[at-l] Altitude hiking

[Phil.Heffington@oc.edu (Phil Heffington)]

Do any of you have an opinion as to how much altitude, i.e.. oxygen
deprivation, affects your hiking mileage, all other things such as
terrain being equal?

My first hiking trip was in 1995 in the Gila Wilderness in New Mexico.
The trail started at 7,500 feet and was going to about 10,500 at its
peak.  We really struggled to do a 9 mile day there.  I have since hiked
more than 20 miles in one day on the AT, and others are capable of doing
a lot more.  Just wondering how much others felt their mileage dropped
when adding each 1,000 feet above maybe 5,000.