FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 26, 1999
Contact: Sarah Ellis, (303) 315-5571
Survey: High-Altitude Hikers Unprepared for Conditions
Many people embark on high-altitude backpacking or hiking trips without the knowledge and equipment they may need in the event of common wilderness-related illness or injury, according to a study conducted by researchers at the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center. The study appears in the April issue of the International Journal of Wilderness.
For the study, 126 hikers were surveyed on a popular trail in Rocky Mountain National Park at an elevation above 10,000 feet. Most of those surveyed did not have the recommended equipment for their hike and could not identify the symptoms of hypothermia or high-altitude pulmonary edema, both common acute illnesses associated with moderate to high-altitude hiking. Most respondents were not adequately acclimated to the altitude prior to their hike.
"This study indicates that among the approximately 45 million people who backpack and hike each year, many of them are woefully unprepared for the health problems they often encounter," said Jack Westfall, MD, MPH, assistant professor of
family medicine and co-author of the study. "Clearly, physicians, wilderness
organizations and public land management agencies can play a role in educating wilderness enthusiasts about mountain hiking hazards and the preparation required to safely enjoy wilderness experiences."
Many such organizations already offer educational materials, guidelines and training, Dr. Westfall added.
The hikers were surveyed on the Keyhole Trail on Longs Peak, a 15-mile (round trip) trail with a 4,850-foot gain in elevation. More than 30 percent of the respondents were not using sunblock, and less than one percent were carrying the recommended amount of water - six to eight liters - for a hike of this length and difficulty.
The study population also had limited knowledge of common conditions, illness and injury associated with high altitude and wilderness hiking. Risks include dehydration, which can lead to hypothermia, heat illness, altitude illness and fatigue. Life-threatening high-altitude illnesses include pulmonary edema and cerebral edema. Solar radiation is intensified at high altitude with elevation gain and is associated with squamous cell carcinoma, melanoma, cataract formation and keratoconjunctivitis. Other risks include unpredictable weather, such as lightning, and musculoskeletal injuries.
Of those surveyed, less than half recognized early symptoms of hypothermia, such as changes in judgement, and 30 percent did not know how to treat it.
Nearly three-quarters of the respondents were Colorado residents; more than a third reported having some formal medical training and 37 percent had formal wilderness training.
Guidelines published by the National Park Service and the Wilderness Medical Society recommend that hikers and backpackers acclimate themselves above 8,000 feet for two nights before hiking at this altitude. Recommended water consumption is one-half to one liter per hour of exercise or seven to eight liters per day. On this particular trail, a 3 a.m. start time is also recommended so the descent can begin before afternoon, when lightning is most likely to strike.
Co-authors of the study include Robert E. Gramling, MD, Ann O'Brien Gonzales, PhD and Gwyn Barley, PhD.
The University of Colorado Health Sciences Center is one of four campuses in the University of Colorado system. Located in Denver, Colo., the campus includes schools of medicine, nursing, pharmacy, and dentistry, a graduate school and two hospitals.
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