Acute mountain sickness or AMS, also known as altitude sickness, can be a very serious hazard for hikers. People visiting the mountains from states with lower elevations are especially at risk. AMS occurs as we quickly gain elevation over a short period of time. As we increase our elevation, oxygen levels in the air decrease. It affects everyone differently, regardless of age, gender, or fitness level. It’s always a good idea to give the body 24 hours to acclimatize to higher elevation. This is especially important if the elevation increase is upwards of 5000 feet higher than one’s typical elevation, and if someone from a lower sea level gains the altitude quickly, by arriving in a plane or car.
Symptoms of Acute Mountain Sickness include:
– headache
– shortness of breath
– nausea
– dizziness
– fatigue
More serious symptoms include vomiting, lack of coordination, and confusion.
When hiking, be attentive of how you feel, and how others in the group are feeling, especially if you’re with beginners. I have found that one of the most effective ways of preventing Acute Mountain Sickness, is to be properly hydrated. This means not only during the hike, but to drink plenty of water the day leading up to the hike. Every couple of minutes take a sip of water, even if you don’t feel thirsty.
Hydration packs are backpacks with a water pack inside (and they have room to carry your other supplies too). They have a straw tube that hangs over your shoulder, so you can sip water as you hike along the trail. Here are some hydration packs we recommend:
Choose a pace that is comfortable for the slowest hiker, to allow everyone in the group to acclimatize to the increase in elevation and the decreased levels of oxygen. Even after these precautions, you or someone in your group may show symptoms. At the first sign of Acute Mountain Sickness, stop, take a break, and drink some water. A fifteen minute break may make all the difference. Do not continue increasing elevation if the symptoms persist. Head down to lower elevation where there is more oxygen, and drink plenty of water.
As we gain elevation we may not initially realize that we have less oxygen around us, but our bodies do.
A couple of years ago, I organized a hike with some friends to climb to the top a local mountain. The elevation in valley where we all lived was 4550 feet above sea level. The summit was 10, 908 feet. The people I had invited were all in good shape and were experienced hikers. One of the girls was even a nurse, so what could go wrong?! After driving to the trailhead, our elevation was about 7100 feet. About twenty minutes into the hike, I noticed that the nurse started showing signs of the onset of Acute Mountain Sickness. I had the group stop and take a breather. When she mentioned that she was starting to get a headache, my suspicions were confirmed. Since there were six of us, I let the group of three speedy hikers continue while the other three of us stayed put for about forty minutes. I told her that there was no shame in turning around and tackling this another day because safety always comes first. After the rest and extra hydration, the headache was gone and she wanted to continue, and we did so, at a nice comfortable pace. We made it to the top without any more symptoms. She later admitted that she hadn’t had enough fluids the day or two leading up to the hike. Even though she was in a good shape, Acute Mountain Sickness still affected her. Remember to always stay hydrated!
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