Mt. Whitney Portal Store & Hostel Forums General Mt. Whitney Portal Store Message Board Persistence of altitude acclimatization

Hi, I was wondering if anyone knows how long the effects of acclimatization persist after you spend some time at altitude. I have been doing some reading here and other places on the web, but I haven't seen the topic discussed.

I only have time to hike on weekends, so that means that I only have one more hike before I show up in horseshoe meadows (2 nights before my entry for a dayhike). I'm trying to strategize which hike would be the best hike to do this weekend. I'm wondering if I hiked San Gorgonio (11,000) 7 or 8 days before whitney, I might still be feeling some benefits of acclimatization?

Thanks!

There are some who might say you would lose it all in a few days. But I've sometimes hiked Mt. Dana (13,500) a week before a high-altitude hike, and I feel that it gives me a slight positive effect.

You will gain much more positive acclimatization with your two nights at Horseshoe Meadows than anything the week before. Unless you are severely hampered by AMS, those two nights should be all you need.

I agree with Steve. It couldn't hurt to hike to 11,500 a week before, but I don't think hanging out on San G for 30 minutes will do much for acclimation. I think the 2 nights at Horseshoe Meadows is the key. I would take a stroll up to Cottonwood Lakes or to Trail Peak 2 days before you are doing your Whitney hike. There is some info on Warm up Hikes at this site. Good Luck!

Back in the 80's, as a member of the U.S. National Cycling Team, I was a part of a study funded by the OSOC on the effects of high altitude training. We lived at 12K feet and trained in a valley 2K below for about 5 weeks. Every few days we went to a clinic in Breckenridge, Co. for blood testing.

If I remember correctly, our RBC (red blood cells) counts skyrocketed during the study (although not uniformly among the four test subjects) but all of us were back to baseline within 5 days after leaving the high altitude training camp.

IMO, from an acclimatization standpoint, hiking San G. 7 or 8 days before Whitney will not help. Especially if it's a day hike. Even if you're up there the entire weekend whatever benefits you reap will dissipate by the time you get to Horseshoe.

Your blood does not adapt to altitude quickly.

But......from a perspective of experience and confidence building....I say go for it!!!!

I did not acclimate at all except for a burger at the Portal and the next day spending the night at trail camp. While I don't advocate that one bit, I'm a "flatlander" it was just all the time I had; I think it may vary greatly on any given day by any given person and their vitals.

Thanks everyone, you reaffirmed my suspicion that it would probably be of marginal benefit. I think I might forgo the 4 hour round trip and opt for something closer to home where I can spend my time hiking instead of sitting in a car.

btw, can anyone tell me how far either of the horseshoe meadows campgrounds are from where I'll be parking my car? Are they just a coupla hundred yards? or are they a bit more of a backpacking thing?

Thanks again

The sites are close to the parking lot...

However...

Getting there early and finding an available spot (and room inside a bear locker) is another thing.

There is an open pit toilet (bring extra TP) and there is a spigot.

And then...

There is the scenery.

I will add to my marginally relevant comments that I did some v. heavy hiking prior...I don't believe I would have made it to the top without the weekly training.

Those of us who climb regularly to altitude, only on weekends, would probably have a tendency to agree, inspite of what studies say, that after a few weeks, we are fully acclimatized.

It would be interesting to have a researcher poke us a few times to see whether this is a psychological, or physical, change.

Where would they poke you to see if it’s psychological? Sorry...I couldn't resist

Seriously, I’m one of the lucky ones that can go from sea level to Whitney without suffering (too much). That said, I know a couple of really strong runners (much much better than me) that must acclimatize or die once they get above ~13K’

"There is an open pit toilet (bring extra TP) and there is a spigot.

And then...

There is the scenery."


Hey + @ti2d, why look at the open pit toilet for scenery when you have the great outdoors? LMAO

I hike with some CLMRG types, some still active, who are of the opinion that acclimatization benefits persist for up to two weeks for some people.

That's been my personal experience as well, but for me it persists a bit longer.

Is your point that we should disbelieve our own senses because a "study" exists somewhere that contradicts our own experience? I don't think so ...

Your choice, of course.

Personally, I rely upon my own experience and self-knowledge. Lacking those, I'll look elsewhere.

Kevin, this is the second time I've been given the message that Doug doesn't want non-whitney related discussions of any length to continue. Given the history of this website I can at least partially understand. Anyways, have a good weekend.

ep:  Good grief, don't belabor the point!  You did that in a topic on bears three weeks ago which got the thread deleted and the other member booted off the board.

Maybe the "fully acclimatized" term was an inaccurate choice of words, but for most people in the Sierra, it means acclimated well enough that they do not suffer the AMS symptoms (headache and nausea or appetite loss) when they climb above 14K.

Please read your three-week-old private message... just click that blinkin' flag at the top of the page!

I, too am on the "weekend plan" for acclimatization, but my goal is a lot less optimistic/lofty than a hope for lasting physical benefits from climbing altitudes of 10,000-12,000+ over the next month. Rather, I am hoping to reach a level of "mental adjustment" that familiarity might bring with repeated visits at this altitude. Last weekend on Mt. Dana,the combination of the new environment (hey, it's cold, windy,and desolate up there in rare air for the first time) AND the nausea knocked me out at 12,300 (the Glissade was great...nuf said) It is my hope that with repeated visits at altitude, some of the newbie stress will disappear, thus, leaving me to deal with physical symptoms, only

(Im-a coming ta get you in two weeks, Dana!)

B

The latest research I saw indicated that there was a persistent benefit to acclimatization -- up to 30 days, which could be maintained by spending as little as one night at altitude per month.

I remember reading about this specifically because it is the opposite of what I'd always believed. The more conventional wisdom, as already said here, is that acclimatization is lost extremely rapidly when you return to sea level.

I will try to dig up that study...but I don't remember where I saw it.