Fort Carson soldiers evacuated from Colorado peak by helicopter

Fox News ^ | June 3,2016

[867V309]

They got sick at 14K?

Probably shouldn’t be Green Beret...

Were they acclimated? Living in Denver results in increased red blood cells making exercise at altitude more comfortable. You lose this advantage when you move to FL!

[Ruy Dias de Bivar]

What wimps! My wife’s sixty year old grandfather walked up Long’s Peak several times, last in 1960 and he was not a mountain climber.

[Mears]

“As I’ve gotten older, for some reason I’ve started developing a bit of a fear of heights. ‘”

---

I’ve ALWAYS had a fear of heights——my daughter was driving and I probably had my eyes shut during the terrifying parts.

I can’t go up into skyscrapers at all—and high bridges are dreadful for me.

I have no fear of flying,though.

Watching the thunderstorm below you must have been quite an experience.

.

[Balding_Eagle]

Cadets have died at the Air Force Academy from altitude sickness, and that’s at about 6,000 feet.

Some people can go years with now problems, and then suddenly it hits.

[familyop]

Yes—an ascent of over 8,000 feet will do it. I live at over 9,000.

[familyop]

I’ve been up on a few 14-ers in vehicles (4-wheeling) and on foot. From what I’ve seen over the years, it’s probably safer for rednecks from the Midwest or South than for athletes from fancy suburbs.

[TXnMA]

"If I was SF, I would have died before calling for a ride."

~~~~~~~~~~~~

They are climbing (exerting themselves) at altitudes far beyond where pilots sitting in cushy seats are on oxygen -- or are in pressurized cabins.

Sometimes physiology simply takes control -- I don't care how gung-ho an armchair bad@$$ you think you are...

[al baby]

Thanks for the graphic lots of respect for those that climb not me brother congregates on the 23000 climb

[USNBandit]

Yes. I lived at 4,500 feet and climbed Mt. Whitney. I wouldn’t say I had altitude “sickness”, but it definitely sucked, a lot.

[MtnClimber]

The route my team did on Cerro Aconcagua was not the easiest route. It was the Polish Glacier Route which is named for the Polish team that first climbed it. After coming down they were off to Buenos Aires to have frozen fingers and toes amputated. It is very cold. We had conditions of -25F and wind over 60mph that lasted over about 36 hours.

[al baby]

The attraction is far greater than because it’s there

[T-Bone Texan]

I was going to brag about being at 14,500 feet until I saw you did 23,000.

That is certain death for the majority of humans, including me.

[Hillarys Gate Cult]

Thanks so much for knowing so much about me.

[TXnMA]

stet

[98ZJ USMC]

As I’ve gotten older, for some reason I’ve started developing a bit of a fear of heights.

Same here, Gyrene. I got some ways to go til 60 and I started to notice an increased aversion about 5 years ago. I used to fly all the time, been around all types of aircraft. I have no desire to fly anymore.

Kinda weird. No explanation.

[TXnMA]

Altitude Sickness: Read it.

Physical conditioning and/or machismo are worthless as defenses against it...

But, your best "out" is that it was the disabled climbers' teammates who had the good sense to call in the choppers...

~~~~~~~~~~~

I've been there. It was my climbing partner who was hit...

Sitting at a keyboard bears no resemblance to the real thing...

[ican'tbelieveit]

Most definitely. People going to the RMNP, Trail Ridge Road, suffer it, just driving the road. I get headaches hiking much above 8k.

[Harmless Teddy Bear]

Yes.

[Vendome]

I’ve been to 15.6 but, have seen people with altitude sickness at 6k.

Truth is, it can hit anyone, anytime.