High Altitude Information

Dry Nose/Throat/Mouth

One characteristic of Colorado's climate in Wagon Creek is very low humidity. The extremely dry air in the high country can cause dehydration. We lose body moisture from perspiration during exercise and from rapid breathing at high altitudes. The symptoms often are a bloody nose and morning sore throat, which can be diminished by doing the following:

• Drink 8 to 10 glasses of water each day. (You should do this anyway.)

• Avoid caffeine-containing fluids or diuretics that cause your body to excrete

• fluids. (Diamox, a treatment for high altitude sickness, is a diuretic.)

• Use a humidifier whenever possible.

• Use saline spray (Ocean Spray), saline ointments (Nose Better or Ayr), or Vaseline in your nose.

High Altitude Sickness

High Altitude Sickness can occur when ascending from low altitudes to altitudes of 8,000 feet or higher. Most people experience the symptoms (which are flu like) during their first three days at high altitudes. The symptoms should go away between the fourth and seventh day.

There is a more severe form of altitude sickness whose symptoms resemble pneumonia. If you have a cough with congestion, fever, trouble breathing (shortness of breath even at rest), and a heavy or gurgling feeling in your chest, descend to a lower altitude immediately and consult a doctor for oxygen therapy.

Altitudes in Wagon Creek range from 8,260 - 10,530 feet.

Thanks to Blue River Medical Center, Frisco Medical Center, and Mountain Medical Center (all in Breckenridge) for providing the pamphlets where most of this information was obtained.

You can get additional information about High Altitude Sickness at the "High Altitude Medicine Guide" web site.

http://www.high-altitude-medicine.com/