The 9 Most Frequent Dangers in the Mountains, and How to Avoid Them As enchanting as the mountains maybe, they are far from forgiving. Some dangers are external, like avalanches, wildlife, and massive storms, and some are internal, ones you cannot see coming, like altitude sickness, getting lost, and hypothermia. You must always stand guard while on top of the world if you’d like to make it back down. Below you can learn about the nine most […] Spencer Miller | May 5, 2025 13 Comments
Climbers Use Viagra to Treat Altitude Sickness: Is It Cheating? Mountaineers and climbers have been using all kinds of different drugs and supplements for centuries to help their minds, and bodies overcome the extreme climate conditions and extensive physical toll that comes with venturing into high altitudes. One of the most notable being Hermann Buhl, a legendary climber who credits the survival of his then impossible ascent of Nanga Parbat […] Climbing Blake | August 16, 2021 1 Comment
Too Little, Too Late: Understanding HAPE Can Save Your Life in the Mountains As the weather turns warmer and more people begin recreating in the mountains, it is critical that they are aware of the leading cause of death in high altitude environments: High Altitude Pulmonary Edema (HAPE). HAPE is a non-cardiogenic accumulation of fluid in the lungs and typically affects people at an altitude greater than 2,500 meters. Being able to tell […] Industry News Jacob Chapin | February 1, 2021 0 Comments
HAPE: The Risk Of High Altitude Adventures Originally known as “high altitude pneumonia”, high-altitude pulmonary edema is a threatening form of non-cardiogenic pulmonary edema. In other words, fluid accumulation in the lungs. HAPE symptoms typically overlap with other diagnoses, one of which being pneumonia. Before HAPE was identified and understood, it was commonly confused with pneumonia, hence the original name, “high altitude pneumonia”. HAPE typically develops in […] Climbing Breya Bergom | February 1, 2021 1 Comment
Getting a Leg up on HAPE: How to Reduce Risk and Onset It was during the late spring of 2016 when I first learned about HAPE. I was daydreaming in a college lecture hall, thinking about two climbers who were attempting to summit Mt. Everest without the use of supplemental oxygen. I had been captivated by their story as they were using social media platforms like SnapChat and Instagram to capture their […] Climbing Katy McClintic | February 1, 2021 0 Comments
The Invisible Dangers of High Altitude As long as humans have fulfilled their desire to explore mountains, deaths in these environments, while always tragic, have not been unheard of. In early September of this year, 24-year-old Colorado native Daniel Granberg was found at the summit of the 21,122-foot Illimani, a mountain in Bolivia, his death attributed to High Altitude Pulmonary Edema (HAPE). Less than a century […] Climbing Jake Vigesaa | February 1, 2021 0 Comments
Know Before You GO: High Altitude Pulmonary Edema (HAPE) High-altitude pulmonary edema, otherwise known as HAPE, is a form of altitude sickness where a lack of oxygen causes a build-up of fluid in the lungs that, according to the National Institute of Health, can turn deadly in approximately 50 percent of patients if left untreated. As summer recreation booms, SAR teams everywhere are reminding tourists that acute mountain sickness […] Brains Dana Andresen | February 1, 2021 0 Comments
HAPE: More Than Just Mountain Views Taking Your Breath Away Adventuring to high elevated places can be exciting and breathtaking – literally. High Altitude Pulmonary Edema (HAPE), a fatal form of altitude sickness, is a medical condition that occurs at high elevation. Usually 2500m (8,202 ft) and up. At high altitudes the oxygen in the air gets thinner, causing hypoxia, lack of oxygen in the lungs. Less oxygen means that […] Brains Aunika Skogen | February 1, 2021 0 Comments
HAPE and the Threat it Brings to Pre-Season Training It’s the time of year where skiers and riders are the most excited of all. Temperatures are dropping, snow may be sprinkling some peaks, and the professionals are already out on snow doing their thing. The hustle of the beginning of another competition (or leisure) season has begun. The pros are lucky and usually get to jump into action right […] Industry News Phil Tremblay | February 1, 2021 0 Comments
Danger at Elevation from High Altitude Pulmonary Edema Mountaineering does not come without a certain risk. The obvious dangers of physical injury come to mind when planning an expedition, but hidden physiological factors can also prove fatal. One of these conditions is Acute Mountain Sickness (AMS), which stems from a failure to properly acclimatize to a higher elevation, and can lead to a more fatal illness known […] Brains Alex Mangels | February 1, 2021 0 Comments
Altitude Sickness – Keep it on the Down Low Altitude Sickness is an all-too-common affliction for mountain newcomers and is always on the radar for even the most veteran mountain-enjoyers. As one increases in altitude, the surrounding air pressure decreases as less air is pushing down from above. Despite common misconceptions, there is no ‘less oxygen’ at higher altitudes — the oxygen content of air hovers around 21% throughout […] Brains Samuel Lawrence | February 1, 2021 0 Comments
Sucking Wind- Considerations for Identifying and Treating HAPE Among hardcore alpinists and weekend ski warriors alike, most have experienced altitude sickness at some point recreating at high elevations. With symptoms very similar to a nasty hangover, altitude sickness is often accompanied by headaches, vomiting, shortness of breath, and inability to walk in a straight line. While altitude sickness is not deemed to be life-threatening, if left unchecked, it […] Industry News Spencer Cox | February 20, 2020 0 Comments
The Dangers Of Getting Too High: High Altitude Pulmonary Edema (HAPE) It was a cold, brisk, Saturday morning as Ryan flew up the skin track, eager to reach the summit. Bogged down from a stressful week in the office, Ryan had left his house in San Francisco that morning and headed to Tahoe for a refreshing day in the backcountry with his friend, Mike. However, something was wrong, and Ryan didn’t […] Brains Miles Wong | February 1, 2020 0 Comments
High Altitude Pulmonary Edema, “HAPE” – More Than Just Altitude Sickness When travelling from low elevation to higher altitude environments, we often notice that our breathing gets heavier, our heartbeat increases, and we may start to experience dizziness and dehydration. We frequently attribute these signs as the common precursors to altitude sickness or new elevation and changes in climate. When managed properly, these signs typically subside as you adapt to your […] Brains Taylor Stephan | February 1, 2020 0 Comments
What is HAPE? Prepare for your Ascent When it comes to planning your next 8,000 ft peak or higher, High Altitude Pulmonary Edema (HAPE) is a serious factor to consider. HAPE is a form of respiratory failure due to the accumulation of fluid in the lungs, most commonly occurring after ascending to high altitudes. The most common cases appear in patients who have recently traveled from low […] Corinne Doerner | February 1, 2020 0 Comments
HAPE: the Number One Killer at Altitude HAPE (High Altitude Pulmonary Edema) is a major cause of death at altitudes over 8,200 feet, though there have been cases of HAPE as low as 4,900 feet. HAPE occurs when fluids build up in the lungs due to the body’s response to an increase in altitude. When left untreated, HAPE has a high mortality rate. In the western United States […] Brains Lynn Barlow | February 1, 2020 0 Comments
HAPE: The High-Altitude Killer What is HAPE? The most common cause of death directly attributed to altitude is High Altitude Pulmonary Edema, or “HAPE.” Caused by a lack of oxygen, HAPE is an advanced stage of Acute Mountain Sickness (AMS). In conjunction with the breakdown of glucose, fats, and amino acids, oxygen is necessary for our bodies to produce energy. Too little of it […] Brains Tony Miller | February 1, 2020 0 Comments
High-Altitude Pulmonary Edema: Why Skiers, Backpackers, and Adventurers Should Care High-altitude pulmonary edema, or HAPE, is the accumulation of fluid in the lungs; and it is deadly. It generally occurs when one rapidly ascends from a low altitude, to above roughly 2,500 meters. Risk factors include, but are not limited to ascent rate, peak altitude, and how intense physical exertion is. In addition, men are at a higher risk than women for developing HAPE. If you are an athlete who […] Industry News Shannon Fiegel | February 1, 2020 0 Comments
HAPE: The Killer We Still Don’t Understand What is HAPE, you ask? HAPE stands for High Altitude Pulmonary Edema and we still don’t really know who will develop it or why. HAPE is caused by a lack of oxygen and it is the leading killer at high altitudes. HAPE usually develops after 2 to 3 days spent at altitudes above 8,000 ft. The first sign is breathlessness […] Brains Gabrielle Gasser | February 1, 2020 0 Comments
HAPE: High-Altitudes And The Effects On Your Lungs Introduction Traveling to high-altitude places is becoming increasingly ever-so-popular, especially for outdoor lovers and adventure seekers. In Nepal, home to eight of the 14 tallest mountains in the world, the Department of Tourism issued a record-breaking 408 permits to climb Mt. Everest alone, and many more issued to summit the other extreme altitude mountains throughout the country. The demand for […] Steven Snyder | February 1, 2020 0 Comments
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