High Altitude Fitness

[Braydon]

Well I'm fine tuning my program for Aconcagua and am interested hearing what other people who have climbed Aconcagua or around that elevation, have to say about what their fitness level was like. At the beginning of my program, 3 months ago, I was able to climb Si with a 40 pound pack in 2:15. I'm about to time another one to see how I have improved and am hoping to get it in 1:50-2:00 hours. I have also been running and swimming to help improve my lung capacity.

 

What kind of fitness were you in before you climbed to 20,000+ feet? What were you running and in what times? What was the elevation gain, weight of your pack, and time you were getting your hikes in?

 

Finnaly, any suggestions for acclimatizing while on the mountain? I'm a little worried as this is my first time above Rainier and I'm going up to almost 7000 meters.

 

Thanks

Edited January 4, 2009 by Braydon

[Reid]

I did Denali last June and I put in about 3 months of training prior to the trip. I mean I was in decent shape prior to those 3 months, but that's when I got serious about it. I didn't have any kind of strict regimen, but I'd say I was running 1 hr 2 times a week, 1-2 hr bike rides once a week, and hiking with rocks and water in the pack once a week, plus cragging or mellow alpine climbs on the weekend.

 

I think the important thing is to get your heart rate up there to increase your anaerobic threshold. Your runs should have lots of hills and you should be panting and drooling at the top of them. I think the best part about the heavy pack training is conditioning the back and shoulders muscles and building leg strength. So make sure that by the end you are approaching your expected pack weight on the hikes. To really answer your question I think my pack was about 60lbs and to the part of Si where you first break out of the trees on top was about 1:30 - 1:40 (I didn't keep real good track). Mailbox peak with the same pack was 2 hrs to summit.

 

Have you read the physical training chapter in Extreme Alpinism? I used that as a knowledge base and then kinda did my own thing based on the ideas. I think it worked pretty well. We moved somewhat faster than average when on the move on the glacier I'd say. Overall basecamp to summit we were much faster than average but I'm not bragging about it. We should have slowed down and acclimatized more and we paid for it with some altitude sickness and a HACE scare up high. So my advice for acclimatization is to take the extra day if you feel you need it. We got antsy, bored, and sick of being cooped up in the tent.

 

When is your trip? I just tentatively agreed to a Dec 09 Aconcagua trip.

[Braydon]

Thanks Reid. I'm leaving the 4th of February...I'll let you know how it goes.

[genepires]

here's a thought. Try some of your training hikes with a mouth piece in your mouth. (or some other flow restrictive device) It will simulate the reduced atmosphere by making your lunges have to work harder. It will look wierd but training is training. I have not tried it, just a thought that came while reading your question.

 

Be good to your body while at altitude.

 

Be a germ a phobe and keep your intestines clean which can be a major problem down there. Keep away from people with a chest cold. On your stay in town, do everything you can to avoid catching some "bug" because that will destroy your chances when you get to altitude.

 

Stay hydrated to a point of being annoying. Keep to food going in but wash your hands before eating. See above.

 

Even if you can go fast, DON'T. Your goal is to minimize all stress to your body so that it can acclimitize. ANy stress (dehydration, lack of food, dealing with illness, physical exertion, ect) to the body hinders the changes it needs to make.

 

have fun up, be safe, stay out of the lenticulars, learn how to build good rock walls and rock anchors for your tent, try to get your water from safe locations away from terd piles, go down if you feel not right and read up on altitude stuff more. Too much is never enough. Oh yeah, don't pee into (obvious) or with the wind.(think disturbance of wind and the chaotic flow pattern of the air) Pee at 90 degree to the wind.

 

enjoy!

[Braydon]

cool. anyone else have any tips?

[sirwoofalot]

Every individual has limiting variable factors such as age, natural athletic abilities, etc

 

As you get older your heart rate slows down and there is just no way most 50 year olds can make it up Si in 1:30:00 with 40 pounds (5 gallons of water); where as most 25 year olds in shape should be able to do that.

 

Don’t over push yourself, and know your limits so you don’t get an injury excursing.

But do push yourself so you can grow your lung capacity, and your leg strength.

You have got to find your balance.

 

Good luck.

 

Oh, get elevation with weight on your back. Go to Camp Muir every other week end, and load your pack up as if you were taking everything for a group to summit.

 

[Jens]

On a trip, just try to stay healthy and eat. Training in advance is overrated. You'll get fit on the approach if you are young.

 

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You could go with the Don Whillans high altitude simulator- Give yourself a gnarly hangover and then breathe through a drinking straw all morning.

 

When I used to live out where you live, the west tiger cable line was the choice for me and my buds. Run until you puke.