High Altitude Cache

[Guest gmaxis]

Has anyone found or hidden a cache above 6,000ft? This will be extra challenging coz AMS or high altitude sickness often occurs at this altitude. I'm planning to hide one come fall and include an info sheet about AMS and some Diamox tablets...perhaps even an oxygen canister.

[Guest progun]

I just have to ask, are you serious about your question?

 

I think it would be a stretch to call 6000' high altitude. Tucson Top (GCB70) here in the Tucson area is over 9100' and you certianly don't need any special equipment to get there, infact it is right in the middle of one of the more popular recreation areas in Southern Arizona.

 

If you are going to go for a "high altitude" cache I think you should be looking for somewhere much higher that 6000'.

 

Team My Blue Heaven

[Guest gmaxis]

6000ft is really no big deal if you can drive up to it. Not all geocachers are mountaineers and I was thinking along the lines of hiking or climbing as opposed to reaching the cache site on a car/truck/suv. Personally I don't get altitude sickness below 12,000ft, but others may experience it at 6,000 ft. specially those who are not acclimatized.

 

Maybe I should rephrase my post..."Has anyone found or hidden a cache above 10,000ft?"

[Guest progun]

quote:

---

Originally posted by gmaxis:

Maybe I should rephrase my post..."Has anyone found or hidden a cache above 10,000ft?"

---

 

I can only speak for myself, but generally I start to feel discomfort at about the 10,000' mark. Of course I used to do a lot better before I got older, fatter and generally out of shape. :-) I guess I was just a little surprised that the 6000' mark was used. Until I moved to Arizona I spent most of my life above 6000'. Even now I try to get to the mountains as much as possible. :-)

 

Team My Blue Heaven

 

[This message has been edited by progun (edited 20 December 2001).]

[Guest navdog]

I have yet to do one but here is a link to two in Colorado. 12,060 feet and 13,400'!

 

http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_details.asp?ID=7610

 

http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_details.asp?ID=4436

 

I have seen several others, both hike up or drive ups over 10.000'. I was thinking about doing one on top of Steens Mountain here in Oregon when I go back there this summer. One of the highest roads in the state(9,700'). But it has recently been designated a national monument, so I am not sure if I can place it. An incredible place though, with a fault block that drops 5,000' down to the Alvord desert.

 

[This message has been edited by navdog (edited 20 December 2001).]

[Guest glenn95630]

As far as I know we don't have any caches above 10,000 feet here in the 'greater Sacramento Area' but considering that Sacramento has an elevation of only 25 feet above sea level, the difference between Sacramento and these caches is fairly large. Here are some that have caught my eye (many have photos)...

 

Room at the Top

Elevation 9,983

http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_details.asp?ID=4084

1 find

 

G-Cache2

6 to 8 hour hike, elevation 9,000 feet

http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_details.asp?ID=5771

Not found yet

 

Overlook Emigrant

6 miles one-way, elevation 9,700 feet

2,000 feet vertical from trailhead

http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_details.asp?ID=5075

Not found yet

 

Waitu?s Dance In The Sky

Very intriguing multi-cache ?closed? for winter. No trails. Satellite photos suggested. Elevation of first clue 7,500

http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_details.asp?ID=4145

2 finds

 

Pepper?s Top O the Mornin To Ya

Very intriguing. No trail on Topozone. Elevation 7,724

http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_details.asp?ID=3888

3 finds

 

SUV-2

Elevation 8,600 feet

http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_details.asp?ID=2809

One find

 

Does anyone else hear Clayjar salivating?

[Guest navdog]

Yeah!

 

I think the highest point in Louisiana is 100 feet?

[Guest jfitzpat]

FWIW, acute mountain sickness occurs, to some degree, in about 50% of adults near the 8000' mark, when ascent is rapid. Headache, dizziness, and fatigue are the most common symptoms, though I have seen vomiting and heard a lot of complaints about trouble sleeping.

 

The key phrase is "when ascent is rapid". I have several "14s" under my belt and have never had a serious problem with AMS, but I often get a headache on daytrips to the mountains unless I include some acclimation time into my schedule (ex. get to the park an hour early and have coffee and read before my hiking/climbing partners show up).

 

More serious altitude sickness, like cerbral or pulmonary oedema, is very rare below 10000', though not unheard of. However, Pulmonary Oedema, which is very serious, appears to occur *AT A MUCH HIGHER RATE* in young children who have recently had upper respiratory tract infections.

 

Call me overly cautious, but I have postponed/cancelled several camping trips when my younger daughter has had such infections.

 

-jjf

[Guest barondriver]

Those are awesome...I gotta go to COLORADO! (this summer..when I don't have to dig through the snow.) I have a cache at Mt Sunflower the highest point in Kansas but it's only 4039? above sea level..there's a link to some guys from Colorado who came out and climbed it, that you'd enjoy..

http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_details.asp?ID=10870

 

[This message has been edited by barondriver (edited 20 December 2001).]

[Guest EraSeek]

I've done one here in Washington just above 10,000'. It's "Top 'O the Field", and is at Camp Muir on Mt. Rainier.

 

[Guest Robereno]

quote:

---

Originally posted by gmaxis:

Maybe I should rephrase my post..."Has anyone found or hidden a cache above 10,000ft?"

---

 

I left one last summer at 11,182'. http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_details.asp?ID=6621

Certainly no record and most likely now under several feet so snow.

 

As for altitude sickness, I?ve done Whitney several times and never had a problem. Of course, I probably didn?t notice because I was distracted by the symptoms of pulmonary edema.

[Guest Robereno]

quote:

---

Originally posted by gmaxis:

Maybe I should rephrase my post..."Has anyone found or hidden a cache above 10,000ft?"

---

 

I left one last summer at 11,182'. http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_details.asp?ID=6621

Certainly no record and most likely now under several feet so snow.

 

As for altitude sickness, I?ve done Whitney several times and never had a problem. Of course, I probably didn?t notice because I was distracted by the symptoms of pulmonary edema.

[Guest EraSeek]

One of the features that makes Mt. Rainier attractive as a training climb for Everest is the fact that you can go from sea level to 14410' in a day or two. If you live at 9000' and go up to 14410' it may not be such a jolt to you system. I've seen people sick on the mountain at 7000' where they've had to go down. I often feel it a bit at 8000', and more pronounced at 10,000'. Above that I don't usually feel to hot but have never had to turn around because of it yet. I have one 14,410' under my belt and a few 12,000' plus.

 

[Guest Choberiba]

This is why I live in Berkeley.

 

Our altutude is something akin to what a toddler stacks up to get to the family cookie jar.

 

(((Pause for air guitar of Lit's "She wakes up lonely")))

 

I love the mountains, but feel dizzy if so much as my car's tires are properly inflated.

 

I'll let you manly men* tackle Everest.

 

*Yeah I know, you manly ladies are very capable as well.

[Guest Hawk-eye]

Check out three of mine in Bolivia ... Hawk 2, Hawk 6, and Hawk 10. Hawk 10 starts at an altitude of over 15,000 feet and procedes down "the world's most dangerous road" (according to National Geographic). Do I get a cigar?????

 

[This message has been edited by Hawk-eye (edited 22 January 2002).]

[Guest Hawk-eye]

Check out three of mine in Bolivia ... Hawk 2, Hawk 6, and Hawk 10. Hawk 10 starts at an altitude of over 15,000 feet and procedes down "the world's most dangerous road" (according to National Geographic). Do I get a cigar?????

 

[This message has been edited by Hawk-eye (edited 22 January 2002).]

[Guest Robereno]

quote:

---

Originally posted by Choberiba:

This is why I live in Berkeley.

 

I'll let you manly men* tackle Everest.

 

*Yeah I know, you manly ladies are very capable as well.

---

 

Well, the Mount Whitney hike isn?t exactly considered your ?Manly man? trip. The biggest challenge is not getting nudged off the trail by the joggers or the local kids from the Lone Pine Boy Scout troop.

[Guest gmaxis]

quote:

---

Originally posted by Choberiba:

...I love the mountains, but feel dizzy if so much as my car's tires are properly inflated.

 

I'll let you manly men* tackle Everest.

 

 

*Yeah I know, you manly ladies are very capable as well.

---

 

Oh yeah, Everest is a dream climb! I wonder if there's a cache hidden there?

[Guest bunkerdave]

I placed a cache last August at 12,185 feet. This en route to the summit of Mount Peale (12,721') in Utah's La Sal Mountains.

 

It is not-so-modestly named "BunkerDave's Cache"

http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_details.asp?ID=6327

 

There is also a cache atop King's Peak (Utah's highest, at 13,528')

http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_details.asp?ID=7638

 

There is also a cache on the Grand Teton in Wyoming. 13,356' for that one.

Here is the link:

http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_details.asp?ID=5334

 

A group of us are headed up to King's Peak in August to bag the cache there (oh yeah, AND Utah's highest peak.)

 

I have been reading about the Wind River Mountains, particularly Gannett Peak (13,805') and while a cache would probably be a bad idea on that one, it is certainly worthy of a virtual.

 

Anyone interested in all these peaks and summits should check out this website:

 

www.cohp.org

 

Best way to get high that I know of.

 

"Life begins at 8,000 feet."

[Guest bunkerdave]

I placed a cache last August at 12,185 feet. This en route to the summit of Mount Peale (12,721') in Utah's La Sal Mountains.

 

It is not-so-modestly named "BunkerDave's Cache"

http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_details.asp?ID=6327

 

There is also a cache atop King's Peak (Utah's highest, at 13,528')

http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_details.asp?ID=7638

 

There is also a cache on the Grand Teton in Wyoming. 13,356' for that one.

Here is the link:

http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_details.asp?ID=5334

 

A group of us are headed up to King's Peak in August to bag the cache there (oh yeah, AND Utah's highest peak.)

 

I have been reading about the Wind River Mountains, particularly Gannett Peak (13,805') and while a cache would probably be a bad idea on that one, it is certainly worthy of a virtual.

 

Anyone interested in all these peaks and summits should check out this website:

 

www.cohp.org

 

Best way to get high that I know of.

 

"Life begins at 8,000 feet."

[Guest Cape Cod Cache]

6,288 is the highest I go... Mt Washington NH. That gives me the whole eastern 1/2 of US. I can do 2 runs in the spring (mind you, you have to climb for each run) with no real problems.

 

As far as going higher up, I'll stop climing when my cigarettes go out from lack of oxygen.

[Guest glenn95630]

gmaxis posted, "Oh yeah, Everest is a dream climb! I wonder if there's a cache hidden there?"

 

I you used an oxygen cylinder for the cache container, it would be almost impossible to find considering all the other discarded oxygen cylinders and garbage on the mountain.

[Guest jfitzpat]

FWIW, the developmentally disabled mountaineering team I'm involved with summitted Mount Whitney this year. You can see picture on my employer's website:

 

http://www.etree.com/about/events/whitney/index.html

 

They were also a corporate sponsor. I had been planning on doing a winter climb of the East Face during our holiday break with a friend, but we procrastinated too long on permits. I'll be climbing in AZ instead and WY in the spring.

 

-jjf

[Guest TresOkies]

quote:

---

Originally posted by gmaxis:

I wonder if there's a cache hidden there?

---

 

There's a log book. Call it a virtual cache. Don't forget to "trash out".

 

Some co-workers and I seriously considered doing the base camp trek a year ago. Some wanted to do the REI or Alpine Ascents tours and others wanted to do it as a Lonely Planet/DIY thing. Didn't do it--life got in the way. Sigh.

 

-E

 

------------------

N35°32.981 W98°34.631

 

[This message has been edited by TresOkies (edited 21 December 2001).]

[Guest worldtraveler]

quote:

---

Originally posted by bunkerdave:

There is also a cache on the Grand Teton in Wyoming. 13,356' for that one.

Here is the link:

http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_details.asp?ID=5334

---

 

Now I'm curious how this one got through the approval process and why it has not been archived. Numerous other posts have stated that *real* caches are not permitted in U.S. National Parks.

 

------------------

Worldtraveler

[Guest Clay]

gmaxis quoted"I wonder if theres a cache hidden there?"

Had I known about geocaching last year, I would have tried hiding one in the area. Wouldn't even need an oxy cylinder. It's all rock up there, millions of hiding spots, though youd have to hide it at night or porters would see you then plunder it in no time. FWIW, as long as you accend at a moderate pace, AMS should be no problem. I had none up at 19500 except shortness of breath, but did see others at 16000 with problems, mostly people on group trips where you go at the guides pace, not yours.

[Guest prv8eye]

quote:

---

Originally posted by navdog:

Yeah!

 

I think the highest point in Louisiana is 100 feet?

---

 

Hmmm..all this mountain climbing talk makes me wonder what is the LOWEST cache .

On land, that is, don't want to buy scuba gear.

Maybe I'll put one in Death Valley.

 

Gus Morrow

Oceanside, CA

[Guest Choberiba]

[ The big hill in Tibet ]

 

TresOkies: Some co-workers and I seriously considered doing the base camp trek a year ago.

 

I know this petite little Japanese chick who climbed a little past basecamp last year. Took her an entire month to do so.

 

She claims the food sucked, but that the schlep jockies were very affordable.

 

I must admit, I gained a ton of respect for her since as I've stated previously....

I don't do heights.

 

Heck, I don't even date tall women.

[Guest gmaxis]

quote:

---

Originally posted by glenn95630:

I you used an oxygen cylinder for the cache container, it would be almost impossible to find considering all the other discarded oxygen cylinders and garbage on the mountain.

---

 

Like finding a needle in a haystack! Mt. Everest is now the highest garbage dump in the world! Gosh!

[Guest bigkid]

I'm glad EraSeek put in Top o' the Field. I've done that one 3 times this summer and the summit 3 times over the past 4 years.

 

Here are the 3 best tips for high altitude caches:

1) Drink water - while not directly corrolated, being hydrated helps prevent altitude sickness, drink extra water the day before you get to the cache.

2) Pressure breath - do deep diaphramatic breaths with forceful exhales to compensate for the decreased pressure.

3) Rest step - climbing a certain way where you lock your back leg and rest the front leg between steps allows even novices to climb big mountains.

 

I'm going to have to check and see if there are other high alt caches here in WA like Mt. Adams, Baker, St. Helens and Hood (OR).

 

-bigkid

[Guest gmaxis]

quote:

---

Originally posted by bigkid:

Here are the 3 best tips for high altitude caches:

1) Drink water - while not directly corrolated, being hydrated helps prevent altitude sickness, drink extra water the day before you get to the cache.

2) Pressure breath - do deep diaphramatic breaths with forceful exhales to compensate for the decreased pressure.

3) Rest step - climbing a certain way where you lock your back leg and rest the front leg between steps allows even novices to climb big mountains.

-bigkid

---

 

True, one need not be a hardcore mountaineer to scale heights such as Everest. To date, people of different walks of life have summitted the highest mountain in the world--an 18 yr.old, a senior citizen, an inexperienced climber who practiced Zen meditation, and quite recently, a blind guy. There are more tales left untold which only proves that just about anyone with the resources and the right conditions can conquer Mt. Everest. It's a dream of mine that I haven't given up on.

[Guest DenaliNW]

quote:

---

I'm going to have to check and see if there are other high alt caches here in WA like Mt. Adams, Baker, St. Helens and Hood (OR).

---

.

There are caches on the slopes of both St. Helens and Hood - Above the Clouds on Helens, and Magic Mile on Hood. Next year I hope to summit Hood again, and would like to place a cache at the summit (knee surgery kept me off the mountain this year). Adams is in many ways so remote, that there are very few caches in the area. Sure is a beautiful place though, and in my opinion a prettier mountain than Hood.

[Guest Clay]

FWIW, here's the coordinates for Mt. Everest

N27d58.943 E86d56.011. Kala Pattar, the site at 18500'where most photos of Everest are taken from N27d59.747 E86d49.718

[Guest webjester]

How about 13677 ft. I just posted "Spit in the Pit", HI.

[Guest JAMCC47]

ownhill to place or find a cache and sometimes I go up. Most of the good ones out here are above 6,000.

 

------------------

JoseCanUSea

[Guest Exocet]

quote:

---

Originally posted by DenaliNW:

There are caches on the slopes of both St. Helens and Hood - Above the Clouds on Helens, and Magic Mile on Hood. Next year I hope to summit Hood again, and would like to place a cache at the summit (knee surgery kept me off the mountain this year). Adams is in many ways so remote, that there are very few caches in the area. Sure is a beautiful place though, and in my opinion a prettier mountain than Hood.

---

 

It's a race for the summit of Mt. Hood then. EraSeek's Mt. St. Helens cache was the first time I've ever climbed a mountain. Ever since then I've wanted to summit Mt. Hood and, of course, put a cache up there.

 

We sure were perplexed when we noticed that there were no caches on Mt. Hood, so we figured that Magic Mile would be a good start. And finally, after much anticipation, we've had one visitor!

 

I look forward to other caches at or near the summits of mountains here in the NW. Even a mild amount of technical work is doable for those that *really* like Geocaching or like to be outside and learn new things.

 

------------------

[Guest Hamster]

http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_details.asp?ID=4596

 

is a cache placed by Hawk, who frequently posts to the boards. It is in La Paz, Bolivia, the world's highest city. He says this cache is around 12,785 feet.

[Guest Buck8Point]

quote:

---

Originally posted by navdog:

Yeah!

 

I think the highest point in Louisiana is 100 feet?

---

 

Sorry, I had to jump in here..

The Highest Spot in Louisiana is Driskill Mountain in Bienville Parish towering 535 feet above sea-level.

 

There is even a cache there.

http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_details.asp?ID=11235

 

More information Here: http://www.americasroof.com/la.shtml

 

Driskill Mountain also has the distinction of being the lowest state high point west of the Mississippi, and also the 3rd lowest State Highpoint in the US behind Florida, and Delaware.

 

 

------------------

Buck8Point

"If I can't fix it, It's definately Broke."

[Guest Hawk-eye]

quote:

---

Originally posted by Hamster:

http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_details.asp?ID=4596

..., the world's highest city. He says this cache is around 12,785 feet.

---

 

Slight correction ... highest capital city ... but Hawk 10 starts at La Cumbre which is just over 15,000 feet ... main cache is in the Yungas at just over 4,000 feet.

[+coggins]

bump, old school style.

[+DeskJocky]

IBTL - Not so old school...

[+Ambrosia]

That totally weirded me out. Before I realized the date on this thread, I was reading it and thinking, "I've read this before.....".

[+Jeep_Dog]

That totally weirded me out. Before I realized the date on this thread, I was reading it and thinking, "I've read this before.....".

 

Man, same here. This blew my mind.

 

In addition, I am not sure what makes this "old school." I only started in 2004, and have done plenty above 6,000 ft. I plan on doing two above 6000 on Jan 1 or 2. I can see how higher terrain (or caches requiring a hike) caches can be considered "old school," but the fact remains there are more of these types today than in 2001! One merely has to filter out the micro 1/1.5 caches, et voila!

 

On a side note - altitude sickness usually begins around 8,000 ft.

 

"Altitude sickness occurs when you cannot get enough oxygen from the air at high altitudes. This causes symptoms such as a headache and not feeling like eating. It happens most often when people who are not used to high altitudes go quickly from lower altitudes to 8000 ft or higher." - Web MD

 

edit: took out an extra ""

Edited December 31, 2007 by Jeep_Dog

[+elmuyloco5]

I couldn't help but laugh at this post. I live at 7500' and moved here from Hawaii (and being in the Navy for a decade of living coastside). Couldn't get much more of a vast difference than that. We spent the first couple of weeks a little thirstier than normal and a bit more tired, but then again, we also had the time difference to deal with. I have three kids that were 5, 6, and 8 at the time (kids are supposed to be more highly affected by altitude changes). It really wasn't a big deal.

 

When we hike, it's always over 8000' and usually over 9000'. It's harder at first, but not much. We just noticed that we were breathing heavy more quickly than we normally would. We've been through Leadville, CO (the highest city in the US at 10,430') without any issues, of course we'd been living here for over a year when we visited.

 

Forgot to add that alot of Olympic athletes train here as we are supposedly supposed to have the highest swimming facility in the US. We also get alot of runners, cyclists, etc.

Edited December 31, 2007 by elmuyloco5

[+private bones]

Long ago in a previous life I searched for people instead of tupperware

 

I was involved in several high altitude canine SAR trainings designed to take new searchers (who lived at sea level but might join High Sierra searches 3 hours away) from sea level to 10,000 feet in a day. It was a very good exercise to help searchers understand their altitude tolerance levels. Although most people who were affected by altitude experienced problems at 9 or 10,000 feet, there were always a few people who had minor issues at 6,000 or 7,000 feet (headaches, shortness of breath, etc)

 

I have cached at several Sierra locations that were in the 6-8,000 (maybe 9,000) elevation and I've never seen any cache owners mention anything about altitude sickness. But, maybe there was more discussion about that topic when this post first came out. Come to think of it, I think I was involved in those trainings the same year this post came out

[+eagsc7]

ummm.. duah.. been there placed that. Heck... I work up there this winter.

 

The Steaks

[n0wae]

I've planted several high altitude caches in Colorado. This one is over 13,000 feet high and This one is over 14,000 feet high. The bookmark on the last cache lists several more of Colorado's 14er caches.

Edited January 1, 2008 by n0wae