From: Signe Rogers (HikinGrammy@iGlide.net)
Date: Wed Jan 29 2003 - 11:38:02 CST
Allen,
Acclimating to altitude is the same whether you are doing a relatively
sedentary activity, such as sightseeing or being physically active. It is
the % of O2 in the air that your body has to adjust to.
A few days of aclimization is always good if you can work the extra time
into your trip. If you can't, and if you suspect that you or another member
of your crew has altitude problems bases on past experiences, see your
Doctor. There is medication that can be taken that helps in the process. I
have a daughter that simply walking around base camp would throw her into
severe headaches & vomiting. I personally adjust slowly, but I'm not as
severe as my daughter. Once we learned of the medication (Diamox which has
a longer generic name) we both started taking it as prescribed a few days
before going to altitude and it has helped tremendously. It is part of my
personal standard preparation protocol now. (and I live a few miles down
the road from Topeka, in Newton KS) Recent published reports from reputable
alternate medicine publications have stated that Ginger will also help. I
have tried using Ginger, but personally don't feel it has been as effective
as the drug. The drug does_have side effects. It is a diuretic so you need
to drink even more water than the usual. It also does weird things to the
taste buds & carbonated beverages taste awful. I can live w/o the
carbonation for the few days ahead of time, and I can drink plenty of water
to avoid dehydration. On one trek after a few days I thought I was doing
well, and to avoid having to stop so_many times to relieve my bladder, I
stopped taking the Diamox. When we got to our camp for that day I felt
horrible. I started the drug up again, and those symptoms disappeared.
Pure & simple dehydration also mimics altitude sickness and 'a lot' of the
problems at Philmont are from dehydration. The simple remedy for
dehydration is to stay well hydrated as we all know. But I happen to
personally know that I stay well hydrated, and that is not my problem. The
drug works for true altitude sickness.
Hope this helps.
Signe Rogers
----- Original Message -----
From: "Allen Corzine" <a_sly_fox@msn.com>
To: "Multiple recipients of list philmont" <philmont@troop47.com>
Sent: Wednesday, January 29, 2003 10:55 AM
Subject: RE: [Philmont]: Altitude Sickness and Advisor participation
> >He came off the trail on day three complaining of altitude sickness.
>
> I have wondered about this. I live in Topeka now - and the Midwest -
> Illinois and Iowa - all my life - how does one living at 900 feet above
sea
> level prepare for altitude? You can do all the hiking and planning you
want
> but, as I have been told, there is a certain percentage of us who will
> develop this problem despite whatever you do.
>
> I am aware of the advise of going out to altitude a day or two before to
get
> use to it. However, I can see that as working for most of us who go
> sightseeing but does it work for those working hard on a trek?
>
> What suggestions do you folks have for us low landers?
>
> Allen Corzine
> Cub Master, Pack 59 Topeka
> PTC 2002
>
> just a sly fox, and remember, my opinion and $ will buy coffee at the
> trading post
>
>
>
>
>
> >From: Bill Lentz <blentz@prodigy.net>
> >Reply-To: philmont@troop47.com
> >To: Multiple recipients of list philmont <philmont@troop47.com>
> >Subject: RE: [Philmont]: Advisor participation
> >Date: Wed, 29 Jan 2003 09:32:39 -0600
> >
> >
> >
> > > -----Original Message-----
> > > From: mnep@att.net [mailto:mnep@att.net]
> > > Sent: Tuesday, January 28, 2003 8:23 PM
> > > To: Multiple recipients of list philmont
> > > Subject: [Philmont]: Advisor participation
> > >
> > >
> >snip
> > > he wasn't a nice guy. My biggest hope is that I have upset
> > > him enough to
> > > motivate him to step up his training and prove that he can
> > > get in shape.
> > > Though I have serious doubts that given the minimal progress
> > > in the last 12
> > > months.
> > >
> >snip
> >
> >I hope you've motivated him also, but let me share our experience.
> >
> >Last year our troop sent two contingents. No one had been to Philmont
> >except one Dad who went as a scout in the early '70's, and one who had
been
> >twice with his older sons. Our guys split themselves into the two
> >contingents based somewhat on age and perceived fitness and ability. One
> >contingent was made up of guys who insisted on a strenuous trek and went
> >around calling themselves the Iron men (all of this was good natured -
our
> >guys get along well.) They selected a strenuous trek at about 70 miles.
> >
> >My son and a friend are in the same age group as the Iron men, however I
am
> >not an Iron man, and neither was the other Dad. We told our boys that
they
> >would have to go with the "Tin men" (as we were named). We selected a
> >moderate trek at about 52 miles.
> >
> >I am in good health but have a desk job. I worked out some, but not as
> >much as I should have. The other dad worked out more than I did. The
> >primary adult advisor in the Iron man contingent, our scout master and an
> >ex-military guy, was constantly hiking the neighborhood with his
backpack
> >and did all but one of the shakedowns.
> >
> >Our contingent had another adult advisor who did not make any shakedowns,
> >did not prepare in any way, and was not especially fit, although not
> >terribly overweight. His son was also one of the weakest of the group.
> >
> >Of course, with the fires last year, neither contingent got their
original
> >trek. We ended up with a 64 mile trek, and they ended up with a 56 mile
> >trek (you should have heard the Tin men crowing!)
> >
> >Anyway, our first day was a three mile hike from Lovers leap turnaround
to
> >Lovers leap camp - about a 750 foot elevation change (we live at about
350
> >ft). It was tough on the adults, but the kids did fine. The one adult
who
> >didn't prepare at all was miserable. We hadn't been gone an hour before
he
> >was talking about coming off the trail. After we got to camp, he decided
> >to give it a day or two.
> >
> >The next two days were also tough, with either a lot of elevation change,
> >or a long (for us) hike. The unprepared dad and his son had a lot of
> >trouble, and we took plenty of rest breaks (which secretly pleased all of
> >us.) On the 4th day, the son got sick, and his dad talked to him about
> >coming off the trail. The next morning, he told us that both of them
were
> >determined to finish. Although we had other tough days, everyone
finished,
> >and, to be a little corny, we all walk a little taller. You should see
the
> >change in the scout that got sick but was determined to finish.
> >
> >I was pleasantly surprised at my ability to complete the trek. I was
> >worried that I couldn't make it, and, although it was tough, I did. It
was
> >a great experience for me and my son.
> >
> >Oh, the ex-military guy? He came off the trail on day three complaining
> >of altitude sickness. One of the other dads said he had been huffing and
> >puffing the whole time (which I completely understood), and always looked
> >red as a beet.
> >
> >Although I'll never make light of the need to be in shape, I think part
of
> >it is how committed you are, and how much inner drive you have. I don't
> >know how you can tell this until you get there.
> >
> >Whew! That's a lot more than I ever expected to say on the subject.
> >
> >Bill
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
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> >loyal, helpful, friendly, courteous, kind, obedient,
> >cheerful, thrifty, brave, clean and reverent.
> >-------------------------------------------------------
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
>
>
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> -------------------------------------------------------
> As you gather around this virtual campfire with fellow
> Scouts and Scouters, do your best to be trustworthy,
> loyal, helpful, friendly, courteous, kind, obedient,
> cheerful, thrifty, brave, clean and reverent.
> -------------------------------------------------------
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
-------------------------------------------------------
Scouting E-mail Discussion Lists @ usscouts.org
Subscribe/Unsubscribe at http://usscouts.org/lists/
Listserv Commands at http://usscouts.org/lists/lc.asp
-------------------------------------------------------
Send listserv commands to: listserv@troop47.com
Send postings to: philmont@troop47.com
List FAQ found at: http://usscouts.org/lists/faq.asp
List Administrator: philmont_owner@troop47.com
-------------------------------------------------------
As you gather around this virtual campfire with fellow
Scouts and Scouters, do your best to be trustworthy,
loyal, helpful, friendly, courteous, kind, obedient,
cheerful, thrifty, brave, clean and reverent.
-------------------------------------------------------
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