How To Train For High Altitude Hiking

As I eagerly anticipated my journey to hike the Himalayas in Nepal, I focused on getting my body and health in shape for the challenge and I am glad to share with you this guide. It is my hope that it will support you in accomplishing your fitness goals for trekking high altitudes.

The trek I chose to take is an amazing excursion into the Annapurna Mountain in the Himalayas. The Annapurna Sanctuary is an enormous, mountainous amphitheater situated beneath the immense south face of Annapurna I, the 10th highest mountain in the world, with 8,091 meters. It was the location of the first successful 8,000-meter climb when a French team led by Maurice Herzog attained its peak in 1950, which was documented in Herzog’s well-known book, “Annapurna.”

What is considered a high altitude for hiking?

Simply put, the thought of high altitude is somewhat relative. Hikers and joggers who reside at/below sea level normally begin to observe the effects of altitude when they reach 6,000 feet, while those who already live a few thousand feet higher up in the mountains might not feel the effects of the elevation until it is 10,000 feet or higher.

Expert and professional mountain climbers and mountaineers who generally stay in the mountains may feel just as usual until they are above 14,000 feet. Once more, whether you are doing “high altitude” trekking greatly depends on how the elevation of the hike compares to where you live and what your body is used to.

Taking all this into consideration, the following can be used as a rough guide for classifying hikes based on the altitude: For new hikers, any altitude over 6,000 feet can be considered high-altitude hiking. Intermediate hikers who are already accustomed to some elevation will start to experience difficulties when going above 10,000 feet. Experienced hikers, as well as everyone else, will feel the effects of high-altitude at elevations of 14,000 feet and above.

Training for high altitude hiking

Before venturing out on a high elevation expedition, many climbers dedicate a lot of time to getting prepared. If you’re new to high altitude trekking, you’re likely asking yourself where to begin with your training.

We can’t give you a comprehensive, daily workout routine to get ready for your next journey, but we can offer you some of our top pointers for training for high altitude hikes! Get excited, get ready, and get training!

Increase the intensity of your aerobic exercise

It is advisable to strengthen your cardiovascular fitness for a few weeks prior to your hiking trip. Even if you are a regular hiker, the thin air at higher altitudes will put extra strain on your body. Therefore, it is beneficial if you are already fit. Expand the length of your aerobic exercise and make sure that you incorporate an incline into your workout, regardless of whether you are walking, biking or jogging on an incline or on a treadmill.

Go for a hike while carrying a lot of weight

When you’re trekking at higher altitudes, even a light load can feel like a great weight. Therefore, when you’re preparing for high altitude hiking, you should become accustomed to wearing a pack that is much heavier than the one you anticipate to have during the trip. But having a heavy pack can be physically demanding. The solution? You can carry containers of water on the uphill portion of the hike and then discard the water once you reach the peak. This enables you to gain the advantages of backpacking with a bulky load while reducing the strain on your knees, hips, and body on the descent.

Exercising on a staircase

If you’re unable to get away from the city, you can still do stair exercises. It may not be as enjoyable as a hike, but it’s one of the best forms of exercise in a flat area. You can usually find staircases in places like tall apartment buildings, high school football stadiums, and ice rinks (which is great when it’s hot!).

If you need help finding a staircase to run up, you can always look for a hill to do hill sprints. Our suggestion? Start with interval training on stairs and gradually increase to training with a backpack. Generally, it is better to use a backpack than a weight vest as the backpack more closely resembles the situation you will be in on your trip.

Altitude-adjusted training rooms

Nowadays, in certain fitness centers, there are special chambers that are regulated to simulate the atmosphere of different altitudes. These training rooms enable gym-goers to carry out any type of workout, from weight lifting to running on a treadmill and even climbing on an indoor wall, all while being in a setting of a predetermined simulated elevation. Such facilities come with a significant price tag, however it could be worth the extra cost if it is in line with your goals.

Raise your altitude levels slowly over a period of time

One of the most beneficial practices to become accustomed to a high elevation is, obviously, to spend more time at a high altitude. This includes training at a higher altitude before the trip. Furthermore, it is essential to make sure that the trek itself has a gradual climb to the desired height.

If you have access to high-altitude areas in the vicinity, plan weekend hikes that steadily increase in elevation and reach higher altitudes. One examination revealed that climbers spending five or more days at 10,000 feet in the two months leading up to a climb to 15,000 feet had fewer instances of acute mountain sickness than those who had no pre-exposure to altitude.

While the other factors we will talk about below are also important components of preparing for a high altitude trek, nothing can quite prepare you for a low oxygen environment like actually training in this type of environment.

Check with A Doctor

Before you launch into a new exercise regimen, consult with your physician to make sure that you have no preexisting health concerns that will prevent you from trekking on high ground. Once you have the confirmation that you are in good shape, you can start.

Develop a habit of consuming large quantities of water

When you are at higher elevations, it is essential to drink more water than what is normal for you, regardless of the activity you are doing. The atmosphere at higher altitudes is drier, so sweat dissipates quickly without you even realizing it. Oxygen levels are also lower in these areas, prompting faster breathing and resulting in the loss of more water through respiration, sometimes twofold than what is lost at sea level. Additionally, altitude sickness can also lead to increased urination, so it is important to drink more to prevent dehydration which can mask or exacerbate the symptoms of altitude sickness.

Consider a VO2 Max Test

Your VO2 max is the peak amount of oxygen your body is capable of consuming and utilizing when engaging in strenuous physical activity. It can be seen as a measure of the power of the engine. When at higher altitudes, the VO2 max tends to dip, making your body work harder than when at lower levels. This implies that the same hiking speed you could do with ease at sea level can become quite tiring at higher elevations.

Knowing your VO2 max can be used as a form of training when getting ready for a high altitude journey; if you’re boosting your VO2 max, you’re likely also improving your fitness. You can use a laboratory or sports facility, some fitness devices, or even online calculators to measure your VO2 max. With this knowledge, you can then initiate a training regime that is designed to increase your VO2 max and track your progress.

Nonetheless, a word of caution is in order: a higher VO2 max does not necessarily mean that you will be able to perform well at altitude or evade altitude sickness. A higher level of physical fitness and activity capacity, which can be monitored using your VO2 max, is the most beneficial in ensuring that you can cope with the expected loss in physical performance at high altitude. It is estimated that for every 100m above 1,500m, you can lose about 1% of your exercise capacity. This highlights the importance of beginning a high-altitude trek with a high level of physical fitness.

Tips When Hiking At High Altitude

Climb gradually

To stop altitude sickness, it’s essential to adjust to higher altitudes properly. Generally speaking, if you are at over 10,000, you ought to try not to ascend more than 1,000 feet each day, especially at the start of your journey. As you become used to the altitude and have more experience with elevated levels, you can make your own decisions regarding how much elevation you feel comfortable with daily. Many trekking and hiking guides will be prudent in their daily elevation gain plans, making sure that no campsite is more than 1,000 feet higher than the prior.

Ascend to a greater altitude during the day, but return to a lower elevation at night

When first arriving at a high altitude, it can be beneficial to do some day hikes to a higher area, and then come back to sleep at a lower altitude. This will give your body a chance to adjust to the thin air, while also allowing it to recover during the night.

Abstain from consuming alcoholic beverages.

We all appreciate a refreshing beverage when the day is done, yet alcohol can have a negative effect during your acclimatization. It has a depressing effect on respiration and is a diuretic, which causes your body to lose more water than normal, something you don’t want at high elevations when dehydration is already a risk. Our advice is to refrain from drinking for the initial days of your trip. Depending on how you feel, you can have one or two drinks in the later part of the outing, but be aware of your intake and drink responsibly.

Taking in additional nutrients and drugs for medical purposes

Trekkers who go to high altitudes often use supplements and medications to cope with the effects of the elevation. Physicians often suggest Diamox (acetazolamide) to those who are going to a tall place for a long time as it can help avoid and reduce the symptoms of Acute Mountain Sickness. Nevertheless, Diamox should not be the only remedy for altitude illness and it should be used in combination with wise decision-making and training. Additionally, some natural and dietary supplements for altitude sickness are Vitamin C, Vitamin E, Lipoic Acid, Glutamine, High-Carb Diets, Magnesium, Milk Thistle, and Rhodiola rosea.

Descend the slope

In the end, if you have indications of altitude sickness, the only remedy is to go downhill as fast as you can. Going to a lower elevation can completely get rid of the symptoms of Acute Mountain Sickness and might be the only option to prevent AMS from worsening into High Altitude Pulmonary Edema or High Altitude Cerebral Edema, which can be fatal.