Hello there, let’s close your eyes for a moment and imagine yourself on top of the world. You’re standing beneath endless, You feel the freedom and fascination of nature. Awesome cloudless skies, with the snow-capped vastness of creation, spread out below you. High-altitude camping journeys can be an unbelievable way to experience nature’s wonders.
Fortunately, moving into these extreme environments requires the best planning and vision to ensure that everything runs smoothly and perfectly.
We would like you to create the most of your time in the mountains, so we’ve summarized this list of Camp Safely in High Altitude tips. From realizing the red flags of altitude sickness to perfectly acclimating, here’s what you need to know before your next high-altitude hiking trip. Let’s dive in.
Choosing the Best Camp Safely in High Altitude
If you are looking for your next camp at High-Altitude Campsite. But how do you choose the right one for you and your family? Setting up camp at elevations between 1500m and 3500 m is high-altitude camping. Every camp among these ranges should be the best one! No, it is not correct. So what are we considering?
The first golden rule of camping is to “leave no trace.” Once necessary, use defined campsites and anchor all of your equipment. If the campsite surface is too rocky or frozen to allow staking, secure your camping tent with guy wires tied to nearby rocks and bushes.
Spread your arms and take in the breathtaking views once you’ve found the excellent location. That’s what high-altitude camping is really all about, along with the excitement of ascending to a location where few people have ever gone before.
Select a campsite on the lee side of a snowbank or rock outcropping to be protected from the wind. Consider camping away from mountain passes, which can be wind tunnels. You should also prevent ridges or patches of outer ground, as these could reveal you to lightning strikes.
Make a strategy for proper acclimatization
However there is no promised way to avoid altitude sickness symptoms such as headache, nausea, dehydration, sleeplessness, fatigue, and other popular altitude sickness symptoms, we do realize that proper acclimatization is important if you want to reduce your chances of getting unwell during your camping.
As a result, any camper deciding a camping adventure to a campsite above 8,000 feet is strongly recommended to make sure you have the best acclimatization plan.
After observing thousands of people at high altitudes, we have discovered that those who do not acclimate in the bottom part of high altitude challenges are greatly higher up. We’ve also discovered that going to a high altitude is not the same as camping or sleeping at a high altitude.
If you intend to camp at a high altitude for an extended period of time. You will need more days obtainable for the body to acclimate to the bare minimum. Don’t ever skimp on giving your body sufficient time to adjust to a lack of oxygen. This has the potential to make or break your camping adventure. This acclimatization method will be repeated till your body is at comfort with the elevation.
Take priority your fitness before your camping
Even though the scientific evidence is that physical fitness does not affect your likelihood of developing altitude sickness, it probably doesn’t hurt.
While also being fit at high altitudes may not provide any inherent protection, we do understand that being physically fit reduces fatigue on the trail. So, before actually focusing on a high-altitude camping trip, it is critical to devote ample time to cardiovascular training.
At altitude, our bodies go through a number of common physiological changes. These are some examples:
- Breathing more deeply and/or more quickly
- Urination has become more frequent.
- Variations in Nighttime Breathing
- Breathing difficulty (especially during physical activity)
Camping hikers, in particular, should concentrate on building a strong foundation of cardiovascular endurance. Power is also important to carry a hiking backpack, so try carrying a heavy pack on your training hikes.
Keep hydrated
When you camp in cold weather you do not need water and do not sweat and thirst. Do you know your breathing rate increases and your kidneys produce more urine as your body adjusts to higher altitudes? Even when you’re in fine condition, you’ll probably feel off for a few days.
Pumping liquids, water, is critical to reducing urine output and compensating for the impacts of dry mountain air. Evaporation of sweat is as fast as it is produced at altitude, and you can lose a lot of body fluid without even realizing it.
People often do not feel as thirsty in cold, high-altitude environments as they do in the hot desert of Joshua tree national park.
Regardless, staying hydrated is critical when hiking at high altitudes. Add plenty of water bottles for your backpack that will help you to keep your body hydrated while you are walking.
Drinking plenty of water and staying hydrated, like physical fitness, has no scientific data to support that it will keep you from getting altitude sickness. However, we understand that you do not want to experience altitude sickness and dehydration at the same time, so continue to drink water on your camping adventures.
Pack your cold-weather gear
High altitude locations, as you might expect, are prone to cold weather. Every adventurer appreciates high-quality gear for their camping adventure. As a result, it’s no wonder that hiking has mountains of specialized gear designed to make your uphill hike safe and secure and more fun.
Though in the summer season, the mountains can be noticeably cooler than the valleys, so be sure to bring more than enough cold-weather gear before your adventure.
Hiking gloves as well as plenty of thick hiking socks are two of the main items to bring on a high-altitude trip. Even when you’re camping in the summer, you might want to bring something like a winter sleeping bag.
Mountaineering and camping tents are better suited to the rigors of high elevated camping. Take a glance at a camping tent with stakes and guy lines that are capable of holding it up in high winds and bad weather.
The disadvantage of these tents is that they are created of heavier fabrics and have more poles than most other tents, allowing heavier to bring in a pack and be stuffy in warm weather. At high altitudes, even so, adequate shelter and sleep can make the difference between life and death, so it’s best to be prepared than sorry.
Pick a good sleeping bag and a tent that are rated to withstand the coldest temperatures you anticipate.
What matters is that you pack with the nighttime low temperatures in your campsite in mind. If you don’t want established information for the specific elevation, you can approximate the weather at your campsite using the general rule that temperature drops by 3.6oF per 1,000 feet.
What important gear is that you pack in your backpack with the nighttime low temperatures in your camping site in mind. Apart from main camping gear, there are few things to add to the backpack for high-altitude camping. A few of the gear are mentioned below.
- Waterproof, high-quality sleeping bag – four seasons should suffice
- Socks that are thick enough to sleep in
- Warm scarf
- Fleece jacket and gloves
- cold-weather-appropriate stove
- Hooded jacket with a thick lining
- Bottle heaters for hot water
- Filling a water cooler with ice
Read more: 21 Best Winter Jackets For Camping- Worth For Money
Consider about Eyewear and Skin Care at High Altitude
When you go to the beach, it’s natural to bring your sunglasses and sunscreen. But do you know there is a possibility of sunburn and other sun-related illnesses while in the mountains?
If packing for a trip to a place with cold temperatures and thin air, any need for sun protection may not instantly come to mind; however, studies show that UV-B levels in higher altitudes are nearly 60% higher than at sea level.
On a pleasant day in Vail, Colorado, a person’s level of skin tone will advance a sunburn after only 6 min of exposure.
The harmful rays of the sun are much stronger at higher altitudes, owing to very few atmospheric particles absorbing some of this radiation to the camper’s body. As a result of this danger, many high-altitude hikers are at risk of severe sunburn.
Wear contacts at high altitudes! However, you must take special precautions. Because the risk of developing microbial keratitis is higher at high altitudes, you should add your eye drops and use extra caution when changing your lenses. You should also have backup eyewear on hand in case your contacts fail.
How to Cook at High Altitude
There is no air above 10,000 feet and it isn’t so thin that a match won’t light. In freezing temperatures, however, the butane in your lighter may not spark. The ultra-light, quiet, and efficient canister camp stoves liked by sea-level camping enthusiasts suffer from the same issue.
For high elevation camping, liquid and multi-fuel stoves are a wiser choice. They do, even so, have some drawbacks. They require induction, are bulkier than canister stoves, and emit a loud “jet engine” sound that may disrupt the Zen of elevated camping.
Sometimes you can prepare your meals without a camp stove by lighting an old-fashioned campfire. It’s a traditional idea but it makes your camping day more fascinating. Moreover, due to the scarcity of wood above the treeline, fires are frequently prohibited in high altitude campsites, necessitating the use of a great high camp stove.
If you prepare meals on a stove or over an open fire, you’ll have to allow for more cooking time at high altitudes because lower air pressure causes water to take more time to boil and food to take more time to heat through.
What to do if you’re feeling unwell!
Do you know how to identify warning signs of high-altitude illness? Someone venturing into higher altitudes should realize what to do if they begin to feel sick. In medicine, we rarely have such a proper answer for this question.
If you have any signs or symptoms of altitude sickness, the only thing that makes you feel good is to descend to a lower altitude.
In reality, of course, you’ll probably feel better within several hours of starting downhill. The important factor is to understand altitude sickness symptoms and respond appropriately by turning around as soon as possible.
Read more: 15 Best First Aid Kits For Camping
Take priority your fitness!
Even though the scientific evidence is that physical fitness has no effect on your high risk of developing altitude sickness, it probably can’t hurt. While being best fit at high altitudes may not provide any inherent protection, we do understand that being physically fit reduces fatigue on the trail.
So, before embarking on a high-altitude camping trip. It is critical to devote ample time to the cardiovascular training process.
High elevation hikers, in particular, should concentrate on building a strong foundation of cardiovascular endurance. Strength is also useful to carry a hiking backpack, so try carrying a heavy backpack on your training hikes.
Fashions for Higher altitude campsite
The category of clothes and shoes you’ll wear for your high-altitude excursion will be determined by how high you intend to go. At elevations of up to 8,000 feet, your equipment selection may not make or break the trip.
However, at extremely high altitudes, wearing the proper equipment can literally save your energy and comfort. If you intend to hike, please remember that weather conditions between base camp and summits can vary greatly.
In Particular, the temperature can change on the hill. Moreover, the exercise of hiking may cause you to feel warm while you are exerting yourself, but as easy as possible to rest, you will feel the cold bite. In general, layering your clothing is the best way to go.
An excellent pair of sealed, waterproof shoes with wool socks is required. If you intend to hike on the ice, you should regard shoes with shanks. Wool base layers must underline trousers and jackets, along with Gore-Tex outer shells in your pack, offer versatile support.
Seek advice from the visitors’ bureau or forest service at your route for on-the-ground information about the situations you should consider. Whatever the temperature is at your destination, there are a few items that should be included in your elevated camp pack.
Slowly climb and quickly depart
Mostly on hikes, we frequently feel compelled to hike quickly in order to reach our overnight campsite. Going slowly at high altitudes, on the other hand, is probably the better option.
Timing yourself on the trail can work out in the long run because shifting too speedily can exacerbate the difficulty breathing that most of us experience at higher altitudes. The best hikers and mountaineers are always the last ones to ascend a hill. This speeds up their recovery and allows them to save energy for when they need it.
Specialists understand that pacing and trying to manage heart rates on the way up aids in safely coming down. To keep moving safely at a high altitude, you will need to learn how to perform properly with the appropriate heart rate.
When training for high elevation, you must prepare with higher heart rates and a heavier backpack. When you go on an elevated journey, you choose to carry very little and trek at a slower pace.
Even as trekking steadily will not prevent altitude sickness, repeated rest stops and a slower pace on the trail will aid you to battle some of the exhaustion you will most likely experience. Furthermore, the more rest breaks you take, the more time you have throughout the day to drink water.
Pay attention to your body
At high altitudes, two hikers relax and feel their bodies and mind out.
Finally, remember to listen to your body while out on the trail. We could sit here all day waxing poetic about the numerous things you should keep an eye out for when hiking in the mountains. However, there is no replacement for being aware of feelings while hiking and reacting accordingly.
Put simply, if you’re not feeling well, halt doing what you’re doing. If you’re at a higher altitude, you should probably depart to a lower altitude. Dealing with minor issues as they arise is critical if you’d like to prevent mild altitude sickness symptoms from becoming a full-fledged medical emergency.
Be strong and Light
When planning a high-altitude hike, you must understand the appropriate impact the hike will have on your body. Weight, physical endurance, and overall fitness will all influence how your body reacts to the high expectations of alpine hiking.
Strength training, as well as core exercises, will better motivate your leg muscles and upper body for shouldering a heavy load.
Aerobic exercise is another important part of preparing your body for high-altitude travels. Furthermore, both endurance and interval training has been shown to improve a human’s VO2 max.
Even when running and trekking are the most similar to your eventual trek activities, there are other choices. Swimming and biking are also excellent ways to prepare your body for long days on the mountain.