March Ski/Snowboarding. Our third snowboarding trip this year took us to Breckenridge, Colorado. The week prior to our trip was a balmy 50 degrees but our week hit single digits. COLD. WINDY. LOW Visibility. That didn’t stop us tho. It snowed almost every day and the powder was glorious. We couldn’t see where we were going, but it felt great – and the terrain was forgiving when we inadvertently cartwheeled. my husband has a greaaaaat video of me tripping and rolling downhill like a boulder.
We had skiied Tahoe and Park City earlier in the season and felt pretty fit, but Denver’s altitude still hit us really hard. Headaches, nausea, dizziness. Everyone was easily winded – Several members of the group experienced some degree of altitude sickness. headaches. nausea. easily winded.
We don’t really think about altitude sickness here in the states – when I traveled to Macchu Picchu, Peru, I took prescription acetozolomide – which speeds up your body’s acclimation process by increasing the production of red blood cells. On meds at 11000 ft, I felt great. But we didn’t really think about Denver in terms of an altitude threat. So at 9600 ft, we felt like doo-doo. A quick internet search suggested Oxygen so we took the most affected member of the group to an Oxygen Bar.
I’d always wondered who frequented those places and wondered why… so I was curious, if not slightly skeptical to give it a try. It turned out to be a lifesaver for us. Sea Level to 9K’ had our most avid skier on the bench. The O2 Lounge on Main St in Breckenridge put him back in the game. My sister-in-law and I joined him at the bar and gave it a try as well. We all felt more awake and alert after 45 min of essential-oil infused oxygen. The “bartender” promised the effects would last 24-48 hours- long enough for our bodies to start catching up with the altitude demands.
The O2 Lounge was great, with comfy seats, a bar, hot or cold drinks it was a cozy place to experience your treatment. We were served by a friendly, emotionally intelligent bartender (Hi Andrew) that engaged in as much or as little conversation as we wanted. A slow but steady stream of out of towners walked through the doors grey-faced and slow, but left with some red in their cheeks.
There was an evident (at least to me) difference between the three of us that imbibed in the O2 and the other 6 that didnt. They continued to have headaches for a few days. Nonetheless, Despite the O2 treatment, the top of Breckenridge still had all of us winded anytime we had to trek along the top (snowboard boots sink something fierce in soft snow!). The top of the Imperial express is the highest slope in North America… and a photo Op. Trudging along the top of the ridge on the way to Whale’s tale had us doubled over gasping for breath. If it wasn’t for that traverse in knee-deep powder, or the gale-force winds trying to push us off the crest, we might have repeated the bowl a few more times, but as it were we were questioning our survival on this one run.
We couldn’t see anything through the cloudy fog on our way down from the bowl, but it felt glorious even when I rolled! I’d definitely do it again.
Breck was a fun trip – cute shops, friendly people, a cute little library (yes we checked it out), great food and perfect powder that weekend.
Two things to prepare for – ALTITUDE and the T-bar that takes you up to horseshoe bowl… lol that’s a story in and of itself. Snowboarders – be prepared to fall, take out some people, or hit a pole on your way up. When you finally make it to the top, your inner thigh is gonna smart for a few days… but again – worth it! Giddyup! if you get there, let me know if you needed O2 and tried the T bar!
