[pct-l] Mt. Whitney

[cmkudija at earthlink.net (Christine Kudija)]

Dave, 

I live at about 1,500' in southern Calif, which doesn't say much.  However, I get to altitude on a reasonably frequent basis, at least in the summer.  The highest I've been, other than in an aircraft, was about 18,500' on the side of Chimborazo, in Ecuador.  We were forced to descend because our (american) guide was sick, so I wasn't able to test myself any higher.  I did have Diamox on board at the time, and had no breathing problems.  I have asthma, and am particularly concerned about, um, breathing.  

I lived in Albuquerque at about 6,000 feet for a year & a half and found that to be beneficial w/respect to breathing at lower altitudes - but still had altitude problems skiing at 11,000' at Taos Ski Valley.  I didn't think about Diamox just for skiing.  It likely would have helped _me_.  

That you do not experience altitude problems or have not needed chemical assistance for your biology doesn't mean that others don't, even with sufficient acclimatization.  Like any medication, Diamox is right for some, but not all.  See  The Pocket Doctor: A Passport to Healthy Travel by Stephen Bezruchka (Paperback - March 1999) for a decent discussion of using Diamox.   

Christine "Ceanothus" Kudija

"Never measure the height of a mountain, until you have reached the top.  Then you will see how low it was."  Dag Hammarskjold