🏔️Altitude & diving
Altitude sickness: how to prevent it
3 min readChecklist
When to use
Trips above ~2,500 m — Andes, Himalaya, Kilimanjaro, high-altitude cities.
Prevent it
- Above 3,000 m, don't raise your sleeping altitude by more than 300–500 m a day.
- Take a rest day every 600–900 m of ascent.
- Stay hydrated; avoid alcohol for the first 48 hours.
- Consider acetazolamide (Diamox) for rapid ascents — ask your doctor.
Warning signs
Headache, nausea, dizziness, poor sleepMild (AMS)
Confusion, unsteady walking, breathless at restDescend now
Golden rule
- If symptoms are getting worse, DESCEND — don't go higher.
- Never ascend further while you have symptoms of altitude sickness.
Download & print
PDFs are being prepared — buttons are placeholders for now.
Source: Swiss EKRM / Wilderness Medical Society