Looking for Climbers Who Have Attempted to Climb Mountains Above 6,000 m

[iluka]

We are conducting a research project to investigate how people prepare for climbs of mountains above 6,000 m and, in particular, whether or not they use hypoxic training systems -- which allow climbers to sleep and/or exercise in low oxygen (i.e., hypoxic) conditions -- as part of their trip preparation. If you are 18 years or older and have attempted or successfully climbed a peak over 6,000 m, you can provide valuable information for our study which is being run through the University of Washington. The anonymous, on-line survey will take 15 to 20 minutes to complete and does not require any personal information. Prior use of hypoxic training systems is not required to participate; however, eligible participants should have experience attempting to climb at least one peak over 6,000 m. 

Click here to be directed to the survey.  Please remember to click "submit" at the end of the survey to ensure that all answers are saved correctly.  

If you have any questions prior to or after completion of the survey, feel free to contact us at aluks@uw.edu, Scott.McIntosh@hsc.utah.edu, Colin.Grissom@imail.org or Cormac.Zachar@gmail.com. Please know that the confidentiality of emails cannot be guaranteed. We appreciate your time and effort completing this survey and look forward to reporting our findings upon completion.

[JasonG]

paging @Eric Gilbertson!

[bedellympian]

This is one of the better surveys I have seen posted on this site. I still think it misses some key points... Hypoxic training systems frequently rely on pumping out O2 but leave the other gases. At altitude the overall pressure is less, which creates the hypoxia. My understanding is that the pressure is more important than the amount of O2 available for adapting to altitude. Last I read from people who know more than me, was that pumping out O2 was not very effective, thus I don't put much stock in this. Makes me curious to go scroll through pubmed etc. and see what the latest thinking is.

[cormacz98]

bump

[mneagle]

PAO2=(Patm−PH2O)FiO2−PACO2/RQ
 

The alveolar gas equation explains how an altitude tent works. FiO2 is the fraction of inspired oxygen, which is 0.21 (21%) at all altitudes. Patm is the atmospheric pressure. As you go higher Patm is lower, which reduces the partial pressure of oxygen in the alveoli of the lung. You can simulate high altitude by sleeping in a hypobaric chamber that lowers the Patm to simulate high altitude. An altitude tent can’t change the Patm like a hypobaric chamber can, but it can create the same partial pressure in the alveoli, by reducing FiO2. 
 

The math certainly works, but I question the utility of sleeping in an altitude tent for eight hours and then spending the next 16 hours at sea level. It’s hard for me to imagine that this would really make much of a difference. Fortunately, I now live at 5000 feet in Colorado and have a cabin at 8500 feet where I ski and bike every weekend. The best way to acclimatize is just to move here!

 

Andy, let me know if you want to come out and get some turns in at Vail. I’m still on tele’s. 

Edited January 8 by mneagle