Hiking first time at 14,000 feet?

[waffles]

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.

It doesn't work that way. Those masks may have some impact on building respiratory muscle, but they absolutely do not simulate or get your body coniditioned to high altitude.

 

[Absalom]

As a general side note, there is no reason to be harsh or snarky about the OP's plans or girlfriend.

For all we know, and for all her fitness, she may be just as unfamiliar with the local conditions and the reality of the mountain.

Most people not from here need attitude adjustments. The extremes of the terrain and weather can be hard to grasp when doing home research.

Happened to me too on my first road trip in the West. Grand Canyon visit, did all the photo points, we have a few hours, so let's go hiking. Everybody talks about the Bright Angel trail, so down the trail we bounce. All downhill, so the miles fly by to Indian Gardens. Then it's mid-afternoon, the canyon is turning into an oven, and the realization sinks in that it is more than 4 dusty dry uphill miles back up to the rim ....

Almost every year some tourists die in Death Valley or hiking in the Southwestern desert, discovering too late that this requires some preparation beyond sunscreen and a cell phone. Or in case of Death Valley, finding out the lethal way that at noon in July no human should hike into the sand dunes. I know about one such case first hand. The guy died less than a quarter mile from the road within sight of his car.

Relative to the actual danger, for every bear attack thread we have here, we probably should have ten like this one.

 

[dave1918a2]

Be sure to hydrate good for at least a week, and if possible find one of those breathing trainers like they have in hospitals, and really work on deep breathing Sounds like You are in good enough
muscle shape, just work on the organs and the lungs. Muscles don't work without oxygen. And above all,, Have Fun.

 

[Nevada Ed]

Whn kids we would drive up from SF or later, Reno to the summer cabin at Lake Tahoe, that was over 7,000 ft elevation, with mom & dad.

Even at that age we had to rest a day or two before hiking up to the high elevation lake to go trout fishing.
It can be done with a 24 hour break-in time but you will need to rest if your heart rate or lungs tell you to stop for a break.

What took 55 minutes back then, now takes me at 70 plus, 2.3 hours.

Have fun.

 

[Smoke]

For all the people that are suggesting that the OP drive to the top of the mountain and pick his girlfriend up, he can't.

The Pikes Peak Highway has been closed to privately owned vehicles for several years. You have to take a shuttle to the top or the Cog Railway if it's running. As I mentioned in my other post there's no guarantee that there will be room for an extra passenger on the way down.

ETA Lighting.

A couple people have mentioned it but I want to make it really clear that more people get hit by lightning above tree line on Pikes Peak then anywhere else in Colorado. That be off the mountain by noon thing is a real thing. I used to do security checks at the base of Pikes Peak I saw people starting their assent 2 in the morning.

You could MAYBE try hiking to BARR CAMP (half way point) one day and from there to the summit the next.

 

[Infidel137]

I just looked through some descriptions of the Pikes Peak hiking trail. Here is a typical highlight:

"Hiking Pikes Peak is not for everyone
We never want to discourage anyone from pursuing their dreams, but we definitely want you to be prepared for the type of challenge this is. It's a long, hard, 13.5-mile climb uphill with a gain of about 7,400+ feet in elevation. Basically, it's a half-marathon in hiking form. Please only attempt hiking Pikes Peak if you are healthy, able to hike long distances, able to navigate difficult terrain and able to perform high-cardio activity with low oxygen. If you think you fit that bill, here's a look at the journey!"

Judge for yourself.

That description is the Barr Trail route, on the East side, which has a middle section that is almost flat. The Crags route on the other side is shorter, but more consistently steep.

Read, no, Study, Smoke's posts numbers 46 and 65.

Good luck....

 

[johngalt]

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.

Hey snubby, you're looking fit!

 

[Muss Muggins]

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

For all the people that are suggesting that the OP drive to the top of the mountain and pick his girlfriend up, he can't.

The Pikes Peak Highway has been closed to privately owned vehicles for several years. You have to take a shuttle to the top or the Cog Railway if it's running. As I mentioned in my other post there's no guarantee that there will be room for an extra passenger on the way down.

ETA Lighting.

A couple people have mentioned it but I want to make it really clear that more people get hit by lightning above tree line on Pikes Peak then anywhere else in Colorado. That be off the mountain by noon thing is a real thing. I used to do security checks at the base of Pikes Peak I saw people starting their assent 2 in the morning.

You could MAYBE try hiking to BARR CAMP (half way point) one day and from there to the summit the next.

 

[Smoke]

This Shouldn't NEED To Be Said

But don't bring your pets when hiking The Peak.

I think walking animals in Pike National Forest is prohibited but people still do.

Number one it invites confrontation with people who think you shouldn't.

Also if something happens to your dog you're kinda stuck with it.

A couple of years ago a hiker's dog got sick or injured near the summit and the guy had to leave it (there were people ready to lynch him just over that). Long story short, the dog recovered and people spent a month trying to catch it and bring it down. They finally did but I don't think the guy got his dog back.

You and the dog are better off if you leave it home.

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

There's a Dinner Theater at the bottom. Just down the street there's a Hells's Kitchen pizza shop, a muzzle loading outfitter and a weed store.

 

[Muss Muggins]

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

But don't bring your pets when hiking The Peak.

I think walking animals in Pike National Forest is prohibited but people still do.

Number one it invites confrontation with people who think you shouldn't.

Also if something happens to your dog you're kinda stuck with it.

A couple of years ago a hiker's dog got sick or injured near the summit and the guy had to leave it (there were people ready to lynch him just over that). Long story short, the dog recovered and people spent a month trying to catch it and bring it down. They finally did but I don't think the guy got his dog back.

You and the dog are better off if you leave it home.

 

[Peak53]

I've followed this thread for a few days with a lot of ... thoughts, and have bitten my tongue to this point. I grew up in Colorado Springs and probably made it to the top 10 times starting in 1967; there are many other parts of this huge mountain and I have explored some of them. We sometimes would stop overnight at Barr Camp or the "A-frame" at timberline (now gone), then continue. Full disclosure: I have been living near Tincup at 10,000' (ok- 9,948' if you are quibbling) the last five years and find a lot of the discussion somewhat amusing. Sometimes folks that visit here need some adjustment time, have trouble breathing, and headaches are common. I think there have been 4 (non-fatal) heart attacks in this tiny community in just the last 2 years. Just be aware of the risks and the fact that you might average 1.5-2.0 mph on the uphill parts, which is like, all of it. The middle part, above named as "flat," is temporary. 7,000'+ elevation gain is not a trifle. Any acclimatization time you can afford will be helpful, but being in very good condition will take you most of the way - we hope! Its a long ways.

PS: The new train (over a million $ invested in track and trains) is now running, the spectacular new summit house won't be complete for a couple months. As for driving: "The Pikes Peak Summit will be closed to visitors from March 22-June 15. Visitors will be able to drive to mile 16 of the total 19 mile drive, weather permitting. Shuttles will be mandatory from mile 16 to the summit starting June 15th." (https://www.pikes-peak.com/attractions/pikes-peak-americas-mountain/[/URL])

Edit to add: Start with 3 liters water; you can refill at Barr Camp, but filtration is strongly advised. Carry aspirin. turn around if you don't feel well or the day gets too late. You might find another spring near timberline - but you have to know where to look

 

[ancient-one]

I'm up somewhere over a dozen of them, and I live in CO. If you're in otherwise good shape, you can nail the easier ones, just listen to your body. If you're out of breath, stop and wait for a few minutes, then push on, repeat as necessary. If you start feeling intensely lightheaded or develop a good headache, bail. Drink more water than you expect to need of course. Also, take the start times seriously. Get on the trail by four or four thirty, you'll have lots of company but it gets seriously awful with crowding later on, and you really do not want to be on the mountain when the afternoon summer storms come in.

You can also go on plenty of other Colorado hikes, still get a great workout, and stay under 13k feet and see incredible sights. 14ers are fun to cross off the list, and every CO tinder profile is required by law to have a pic on a summit, but they're crowded and often more fun in retrospect than they are at the time. That said, they are pretty. A few pics I have uploaded.

Those are really enjoyable pictures. Would you mind giving the locations. The second time that my wife and I drove to the peak of Mt. Evans there was a sign at a gate at about 12,000 ft. telling you that the road had not been maintained and to proceed at your own risk. We went on to the top and there was no one on the road or at the peak. There was no weather close to us but you could look down the peaks and see rain showers or sleet, you never knew which one.
Sitting up there for probably an hour left visions that I can see today, many years later.

 

[Farmer17]

My girlfriend drove up and hiked with a group for 3 days at 12,700 feet near Pikes Peak about 8 months ago. They would hike all day spend the night then pack up and hike the next day and she spent 3 days and nights on the mountain and was fine just a little tired, probably from carrying the 40lb backpack. Its hard for me to wimp out and not do something physical that a sweet little 5-4, 140lb, 53 year old woman can do but I will if can't take some of the precautions people here are suggesting. Thanks for all the input I've learned some valuable and (scary) information.

 

[arjay]

The difference between hiking at 12000' and 14000' is huge. She may be surprised by it

 

[Tim494]

Have done the Ascent in half marathon form a couple times. It basically turns into a hike without much actual running for me.

Training was spending time on feet. Forget distance based training. Train to move for the time component.

We did a lot of hill repeats but after two trips I think stair climbing would be better. The upper trail is a lot of continuous step-ups as much as a sloped grade.

We went with the theory altitude sickness comes over time. We arrived on a Thursday, peaked on Saturday and left on Sunday. No acclimating period. We couldn't spend two weeks acclimating and many say sickness hits at the 5-7 day mark so a week of acclimating could be the worst scenario. Of course if you experience acute altitude sickness during the hike turn around immediately. Just going back down a few thousand feet can work wonders.

50 years old. Live at 500ft on the Midwest. Typically run a couple half marathon every year to maintain fitness.

Have a good hydration plan.

Sent from my SM-G960U using Tapatalk

 

[DeplorabusUnum]

I've been to South America many times in mountainous areas. I've had to treat people for altitude sickness in Peru at 9,000 ft. I've been up to Mount Chimburazo in Ecuador. We took a bus up to the visitor center at 14,400 ft. A few of us decided to hike up a little further, and after about 100 yards I could hardly breath, and my legs felt like a ton of lead. I wouldn't take this lightly at all, even if you manage to get in good shape. If you do decide to do it, you might want to take along some dexamethasone and diamox just in case. I'd also have an exit plan just in case it gets rough for you. High altitude cerebral edema and pulmonary edema are no joke.

 

[Farmer17]

People asking for pictures here ya go. You can see why I would be willing to climb a mountain after her.

 

[arjay]

Wimmin!!!!

 

[WI357SIG]

Ultra-Marathons and Alpine Sport

The comments previously posted are outstanding, people who have been there done that.
I am older than you and took up running after I retired. Last year I ran 1,132 miles and rode my bike 1,275 miles at avg speed of 14.8 MPH (cross-training). I am a half-marathon runner and train accordingly. I have a Garmin Fenix 5X PLUS GPS Watch. The watch has a wrist-based heart monitor, I use the optional chest strap version. They offer a version of this watch that has a wrist-based oximeter to gauge the saturation of oxygen in your blood. Knowing your oxygen saturation can help you determine how your body is acclimating to high altitudes for alpine sport. It analyzes your oxygen saturation and your elevation. Sounds like a valuable accessory.

One night a week I meet up with a group of experienced ultra-marathon runners who are training and have signed-up for various 50, 100 and 200 mile runs this year. Majority are women, a couple guys as well. Their training pace suits my current fitness level. The ultra-folks run intervals of four minutes and walk one minute. On a recent run, we did a 10:56 pace for a 10K (social gathering distance, followed by beer). They do 15-30 mile runs for normal training. This coming weekend, a couple of the hundred milers are doing a 50-mile event for training purposes of course.

I trust you have a GPS watch, go out and see how far you can run at a reasonable pace. Try the intervals if you are not a usual distance runner. This should give you a good indication of your aerobic fitness. Monitor your heart rate! You can stop at 13.1 miles, half-marathon distance.

I saw the photos, congratulations, a cute gal for sure. I believe a couple of her sisters are in our ultra-marathon group. Imagine the drive and mental toughness it takes to a 50 or 100-mile event. Oh boy.

 

[galena]

I live at an altitude of 8450 feet about 70 miles SW of Pikes Peak, you can see three 14000rs from my back yard. Our Search and Rescue folks are busy all summer getting over achiever flatlanders down off the mountains, and a few bodies. My ex-wife was a nurse at the local clinic and they used to have a pool every year to guess the date of the first fatality of the summer. It takes at least a week to ten days to adjust to the altitude here.