How To Prepare For High Altitude Hiking
High altitude can make the easiest day hike a heart pounding workout, and it’s something that most beginner hikers don’t prepare for.
There is less oxygen in the air at higher altitudes, so the higher you go, the harder it is to breathe. Hiking in high altitude will offer the greatest challenge for people who live at altitudes closer to sea level versus someone who lives in high altitude areas, such as Colorado. This is because people who live in high altitude areas are adjusted, or acclimatized, to the altitude. So if you live at sea level, or close to it, and you’re planning on hiking somewhere with high altitude (above 8,000 feet), then you should prepare ahead of time.
If you do not prepare ahead of time, then you might experience altitude sickness, which can range from headaches, nausea, fatigue, and vomiting to life threatening illnesses, such as high-altitude pulmonary edema, and high-altitude cerebral edema.
We don’t want your trip to be ruined because of the altitude, so let’s go over what you can do to prepare yourself for high altitude hiking.
Cardiovascular Training
Cardiovascular training -cardio for short- is the only preventative measure you can take BEFORE heading to higher altitude. Improving your cardiovascular system will allow your body to be more efficient at extracting oxygen from the air, and pumping blood to the working muscles during exercise.
You should be doing some form of cardio in preparation for a hiking trip in high altitude, but in case you’re not, you should be doing cardio at least two to three days per week.
Cardio exercises you should do to prepare for hiking in high altitude include:
Walking on an incline treadmill
Stair climbing
Loaded pack hiking
Running
Cycling
You don’t have to do all of these exercises during your training, but you should do a mix of exercises that are closely related to hiking, such as stair climbing, incline treadmill, or loaded pack hiking; and exercises that are better at increasing your cardiovascular endurance, such as running and cycling.
Nutrition
Next up we have an often overlooked factor, nutrition. When going to high altitude, the body experiences a variety of physiological changes that can affect appetite, digestion, and nutrient absorption. Here are some nutritional changes you should follow when going in to high altitude:
Drink More Water- The air is drier at high altitude, so you’ll lose more water through breathing and sweating (even though it feels like you’re not sweating at all). Dehydration is the last thing you want because it can worsen the effects of altitude sickness, so make sure to drink more water than normal.
Eat More Carbs- Since the air is thinner at high altitudes, you’re body has to work harder than normal, which increases the amount of energy you burn. Carbohydrates are the body’s referred source of energy, so it’s best to eat plenty of carbs to keep it running efficiently.
Avoid Alcohol- Alcohol is a diuretic, and can cause dehydration, which worsens the effects of high altitude.
Supplements- An electrolyte supplement is the go-to for hiking in high altitude. Since your losing more water from breathing and sweating, you’re also losing a lot of your electrolytes, such as sodium, potassium, and magnesium. Taking a electrolyte supplement can help you stay hydrated and keep you feeling better when hiking in high altitude.
Acclimatize Before Hiking
Cardio, and proper nutrition can increase your hiking performance, and reduce the effects of high altitude, but they won’t grant you 100% immunity. The only way to guarantee a safe hike is to take it slow and acclimatize to the change in altitude.
The best way to acclimatize is to bum around the first few days of your trip and avoid any strenuous activity. This gives your body a good amount of time to physiologically adjust to the change in altitude.
When you’re hiking it’s best to take it slow and easy. If you ascend too fast and push yourself too hard, then you’ll be at a higher risk of getting altitude sickness. Sometimes it’s better to split up longer hikes with greater elevation gain into two days, so you can adjust.
If you’re hiking in a group it’s important to communicate with group members and establish a comfortable hiking pace, especially if you aren’t as physically fit as the other members in your group.
It’s also important to listen to your body, and ignore the traditional mindset of “no pain, no gain”. If you don’t feel good, then you should head back to lower altitude and call it a day.
Final Thoughts
Hiking in high altitude is a challenge for most hikers and mountaineers, and can lead to severe medical problems if not prepared for, but as long as you exercise, follow a healthy diet, and pace yourself then you should be fine during your hikes.
About Author
Zach Helzer
Zach Helzer is a certified personal trainer and nutrition coach who founded Trailhead Fitness to help hikers, backpackers, and mountaineers get strong, confident, and pain free so they can crush their next outdoor adventure.