Sounds like nonsense to me. How well/quickly* you adapt is largely down to genetics but you can stack the odds in your favour and get the most out of your genetics by being as fit as you can.
Yep, quite. I seem to remember that Ed Viesturs, who went very well at altitude, also benefitted from having a colossal VO2 Max. Also, my mate who acclimatised appallingly badly, was also a smoker, a fit smoker, but still a smoker.
I went to see Kenton Cool last night. I have zero interest in anything like K2. It sounds bloody terrible.
I think there's a lot to be said for not climbing hard-ish things at extreme altitudes. Like not dying. There's some K2 stuff on YouTube that's quite sobering.
I think there’s a lot to be said for not climbing hard-ish things at extreme altitudes. Like not dying.
When I was a kid starting out climbing, I thought I'd get into Himalayan climbing. This was mainly because I'd read a bunch of books about it. Then I realised that it's just massively hard work both before and during. And also bloody scary. So I didn't.
Saas-Fee has a fine selection of 4000m peaks.
I have found it's more or less random who suffers from altitude sickness. I had to pull a pal who's a 30 year experienced Everest climbing IFMGA guide off the mountain at 5500m who suffered very uncharacteristically one year, but was fine around K2 the next. Diamox definitely helps acclimatisation and being fit makes the whole thing less miserable. Big mistake most people make is going too fast, too high, too soon.
Same as Supernova, a number of partners of various physical attributes, preparation etc. At the extremes I have one pal who I would consider to be generally slim athletic type cycled to work every day etc who always suffers quite badly at relatively low alpine altitude, we were once pinned down for a few days in bad weather at monchjoch hutte 3658m after spending a few day working up to that altitude and he started to suffer from pulmonary Oedema (fluid in the lungs), we had to catch the train down to Grindelwald after a few days. A 2nd pal walked straight up to the Margherita hut 4554m and spent the night there without issue, he was pretty unfit and a recent reformed smoker/boozer. So, it's a complete lottery IME at 3000m - 4800m euro alps sort of range.
I was plodding up a 5000m ridge line on an acclimatising day and felt what I can only describe as a grape being squashed in my head. Instantly lost all depth perception and felt totally exhausted. Told my climbing partner I was ok and I'd wait for him to come back down. Wobbled back down several hours later and could barely walk the next day. Spent most of the day sat next to a horse in a tea house kitchen by the fire. It was cold out and the horse wanted to be warm!
Next day felt great and got going again, joys of altitude, go up slow come back alive.
I ride MTB and Road a bit with this guy, if you're looking for someone UK based to put something together for you.
Everything from Lakeland Craggs to Everest Summit.
