[pct-l] The dangers of 'Cameling Up'

[Aaron Doss]

Agreed, balanced is best, just don't go crazy on the hydration (like I did),
or try to push too far with too little water.  

I think that my electrolytes get unbalanced easier than the average person.
I have seen people consistently camel up and chug a gallon with no problems.
I can't do that.

The ability to "camel up" is probably dependant on the individual
(genetic/whatever).

I wish I was hiking instead of talking about it..

Best wishes to this class of 2013.


Aaron Doss
PCT 2006
http://www.gaiaimage.com/
http://www.pbase.com/aarondoss/pct


-----Original Message-----
From: pct-l-bounces at backcountry.net [mailto:pct-l-bounces at backcountry.net]
On Behalf Of Patrick
Sent: Sunday, February 10, 2013 3:45 PM
To: pct-l at backcountry.net
Subject: Re: [pct-l] The dangers of 'Cameling Up'

It's worth noting, as all the anecdotal evidence starts flowing in, that as
a four-time thru-hiker I have never felt overhydrated and have actually had
blood in my urine from dehydration. So dehydration is a potential problem, I
would hope everyone would take from this posting that you should have a
balanced approach to hydration -- not too much, in either direction.

Joker

On Sun, Feb 10, 2013 at 2:29 PM, Aaron Doss <aarondoss at gmail.com> wrote:

> I agree, I drank too much water twice on the PCT.
>
> The first time I was a scissors crossing (2006).  The water cache was 
> stocked with distilled water.  I drank about 2 quarts which you would 
> not think is that much.  In ten minutes I started getting very light 
> headed with extreme weakness. I made up some concentrated rehydration 
> mix and drank about a cup of it.  In 15 minutes I was back to normal.
>
> The second time was in 2009.  I was hiking across the lava fields next 
> to Mt Adams (WA).  There is super cold water coming from the glacier 
> flowing through the lava fields.  It was extremely hot out and I kept 
> drinking and drinking.  I lost track of how much I drank.  By the time 
> I got across the lava I nearly passed out, I collapsed on the ground 
> with an irregular heartbeat.  I immediately recognized what was 
> happening and I felt so stupid.  My body was in panic ape mode, I 
> honestly thought that I was going to die.  I had no rehydration salts 
> so I tried to eat some salty snacks but I had so much nausea it was 
> difficult.  I laid on the ground for an hour in misery and finally I 
> had to pee.  I pissed a full bladder of clear urine, and in 10 minutes 
> another bladder of clear urine, then again, probably 5 times total.
>
> I have a hard rule now, I don't drink more than half a liter every 30 
> minutes.  This has kept me out of trouble.
>
> On the opposite extreme, I had whisky/coffee like urine many times in 
> the southern California deserts without anything bad happening.
>
> People die in marathons from being over hydrated.  No one ever dies in 
> those events from dehydration.  Overhydration is far more dangerous 
> than dehydration.
>
> Aaron Doss
> PCT 2006
> http://www.gaiaimage.com/
> http://www.pbase.com/aarondoss/pct
>
>
>
>
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