How to Avoid High Altitude Sickness

OK, let’s say you want to visit one of the "cool mountain towns" mentioned in the previous post. Let’s say you want to drop in on Telluride, whose fatally precious "downtown" happens to be  8,750 feet above sea level. In that case, there could be a small problem with what this Altitude Tutorial politely describes as "the decreased availability of oxygen." Geezer, who recognizes altitude as Mother Nature’s way of reminding us what a hangover feels like, thinks the Tutorial is the most comprehensive (and still intelligible) guide to what is officially called Acute Mountain Sickness (AMS), but eaders who want just-the-facts-in-30-seconds-or-less should check out these high altitude tips. And then, of course, there are Geezer’s golden rules of high altitude hiking: Take it slow. Drink water –not alcohol. Learn the flowers.