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Have either you been over 11,000 overnight? Night is when it is worst.

Bigbuck, do a search on here and you'll find lots of great fitness threads for elk conditioning.

Sleeping at Altitude it worse. I spent the night on Mt Fuji at 10K. I spent most of the night laboring to breath. I had a similar experience my first two days in CO.

There are some women at the south pole year round. I'd recommend looking closer to home for a date.

The drug works by acidifying the blood, which causes an increase in respiration and arterial oxygenation and thus aids acclimatization.

wait...... beer is carbonated..... lets not get all carried away here.....it's just a little altitude....

I don't know anything about the diamox, although I'm looking into it for Coach. I've been lucky with no sickness, just takes a bit of time to acclimate. We hike here at 10,000 foot Haleakala once or twice a year, she's gotten sick, not every time, but more often than not. Debilitating headaches, nausea. We will see if the diamox makes a difference.

I hunt the mountain nearly every week up to near 7000 and notice the thinner air. We pretty much literally live and work at sea level and drive to those altitudes in an hour, hour and half. It does seem to effect some a good deal more more than others.

What I DO know is make yourself go slooooow the first day or two. Folks are excited to finally get where they are going and want to dive in. Don't. Go slow, take your time. Make yourself drink LOTS of water, the higher the drier and it will suck the moisture out of you before you know it and then it's too late.

Train hard for your hunt. It will benefit you in the fact that you wont suffer... as much.

Suffer you will. You will be in better shape only after hunting at that altitude for several days. Not to mention packing meat at that altitude and that distance.

By the time you go home you will know how much you got in shape :)

Good luck man.

Paul has way more experience in Colorado than me, but I wouldn't completely discount hunting above 10,500'. When I hunted the San Juan I know treeline was above 10,500' and probably more like 11,500'. I personally have not felt many effects at elevations below 10,000', however once reaching that elevation the changes seemed a little more drastic with smaller elevation changes. I have not been truly sick, but headaches and and other symptoms have been encountered.

My best advice, and I don't know if it was stressed enough above, is simply to acclimate to the elevation. Take time to work your way up and stay fully hydrated. I'm not talking minutes or hours, but days, if you really feel you want to hunt at that elevation. Obviously, you don't have to and there are other options. It is easier said than done within a limited timeframe, but it is certainly the most tried and true method.

Best of Luck, Jeff

I have to agree with jims here though, if you've never done a hunt like this (which I'm assuming you haven't since you are asking questions here), 14 days AND 5-10 MILES in is a huge undertaking. All your camping equipment, clothes, food, hunting gear, etc etc etc will be a good sized load. If you don't live at a very high elevation, I guarantee you will not go 100 yards up a steep incline with a heavy pack and you will have to stop to catch your breath. It will be a long and difficult 5-10 mile hike at 9-12k'. Once you get an elk down, think how many trips it's going to take to get everything back out..........and now you are racing against time with precious elk meat and warm days. I wish you the best of luck, but also want to make sure you know what lies ahead. But, there is only one way to know and that is to DO IT!

I prefer to hydrate with water and Gatorade on the way to and during the hunt. The only problems I've ever had was on a ski trip where I didn't drink water on the way out, and then went right to the top of the highest lift at Breckenridge. Had to come right down with a murderous headache.

It wasn't a problem, but sleeping multiple nights on one trip at 11,000 feet eventually led to some appetite suppression, but no headache or other troubles

Get in cardio shape. Get your legs used to the up and down climbing motion, hydrate well, and have a good time.

And don't buy the hype that you have to "bivy" in 10 miles to find elk. If that's how you WANT to hunt, fine. But that's not how you HAVE to hunt to find elk

1. Quit smoking. NOW! Once you turn 50, your lungs and heart are seriously compromised by the effects of smoking. Sure, you might have been able to get away with smoking when you were in your 20's, 30's and possibly even your 40's but when you get in your 50's, the body has a much harder time dealing with the effects. A friend recently related a story of how he invited someone who smoked on a high elevation elk hunt a few years ago. All during the year leading up to the trip, his friend assured him he was fit and ready to tackle the mountains. It was a 10 day hunt and it required a two hour hike up the mountain every morning before the hunt even began. His friend lasted one day and spent the rest of the 10 day hunt in camp.

2. Get in shape. Seriously! On an archery elk hunt, I'll typically walk 4-5 miles in the morning and 3-5 miles in the evening. To prepare for that, all year I play racquetball once or twice a week at our local health club. It just so happens I love to play racquetball so the added benefit comes easy. Maybe you like to ride a bicycle. Finding something you like to do that involves exercise make your prep a lot easier. 3. Arrive in the area a few days early to allow your body to acclimate to the high elevation. My group usually books a trout fishing float trip a few days before heading to our camp.

4. Drink lots of water. The low humidity at elevation will dry out your body quicker than you think. Every time you exhale you lose water through your breath. The harder you breath the more you lose. I carry a bottle of Propel (energy drink) on my hunt. It restores the electrolytes, vitamins and minerals you lose when exercising. I find it does give me energy. Oh, and apply the rule that athletes live by: "During exercise (or a game), if you wait till your thirsty to drink, it's too late." So drink before, during, and after the hunt - even if your not thirsty.

5. Climb at your own pace. I'm 62 years old and I can climb about any mountain in elk country as long as I watch my speed. My friend, who I hunt with, is a foot taller than I am so he walks and climbs at a faster speed. I've found that if I try to keep up with him, I end up gasping for air. Find your comfortable pace and you'll last a lot longer in the field.

6. Get plenty of rest and nutrition while in camp. Staying up late and rising early will wear you down in a hurry. Lay off the alcohol or at least limit it to 1 beer or 1 drink after the hunt. During the night, your body has to work hard to flush out the alcohol in your system when, instead, it could be resting.

Hope this helps!

I get tingly too, but it ain't my lips and fingers!

God Bless,

Scar.

I used to take Diamox and it helped a lot and I would recommend it for those that need it, but I now use a herbal supplement (altitude adjustment) and it works just as well without the side effects. I took both with me for a few years, but never needed to take the Diamox when taking the supplement, so stopped taking it.

No matter what, the first few days will kick you in the butt even if the altitude doesn't cause any real problems. You will feel tired and out of breath, so my synopsis is:

1) Be in shape 2) get their early and take it easy the first few days. If you drive, stop at a town at the bottom of the mountain you will be climbing and spend the night. 3) drink water, drink some more, and drink some more 4) If you just don't know how the altitude will affect you, then Diamox is the safest choice (side effects: tingling, peeing more, carbonated beverages taste NASTY). But I know lots of people who Altitude Adjustment works just as well without the side effects. Me and my wife to name two.

It's a great thought to be in the kind of shape you're referencing, but that's not realistic realistic or necessary for 90% of elk bowhunters. All the guys I know who kill bulls every year hunt smarter and more strategically, rather than through brute force.

But your advice about fitness for endurance is sound, and many inexperienced flatlanders learn that lesson the hard way. But I've also guided and hunted with unfit hunters who missed opportunities because they couldnt make that rapid push to get ahead of the herd.

Any chance of side effects that last for 4 hours of more????

Just FYI, I'm pretty much on the move all day with the exception of elk napping time in the middle of the afternoon. I keep moving until I get into elk then I hunt them. Then I repeat the process. This year we averaged between 8-13 miles a day (technology keeps track of my distance these days). It's very hard physically. You lose weight and pee brown. Eventually your body breaks down. Happens every year. The elevation is between 7500 and 9,000 ft. I can't imagine not being in top condition and trying to hunt..

TD.....yes, but it keeps me from rolling off the mountain when I'm sleeping. ;-)

If no mountains then walk fast forward & backwards & try & climb anything you can in route even if it's small hills, stairs, etc. Start slow if not used to it but work up to 3-4 miles of sweating & putting yourself into shape! I also like doing a weight lifting program that suits my desires & needs. All this is necessary to enjoy the hunt to its fullest & not let it beat you down easily because of being unprepared!

ElkNut1

http://traveldoctor.co.uk/diamox.htm

Carbonated drinks, beer included, taste like a glass of pennies. Other side effects I get are tingling in my hands, feet, and sometimes lips. Other than that it's good stuff.

But to each their own.

Every less pound of fat you carry in the mountain will help your breathing. Taxing those legs now and getting that cardiovascular system pumping oxygen through those muscles will help immensely.

"1. The macrocycle consists of all 52 weeks of your annual plan and therefore includes all four stages of a periodized training program (endurance, intensity, competition and recovery). Because of its length, you will almost certainly make changes to it throughout the year. Think of the macrocycle as a “birds-eye” view of your annual training plan. This macro could be adjusted based on the time that you have when you decide to get ready for your hunt.

2.The mesocycle represents a specific block of training that is designed to accomplish a particular goal. For example, during the endurance phase, you might develop a mesocycle that is specifically designed to enhance your muscular endurance (the ability to pedal relatively big gears at a moderate cadence). This mesocycle might consist of 3 weeks of strength training and big gear spinning, and one week of recovery. Mesocycles are typically 3 to 4 weeks in length but can be a bit longer. Two very common mesocycles are 21 and 28-day training blocks.

3.A microcycle is the shortest training cycle, typically consisting of a single week or two with the goal of facilitating a focused block of training. An example of this is an endurance block where a cyclist strings three or four long rides together within one week to progressively overload training volume (with the objective of improving aerobic endurance). Generally speaking, two or three microcycles are tied together to create a mesocycle."

Many of us think getting in shape for a seasonal event is a perpetual climb of increased activity when in actuality it be somewhat of a stair step that has a recovery period that will allow to continue to improve over the entire year. the benefits would be: * Injury prevention * Prevent over training * Boredom of gloom and doom (same thing different day) * Theoretically you could start at any fitness level and prepare for a rigorous hunt if you allowed enough time to prepare * Ability to focus on specific types of workouts to improve week areas * Promotes recovery * Structured improvement over time by type Many of us do not realize that we do not actually get better from exercise but we get better from recovery from that exercise. Remember specialization is key, if you are going to be hiking 10 miles a day then your training should at some point around hiking. If that hike is with weight then adding weight would be a good idea.

Great stuff!

To be fair, I am stubborn and do not quit. My first elk pack out took 6.5 hours on the way back in a rainstorm, two steps up, one step back.

I say that to let you know I have a little experience. Get in good shape and hydrate the hell out of yourself every hunting day. No beer or booze until you are done packing, not done hunting. If I can do it, you can do it.

A progressive plan focused around specificity, notrition, and recovery will be your best bet for the long haul. I have heard many people say never again or not at my age.

3 years ago I backpacked solo for Elk into Montana's Snowy mountains and met a local about 10 miles in who was 43 who surprised to see someone period never the less someone my age that was prepared to stay twelve days. He actually stated that he admires my determination but determination alone will not get you there year after year and on into old age. Start well in advance and have a progressive plan. Diamox obviously will help but it will not make weak legs strong or drastically improve your cardiovascular system. Actually, I never considered diamox but then I never used a cart to drag a deer out of the woods.

If you are going in blind, I hope you can find a good water source.

Instead, work up to it, back down a little, push ahead a little more. "Wave" training. Give your body plenty of opportunity to recover. You want to peak a couple weeks before your hunt, not in June.