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Mountains
Altitude
Trekking on the mountains is a pleasing and unforgettable experience. However, it is important to keep your safety in mind. Weather conditions can change by the minute and in case of an accident, medical help is seldom available. Know about the destination you are heading to and make sure that you know the details of your trek. Take proper clothing for all weather conditions . Never consume any intoxication while trekking. Always carry a disposable oxygen canister.
How to prevent AMS?
The best way to prevent AMS is to ascend gradually not more than thousand feet a day or rest for a day to acclimatize instead of continuing the tour/trek. Drink lots of water and keep yourself hydrated and carry some tablets of Diamox (Consult your doctor before the tour) Diamox re-acidifies the blood, balancing the effects of the hyperventilation that occurs at high altitude in an attempt to get oxygen. Always carry a disposable oxygen cylinder. If symptoms are getting worse take the help of the guide to descend to lower altitude.
HAPE | HACE
High Altitude Pulmonary Edema (HAPE) occurs when fluid builds up within the lungs, a condition that can make breathing extremely difficult and this can happen gradually or all of a sudden.High Altitude Cerebral Edema (HACE)
This occurs when fluid builds up within the brain and leads to swelling of the brain tissue. The person's mental state changes resulting in loss of coordination. To identify HAPE or HACE, ask the person to walk in a straight line or ask the person to close his eyes and bring his finger to the tip of his nose and if he is unable to do so, the situation is quite alarming.
Snow
Wear proper footwear and this should place the entire foot on the surface and have heavy treads. Avoid a smooth sole and opt for a heavy treaded shoe with a flat bottom. Be cautious of thin sheets of ice that may appear as wet pavement, or black ice. Be prepared for tough weather conditions, especially if you are trekking in high altitude areas like Kedarnath, Badrinath, Amarnath and Manasarovar that are above 3,000 m/10,000 ft.
Sunburns
In cold weather we tend to be more in the sunlight and this leads to heatstroke, sunburn and dehydration. So consume lots of water to avoid heatstroke, use big hats, light coloured clothing and SPF 60 sunscreens to avoid sunburns. Make sure you pay attention to the advice of your guide/porter, who knows about trek conditions.
Tips
Tip: You will regularly come across mules or yaks during your treks in the Himalayas, so stay on the mountain side while you wait for them to pass and don't move towards the valley side.
Tip: You cannot strain yourself or get into any activities for 24 hours when you arrive at high altitudes places like Leh /Ladakh by a plane as this could lead to fatigue, breathlessness and nausea because of low oxygen levels at higher altitudes. Rest for a day to acclimatize as this will help you to have a safer and enjoyable holiday.
