Mountain Climbing Safety

In addition to the hazards associated with all mountain and wilderness activities are the unique hazards present on climbs of high mountains. High altitude almost always makes for low temperatures, therefore frostbite and hypothermia are issues. The dangers of becoming lost or exhausted are present, and the climber must deal with hazards of technical climbing and crevasses. In remote mountains the risk of an incident involving these hazards can be much worse since rescue help may be very slow, unreliable, or totally unavailable.

There is much more to contending with high altitude mountain climbing safety than can be covered on this web page, or in the news articles below. There are many books dedicated to mountain-oriented safety available at most mountain shops. Anyone seriously considering climbing to high altitudes should make an effort to learn as much as they can, and consult with experts.

Altitude sickness (also: acute mountain sickness (AMS) or altitude illness) is a pathological condition that is caused by lack of adaptation to high altitudes. It commonly occurs above 2,440 metres (8,000 feet). The symptoms are headaches, fatigue, shortness of breath, nausea, unsteadiness and dizziness, loss of appetite, insomnia, weakness and sometimes even seizures and coma.

Different people have different susceptibilities to altitude sickness. Diets high in carbohydrates may make people suffering AMS feel better. The carbohydrates seem to liberate more energy and oxygen compared to their lipid counterparts.

The most serious symptoms of altitude sickness are due to edema (fluid accumulation in the tissues of the body). At very high altitude, humans can get either high-altitude pulmonary edema (HAPE), or high altitude cerebral edema (HACE). These syndromes are potentially fatal. The physiological cause of altitude-induced edema is not conclusively established. For those suffering HAPE or HACE, dexamethasone may provide temporary relief from symptoms in order to keep descending under their own power.

HAPE occurs in ~2% of those who are adjusting to altitudes of ~10,000 feet or more. It can be life threatening. Symptoms include fatigue, dyspnea, headache, nausea, dry cough without phlegm, pulmonary edema, fluid retention in kidneys, and rales. Descent to lower altitudes alleviates the symptoms of HAPE.

HACE is a life threatening condition that can lead to coma or death. It occurs in about 1% of people adjusting to altitudes above 9,000 feet. Symptoms include headache, fatigue, visual impairment, bladder dysfunction, bowel dysfunction, loss of coordination, paralysis on one side of the body, confusion, and slowed reflex response. Descent to lower altitudes may save those afflicted with HACE.