First Ski Area to open on the EC is in NC?!

[AshleySkis]

poor hydration

Ken

not my problem(if you cant laugh at yourself who can you laugh at) with that said I may be driving up will be the earliest I have ever skied.

[ridinshockgun]

Ashley, you need to stop by and pick up your camera with those pictures we took.

FYI, skiing isnt the only thing that makes her wet herself.

[SKISC]

not my problem(if you cant laugh at yourself who can you laugh at) with that said I may be driving up will be the earliest I have ever skied.

They have lots of trees and bushes at Cataloochee. You and your problem should be ok.

[AshleySkis]

Ashley, you need to stop by and pick up those pictures we took.

FYI, skiing isnt the only thing that makes her wet herself.

creep! I don't even know you. thats a FALSE statement.

[ridinshockgun]

creep! I don't even know you. thats a FALSE statement.

You must have had more tequila than I thought.

[P_McPoser]

Well, actually, I am on ski patrol at one of the NC mountains. And yes we usually have several cases of altitude sickness each year. Beech Mtn. is at 5,500 feet and when you get the Florida, South Carolina, Alabama, Georgia crowd from near sea level, combined with poor hydration and alcohol, happens regularly.Ken

Thanks for that Ken. That's interesting, I guess something like that doesn't cross your mind when you live in the high country. But then again, I guess your threshold just changes.
Is there a rule of thumb on how much altitude gain over your normal altitude before you start suffering? I know for me (I live at 4600, work at 6000) I start to feel it around 11,000'.

[BushwackerinPA]

http://www.woodburyskiarea.com/winter/conditions.html woodbury beat Cataloochee

[TNKen]

Thanks for that Ken. That's interesting, I guess something like that doesn't cross your mind when you live in the high country. But then again, I guess your threshold just changes.
Is there a rule of thumb on how much altitude gain over your normal altitude before you start suffering? I know for me (I live at 4600, work at 6000) I start to feel it around 11,000'.

Not sure there is any magic rule of thumb. I think it is primarily conditioning both in terms of habitat (where you live) and physical conditioning. I really think hydration plays a big part too. And I'm not talking about spirits.

I live at 1,700 feet and ski at 5,500 feet, reasonably fit. We have a house near the slopes. When I first start the season, I will have a couple of uncomfortable nights sleeping, then after that I'm fine. Same thing when I go out west.

Ken

[warthog]

Thanks for that Ken. That's interesting, I guess something like that doesn't cross your mind when you live in the high country. But then again, I guess your threshold just changes.
Is there a rule of thumb on how much altitude gain over your normal altitude before you start suffering? I know for me (I live at 4600, work at 6000) I start to feel it around 11,000'.

I don't know that answer, but I can tell you that when I lived in Boulder, I would be breathing pretty heavy the first day back from a trip to the East Coast.

That was when I first moved there. Strange thing is, now I live in FL, and when I go visit friends out there, I hardly feel it. It is like my body remembers what to do. Maybe it is because I hydrate like crazy a couple days prior, and especially on the plane.

My frequent trips up to Leadville, while I am out there, do affect me still. That place is just too high to go in one day. Sea Level to 10,000 ft in one day+beer+ trying to sleep+jet lag= the suck.

I know, I know- don't drink when you are first at altitude. Unpossible to not drink good beer with good friends that I hardly ever see. It is a sacrifice I am willing to make every time.

[SKISC]

I don't know that answer, but I can tell you that when I lived in Boulder, I would be breathing pretty heavy the first day back from a trip to the East Coast.

That was when I first moved there. Strange thing is, now I live in FL, and when I go visit friends out there, I hardly feel it. It is like my body remembers what to do. Maybe it is because I hydrate like crazy a couple days prior, and especially on the plane.

My frequent trips up to Leadville, while I am out there, do affect me still. That place is just too high to go in one day. Sea Level to 10,000 ft in one day+beer+ trying to sleep+jet lag= the suck.

I know, I know- don't drink when you are first at altitude. Unpossible to not drink good beer with good friends that I hardly ever see. It is a sacrifice I am willing to make every time.

I have never thought about the altitude being a problem here. It has never bothered me. I live at 900 +/- feet and mountainbike and ski up in the High Country and around Pisgah and Asheville. I have never felt any different.

It has been a while since I have been higherthan the 5600 or what ever Beech is so I will see in january how I handle the altittude at Snowmass. But I guess I can see the point of the people coming from the beach straight up there, just don't ever think of it.

[teledave]

Sea Level to 10,000 ft in one day+beer+ trying to sleep+jet lag= the suck.

I know, I know- don't drink when you are first at altitude. Unpossible to not drink good beer with good friends that I hardly ever see. It is a sacrifice I am willing to make every time.

Amen, brother. Of course I live at the outrageously oxygen deprived altitude of 1820' so I'm like already acclimated to the high alpine climate.

[Tuckerman]

Not sure there is any magic rule of thumb. I think it is primarily conditioning both in terms of habitat (where you live) and physical conditioning. I really think hydration plays a big part too. And I'm not talking about spirits.

I live at 1,700 feet and ski at 5,500 feet, reasonably fit. We have a house near the slopes. When I first start the season, I will have a couple of uncomfortable nights sleeping, then after that I'm fine. Same thing when I go out west.

Ken

Thanks Ken, this I'm the first Mtn to open thing I hear is a very expensive game to play. Probably not worth the money.

On a side note I suck at punctuation.

[BushwackerinPA]

I am not looking forward to the first couple days at snowbird height again, I will not be drinking an beer untill the headaches go away.

1500 feet to 11,000 feet = headaches and very heavy breathing.

[SkiCougar]

" This will be Cataloochee’s earliest opening ever in its 46-year history, 15 days ahead of the 2005/2006 season opening."

dam global cooling.

[birdman829]

You mean any mountain in VERMONT maybe..

No. I mean any mountain in New England with chairlifts on it.

[DBSkier]

Fuck yes, Dave and I are hitting that shit Saturday morning. Drinking beers and having safety meetings (well me at least). At this point it has been 7 months since I have riden so any snow will work.

[Blacky1051]

All I can say is at least it's skiing, a lot better than living in Florida. UT-LSU is my priority this weekend, I'll be too hungover to go Sunday. Stay "safe" up at Cat this weekend.

[Markhpnc]

Thanks Ken, this I'm the first Mtn to open thing I hear is a very expensive game to play. Probably not worth the money.

Around here any publicity goes a long way. especially when this www.skinc.com is the main source. It seemed to go a long way last year when they were the first to open and last to close in the area and they didn't open nearly this early.

[skiracer88_00]

" This will be Cataloochee’s earliest opening ever in its 46-year history, 15 days ahead of the 2005/2006 season opening."

dam global cooling.

or just advances in snowmaking technology

[sea2ski]

Not sure there is any magic rule of thumb. I think it is primarily conditioning both in terms of habitat (where you live) and physical conditioning. I really think hydration plays a big part too. And I'm not talking about spirits.

I live at 1,700 feet and ski at 5,500 feet, reasonably fit. We have a house near the slopes. When I first start the season, I will have a couple of uncomfortable nights sleeping, then after that I'm fine. Same thing when I go out west.

Ken

Agree with your comments about conditioning and hydration. I would also add that some people just seem to be more effected by it. My younger brother always has much more trouble adjusting when we go from sea level to 11,000ft. Seems to be a similiar situation to people who easily get seasick versus those who don't.