High Altitude Hunting

[mightyman]

My son and I took an elk trip to CO 4 years ago and it was near Gunnison CO. Our camp was at about 11K or 12K ft. I was OK but out of breath a lot even though we got there 2 days before and stayed in hotel at 8500 ft.

As soon as we go to camp he started feeling like he was getting sick, coughing, out of breath, headache, could not sleep. I was fine. We hunted one day, and the next night he could not breathe. I thought he was just getting sick.

The next morning his face was blue and could barely walk to the john. The outfitter saw him and said to get him off the mountain or he would die.

So, we rode the horses down, and he started feeling a little better at lower altitudes. I took to hospital and they immediately admitted him as his lungs were filling up with fluid and causing his heart to work harder. Most likely it would not have been a good outcome if we had stayed at the 11K altitude.

The Dr told me they see more cases of it in people who are in good shape vs. the ones that are not for some reason.

After a week in the Gunnison hospital getting oxygen levels back to normal, he was better to come home. Short hunting trip, and expensive, but I came home with my son.

Supposedly there is some medication you can start taking about a week or two before you head out to soften the affects of the altitude.

 

[Topgun 30-06]

That is exactly why I stated in an earlier post that altitude is not to be messed with. At the first signs of what he was showing you guys should have bailed out and immediately headed down to a lower altitude. You were very lucky you got him down and into a hospital where people had the equipment and knowhow to deal with it, as he probably wouldn't have lasted much longer from your description. Thank God it turned out okay!

 

[mightyman]

Well knowing now the symptoms, we won't make that mistake again! However at the time and coming from the east, we simply thought it was cold symptoms. Later we heard that a man in his 40's died on another mountain the same week from same situation, although he did not seek attention, perhaps thinking as we did.

In fact the last night at the hotel, at 8,500 feet we went and got him some cold medicine as it really started then. Obviously got worse as we got to higher altitudes.

So, you are right, it is not to be messed with and I hope others who hunt at this altitude will learn the symptoms, and take the precautions to get in early, work to get used to altitudes gradually, and if by chance these symptoms occur, get off the mountain and get to a Dr.

 

[Mike 338]

Thanks mightyman.

I live at 2700 ft. and am affected by altitude every time I go over 7000 ft. Sometimes it's worse than others but when it happens, I know it's not just a headache although that's how it starts. For me, it's much worse if I wake up the next day and power through while I'm hunting. It's like trying to hunt with a very, very bad hangover. No fun to be had. That's why I like to go up early and hang out without to much exertion. Of course if your not affected, what's the point but if you are, you'll spend half your hunt wishing you were somewhere else.

Glad your boy's O.K.

 

[KurtB]

The medicine I recommended in my previous post prevents high altitude sickness such as described. It is dirt cheap and I always wonder why hunters don't simply get a prescription prior to coming out. It is widely used by climbers around the world.

For all the time and money invested in a trip, I'd highly suggest it.

 

[mike33]

Im taking in every post as if i asked the question. I lost my hunt last fall due to this. MY 3rd trip to Co. but first 2 was at 5k this was at 9300 i hunted 2 hours first morning is all my hunt amounted too. The third day outfitter told me he was getting me out took me off mt. 5 miles to trail head where is wife picked me up. I than went in to Delta conty er where they checked me out real well and wasa top notch er. I was released dr told me this can happen to anyone try and get out a day early next time. Im thinking also my head waent in the game i just lost my dad 3 weeks prior and we had advers weather conditions of over 2' of freah snow and single digits temp. Im going to try again this year different location and a cabin instead of tent. Also i will be driving instead of flying maybe this will help slow but sure coming from Md.

 

[RTK]

Talk to your doctor about diamox and see if he wil give you a prescription for it.

 

[Varmint Hunter]

Thanks for the numerous responses and all the great information.
I'll be taking to my doctor next week while I'm having my annual physical exam.

VH

 

[rancilio]

Good responses so far. As previous posts stated, some of the symptoms are associated with very serious conditions and should be treated like any other serious medical. I would like to add a bit.

Your (or our) response to altitude is quite individual, however almost all of us will have symptoms when we go immediately higher than 8-9,000ft. Above 10,000ft and we should all expect to have symptoms. Poor sleep at higher elevations contributes to many other presentations of altitude sickness. It also exacerbates less-than-sensical decision making, such that a hunt or ski trip is more important than our, or a friend's, life.

Anyhow, back to the good times of a high hunt... Acetazolamide, or the brand name diamox, helps short-term altitude acclimatization. It has several actions one of which is to increase respiration rate during sleep. This increase in breathing helps maintain higher blood oxygen saturation so we function a bit more normally. Talk to your doc and if he/she will not prescribe it, it's time to find a new doc. As another post said, it's cheap, but to correct part of the other post, acetazolamide does have a noteable side-effect. It will cause your carbonated beverage of choice to taste a bit fizz-less.

Another option is to begin using a hypoxic generator to help your body acclimatize in the months prior to travelling to high elevations. Google has a few options but the generators that actually work cost upwards of a high-quality custom gun with optics.

Mountaineers and skiers all know to go high slowly and watch each other regardless of everything else. Hunters should follow suit.

I worked with the guys at Altitude Fast Facts and they are the experts.

Get high and have fun!

 

[Dr. Vette]

Anyhow, back to the good times of a high hunt... Acetazolamide, or the brand name diamox, helps short-term altitude acclimatization. It has several actions one of which is to increase respiration rate during sleep. This increase in breathing helps maintain higher blood oxygen saturation so we function a bit more normally. Talk to your doc and if he/she will not prescribe it, it's time to find a new doc. As another post said, it's cheap, but to correct part of the other post, acetazolamide does have a noteable side-effect. It will cause your carbonated beverage of choice to taste a bit fizz-less.

Please note that Diamox doesn't work for everyone, and I've seen that it can be variable. It may help you immensely one trip, not so much on the next trip. I don't want anyone to think that it's a "cure all" for the effects of altitude.

 

[Mountaindog]

Going slow is one of the best bets and is a good hunting technique as well. Going slow gives you some soaking time at altitude and allows you to look the terrain for game before they see you.....everybody wins