Originally Posted by
Carbonfiberboy
My wife and I also live at sea level + 15'. We are going on our first backpack in the high Sierras in a few weeks, so we'll be going from sea level to 10,000' in 2 days: one on the bus and one on foot. From previous climbing adventures, we know that my wife does
not do well at altitude. We've been thinking Diamox. However . . .
I'm an inveterate researcher. I've used Hammer's Race Day Boost a few times for RAMROD and the like. It works. It happens that the active ingredient, sodium phosphate, has been tested successfully as an altitude adaptogen. Additionally, Acetyl-L-Carnitine and N-Acetyl Cysteine have also been lab tested and found to work as adaptogens.
This site:
Mountain Might, Altitude Training, High Altitude Training
has some good information about acclimatization techniques, etc. They also sell it in a bottle at a pretty high price.
Anyway, we're going to give the chemical method a try when we hike up to Camp Muir (10,000') at the end of July and spend a couple days there. If I still have two brain cells to rub together, I may remember to post the results, if any.
I did the Camp Muir backpack with my wife a couple weeks ago. We spent 2 nights at Muir and played around, but didn't go higher. For those who don't know, Camp Muir is the high camp for the most common climbing route on Mt. Rainier, ~14,000'. I've climbed Rainier twice, so I'm familiar with the feeling of being at 10,000'+, and don't do too badly. My wife has always had trouble above ~8000'. Altitude sickness is not just feeling weak. People get headaches very frequently and become nauseous and thus have a hard time getting calories down.
One week before this trip and during, we took the following every day: 2 X 1 tsp. Hammer Race Day Boost, 2 X 600mg N-Acetyl-Cysteine, 2 X 500mg Aceyl-L-Carnitine, 2 X 250mg Alpha Lipoic Acid, 1 X 500mcg B-12, 1 X 15mg iron.
My wife was a monster on the climb all the way to 10,000'. First time she'd had a backpack on all year and she was right on my butt. I was pushing it a little, too. She felt fine at altitude, no headache, no nothing. I felt even better at Muir than I usually feel. Breathing harder than at sea level of course, but lots of energy and very comfortable. Next year I'll give myself a 70th birthday present by summitting.
So if one is going high, the above regimen is worth a try.