Flatlanders at 10k

[Cedarsavage]

My wife and I are planning an elk hunt. Looks like we’ll be between 8-10k. We live at about 600. We’ve never been there and were not sure which of two units we’ll hunt in. We’re thinking spend the first night at about 8400, and spend the first full day driving crossing stuff off the list. Then slowly ramp up activity. Slow isn’t one of my strengths. Sounds like wilderness athlete makes something called “altitude advantage”. Anyone ever try that; does it help? Anyone ever try acetolmezide sp? She’s more reasonable than me, but it’ll be a struggle for me to slowly adjust, every time I get in new country I feel like the clock is ticking to get everything figured out. How long will it take to acclimate to a reasonable level?

 

[crich]

My first hunt coming from sea level to those same elevations was an eye opener and took me 2 days before I really adjusted. It affects everyone differently. I was in fantastic shape as was my hunting partner. The first hike in was a straight up ball buster and while I was sitting on the ground with my pack off feeling like I couldnt breathe enough he was standing there going dang dude you alright? As he was only breathing heavy. Ive took the altitute pills from mtn ops but dont know how much they may have helped. Never got altitude sickness but I only took them that first season. Just keep in mind no matter what shape your in when it comes to you acclimating to the altitude you might need to take it slow for a couple of days. It will humble you for sure.

 

[Newtosavage]

Like crich says, it affects everyone differently. I have only experienced altitude sickness once, going from 4K where I lived near Roswell, up to 10K in about two hours, then hiking about 2 hours. Then I learned that most of altitude sickness is actually dehydration (or something along those lines). So every year as I drive up to Colorado (I live at 300 ft. now), I drink a gallon of water the day I'm driving up. That seems to help a ton.

Staying a night at 8400 will help, but I routinely go from 300 to 9500 in one day, wake up and start scouting before sunrise before, several times. Hydration is the key, for me at least.

The question in my mind is not how you'll do, but rather how your wife will do. My wife gets altitude sickness anytime we go above 8K. I can't get her to drink enough. But I think that's the key.

 

[Bobbyboe]

My wife and I are planning an elk hunt. Looks like we’ll be between 8-10k. We live at about 600. We’ve never been there and were not sure which of two units we’ll hunt in. We’re thinking spend the first night at about 8400, and spend the first full day driving crossing stuff off the list. Then slowly ramp up activity. Slow isn’t one of my strengths. Sounds like wilderness athlete makes something called “altitude advantage”. Anyone ever try that; does it help? Anyone ever try acetolmezide sp? She’s more reasonable than me, but it’ll be a struggle for me to slowly adjust, every time I get in new country I feel like the clock is ticking to get everything figured out. How long will it take to acclimate to a reasonable level?

This info is coming from a WI guy. You better learn to make slow a strength of yours on your first trip! I've learned that pretty much anything is climbable for a Midwesterner, IF, you go slow! One small step in front of the other, and breaks before yours completely winded.

You wont ever fell like a million bucks and fully acclimate on a 1 week hunt. Its learning to live with burn and fatigue. Since your planning on driving the first day, Id suggest on sleeping a bit lower the first night. Some people have issues over 8,000 ft and why start the hunt off on the wrong foot.

Also, don't hunt too deep. I'm telling you from experience, elk are giant the first time you see them on the ground. A combo of elevation, fatigue, weather(warm) and dead meat is not a fun problem if your a long way from the truck.

Good luck!

 

[Cedarsavage]

This info is coming from a WI guy. You better learn to make slow a strength of yours on your first trip! I've learned that pretty much anything is climbable for a Midwesterner, IF, you go slow! One small step in front of the other, and breaks before yours completely winded.

You wont ever fell like a million bucks and fully acclimate on a 1 week hunt. Its learning to live with burn and fatigue. Since your planning on driving the first day, Id suggest on sleeping a bit lower the first night. Some people have issues over 8,000 ft and why start the hunt off on the wrong foot.

Also, don't hunt too deep. I'm telling you from experience, elk are giant the first time you see them on the ground. A combo of elevation, fatigue, weather(warm) and dead meat is not a fun problem if your a long way from the truck.

Good luck!

Lower than 8400? We’re planning on truck camping, just because of that. Since we don’t know what we’re getting into. I’ve packed whitetail and antelope but I’m sure elk will be a different story. It’s a spike/cow hunt so body should be a little more manageable. Given success rates my objective is learn the unit, have a couple encounters and learn a bit about elk hunting.

 

[Cedarsavage]

Will do. Definitely will plan on bringing more water than we think we’ll need. I’ll have to make sure she doesn’t see that you’re worried about her getting altitude sickness lol.

Like crich says, it affects everyone differently. I have only experienced altitude sickness once, going from 4K where I lived near Roswell, up to 10K in about two hours, then hiking about 2 hours. Then I learned that most of altitude sickness is actually dehydration (or something along those lines). So every year as I drive up to Colorado (I live at 300 ft. now), I drink a gallon of water the day I'm driving up. That seems to help a ton.

Staying a night at 8400 will help, but I routinely go from 300 to 9500 in one day, wake up and start scouting before sunrise before, several times. Hydration is the key, for me at least.

The question in my mind is not how you'll do, but rather how your wife will do. My wife gets altitude sickness anytime we go above 8K. I can't get her to drink enough. But I think that's the key.

 

[Cedarsavage]

I’m assuming fully adjusted is still winded more than “normal”, but not sick?

My first hunt coming from sea level to those same elevations was an eye opener and took me 2 days before I really adjusted. It affects everyone differently. I was in fantastic shape as was my hunting partner. The first hike in was a straight up ball buster and while I was sitting on the ground with my pack off feeling like I couldnt breathe enough he was standing there going dang dude you alright? As he was only breathing heavy. Ive took the altitute pills from mtn ops but dont know how much they may have helped. Never got altitude sickness but I only took them that first season. Just keep in mind no matter what shape your in when it comes to you acclimating to the altitude you might need to take it slow for a couple of days. It will humble you for sure.

 

[Goodtimekiller]

Do a mix of cardio and hills with weight on your back. Spending the entire summer running will not get you prepared. Get a bike and use it for cardio. Kifarucast has a couple of really good episodes on altitude sickness. I think the hunt backcountry podcast has some too.


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[Newtosavage]

I’m assuming fully adjusted is still winded more than “normal”, but not sick?

Yes. There is no getting around being winded. There is just less O2 up there. But if you're well conditioned (running bleachers is my game - I've found nothing better), you'll recovery quickly and it's no big deal.

And chug water BEFORE you get there. Drinking it once you're there is good of course, but it won't prevent A.S. as much as being well hydrated before you arrive.

 

[Usi05]

Yes. There is no getting around being winded. There is just less O2 up there. But if you're well conditioned (running bleachers is my game - I've found nothing better), you'll recovery quickly and it's no big deal.

And chug water BEFORE you get there. Drinking it once you're there is good of course, but it won't prevent A.S. as much as being well hydrated before you arrive.

100% agree with everything you said.

Two years in a row coming from Michigan and I have no issues. My prep consists of running and hiking with weight at home. Both of these are done uphills.

Two weeks out I take start taking aspirin each day. On travel day (usually flying then driving) I am hammering water from sun up to sun down.

Haven’t had an issue.


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[Bobbyboe]

Lower than 8400? We’re planning on truck camping, just because of that. Since we don’t know what we’re getting into. I’ve packed whitetail and antelope but I’m sure elk will be a different story. It’s a spike/cow hunt so body should be a little more manageable. Given success rates my objective is learn the unit, have a couple encounters and learn a bit about elk hunting.

Personally, yes, below 8,400 for the first night. 8k is that range where some people begin to have issues. Since your camping with your vehicle it shouldn't be difficult, and in my opinion, an easy insurance measure early in the hunt.

You will be winded no matter how much you prepare.

Another piece of advice I'd give. Seriously have a plan for butchering and handling the meat. I've killed more deer than I could count, in addition to a bunch of antelope. Elk are plain different! Take time to organize and pack a proper kill kit.

 

[WTFJohn]

Diamox or acetozolamide may help, but shouldn't be needed at those elevations. Drink lots of water & electrolytes, like enough to where you're kind of annoyed at having to stop to pee so much. Lots of guys driving out drink more water than they usually do at home but it still isn't enough, and they start the trip out dehydrated and can't catch up. Skip the booze when you get here. Ibuprofen can help as well on your arrival too, altitude illness can cause mild headaches. If you're having issues like irritability & headaches + feeling lathargic, nausea, vomiting, or prolonged loss of appeitite, drop 2,000 ft in elevation and see if there is an improvement or hit up an urgent care in town (they'll maybe give you something, but most likely tell you to hydrate and descend in elevation).

As a few others mentioned, altitude illness can set in regardless of physical fitness level and prior experiences. It's not a always one way or the other thing, you can be fine one trip and get sick the next or sick one trip and fine the next. The slower you go up to elevation, the less likely you are to get sick. Denver's elevation & location lend themselves nicely to an overnight stop for most folks (~5000ft) to help with the acclimatization.

 

[GunsAreFun]

I think it is very individual. Four of us on our first trip this year started at 9-9,500’, and nobody has any issues. We were still find going to to 10,500.

We had worked out before but not nearly as intense as some. Being in late 20s and early 30s probably helps.

 

[Cedarsavage]

We’re gonna take a utility trailer with a chest freezer and we’ll both carry a frame pack mine is gonna have meat bags, saw, hunting knife and filet knife. If we get one she’ll start making a meat pole while I quarter it. I guess we’ll look at stopping in Denver then camping below 8k the first night we’re there.

Personally, yes, below 8,400 for the first night. 8k is that range where some people begin to have issues. Since your camping with your vehicle it shouldn't be difficult, and in my opinion, an easy insurance measure early in the hunt.

You will be winded no matter how much you prepare.

Another piece of advice I'd give. Seriously have a plan for butchering and handling the meat. I've killed more deer than I could count, in addition to a bunch of antelope. Elk are plain different! Take time to organize and pack a proper kill kit.

 

[Cedarsavage]

Thanks we’ll add Gatorade to the list and look at stopping in Denver

Diamox or acetozolamide may help, but shouldn't be needed at those elevations. Drink lots of water & electrolytes, like enough to where you're kind of annoyed at having to stop to pee so much. Lots of guys driving out drink more water than they usually do at home but it still isn't enough, and they start the trip out dehydrated and can't catch up. Skip the booze when you get here. Ibuprofen can help as well on your arrival too, altitude illness can cause mild headaches. If you're having issues like irritability & headaches + feeling lathargic, nausea, vomiting, or prolonged loss of appeitite, drop 2,000 ft in elevation and see if there is an improvement or hit up an urgent care in town (they'll maybe give you something, but most likely tell you to hydrate and descend in elevation).

As a few others mentioned, altitude illness can set in regardless of physical fitness level and prior experiences. It's not a always one way or the other thing, you can be fine one trip and get sick the next or sick one trip and fine the next. The slower you go up to elevation, the less likely you are to get sick. Denver's elevation & location lend themselves nicely to an overnight stop for most folks (~5000ft) to help with the acclimatization.

 

[Ctitus25]

I had the same issue this last September, live at 600, hunted at 8500MSL. I had trained and lost weight, however I found that I felt like I ran out of gas if I wasn't careful. It's really easy to burn yourself out and get in a hole. make sure you eat and pace yourself.

 

[Cedarsavage]

Pretty similar to what we do CrossFit 5x followed by 1/2 hour on a bike at 120-130 bpm. Plan to hike with a pack when weather breaks

Do a mix of cardio and hills with weight on your back. Spending the entire summer running will not get you prepared. Get a bike and use it for cardio. Kifarucast has a couple of really good episodes on altitude sickness. I think the hunt backcountry podcast has some too.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[GunsAreFun]

Diamox or acetozolamide may help, but shouldn't be needed at those elevations. Drink lots of water & electrolytes, like enough to where you're kind of annoyed at having to stop to pee so much. Lots of guys driving out drink more water than they usually do at home but it still isn't enough, and they start the trip out dehydrated and can't catch up. Skip the booze when you get here. Ibuprofen can help as well on your arrival too, altitude illness can cause mild headaches. If you're having issues like irritability & headaches + feeling lathargic, nausea, vomiting, or prolonged loss of appeitite, drop 2,000 ft in elevation and see if there is an improvement or hit up an urgent care in town (they'll maybe give you something, but most likely tell you to hydrate and descend in elevation).

As a few others mentioned, altitude illness can set in regardless of physical fitness level and prior experiences. It's not a always one way or the other thing, you can be fine one trip and get sick the next or sick one trip and fine the next. The slower you go up to elevation, the less likely you are to get sick. Denver's elevation & location lend themselves nicely to an overnight stop for most folks (~5000ft) to help with the acclimatization.

The note on being annoyed about peeing is spot on. We were stopping like every 1-2 hours on the way out. It was borderline embarrassing but it seemed to work.

 

[WTFJohn]

Thanks we’ll add Gatorade to the list and look at stopping in Denver

There are better (less sugar) ways to get electrolytes than Gatorade IMO; Emergen-C, pedialyte powder, Wilderness Athelete Hydrate & Recover, etc... are all better and will help hide any off flavors in water you source from the mountains while you hunt. Filters and Steripens don't do anything for the taste, only the stuff that will tear up your guts.

 

[Sturgies]

Solid advice being shared from my experience.

We come from the Midwest and can't emphasize enough hydration before and eating and drinking throughout the hunt, even to the point of forcing yourself. A gallon of water a day does not cut if for me during an September elk hunt. If you backpack in, the effort needed to keep up with fluids and calories can be a real challenge during long days. I try my best not to let anything dictate not getting in those calories and fluids

For training, I've found a couple local reservoirs with accessable dams and hike up and down, sidehill, ect through the spring and summer with my pack and build up weight and duration a couple times a week. I've calculated the slopes of these dams and it replicates some of the steeper terrain we excpect to encounter. I get used to the weight, get the pack to fit just right and understand how it feels to bare weight on steep slopes.

It's pretty flat here and I've found the backside of these earthen dams the easiest way to simulate the steep hills and also has help me mentally; grinding out those steps in the middle of summer has been a great way to prepare for the hunt.