184 more days...
Ed Viesturs:
Last weekend I had a dream that I was hanging out
with Ed Viesturs. "Steady Ed" is possibly America's formost
high-altitude mountaineer. His talents aren't in rock and mixed climbing like
Alex Lowe or Conrad Anker, but rather in performing well on the highest peaks in
the world. Currently Ed has climbed 12 of the world's 14 8,000 meter peaks, and
by the end of the summer he should have them all. Only a handful of climbers
have ever accomplished this feat, with Reinhold Messner (my pick for the
greatest mountaineer of all time) being the first. But more on Reinhold later...
Ed Viesturs was one of the stars of the 1996 Everest Imax film and an important
figure in the book "Into Thin Air". David Breashears, a powerful
climber himself, has said "One of the joys of climbing with Ed Viesturs is
that you know you're in the presence of a superior being." So what makes
"Steady Ed" so steady? First, we need to understand a little about
what makes the air different at high altitudes.
Altitude:
One of the common misunderstandings about the
atmosphere at higher altitudes is that there is "less oxygen". That's
only partially correct. The percentage of oxygen relative to the rest of the
atmosphere is about the same. The primary factor that makes the air different is
the lower atmospheric pressure. At elevations of 10,000 to 14,000 feet, there is
only 60 to 70 percent as much available oxygen as that at sea level. With this
lower pressure, the exchange of oxygen molecules and carbon dioxide molecules
inside your lungs becomes less efficient. If your body cannot get enough oxygen,
you become hypoxic.
Acclimatization:
Acclimatization is the process by which your
body adjusts to altitude. One of the ways your body adjusts is to breathe more
deeply. Although you can consciously do this yourself, it is key that your body
does it for you - especially while you sleep. The scientific term for this is
"hypoxic ventilatory response". Ed Viesturs has a high HVR.
Interestingly, many middle and long distance runners have a low HVR. This
benefits them since there is plenty of oxygen at low altitudes and breathing
deeply takes extra energy. At sea level during exhaustive exercise, about 7
percent of the oxygen we breathe is used in the process of breathing. On the
summit of Mt. Everest, our bodies must use 30 percent simply to survive. Another
indicator of performing well at altitude is aerobic capacity or "VO2
Max". This is a measure of the efficiency of your body's oxygen use.
Although a high VO2 Max certainly can't hurt, the relationship between it and
performing at altitude is still somewhat unclear. Ed Viesturs has a high VO2
Max, but Reinhold Messner's VO2 Max was only a little above average. Related to
VO2 Max is anaerobic threshold. This is the point where your body begins to
produce lactic acid in your muscles. Anaerobic threshold is expressed as a
percentage of your VO2 Max. Average is about 55 percent. Ed Viesturs' threshold
is 87 percent, near the 90 percent level of a pronghorn antelope. Another way
your body adjusts to the effects of altitude is to produce more urine. This is
done to thicken the blood, and eventually your body will produce more red blood
cells. Although a high fluid intake is always important, at high altitudes it is
even more important because the thickened blood can interfere with circulation
to some tissues in the body.
Why Fitness is Important:
We keep stressing fitness for
several reasons. First of all, climbing mountains is hard work, regardless of
the altitude. For you to be able to climb safely and enjoy yourself, it is key
that your body comes prepared. Increasing your level of fitness isn't likely to
cause drastic changes in your VO2 Max or your lung capacity, but it will allow
you to work stronger and more efficiently at altitude. Sometimes, regardless of
fitness, your body simply cannot make the adjustments to altitude fast enough
and you get sick. Later on I'll talk about the potential health hazards of
mountaineering and we'll get into things like Acute Mountain Sickness and High
Altitude Pulmonary and Cerebral Edema. These are potentially life-threatening
conditions and we all need to know how to recognize and care for them.
"You don't assault Everest. You sneak up on it, and then
get the hell outta there." -Ed Viesturs
