Ise,
I should have explained - the gondola sickness was caused at Val Thorens, going up to the highest point there, which I think is the Cime de Caron, at 3200 metres.
I also suffered altitude sickness at Kaprun, going straight up in that gondola to the top. I got all silly and giggly (like I was tipsy) and then when I was sitting down in the restaurant at the top everything started moving up and down (or at least I thought it did). I guess I must be very sensitive to altitude.
Ally
Sea sickness, chair lift
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That's all pretty standard stuff for over 3000m, that's around the level where partial pressure of oxygen drops to a point where it's hard to maintain full physical and mental alertness. Underground or sealed uplift like funiculars for example are particularly bad because the partial pressure is all over the place on the uplift. If you're ascending further it's worth spending a day or so at around 3000m before going up, it's around the limit you can quickly adapt to, straight to 4000m or more is pushing it. But over 3000m isn't much of an issue for skiers of course.
Heh I had a mad 10 minutes when I got to the top of the Aiguille du Midi!
Kate,
I'm glad it's not just me :D
What particular madness did you experience?
I did some exceptionally stupid things - a drop in'mental alertness' as Ise says, like for example when I was in Val Thorens I used the wrong end of those double ended lip and suncream sticks and put lipsalve all over my face, and I tried to get in to my room using my lift pass!
I also find I wake up in the middle of the night, around 3 a.m., get very thirsty all day (which is handy because I don't have to pee so often) and of course I get very out of breath running up stairs etc. I put all of these down to the altitude.
Ally
The worst problem I've had is struggling to get the poles into my tent at around 5500m, you can really feel how slowly your brain is working at that height and threading the poles into the right sleeves takes more coordination and thought than you'd expect :D
They should have a warning really, in the gondola, saying something like 'Danger of talking bilge, giggling, and falling over when exiting from gondola' :lol:
Ally
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Started by Sm4sh in Ski Chatter 18-Jan-2010 - 73 Replies
AllyG
reply to 'Sea sickness, chair lift' posted Jan-2010
Ise
reply to 'Sea sickness, chair lift' posted Jan-2010
AllyG wrote:Ise,
I should have explained - the gondola sickness was caused at Val Thorens, going up to the highest point there, which I think is the Cime de Caron, at 3200 metres.
I also suffered altitude sickness at Kaprun, going straight up in that gondola to the top. I got all silly and giggly (like I was tipsy) and then when I was sitting down in the restaurant at the top everything started moving up and down (or at least I thought it did). I guess I must be very sensitive to altitude.
Ally
That's all pretty standard stuff for over 3000m, that's around the level where partial pressure of oxygen drops to a point where it's hard to maintain full physical and mental alertness. Underground or sealed uplift like funiculars for example are particularly bad because the partial pressure is all over the place on the uplift. If you're ascending further it's worth spending a day or so at around 3000m before going up, it's around the limit you can quickly adapt to, straight to 4000m or more is pushing it. But over 3000m isn't much of an issue for skiers of course.
Kateshaw
reply to 'Sea sickness, chair lift' posted Jan-2010
AllyG wrote:Ise,
I should have explained - the gondola sickness was caused at Val Thorens, going up to the highest point there, which I think is the Cime de Caron, at 3200 metres.
I also suffered altitude sickness at Kaprun, going straight up in that gondola to the top. I got all silly and giggly (like I was tipsy) and then when I was sitting down in the restaurant at the top everything started moving up and down (or at least I thought it did). I guess I must be very sensitive to altitude.
Ally
Heh I had a mad 10 minutes when I got to the top of the Aiguille du Midi!
AllyG
reply to 'Sea sickness, chair lift' posted Jan-2010
kateshaw wrote:AllyG wrote:Ise,
I should have explained - the gondola sickness was caused at Val Thorens, going up to the highest point there, which I think is the Cime de Caron, at 3200 metres.
I also suffered altitude sickness at Kaprun, going straight up in that gondola to the top. I got all silly and giggly (like I was tipsy) and then when I was sitting down in the restaurant at the top everything started moving up and down (or at least I thought it did). I guess I must be very sensitive to altitude.
Ally
Heh I had a mad 10 minutes when I got to the top of the Aiguille du Midi!
Kate,
I'm glad it's not just me :D
What particular madness did you experience?
I did some exceptionally stupid things - a drop in'mental alertness' as Ise says, like for example when I was in Val Thorens I used the wrong end of those double ended lip and suncream sticks and put lipsalve all over my face, and I tried to get in to my room using my lift pass!
I also find I wake up in the middle of the night, around 3 a.m., get very thirsty all day (which is handy because I don't have to pee so often) and of course I get very out of breath running up stairs etc. I put all of these down to the altitude.
Ally
Edited 1 time. Last update at 19-Jan-2010
Ise
reply to 'Sea sickness, chair lift' posted Jan-2010
AllyG wrote:
I did some exceptionally stupid things - a drop in'mental alertness' as Ise says, like for example when I was in Val Thorens I used the wrong end of those double ended lip and suncream sticks and put lipsalve all over my face, and I tried to get in to my room using my lift pass!
The worst problem I've had is struggling to get the poles into my tent at around 5500m, you can really feel how slowly your brain is working at that height and threading the poles into the right sleeves takes more coordination and thought than you'd expect :D
Kateshaw
reply to 'Sea sickness, chair lift' posted Jan-2010
According to my husband I talked slightly more bilge than normal :lol: but I did notice my coordination was a bit all over the place for a blout 20 minutes. Unsurprising though as the ascent is quite fast.
AllyG
reply to 'Sea sickness, chair lift' posted Jan-2010
My brain doesn't work very well at the best of times, and it's decidedly 'off key' at altitude.
Ise,
What you said about the tent poles reminded me of that scene in 'An officer and a gentleman' where they're doing the altitude test (while training to be pilots) and trying to play cards and clap hands together :D
Ally
Ise,
What you said about the tent poles reminded me of that scene in 'An officer and a gentleman' where they're doing the altitude test (while training to be pilots) and trying to play cards and clap hands together :D
Ally
AllyG
reply to 'Sea sickness, chair lift' posted Jan-2010
kateshaw wrote:According to my husband I talked slightly more bilge than normal :lol: but I did notice my coordination was a bit all over the place for a blout 20 minutes. Unsurprising though as the ascent is quite fast.
They should have a warning really, in the gondola, saying something like 'Danger of talking bilge, giggling, and falling over when exiting from gondola' :lol:
Ally
Topic last updated on 27-January-2010 at 13:37