There are a few things to keep in mind when heading up into the high country. Getting into the amazing places inside the Rocky Mountains is not difficult. It can get miserable pretty quick though! Nausea, and I’ll be blatant here, vomiting, light-headedness, dizziness and other symptoms can bring a really awesome day to a screeching halt.
Hiking after a rain storm will give you a much different picture of the trail. Often times, there will be hundreds of little streams running across the trail. Hiking on a muddy trail can get old after a while, but it does present the right idea – lots of water. So drink up!
Every time I see one of those little trickles crossing my path, I’m reminded of that fundamental concept in mountaineering.
You see, your blood needs water to push the cells through your arteries. So, more water will make it easier on your heart.
Second, take your time as you get higher. If you can run a mile at 1,000 feet and think you can do it at 10,000, call me! I’d love to see you try! Hah! If you’d like to really do it, take your time. After a few days, I bet you could. But it takes, I’ve read, 11 and change days to acclimate per kilometer in altitude.
A couple of things happen during this time. The main thing being that your body is adjusting the number of red blood cells so that it can transport more oxygen around your body.
There are really only a couple of things that you can do to encourage this process. The best thing you can do is drink lots of water. The next best thing you can do is spent time at altitude. Keep these in mind the next time you decide to chase up into the hills.
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