Acclimitization and hiking in ski areas

There was an extensive discussion http://www.firsttracksonline.com/boards ... php?t=1193 about hiking above the lifts at Silverton for those of us who live at sea level.

Recent experience prompts a few more observations. On our first day in Montana Patrick and I hiked the Ridge at Bridger Bowl, which is from about 8,100 to 8,600 feet. I anticipated little problems at this Baldy-like altitude. However, I had a flight and long solo drive the day before and Patrick was coming off several nights of short sleep. While I did not have overt altitude symptoms (headache, etc.) my legs became progressively more dead over the next 3 days. On Big Sky's steeps I had to stop and rest after several turns. I thought I would come back to life just skiing groomers at Targhee as that had worked at Deer Valley on the 4th day of an 11-day trip in 2001. But the only solution was for me to take a complete day off from skiing, the first time I've ever done that voluntarily on a destination trip.

While at Mammoth one of Garry's friends had a story about someone from L.A. who had gone to Aspen for 4 days and been persuaded to climb Highlands Bowl (~12,000) on his first day. He got about halfway up the hike, and by observation never recovered for the rest of the trip. So I think my earlier warnings about skiing Silverton early on a destination trip to SW Colorado are well founded.

On the positive side, I observe that altitude acclimitization also wears off gradually. After the 9 days in Montana/Wyoming I was much better than normal at Mammoth the following weekend, not having to stop at all on most of the steeper runs. And yesterday's steep hill climb with my dog Samantha was at the fastest pace in close to a year. My son Adam also observed that hikes above the lifts at Aspen/Snowmass 2 years ago seemed easier because he had been at Mammoth nearly every weekend over the previous 2 months.

Tony Crocker":18gjxdry said:

Recent experience prompts a few more observations. On our first day in Montana Patrick and I hiked the Ridge at Bridger Bowl, which is from about 8,100 to 8,600 feet. I anticipated little problems at this Baldy-like altitude. However, I had a flight and long solo drive the day before and Patrick was coming off several nights of short sleep. While I did not have overt altitude symptoms (headache, etc.) my legs became progressively more dead over the next 3 days.

On the positive side, I observe that altitude acclimitization also wears off gradually. After the 9 days in Montana/Wyoming I was much better than normal at Mammoth the following weekend, not having to stop at all on most of the steeper runs.

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So I was part Guinea Pig on this trip with that steep hike up that Ridge with 100mph winds. It was not only about the skiing, but also part of an experiment. :shock: :lol:

Seriously, regarding the acclimitization to Mammoth the following week. I think that the one week isn't enough to get declimitized plus it was probably a welcome break a 9 day safari.

From a technical standpoint the Ridge at Bridger was a straightforward climb. The steps were nicely spaced and were firm and did not give underfoot. And there was minimal wind until we got to the top. While traversing north on top there were gusty crosswinds maybe 30-40mph. Nothing unusual compared to Mammoth, but ambient temps were colder, so I had some concern about wind chill if we didn't drop in soon enough. But overall the Ridge is purely an aerobic exercise as it's consistently steep. Not a big deal if you've been in the area awhile, but on your first day it's a workout and might have aftereffects.

Patrick complained of being tired for most of the trip, but it was hard for me to tell. He learned to ski as a kid, with quality instruction through university race programs. Skiers with well-refined technique don't work as hard as some of the rest of us. So whatever degree of fatigue he felt did not appear (to me) to worsen as the trip continued. He skied 28K at Jackson the day I went to Yellowstone, so I was probably a bit fresher the next 3 days. We did not ski together much those 3 days but covered similar ground.

This was perhaps more of an "experiment" for Patrick than for me. But I had been advised of Patrick's ski ability by Garry Klassen after last June at Mammoth, so I wasn't that concerned. And after all, it was I who had to beg off skiing Big Couloir 2 days after the Ridge.