary to your estate? because i'd put money on someone receiving a windfall in the near future

 

[Smoke]

ETA For whatever it might be worth incoming Soldiers at Fort Carson are given Six Weeks to acclimate before having to pass a PT test.

I'm looking out my living room window at Pikes Peak.

Couple of things you need to know

1. Cog railway is shut down. They're working on bringing it back but I don't think it's fully operational yet.

2. The sign at the base of Barr Trail Explicitly States that neither the Cog railway or the shuttle service are guaranteed to have room for you going down the mountain. This means that your 13.5 mile (it's only seven if you do it from The Crags) hike might very well become an actual marathon (the do one up there every year)

3. The summit house is under construction for a remodel. To my knowledge there are NO services available at the summit.

4. There are NO medical services at the top beyond maybe someone with a basic first aid certification.

5. I live here and I've made that hike multiple times I notice the altitude difference.

Last thing if you start from Manitou Springs (Barr Trail) it's going to be 3.5 miles of switch backs with approximately a 2000 foot elevation gain (imagine taking the stairs to the top of the Empire State Building) to start. Then the trail isn't so steep. From The A Frame to the Summit (Devil's Staircase) it's the same. If you have a heart attack on the trail it will take hours for first responders to get to you.

You do what you think is best.

Forgot to mention there's usually a 30-40 degree temperature drop between Manitou Springs and the Summit and there's usually a couple of feet of snow up there in July

 

[yaktamer]

I agree with those who say you should see a doctor first ... a psychiatrist.

 

[Muss Muggins]

Is there a bar at the bottom where you can wait?

 

[dockmurgw]

You need to find out if she has an older sister.

I was thinking find a new girlfriend, but this works to.

 

[Skeet 028]

Drive to the top and meet her and drive her back down...IF she makes it Seeing a doctor is only good on the day you see him..All bets are off at altitude and with no help available. When we moved here from Md(alt 63 ft) to where we live(4200 ft) I didn't have any problems but my wife had headaches for a couple weeks and she never had headaches. When we went elk hunting we parked the trucks at 8000 ft and camped at about 10,000 and hunted higher. It was definitely more strenuous(read that as D****ed hard) and I was about your GFs age then. I can tell you she is gonna be surprised about the effects of 14,000 ft. Even at your age and physical condition I would NOT go on that hike...If you do go...don't get stupid when your body says No More! It ain't scuba diving

 

[SPEEDGUNNER]

No amount of working out, running, exercising or hiking is going to prepare your body for the lack of oxygen that it is used to at that altitude. Even driving to the top and getting out of your vehicle (or off your motorcycle) you will immediately notice that it is difficult to catch your breath. Lots of good advice, suggestions and warnings in this thread, it would serve you well to heed them. You don't want to be a statistic. Good luck.

P.S. Pictures of your girlfriend? That will help us determine if risking your life is worth it.

 

[steelslaver]

First of all the % of O² at sea level, 14,000 ft or 32,000ft is almost exactly the same, right at 20.8% But, as there is just flat less air. In fact 43% less at 14,000' but the percentages of O², N², and the traces remain approx the same. The EFFECTIVE amount of 0xegen at 1400 is 12.3% when compared to sea level

I live at 4000' and we have very little pollution. About 4 years back we went camping at some hot pot (Upper Potosi Hot Spring) my wife knew about near Yellowstone park. It was only about 6000'. I was having to rest several times just walking down the fairly level trail from the camp spot to the spring a little over a mile away. Freaked me out so bad I saw my Dr who discovered spots on my lungs with Xrays, ended up with cat scans and finding out that they were not increasing in size etc. Bu,t I did need an inhaler for COPD.

 

[delcrossv]

A quick look at some numbers:

1200' (elevation in Edmond)

3700' difference to:

4900' (elevation of river in the Royal Gorge)

9215' difference to:

14,115' (Pike's Peak) THE NEXT DAY.

Nuff said.

 

[Geronimo Jim]

You my friend need a new girlfriend!

 

[wood714]

Don't kill yourself trying to impress or keep up with a girl.

 

[Wyo]

I lived at 7400' for many years and we saw lots of folks who had trouble breathing even at that altitude when they came from lower elevations like yours. Add another 6600' and you see the problem. Aside from all the suggestions above, the best advice I can offer is to get to the area and get as high as you can for as many days ahead of the hike as you can. A week or two of acclimation will help a lot.

 

[Rich Richardson]

I'm 70 and live at 11,000 ft in Pike National Forest Colorado. If she is as fit as you say, you won't be hiking "with" her. You'll take 20 steps and rest for a few minutes, guaranteed.
Soon she'll be so far ahead of you, you'll be hiking by yourself. Might as well drive up and meet her there.

 

[waffles]

Man this thread got depressing. Guy's got a girlfriend that takes pride in her fitness and wants to include him in pretty cool activities, which is more than I can say for a lot of women I see at her age, and half the comments say to get a new one.

You would be amazed how many flatlanders of all ages come out here and do these climbs assuming they're in at least decent shape. Might be a smart call to choose a shorter one for the trip, but it gets done at Pikes too. Consult a doctor, listen to your body and dont succumb to summit fever, and if you don't think you can do it, just talk to your girlfriend and let her know you're concerned about your health and don't want to risk it. Any decent partner will hear that and agree. Drive up to the top with a cooler, give her a nice cold beverage at the top and enjoy the views.

 

[reedman]

Grew up in Denver, spent a few summers in Central City, and most recently visited Breckenridge, Aspen and Vail in the past 10 years. I always had issues when we would visit cousins in Colorado Springs (and I was 6-16 years old), and that was only about 1000' higher than Denver. The last time in Vail about 8 years ago (I would have been about your age), it was a real effort to walk uphill (maybe a 2.5% grade) about .5 mile to get from the parking garage to the outdoor concert stage. Drink lots of water, no alcohol, and drive to the top of fourteeners. Mt Evans is nice, as is Independence Pass. We also scuba dive (but not in OK, where we have lived for 37 years)--there is no comparison between diving and high altitude.

 

[snubbyfan]

First thin I'd do is to get an altitude mask then pick a route to hike and of I'd go.


After a few days, I'd increase the resistance in the mask 'til I'm hiking as approximately the same oxygen level.
After a while at simulated altitude, I'd get a back pack and add some weights.
Not sure how much time you have to train. Hopefully, you've got time to acclimated.