Mt Whitney Zone Forums General Discussion Best acclimatization day hikes for Mt Whitney

Believe me - only in California would you find this . . .

In 2013 my friend took the 500s and had no ill effects. I however usually only take 62.5, twice per day. At 125 mg twice per day, I had side effects.

Here's a google images page for Whoa Nellie Deli. If you're going to hit Yosemite, it's a mandatory stop. You could even stop both ways.

Visiting Yosemite will make a very long day from Lone Pine. But then if you want to hit it first, there are spots on the Tioga Road (just outside the park) to park and sleep overnight (old road turnouts etc., N side of the road in the Ellery/Tioga Lakes vicinity)

From Lee Vining, it's a 2-hour (each way) drive into Yosemite Valley. Worth seeing if this is your one chance. Just expect the crowds, but stop at the sight-seeing turnouts, and take a side trip (2 miles) to the Tunnel View overlook (Hwy 41 toward Fresno).

If you hike in Yosemite, the Clouds Rest hike from Tenaya Lake will put you at a nice high (10k) and central point to get a big overview of the park. (You'll be looking down on Half Dome!). But it's maybe a 15-mile hike (guessing), so that plus a visit to the Valley would be a looong day.

I wouldn't use that Diamox. 500 mg, even over 24 hours is huge. Maybe call the doctor who prescribed it, and ask for a new prescription using the (relatively new) 125 mg tablets.

That's a massive dose, geared for glaucoma patients. I'd definitely check back with the doc and see if he can prescribe 250 mg scored tabs that you can cut. If you wind up stuck with the 500 mg capsules, take a dose or two before you leave to see how it affects you. If you're sensitive to the side effects, you really want to know before you're well up the trail and at high altitude.

The most common side effects are the tingling in the extremeties and messing with the taste of carbonated beverages. It works against AMS at altitude by reducing fluid buildup around the brain and lungs. It does that because it's a diuretic - a powerful one. Expect to pee way more than normal while it's in your system, which can cause your hydration to go sideways on you. When on acetazolamide at altitude, especially a big dose like 500 mg, you need to watch your fluid intake vs output carefully. Cardinal rule: if you're peeing clear and regularly, you're well hydrated. The darker your urine, the more concerned you need to be about hydration. Dehydration is one of several gateways to AMS.

The other risk is too-frequent water intake flushing the minerals out of your system, creating an electrolyte imbalance, which is almost as bad as AMS. You can avoid this by using an additive with your water occasionally. There are a zillion brands out there, but I've been using Camelbak Elixir tablets the last few years.

I stopped there a few days ago. Always a busy place.

Can't go wrong with Horseshoe Meadows to New Army Pass ...one canyon south or Onion Valley to Kearsarge Pass one canyon north. Diamox definitely worked for us. Spent a night in Ridegcrest (I hr south of Lone Pine) and at Trail Camp 2 nights.

A shorter alternative would be to park at the May Lake trailhead on the Tioga Road and do the Mt Hoffmann hike. At 10,850 feet it's almost 1000 feet higher than Clouds Rest and it's located in the exact geographical center of Yosemite with no other high peaks nearby so you can see the whole park. Round trip to the summit and back is only seven miles. Supposedly this was one of John Muir's favorite views.

We did a night at Lone Pine Campground and a night at the portal, hiking Horseshoe Meadow before sleeping at the portal. All of those spots were gorgeous, by the way. We also stayed a night at Outpost and a night at Trail Camp.

I had a light headache while we were in the Whitney Zone but nothing extreme by any means, and got a little sick to my stomach on the way up the switchbacks, but nothing a granola bar and a few minutes of rest couldn't handle. We had Advil and Aleve and, using those sparingly, had an uneventful trip getting up to the summit and back.

Prior to the trip we camped at San Gorgonio and hiked Mt. Baldy.

Yes, be very cautious about taking too-high a dosage of Diamox. A woman just posted on the ladies of the JMT Facebook page that she suffered a seizure just below Mather Pass and had to be heli-evacuated out - doctors in Bishop suspect the electrolyte imbalance caused by her taking two 125-mg Diamox per day caused a heart "blip". I usually cut the 125-mg pill in half and take one per day (and I still get a bit of that annoying tingling).

I'd suggest calling your doctor and having him/her write a prescription for a lower dose.