Headed for the hills next ski season? Here’s a tip that I learned the hard way. Make sure to check how high the altitude is before you go, so you can condition your body and prepare for the possibility of altitude sickness.
Last season, I skied at Vail Resorts www.vail.com in Colorado’s Rocky Mountains. This legendary resort has a massive 5,289 acres with seven Back Bowls that stretch six miles. Vail Mountain is one of the largest ski resorts in the United States. It’s awesome!
However, the altitude gave me problems. The town is at 8,120 feet, and the summit is 11,570 feet. I encourage you to train before the trip and possibly even order altitude pills like Diamox.
Fitness trainer Nate Ho (808-722-9699) advises you to start your conditioning three months before the trip. “Each more fibers and grains, and less processed food and red meat. Drink at least three to five liters of water a day. And stretch 20 minutes in the morning, and 20 minutes at night, to increase muscle flexibility. You’ll need the full capacity of your muscle to decrease injury and improve performance.”
Ho also says to start cardiovascular conditioning with moderate to high intensity workouts that are at least half an hour per session. Lastly, he advises you start weight training. “But don’t focus on one muscle group. Work on your upper and lower body each time.”
When you get to your high altitude destination, don’t drink alcohol, caffeine and salty foods; get plenty of rest; and eat foods higher in carbohydrates. If you still find yourself having shortness of breath, headaches, nausea, loss of appetite and insomnia, you may have Acute Mountain Sickness. If it doesn’t disappear within the first few days of your stay, as happened to me, seek medical advice.
(Pants I saw in Vail! This is not my butt.)SPA THERAPY
Here’s a real reason to book yourself some spa time: Ho says the restorative benefits of massage can help you ski better because it helps muscle recovery. RockResorts Spa at The Lodge at Vail http://lodgeatvail.rockresorts.com/info/spa.asp offers steam, sauna, and whirl pools in its 7,500-square-foot, state-of-the-art spa.
(Photo courtesy Brent Bingham with Photo FX)Its most popular is the hot stone massage “because of the heating element with the hot stones and the nurturing factor due to our colder climate. Also, our luminous radiance facial, which combines Vitamin C with seaweed which is perfect for a winter glow,” says Spa Director Toni Maggiore.
(Photo courtesy Brent Bingham with Photo FX)“We have a lot of avid sport enthusiasts and they are really looking for relaxation as well as therapeutic work to be done. Our sports massage and deep tissue are also very popular,” she continues.
The one my husband and I selected was the hour long Two-gether Massage, a favorite of – obviously – couples. Maggiore says, “ I think our guests are really looking for a special retreat and to spend time together. We have a lot of families visiting us and the time that they can spend to relax and get away is very inviting.”
(Photo courtesy Brent Bingham with Photo FX)Ho agrees, “Get a massage on your first day to maximize your full muscle potential by dissipating knots. A massage on the last day would help too because you could relax and rest instead of tightening up on the plane ride home.”
SKIING MAUNA KEA
Another high altitude slope I took a few runs down is right here in Hawaii! Last spring, I enjoyed some lovely packed powder on the sacred slopes of Mauna Kea on Hawaii Island. At 13,796 feet at the summit, it’s definitely up there, but this time I had the foresight to take the altitude pills before I left.
Snow conditions can be very challenging and lava rock very unforgiving, but the views are incredible. If you're in shape and conditions cooperate, you can have a fabulous time. Please be respectful when you go up to Mauna Kea. It’s sacred to Native Hawaiians.
I found you can’t easily plan ahead for the trip. The Ski Association of Hawaii website http://www.hawaiisnowskiclub.com/fmain.htm sums it up best: “When the snow falls (generally in late January through February) enough to accumulate a base and the government-controlled road is open, then it's a matter of ‘Let's catch a flight to Hilo NOW.’ There are no lifts or runs, so skiers also need to hire a four-wheel drive vehicle with driver who will drive skiers to the top to mountain, then pick them up at the bottom of the run, return to the top, etc. A full day of skiing the volcano can be two to three 3 runs!!!! Skiers need to provide their own equipment for skiing over the lava rocks since a day of skiing the volcano destroys a pair of skis!!!”
I went up with my friend from work, Isaac Warsh, who lives in Hilo and owns a old pair of ski blades from his days of living in Germany, when he used them a lot. He brought them to Hawaii because they were small enough to fit in the suitcase, and it turns out, has used them quite a bit here. “I love it. You’re not competing against anyone for lift space like you would in Europe. People are helping give each other rides to the top,” reflects Isaac. “I go up as many times a season as I can, and I always have a good time. It’s the best place in the world to watch a sunset. And the novelty of swimming at the beach in the morning and skiing in the afternoon is pretty cool.”
There aren’t any ski shops here, so equipment is hard to find, though there is one tour outfitter on the Big Island that takes people up for half a day. Most locals just use what’s easiest to come by: a boogie board.
Isaac and I set the date, and then I just hoped that there would be fresh snow and calm winds the morning I flew in. What a blast! It worked out perfectly! A trip to the Mauna Kea summit takes just under two hours, and there were only two other people up there the entire time we were there. We had the hill to ourselves.
Unfortunately, we allotted only an hour at the top, which meant about three short runs for each person. While Isaac lives in Hilo, I had to work around commercial flight times, so even though Hilo only seems like a short flight away from Oahu, after you factor in check in times, flight times, and even drive time to and from the airport, it still turned out to be a 12 hour day for me. Not that I’m complaining.
And just in case you are wondering, there IS snow on Mauna Loa but most people don’t ski there because there is no paved road to the top, the snow isn't as deep, the slopes aren't steep enough, and it’s an active volcano.
