Acclimatization for 4500m

Hi guys,

So when it comes to Acclimatization, Im not too sure how my body would handle altitude as where I live is basically at sea level and I have not spent any time at any significant altitude. Im guessing that would increase my chances of acute mountain sickness and further complications if not careful. 

When looking at a guided trip to approx 4500M in elevation gain, at the reccomended 300M per day, thats approx 16 days to complete such a climb. I know that this 300m is flexible depending on how I react individually to elevation, but im looking at worst case senario. Guys I know that the above is purely an estimate and no one knows how anybody will react, there is no mathamatical equation or rule of how long one must stay at a certian elevation to acclimatize etc. so please dont kill me for refrencing the FOTH recommendation of 300m a day lol. Im just using it as a benchmark here. Does this 300m a day seem as a reasonable standard? 

I was a heavy smoker for about 10 years and just recently quit a few months ago. I am guessing this will have a negitive effect on me at altitude? Anyone else a past smoker, has it affected you in this scenario? 

I want to take a small, easy guided climb in the alps next year, and am trying to figure out how best to deal with this issue. I plan to ramp up my cardio workout for the next year (along with my current weight training, hiking, climbing) as well in hopes this helps. 

Any advice? 

Thanks,

North Col

I believe altitude sickness doesn't kick in until about +/- 2,500m. (Depending on the person obviously) And 300m per day seem oddly low. A couple years ago I went from sea level to 3,800m in a day and a half. Altitude sickness affects different people in different ways. I experienced it, but the most that I experienced was a headache and shortness of breath. Nothing I couldn't handle. But another guy I was with was throwing up. Most guided trips will take acclimatization into account 

4500M isn't too high. Try long duration, endurance cardio at a pace where you can just keep a conversation without getting out of breath. Alternatively, I sometimes like to do cardio while singing to purposely put myself out of breath and I think it helps me acclimatize, but that singing part is just some bullshit I do because I think it works for me and it's fun.

That's the height of Mt. Rainier and Seattle is at sea level. You can check out how much time the professionals use to haul newbies up the hill by checking out the programs on their websites.

https://www.mountainguides.com/rainier-programs.shtml

https://www.rmiguides.com/mt-rainier

https://www.alpineascents.com/climbs/

In sum, 16 days would be veeeeeeeeeery conservative. I doubt you'll find a group trip and 2 weeks of private guiding will be spendy :-) I'd try your luck with the usual itineraries first.

Active smokers have gotten up proud lines at 8000m. It's good that you quit because cancer sucks. Just exercise and don't worry about it.

For me, I hydrate with lots and lots of water, like gallon+ a day for three days prior to heading out to 12k+ ft skiing/climbing from sea level. Never had any issues... but I also have an athletic heart.

I think it’s 1000 feet per day above 10k moving where you sleep. Most people can go to 10k from sea level in a day.

The 300m figure is for when at higher altitudes. A good friend and I have a "rule" of no more than 1000m per day. We can do more but it makes for a nicer outing. For a hill in the 4500m range one is probably going to be starting at 2000m-2500m. Which means one should spending sometime at that altitude before hand to get some initial acclimation. Then do some day trips to higher altitudes before finally joining up with the guided group. Being reasonably acclimated means one can do 1000-1500 m in a day.  Here is a recent example, we started at under 900m and on our first day we camped at 2300m. The next day we camped at 3300m. On the last day 4400m (we actually slept on the summit).  The best training would be to find a tall building and get access to the stairwell.

As for the smoking, read about Don Whillians. He smoked right up until he got to base camp. Because of it he acclimated quite well, as like most smokers, his hemoglobin levels were already elevated.

You really don't neeeed to acclimatise for that height unless you're really badly effected by altitude (which you don't know until you go up there) provided you drink allot you should be fine, you might feel like death and have a awful headache but you should be fine.

Morgan Patterson wrote: For me, I hydrate with lots and lots of water, like gallon+ a day for three days prior to heading out to 12k+ ft skiing/climbing from sea level. Never had any issues... but I also have an athletic heart.

This is good advice. I live at sea level and start getting headaches at about 8,000 feet if I’m not properly hydrated. 

Smoking won't be an issue if you have quit for the last several months depending on how old you are. 

300m a day seems awfully slow. Like, dude, way too slow when you think about the food and gear to carry, let alone water.

But then, I'm only an amateur peakbagger (14 of the CO 14ers so far), which is a very different type of endeavour than alpinism. But one which would tend indicate that your level of cardio fitness might be a much more important factor than the fact that you smoked a lot. 

I've never found anything definitely linking smoking with AMS. So, as others have said, you can train your heart and lungs to help with your reduced lung capacity.

The effects of altitude are minor until at least 2500m, and you have to consider that summit day can be much more aggressive because you will be descending shortly after *presumably*. Instead of a linear rule, I think a sliding scale is more appropriate if you are short on time:

Sleep at 2000m night 1
Add 1000m night 2
Add 500m night 3
Add 300 night 4
Summit day 5 ascending about 1000-1200m, and descending as much as possible to sleep night 5

This is probably still conservative, but I think you may find it useful. I have tried this plan with success, and I have tried more aggressive plans and have gotten AMS. However, I am still inexperienced and am trying to find a system that works for me. (also, AMS medication worked for me when I messed up).

Of course, a lot of this will depend on what your actual route is, and where campsites are available. I would imagine you could spend a week at a mountain town ~2700m and have luck doing something more aggressive.

Here's an example. My wife and her sister did Whitney in a day. One lived in Honolulu, and the other in the Bay Area...so sea level to right about 4,500 m for both, with neither experiencing issues. 

the schmuck wrote: Here's an example. My wife and her sister did Whitney in a day. One lived in Honolulu, and the other in the Bay Area...so sea level to right about 4,500 m for both, with neither experiencing issues. 

Same here. BITD we did Whitney in a day, all of us normally living at sea level. The key for us was having spent the week prior climbing and sleeping in Tuolumne Meadows (8600'). Typically, for me, I usually needed 3 days at >8000' to stop feeling crappy (headache, mild nausea on exertion, shortness of breath). 

I think the best way to make yourself feel better about it is to hydrate like crazy and go spend a day or two over 2700-3000m and go for a little jog or something.  The other thing to note is a lot of those "guidelines" about altitude gain in a day are meant for people going a lot higher than 4500m.  Not to mention you won't be hanging out at 4500m for days at a time, you'll likely be there for a very short while and come right back down so it'll be even less of an issue.