All About HAPE: The Most Fatal Altitude Sickness High altitude pulmonary edema, or HAPE, is the most deadly type of altitude sickness. HAPE is a condition where a person’s lungs fill with fluid, preventing oxygenation of blood and causing a variety of unpleasant symptoms. It usually occurs within 4-5 days of reaching an altitude greater than 8000 feet and often happens to people who are physically fit and […] Tanner Blake | October 1, 2018 0 Comments
“Troubling Trends” Surrounding the Increased Frequency of Alpine Illness HAPE According to a blog post by park rangers of Denali National Park, a sharp uptick in the number of climbers attempting to summit the 20,310-foot park namesake has led to a resurgence of High Altitude Pulmonary Edema. The condition, known as HAPE, most frequently occurs in normally healthy individuals traveling from lower elevations to areas above 8,200 feet, leaving popular […] Brains Lucas Gauthier | July 7, 2018 0 Comments
High Altitude Pulmonary Edema—What It Is and Why You Should Care High Altitude Pulmonary Edema, or HAPE, is the most common and most fatal form of high altitude sickness. HAPE results from fluid building up in the lungs over time while at high altitude. Essentially, victims of HAPE take in less and less oxygen due to the low air pressure at high altitudes as fluid continues to fill up their lungs, resulting […] Brains Maggie Dean | October 1, 2017 0 Comments
The Tortoise and the HAPE: Steady High-Altitude Ascents Win the Race (and Save Lives) High-Altitude Pulmonary Edema (HAPE) is a terminal reaction of the lungs to low-oxygen conditions and is the number one cause of death in high altitude environments. When it comes to mountaineering and backcountry snow sports, the excitement of peak-bagging, if not managed with caution and preparedness, can be costly. We all know the fable of the tortoise and the […] Brains Sydney Stephens | October 1, 2017 0 Comments
HAPE: The Number One Killer at High Altitude Recreation at high altitude entails many existential threats. Avalanches, rock falls, lighting, and hypothermia all leap to mind as serious threats. Yet, the leading cause of death at high altitude (8,200 ft or 2,500 m and above) is probably something many are not familiar with, high-altitude pulmonary edema (HAPE). Pulmonary edema is the accumulation of fluid in the tissues […] Brains Curtis Weller | October 1, 2017 0 Comments
All Skiers Prone to Altitude Disease, H.A.P.E High Altitude Pulmonary Edema or HAPE is a life-threatening disease where excess fluid develops in the lungs, meaning people are unable to perform gas exchange properly and have a difficult time breathing. This is when someone is not getting enough oxygen to function normally, and typically effects mountaineers at altitudes above 2,500 meters. This affects hundreds of skiers each year, […] Industry News Kristen Strom | October 1, 2017 0 Comments
HAPE Elevation’s #1 Threat Planning on a big expedition in the high alpine or thinking about bagging that peak on your bucket list? Before you go, have you ever heard of HAPE, or high altitude pulmonary edema? HAPE is a more severe form of AMS or Acute Mountain Sickness. The cause of acute mountain sickness is still unknown, but some medical sources think it […] Featured Article Greg Obernesser | October 1, 2017 0 Comments
HAPE is the Leading Cause of Death at High Altitudes High-altitude pulmonary edema or HAPE is the leading cause of death related to high-altitude exposure. John Krakauer’s breakout book Into Thin Air brought HAPE as well as High Altitude Cerebral Edema (HACE) to the forefront of mortality on Mt. Everest, but the fact is that HAPE, while most common above altitudes of 8,200 feet, can occur at altitudes as low […] Brains Meghan Kelly | October 1, 2017 0 Comments
HAPE – Altitude’s Silent Killer Mild altitude sickness, or AMS (acute mountain sickness) is a common issue that most people have probably experienced when traveling in the mountains. With symptoms similar to a hangover, it’s usually nothing more than a minor annoyance but can develop into a life threatening condition know as HAPE. High Altitude Pulmonary Edema, or HAPE, is a a condition involving […] Climbing Mike Lavery | October 1, 2017 0 Comments
HAPE: Don’t Fall Victim to this High Altitude Condition Mountaineering can be extremely rewarding, but it can also be equally as dangerous! Rock falls, sheer exposure and altitude sickness are just a few of the risks involved. Altitude sickness can rear its ugly head in many different forms…but the most dangerous of all is HAPE, or High Altitude Pulmonary Edema. Basically, this is when your lungs fill with fluid…due […] Climbing Matt Brennan | September 1, 2017 0 Comments
Altitude Sickness | How to Recognise, Cure and Prevent Severe Acute Mountain Sickness There are two ways of categorizing death at altitude; traumatic and non-traumatic. Traumatic deaths occur from the usual hazards of mountaineering; falls, avalanches, and extreme weather. They usually occur lower down rather than high up, and are quite unusual. It’s more likely that climbers die from non-traumatic causes, most notably altitude-related illnesses. Altitude sickness has three forms. Mild altitude sickness is called acute mountain sickness […] Climbing Steven Agar | August 21, 2017 3 Comments
High Altitude Sickness – Knowing This Could Save Your Life We all know of someone that arrived in resort but didn’t make it on the hill because they got hit with high altitude sickness. But did you know that without treatment, complications can occur and altitude sickness can quickly become fatal? Altitude sickness can strike when you travel to a high altitude above sea level too quickly (usually above 3,000m […] Brains Boo Radley | December 4, 2016 0 Comments