High Altitude Sickness and How to Avoid it
High Altitude Sickness or Mountain Sickness is always a threat while hiking or hunting in the Colorado high country. Thin air makes strenuous activities feel twice as hard than at a lower altitude if your not acclimated. Living at 4,600 ft., I can hardly believe the difference when just traveling up to 9,000 ft, how sluggish it can make you feel, let alone climbing up to 10 or 11,000 ft. while hiking or hunting. It pays to come a few days early to adjust to the altitude before any strenuous activities. Usually from about 8,000 ft. and up you may start feeling the symptoms of high altitude sickness which can be light headedness, nausea, pins and needles, weakness, headache, and shortness of breath. If you have any of these symptoms it would be wise to head down to a lower altitude. If these problems don't go away then seek medical attention. Also remember that any type of infection like a chest cold can prevent you from getting enough oxygen in thin air. This has happened to me before and it sure puts a damper on your hunting trip. Mountain air is usually very dry and with physical exercise and rapid breathing can lead to dehydration which can lead to more problems. Always bring plenty of water and a method to purify water in case you run out. I always carry water purification tablets because they take very little room. Always try to sleep at a lower altitude after hiking up high to give your body more oxygen to recuperate. I have found that exercise plays an important part in how much enjoyment I get out of any outdoor activity. I try to stay active year round. Bicycling, hiking, exercise machine, walking the dog, as long as you can have some type of movement to get your heart rate up. If your cardio system is working properly it can go a long ways to get you up the mountain. The main thing is to take your time while hiking or hunting, go slow and drink plenty of water. ActiveForever.com offers deep discounts and free shipping on a variety of products.
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