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I'll make this as quick as I can, a lot of things going on right now.
There's not enough snow to making skiing feasible right now. Don't head to the summit thinking you can ski the slopes, it's not possible right now. Give it another week and see if more snow falls.
Thanks, terracore for the Ibrufen link. I've been aware of this study for a while and is one thing I suggest new visitors try if they're concerned about sickness due to altitude, but try to be very careful how I do that. Creating anxiousness can also create the same symptoms as altitude sickness. It's a very careful balance but I'm not qualified to make that diagnosis, so will take them down once things go beyond a simple headache.
As Justin points out, masking altitude sickness is a real concern. We have a policy that if anyone requires oxygen to make them feel better, we take them back to 9,000 ft. and if that doesn't help, we take them to the hospital, no questions asked. Taking oxygen makes you feel better but won't cure altitude sickness. Not every observatory has this policy but I am very comfortable with it.
voyager - road conditions are updated on a daily/hourly basis here:
http://mkwc.ifa.hawaii.edu/current/road-conditions/
It's linked from the home page -
http://mkwc.ifa.hawaii.edu
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PS. Even if you only go to the summit for an hour or two, please acclimate at the VIS - just half-an-hour will make a difference. I've seen too many people go downhill very quickly, literally, because they didn't let their bodies adjust to the altitude. And don't rely on help being on the way. You may not realize you need help and if you or your friends/colleagues do, it might be two hours away at best.
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quote:
Originally posted by Justin
What works best are Coca leaves, but they're much harder to get in Puna than Peru...
Good to know. This plant does grow in Puna.[
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@ TomK
I am not sitting here all steamed up getting ready to assault the mountain to get at some snow.
I may not sound it, but I am much more methodical than that.
That's why I'm here asking my questions.
I have been working on a plan over time that can be modified as needed for my Mauna Kea ski trip, if it ever happens.
My questions may sound a bit fool hardy, but they are based on 30+ years of back country earn your turns skiing.
Granted, the maximum altitudes have been closer to 7 to 8k', rather than 13 to 14k'.
That's why I'm looking for insights.
I have little doubt that I can figure it out myself.
But, it is easier if I get input from the experience of others.
@ Others
As far as drugs to suppress altitude sickness, - not required.
I do not expect to be at altitude long enough to worry about experiencing acute altitude sickness, which has never been a problem for me before anyway.
I will add the disclaimer that, I do realize that your resistance on one day may not be the same on another.
My only concern is for enough available O2 to sustain a relatively short period of moderately strenuous physical activity.
I do not see any drugs being of help with that.
I didn't expect my questions to grow to this scale.
I feel badly about hijacking this thread.
Maybe I should move this to another thread of its own?
Welcome to Puna, the land of the Vocal Lunatic Fringe.
- - - - - - - - - - -
Was a Democrat until gun control became a knee jerk, then a Republican until the crazies took over, back to being a nonpartisan again.
This time, I can no longer participate in the primary.
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As far as drugs to suppress altitude sickness, - not required.
Has anyone ever tried taking balloons or big zip lock bags* of low elevation air up to Mauna Kea, and on the last part of the drive inhaled the oxygen rich(er) air from the balloon or bag every 5 or 10 minutes, to possibly reduce the effects of altitude sickness? Do you think it would work?
* not filled to capacity cause you know what happens then, pop!
“Facts fall from the poetic observer as ripe seeds.” -Henry Thoreau
"I'm at that stage in life where I stay out of discussions. Even if you say 1+1=5, you're right - have fun." - Keanu Reeves
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"Has anyone ever tried taking balloons or big zip lock bags* of low elevation air up to Mauna Kea, and on the last part of the drive inhaled the oxygen rich(er) air from the balloon or bag every 5 or 10 minutes, to possibly reduce the effects of altitude sickness? Do you think it would work?"
Given my experience of what happens to packets of chips on the way up the mountain, I doubt very much a balloon will survive the trip!
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Diamox works, from personal experience. Not sure what the side effects are.
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95% pure oxygen? This sounds dangerous to me, considering that the air we breathe is only 19% oxygen. And that's at sea level, much less at 13,000'.
Tom's suggestion to acclimate on the way up is a good one, it's what we always did and I think it helped. But the purpose of this is to get the body to adjust to functioning on less oxygen. Even "normal" air (balloon, scuba tank, etc.) is likely to be a bit of a shock to the system.
Tom has described the procedure that they use at the observatories for altitude sickness, and these quick fixes weren't mentioned. And since they are so obvious, especially with daily activity up there, one has to ask why?
