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
High Altitude Pulmonary Edema (HAPE): Something to Consider for Your Next Alpine Adventure Should someone traveling in the higher elevation areas be concerned about HAPE? It is an uncommon occurrence for most people while in the mountains, but it can happen. Here’s how it can happen and how to avoid it. HAPE can be described as an accumulation of fluid in the lungs from an abrupt increase in elevation for those that […] Brains Joseph Puetz | February 1, 2021 1 Comment
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: The Deadly Form Of Altitude Sickness As we gain elevation in the mountains, changes happen to our bodies. We find it harder to catch our breath, our muscles feel heavier, and we tire more easily. These symptoms are quite common when entering a new altitude, and normally our bodies can adapt. However, in some cases, a life-threatening form of altitude sickness can quickly develop. This is called […] Backcountry Hannah | 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
HAPE: What it Actually is and How to Avoid it High Altitude Pulmonary Edema, or HAPE for short, is something every hiker wants to avoid at all costs. HAPE is a life-threatening form of non-cardiogenic pulmonary edema. Mayoclinic.org says this happens when you gain elevation at a rapid rate and your lungs start to constrict, causing increased pressure. This increase in pressure causes fluid to leak to your lung tissue […] Brains Artur | February 1, 2021 0 Comments
What is High Altitude Pulmonary Edema and How to Spot the Deadly Condition Summiting the peak of a high-altitude mountain is one of life’s most rewarding feats. However, it doesn’t come without its fair share of risks. Today we’re talking about High Altitude Pulmonary Edema or HAPE. A life-threatening condition influenced by high altitude which causes fluid to be generated and accumulated in the lungs. Occurring when individuals ascend above 8,200 feet, mountaineers, […] Brains Nick DeRiso | February 1, 2021 0 Comments
Moving On Up: Elevation Immigration Possess Health Risks As COVID impacts people around the country. We are seeing lowland dwellers moving into mountain towns, unaware that they are stepping into thin air. Summit County in Colorado is seeing a boom of new residents moving in. The county has an elevation range of 7,947ft to 14,270ft. At those elevations, people can suffer from three types of altitude sickness. […] Climbing Cameron Griffin | February 20, 2020 0 Comments
High-Altitude Pulmonary Edema (HAPE) Can Occur At Lower Altitudes High-altitude pulmonary edema (HAPE) is a life-threatening accumulation of fluid in the lungs that occurs in healthy people used to living at low altitudes who travel above 2,500 meters (8,200 ft). However, cases have also been reported between (1,500–2,500 m.) or (4,900–8,200 ft.) in more vulnerable people. HAPE remains the major cause of death related to high-altitude exposure. Before HAPE was understood […] Climbing Nick Retterer | February 1, 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
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
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
High-Altitude Pulmonary Edema: The Invisible Killer While there are many risks associated with being at altitude such as hypothermia or dehydration, High-Altitude Pulmonary Edema (HAPE) is the most deadly. Pulmonary Edema is fluid in the lungs and, as the name suggests, HAPE is fluid in the lungs due to prolonged time at high elevations. Typically, HAPE tends to occur in people that are above 8,000 ft, […] Backcountry Alex Camerino | February 1, 2020 0 Comments
High Altitude Pulmonary Edema | Know What it is and What to Do According to the Mayo Clinic high altitude pulmonary edema (HAPE), not to be confused with pneumonia, is caused when the vessels in the lungs constrict, eventually making fluid leak to the lung tissues and into air sacs. Despite how uninviting and scary this sounds, especially to those who play or live in higher elevations it’s quite an important condition to […] Backcountry Mitchell Milbauer | February 1, 2020 0 Comments
HAPE – High Altitude Pulmonary Edema: The Lethal Consequence of Summit Fever High Altitude Pulmonary Edema (HAPE) should be at the forefront of every mountaineer’s mind. HAPE is fatal if the signs and symptoms are ignored due to summit fever. HAPE is one of the leading causes of death in high altitudes with rates as high as 6% for climbers who rapidly ascend in the Alps. HAPE is a life-threatening condition that […] Brains Dominic Gawel | February 1, 2020 0 Comments
Scientists Warn of the Dangers Between Mistaking COVID-19 for High Altitude Pulmonary Edema As the 2020 pandemic continues to escalate doctors are warning of the dangers of equating the coronavirus to High Altitude Pulmonary Edema (HAPE). While the symptoms of the two can be similar, the two are very different, and equating the two can be life-threatening. Both conditions can cause respiratory failure, trouble breathing, and extremely low oxygen levels in the blood, […] Industry News Ryan Flynn | February 1, 2020 0 Comments
HAPE – An Extreme Form of Altitude Sickness Often Causing Death in Otherwise Healthy Individuals What is HAPE? Whether an avid hiker or moving to a location with higher elevation be aware of the signs and symptoms of HAPE – High Altitude Pulmonary Edema. This translates to the development of swelling and fluid in the lungs due to an extreme change in altitude. It typically occurs around 8200 ft. in elevation but can also occur […] Climbing Lauren Hash | February 1, 2020 1 Comment