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Did you know the base elevation of Mammoth Mountain is around 8000 feet, and the summit is just over 11,000 feet? To those of us who don’t live in the mountains, particularly us Southern California folks, the summit is over 2 miles above sea level!

The altitude results in much “thinner” air - that is, it feels like it has a much lower oxygen percentage than the sea-level air we’re used to breathing, because of the reduced air pressure at altitude.

This means that the human body “feels like” higher volumes of air must be consumed to get the same amount of oxygen that the body needs.

The effects of altitude on the body can be felt immediately when you finally arrive at your condo - go ahead, run up that flight of stairs! See how fast you start breathing? And your heart, the way it races a mile a minute?

I definitely notice the effects of altitude on my body immediately upon finally emerging from our car trips to Mammoth. I have a racing heart, I breathe much shallower, and I have virtually no stamina.

While not much can be done to prevent the effects of high altitudes on snowboarding trips, there are a couple of things you can do to reduce some of the symptoms. Here are just a few ideas that should be helpful in your coping with altitude on your snowboarding trips.

1. Drink lots of water. I always knew it was really easy to get dehydrated up on the hill. But I always thought it was because I didn’t take enough water breaks during riding (damn lift lines at bottom are too long!) But apparently the body doesn’t conserve water as much at higher altitudes due to a decrease in the hormone that regulates the body’s water retention. So what does this mean? Drink up! Drink as much as you can stand… when you get to your condo start pounding the agua! And try to drink at least two+ bottles over the course of your day on the hill. Stay hydrated!
2. Don’t exert yourself unnecessarily. As with the stair-climbing example above, the result of the higher altitude and “thinner” air makes you breathe much harder and your heart beat much faster. So take it easy… no running up the stairs or working out or rough sex. (If you can help it.) Especially that first night - relax and let your body slowly start acclimatizing.
3. Be wary of drinking alcohol! I don’t know why, and am too lazy to look it up right now, but basically, for me and my friends, one drink on the mountain equals the effects of roughly THREE drinks at sea level - probably something to do with the way the body processes things differently at lower air pressure! Keep this in mind when you hit the bars! You will get wasted if you’re not careful.
4. Optional: bring sleeping pills or anti-anxiety meds. You know what? I really do believe in “Better Living Through Chemistry” when appropriate. I don’t take many prescription drugs, but when I need to, like if my heart is racing 120+ beats per minute due to working harder at altitude, I’ve found that Xanax is one of those magic mama’s little helpers that makes it possible to sleep. The altitude causes the heart to pump really really fast, because of the “thinness” and “oxygen-less” feeling air. So a nice sleeping pill or muscle relaxant or a Xanax finally allows me to relax a little. (NOTE: I am obviously not a medical doctor and do not know the ramifications of taking these drugs in altitude but I know they help me sleep so take it for what it’s worth. Please consult your own doctor for their advice here!)

By the end of the 2nd day you should start to feel slightly better - less racing heart, more regular breathing. But by then it’s almost time to go home… and be ready for the next trip where you’ll start all over again. Be prepared for the altitude, it’s nothing to mess with!

Note: some people are affected by serious altitude sickness symptoms even at 8000 feet or less. Read more about altitude sickness at Wikipedia.