Some while back I started a thread called "Managing AMS on Whitney" (I just posted a reply on it so it should be near the top right now.)
In that thread, I related that I was looking for ways to deal with AMS as it has messed up at least 4 trips of mine. I got a lot of great advice including: Well you may want to try Diamox since you've tried lots of other things (spend extra time at altitude, drink lots of water, breathe correctly, ...) Well I took it on a shorter trip up the Mountaineer's Route where we camped at Lower Boy Scout Lake and then took day trips including one to Upper Boy Scount Lake and the ridge above it (the one to the right of the Russell-Carillon ridge.)
What a difference. I had NO high altitude sickness at all. True to its reputation, food did taste flat the first day (I don't drink Coke so couldn't tell you about that.) and I was a little woozy during the first couple of hours so make sure that you start taking it the day before your trip (don't go climbing on ledges the first couple of hours), and one odd effect is that I initially took it while going through Tioga Pass in Yosemite, and when we got to Lee Vining my normally 60 bpm resting pulse dropped to 48! Alarming, but it went back up so things worked out.
Make sure you try it before you go anywhere to see how you respond to it as some folks do get allergic responses.
Thanks again for all the assistance.
Guess I can keep my hobby - I was to the point of giving up and staying under 10.000'.
Ellen Clary
ellen@frap.org
