While most people can climb this mountain if they
are fit, climb slowly, drink plenty of safe water and have excellent
guides, most people suffer some form of altitude sickness on this
mountain. Although you do not need to have mountaineering skills and be in
top shape, you have to be extremely careful with the altitude because this
is such a tall mountain. Some early symptoms to be aware of are headaches,
nausea, vomiting, dry cough, dizziness and loss of balance. There are
several ways to combat the symptoms of altitude.
To put this into perspective at the higher elevations on the mountain I
was drinking 4 to 5 liters by 1pm and then another 4 liters in the
afternoon. That is a lot of water, especially compared to the recommended
3 liters per day per person for normal activity. Another way to
effectively deal with the effects of altitude is to climb slowly. Your
body adjusts much better to the altitude if you take your time ascending.
Lastly, you might consider taking the drug Diamox. This is an altitude
symptom-inhibiting drug. In other words it masks some of the early
symptoms of altitude. Diamox is a diuretic so a side effect is increased
urination which becomes a hassle during normal activities, but especially
so in the cold of the high elevation.
Another side effect is that it may
cause an annoying tingling in the extremities. One other item of interest
about Diamox is that a small percentage of people who take it have a very
severe reaction. Please consult with your physician before taking this
medication and if you have never taken it before, you may want to consider
taking a few doses at sea level to determine your reaction, if any. Dave
made the mistake of taking Diamox on Mt. Kilimanajaro for the first time.
This was a major mistake. Read about the details in “the climb”
section.
For much more detailed information about altitude and its
effects please visit the altitude section written in Dave’s Nepal travel
article at: www.davestravelcorner.com/articles/nepal/9.htm
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