Pictures, pictures and pictures!

[The GCW]

Radical Hill, out of Montezuma. 11,730’ el. near TREE LINE).

[The GCW]

I took an interesting tour a couple weeks ago, starting out at the Keystone Gulch winter parking trailhead and skied up Keystone Gulch to the Keystone Resort lifts. Then I rode the Ruby chair lift to the top of Keystone Resort and skied 3 1/2 miles down the green run named Schoolmarm to the bottom of the ski area. From there I skied back to My truck at Keystone Gulch.

Part of the purpose was to get some time going downhill on My Åsnes 62 Falktind Xplore skis, Alfa Vista Xplore boots & Rottefella Xplore bindings.
I switched out the medium flexor at the base of Ruby chair, for the descent & put the medium flexor back in at the bottom for the ski back to the truck.

I've done that tour now twice and I like it.

[Montana St Alum]

Radical Hill, out of Montezuma. 11,730’ el. near TREE LINE).

Huffin' and puffin' at close to 12,000'. A new definition of "Montezuma's revenge"!

[blitzskier]

i struggle climbing at 7-8000 ft how can one climb at 12k? you must use oxygen?

gonna end up like these poor fools

[Krummholz]

i struggle climbing at 7-8000 ft how can one climb at 12k? you must use oxygen?

You just have to live up here (8500’) a few months, then do your 14er. It helps to have some young folk along to help drag your old ass up.

Or if you’re going to skin 9000’ to 11220’.

[Montana St Alum]

It also helps to "pressure breath".

After about age 66 or so, I began incorporating it into my skiing and, in particular, mountain biking. My treatments for sarcoidosis have me a bit anemic. I've concentrated on using the technique more consistently and it's the difference between non-stopping a bump run and stopping once or twice. It's particularly helpful in shortening rest stops to get breathing under control.

[blitzskier]

It also helps to "pressure breath".

After about age 66 or so, I began incorporating it into my skiing and, in particular, mountain biking. My treatments for sarcoidosis have me a bit anemic. I've concentrated on using the technique more consistently and it's the difference between non-stopping a bump run and stopping once or twice. It's particularly helpful in shortening rest stops to get breathing under control.

where can i learn more about" pressure breath"

[The GCW]

Today I skied up Spruce Cr. Trail and got on the Wheeler Trail back to Spruce Cr. Rd. Photo is from Wheeler Trail looking at Pacific Peak (13,950').

[lowangle al]

These pics were from the talkeetna mts yesterday. A perfect day with almost perfect snow. XCD at it's finest!

[Montana St Alum]

It also helps to "pressure breath".

After about age 66 or so, I began incorporating it into my skiing and, in particular, mountain biking. My treatments for sarcoidosis have me a bit anemic. I've concentrated on using the technique more consistently and it's the difference between non-stopping a bump run and stopping once or twice. It's particularly helpful in shortening rest stops to get breathing under control.

where can i learn more about" pressure breath"

I tried searching using that term and didn't get much.
https://www.explore-share.com/blog/brea ... s-running/

My first exposure to the concept was in aviation physiology when I went to Navy flight training.
O2 is roughly 20% of air and at sea level that's around 14.7 psi. The "partial pressure" of the O2 is the important value at 20% of that pressure, or about 3 psi. We breathed 100% oxygen and if we lost cockpit pressure, 100% oxygen was fine up to 35,000 feet. Above that, the partial pressure of oxygen in the capillaries was higher than the partial pressure in the surrounding atmosphere. Because of that, even breathing pure O2 was not enough to prevent unconsciousness.

To compensate, the regulator would transition to "pressure breathing". In that mode, O2 pressure would increase and fill your lungs and you would have to forcefully exhale against that pressure. The increase was enough to oxygenate your blood up to about 50,000 feet. The technique I use may not be the most efficient, but on exhalations, I purse my lips and exhale through my mouth. My perception is that it increases my air pressure in my lungs about to the degree that I got from the regulator. That very slight increase in air pressure in my lungs seems to be enough to help now.

It could be psychological; it could also be that by concentrating on my breathing I oxygenate better regardless of any pressure differentials. Either way, I feel an improvement in performance at the margins.

If you try it, I'd be interested to hear how it goes.