Risks of High Altitude Climbing

High-altitude climbing is a huge mental and physical test. It's the climber versus the mountain, the weather and hypoxia, or lack of oxygen. No one is immune to hypoxia and its symptoms can change from mild to fatal rapidly. The higher a climber ascends, the less atmospheric pressure, and the harder the body must work to absorb oxygen through the lungs.

  1. Frostbite

    • Living tissue freezes at 25 degrees Fahrenheit, causing the blood vessels to contract and restrict blood flow. It is greatly exacerbated by wind chill. The first sign is numbness. Without attention, fingers, toes, ears and noses turn black. There are three types of frostbite: frostnip, which effects the surface layers of the skin; superficial frostbite, where deeper layers of tissue freeze; and deep frostbite, where the blood vessels themselves are frozen and the oxygen supply ceases, affecting the nerves, bones, tendons and muscles. If the climber receives swift medical attention, he will likely recover fully. The longer frostbite goes untreated, the stronger the likelihood of tissue death. If the tissue in a frozen area dies, it may need to be amputated.

    Acute Mountain Sickness (AMS)

    • When a climber travels above 8,200 feet, altitude kicks in. This means a reduction in air pressure forces the body to work harder to absorb oxygen. If the body forces too much blood into the brain, it can begin to swell causing shortness of breath, exhaustion, headache and nausea or vomiting. Immediate descent is the only cure. To prevent AMS, ensure all climbers in the team are properly acclimatized.

    High Altitude Cerebral Edema (HACE)

    • If AMS is left untreated and the climber continues to ascend beyond 10,000 feet, her condition can rapidly progress into High Altitude Cerebral Edema. The climber's muscle coordination, speech and mental functions become profoundly impaired, she hallucinates, and the headaches and vomiting worsen. To avoid slipping into a coma and death, the climber should descend immediately.

    High Altitude Pulmonary Edema (HAPE)

    • The other condition suffered by climbers travelling beyond 8,200 feet is the Pulmonary Edema. Instead of forcing more blood into the brain, the body forces blood into the lungs. The climber feels like he has the flu and hes symptoms include extreme difficulty in breathing, exhaustion, pale complexion, lack of motivation, constant coughing and fluid on the lungs. HAPE is the biggest killer in high-altitude climbing and its only cure is immediate descent.