Altitude Sickness-Co Springs?
 

Am researching online for a friend who is going to Colorado Springs for a viewing/burial. She's 43, a bit overweight, walks an hour everyday. Other than being a bit anxious (and the weight-40#+), she doesn't have health situations. However, she is afraid she is going to suffer symptoms of high altitude, as she's lived in Florida all her life. How much does altitude sickness affect someone in Colorado Springs as compared to other areas of the state please? Thanks.

Colorado Springs is just above 6,000 feet. Have her keep her activites down the first day and drink plenty of water. If she is going to do any site seeing in the area she should wait a day or two before going to higher elevations.

http://www.coloradosprings-travel.co...ps20/index.php

She probably won't even notice it.

Utahtea

Colorado Springs won't be that bad. As Utahtea said, lots of water. Further, stay away from alcohol and take asprin for the altitude headache. If it's a problem for her, she may ask for a perspcription of diamox.

I agree that she probably won't notice it, other than getting winded a little more easily. If she walks an hour a day at home, she should be fine. I live in Colorado, and among friends and family from sea level, I don't usually see people having problems like headaches and fatigue until elevations of 7500 to 8000 feet.

Tell her to forget about her idea of ascending Pike's Peak...THERE is where she may have problems.

Agree that for someone with normal lung capacity - your friend isn't a smoker is she? - 6,000 feet is rarely an issue for normal activities. It may be if she tries to do her normal one hour walk though. Many more issues start to appear with 8,000 plus feet or if someone has dimished lung capactiy (or other major health issues).

Ditto on Pike's Peak. When I was a teenager we took one of those van trips up there and one woman (with a very annoying voice) kept warning her husband about altitude sickness over and over. About half way up she started getting light-headed and my uncle (who was a doc) took her pulse and thought it wouldn't be safe for her to continue. We had such a peaceful ride the rest of the way up and her husband smiled the whole time!

So you just put her out of the car? And left her at altitude?

I've lived at sea level virtually all of my life but have never even noticed altitude changes until about 9000 feet. In my experience, fitness and age do not seem to be reliable predictors for who will suffer most from altitude sickness.

NO Grasshopper! The tour company dropped her off at one of the brake inspection points. One of their vans coming down picked her up.

PS Grasshopper,

I had to LOL at the vision you must have had!

Two 'symptoms' she may notice are shortness of breath and feeling sleepy. As stated before, get lots of rest and drink lots of water. Colorado Springs is just around 6,ooo ft and only mild 'symptoms' should be noticed. If she wants to walk, try to avoid hills but that may be impossible. Enjoy the visit.

I often go from DFW to San Miguel de Allende, MX (6200-6500 ft).
Only once did we have a a minor problem, but it was the hottest May in 40 years, we were a bit dehydrated and each had two Margaritas.
Stay hydrated and watch the alcohol!
M

I go to Denver & Boulder often on business (I live in NYC). I usually feel kind of lightheaded the first night there, but that's ONLY if I eat a big meal that first day. Lots of food means the blood is moving out of your brain and into your stomach to digest that food. I've learned my lesson...it took me years to realize why I was always dizzy that 1st night. Now I stick to light meals at high elevations. I just came back from Peru (10000-14000 ft) and also felt there that I only felt the dizziness after eating a lot. THERE I got terrible headaches at night (Excedrin Migraine really helped) though I only got those in Colorado when I camped over 9,000 ft.

Thanks for all your help everyone! She was most concerned with the headache and dizziness. How far ahead of time should she be taking tylenol - and does that Excedrin Migraine make you sleepy?? LOL Thanks!

I meant to ask, how far ahead of time before she LANDS in Co. Springs should she be taking the tylenol or other for a possible headache? Thanks...

She might want to talk to her doctor about that, but I wouldn't take Tylenol in advance; I'd only take it if I actually developed a headache.

Exedrine Migraine has caffiene in it so sleepiness isn't a problem.

I get a little affected by the altitude sometimes in Denver - I live at sealevel. It's not a big deal though - just drink extra water, take asprin, and turn in early the first night there.

As far as alititude goes, does anyone know what it is in Glenwood Springs and Avon?

They went and they conquered. My friend did fine. Although she got a tiny bit winded when they walked from the Air Force Academy gift shop to the chapel. Then again, there are "steep" sidewalks on the trail there. Well, "steep" to her. :-) Thanks everyone for your help!

That's great to hear. Katy, Avon is a little over 8,000 feet. I think Glenwood Springs is about the same.... maybe a little lower.

I drove through there over the weekend and then on over Independence Pass (12,095'). I couldn't believe how many cyclists were going up the pass, in the rain.

We hiked up to Surprise & Ampitheater Lakes in the Tetons last week...started aT 6200, ENDED AT 92OOft. Felt awful and dizzy for a while. the on the way down....finally cleared up at 6200ft. I live in Fla 6ft above sealevel. A nurse(who live in Jackson 6200ft) we met on the way suggested water and saltines or a pickle! Nexy hile we took a big fat pickle and it worked like a charm! FYI, Judy

my brother, who has always had some respitory problems had altitude sickness in estees park, co. we had just left colorado springs. and he had to get oxygen at the local fire department. as long as she is prepared for the altitude, she should be o.k. just take it slow.

I used to live in Breckenridge, Colorado (9600 feet) and shuttle tourists from the Denver airport to the mountain resorts. We had to take people back to Denver about once a week due to altitude sickness.

The vast majority of folks who experienced problems usually did the following:
1. Came directly from sea level to altitude (9000+ ft)
2. Drank a lot of alcohol on the plane or were hung over from the night before.
3. Hit the ski slopes/bike trail immediately upon arrival.

As others here have said, it's best to reduce activities for the first day. Even something as simple as climbing a flight of stairs with a suitcase will leave you noticing the effect at 6000 feet. Lots of fluids (no alcohol or caffeine) will help as most of Colorado has a borderline desert climate. In my personal experience, a slight, nagging headache along with a little trouble sleeping is normal.

True altitude sickness doesn't set in for most until you get above 9000 feet. Shortness of breath while sitting still, chest tightness & a general feeling of confusion or discomfort are symptoms that should be dealt with immediately.

Pikes Peak (14000 ft) will affect just about everyone. Usually you aren't there long enough for it to matter. It's usually cold & windy at the top and there isn't much to do other than admire the view and take a few pictures. I was up there once and had a 100 yard footrace across the parking lot. It took me 20 minutes to catch my breath!

Glenwood Springs is at 5700 feet elevation. Avon is 7400. Driving from Denver, both require you to travel over the Eisenhower Tunnel (11000 ft) and Vail Pass (10600 ft)

Wow, John, I sure estimated those wrong. Thanks for the correction.

I'm spending 4 months in Keystone (from SF), at 9,400' and still get winded when I go upstairs to my bedroom. :-)

Grasshopper - 4 months at Keystone? You're so lucky! When I first moved to Colorado, I lived in Summit Cove (on the right, just before getting to Keystone.) I would work all day, come home, change clothes and go night skiing at Keystone. From my front door, I could be on the lift in 10 minutes!

If you enjoy hiking and the outdoors, take a ride up Montezuma Road. About a mile before you get to Montezuma, there's a forest service gate on the left. I think it's marked "Peru Creek." The road opens up into a wide valley on the back side of Arapahoe Basin ski area. There's some old abandon mines back there that are fun to explore and the views are breathtaking!

John, I live off of Montezuma Road at the very edge of Keystone. I ride my bike up toward Montezuma (haven't made it all the way yet :-) ) I will definitely check out those mines. My deck looks out on the Snake River. It's really peaceful and beautiful.

Thank God for being able to work at home!

Grasshopper, are you on that long section of straight road just past the east parking lots? I know that area well - I used to deliver propane to the houses there and all the way up past Montezuma.

You must be in great shape to ride your bike up Montezuma road! That's a tough ride going up - but great fun coming down!

Feel free to email me privately if you need any info on the backcountry of Summit County. I was fortunate to be able to spend 8 years there and still remember the backroads vividly. My email is [email protected].

A lot of athletes train in high altitude, because that's a legal way to increase concentration of red blood cells in the body. But of course, they have to spend a lot of time there to accliminate. They don't just go from sea-level up there, and ride bikes over mountain passes.