Jake Posted April 2, 2004 Share Posted April 2, 2004 According to the linked article, "These acute adaptations (they occur within hours) are remarkably effective: five of the 10 people reported from 1947 to 1993 to have stowed away without survival gear in the wheel wells of commercial airliners that flew as high as 11,900 m (39,000 ft) on transcontinental flights survived." I had always heard if you are somehow immediately transported from sea level to the top of Everest, you would be dead within a few minutes. So is this true or can you survive at even higher altitudes like the article suggests? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sketchfest Posted April 2, 2004 Share Posted April 2, 2004 water, water and more water Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cj001f Posted April 2, 2004 Share Posted April 2, 2004 The equivalent altitude will spend a lot of time in the 5 - 6K' range, but 8K' is the upper end, at least according to my aero coworkers. From my altimeter watch, 7k for Trans-Pacific 747's, 5-6k for domestic flights CRJ-700/737/MD-80/Q200 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rbw1966 Posted April 2, 2004 Share Posted April 2, 2004 I agree with Sketch. Hydration is the key. Your mantra should be "clear and copious." Sleep well the night before. Acclimitization is totally unpredictable. Looks like Cayambe lost almost a thousand feet since I was there! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gslater Posted April 2, 2004 Share Posted April 2, 2004 5-6k for domestic flights CRJ-700/737/MD-80/Q200 You sound like someone who flies Alaska/Horizon quite a bit... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loose_Brie Posted April 3, 2004 Share Posted April 3, 2004 What pressure inside the plane is equivalent to pressure in terms of elevation? I wouldn't think going from sea level to 6k would be that bad cause the plane's pressure is gonna be less than at sea level by a decent amount in the first place. On a flight to the mid west my altimeter watch read around 7200 feet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
foraker Posted April 3, 2004 Share Posted April 3, 2004 The only two times I've succumbed to altitude sickness were on the approach to Mt Whitney. Both times, around 11000' I got headaches and lost my dinner. I am absolutely *convinced*, for me, it's a matter of hydration. Otherwise, I've never had problems even dashing up to 14000'. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ryland_moore Posted April 3, 2004 Share Posted April 3, 2004 Looks like Cayambe lost almost a thousand feet since I was there Sorry RBW, I was writing fast. It is 18,996 id I remember. In my journal, since it was the first time for me above 15,000' I wrote that although the summit was just under 19k, with my height my head was aover 19k! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cj001f Posted April 3, 2004 Share Posted April 3, 2004 5-6k for domestic flights CRJ-700/737/MD-80/Q200 You sound like someone who flies Alaska/Horizon quite a bit... Too Much! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Collin Posted April 3, 2004 Author Share Posted April 3, 2004 I'll look into that book, thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chelle Posted April 3, 2004 Share Posted April 3, 2004 I'm not sure if it was in the book mentioned here or somewhere else, but there was mention of a person flying from LAX to Tahoe (around 6K?) for some golfing and getting hit hard enough to require medical treatment. Golfers. Wooses. What pressure inside the plane is equivalent to pressure in terms of elevation? I wouldn't think going from sea level to 6k would be that bad cause the plane's pressure is gonna be less than at sea level by a decent amount in the first place. Most jets are pressurized to about a mile high. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill_Simpkins Posted April 3, 2004 Share Posted April 3, 2004 Lot's of water. Breathing. Light pack. Sweat Less. If your getting warm, shed the layers! The biggest thing that helps me is just staying calm. I try to stay relaxed as if I'm parked on the couch watching infommercials. If you stay relaxed your more likely to eat when your hungry, drink when your thirsty, and keep a comfortable pace. Taking in the veiw and reflecting why you got yourself up there in the first place helps a lot, that this is where you want to be. Last time I was on Rainier, I noticed that 75% of the people of there were all stressing out. WHY??? They were soooooo just fixed on the summit. They looked totally wasted and miserable. They weren't thinking clearly. One sign of this is almost everyone was wearing black gortex and long underwear at Camp Muir when it was like 70 degrees out! Holy crap people, THINK!!!!!! When even a little anxiety kicks in, the body goes to shit. Pack light! What would make altitude easier? Less work! The lighter you pack, the easier it is. A Shasta Pack shouldn't weigh over 20 pounds. A Rainier pack shouldn't weigh over 30. That's max. Camping up high the night before helps to. Pretty much all the same stuff you heard before. Just keep in mind that there seems to be a bit of randomness to how some people handle altitude. One time it can be a breeze. The next time your puking in a crevasse. My opinion spoken. Good luck with this and take care! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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