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Note 44.311 MOUNT-L 311 of 517 CUPIDO::STRITAR "Andrej Stritar,IJS,(61)-371-321" 91 lines 31-JAN-1994 08:28
CUPIDO::STRITAR "Andrej Stritar,IJS,(61)-371-321" 91 lines 31-JAN-1994 08:28
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From: STENAR::STENAR::MRGATE::"X400::1=de::2=d400::3=tr::5=edu::4=metu::4=cc::4=vm::6=MOUNT-L" 27-JA
To: CUPIDO::STRITAR
CC:
Subj: Re: High altitude discussions

From: NAME: Mountaineering Discussion List MOUNT-L
FUNC: edu <6=MOUNT-L@4=VM@4=CC@4=METU@5=EDU@3=TR@2=D400@1=DE@X400@STENAR>
To: NAME: Multiple Recipients of
FUNC: edu <6=MOUNT-L@4=VM@4=CC@4=METU@5=EDU@3=TR@2=D400@1=DE@X400@STENAR>

RFC-822-HEADERS:
Comments: To: MOUNT-L@vm.cc.metu.edu.tr

Date: 27-Jan-1994
Posted-date: 27-Jan-1994

>
>
> Well, Bill, you were very fortunate. Quite a few people have done what
> you did and been seriously ill and required medevac; some die every year.

I don't doubt it at all. We at least had some knowledge about what to
look for and knew good and well that rapid decent was the 1st choice
if things got bad. One thing that lured me to Ecuador in the 1st
place for high altitude climbing was that many the climbs are a
"day" (really night) climbs to the summit from a huts. The huts are
usually only 200m to 1000m above the road. The weather never gets
real bad, IE we could travel down in almost anything that occurs
there. This is quite different that a mountain that you get pinned
down on, because of a storm. Also technically these mountains were so
easy that in a storm it would be easy to follow the path, trail, road,
or just go down on compass bearing. On Chimborazo, it took us 1.5
hours to descend from 6310m to 5250m.

If you think we took chances, there were many sick people at these
huts that stayed at the huts overnight. One american in a group of 6
was taking ACZ and had altitude sickness, but stayed at the 5000m hut
for 3 days and 2 nights. I think that's nuts. We at least had
planned short retreats (only a few hours) to below 4000m, and the
equipment to do it. Sure, if one of us got really sick it could be
incapacitating, and thus greatly increase descent time. Medevac is
not a option in Ecuador. Climbers are on their own. Most peaks get
good travel though, so getting help from other climbers is normally
easy and quick.

As far as taking chances goes, we accept the risk only marginally
understanding it. We will continue to climb high mountains and make
rapid ascents. Alex has done so many rapid ascents of 14K foot peak
here in the US, he is confident that he knows how to read his own
body. Of course, he knows of cases were climbers with seeming no
problem on many previous climbs get very sick.

I accept many risks in my day to day recreation. I regularly cycle,
rock climb, cave (often vertical), and lately have been ice climbing.
My point here, is that climbers don't want to be told that it's risky,
they want to be told how to reduce that risk given that they are going
to do the risky behavior anyway. My interests in high altitude
problems is learning what I can get away with and still not get sick.
If I knew I would get sick doing X, I wouldn't do it, however if I
knew I haven't in the past I have not gotting sick doing Y then I will
do it again.

> My interest is in adding cases of unusual repeat unusual altitude
> problems to my collection.

What kind of unusual problems? Like people that get repeatly sick at
8000 feet?

> Many cases are in my book GOING HIGHERR: THE
> STORY OF MAN AND ALTITUDE published 1987 by Little Brown. There may be a
> new edition next year because so many people are taking big chances.

No doubt about big chances. I estimated from the logs at Chimborazo
and Cotopaxi that 1500 and 2500 respectively attempt each year. Many
of these climbers have never been above 4500m, many of them are only
in Ecuador for a short while, and they climb to over 6000m. Hmm,
sounds familiar, like myself and my partner. Of course, he wants to
go to 7000m and above, and I am crazy enough to go with him.

Willie Hunt

PS

> Charles Houston

I didn't realize who you were when you first wrote to the group, but
welcome anyway. Expertise is always greatly appreciated. Ask me about
electronic stuff. BTW, my friends call me Willie.

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