Are there homes above 11,400 foot elevation in Colorado? (Eagle: ski resort, living)

[Josseppie]

Originally Posted by CosmicWizard

We Americans are light weights when it comes to high altitude living. La Rinconada ( population 30,000 ) in Peru is the highest city of the world, situated at a height of 5,100m (16,732.28 feet) above sea level.

To live that high in Colorado, you'd have to erect a 2300 ft tower on the top of Mt Elbert, and build your home on the tower. Might be a bit breezy up there! You'd get quite a thrill every time the wind blew. I imagine a tower like that would be so shaky, you'd get the thrill of a lifetime every time you took a step in your house.

Not a fair comparison, I was at Machu Picchu and Quito Ecuador last year and the mountains there are completely different because they are on the equator. Even at the very highest of elevations they are warm and green. If Leadville was like that I would suspect they would be larger then they currently are. However, I will say I found out the hard way I cant drink the same at 12,000 feet as I can at 4,500 feet lol.

[Weekend Traveler]

The vacation home we rented 10 miles west of Breckenridge, CO was at 11,400 feet elevation and was on the top of a hill in a subdivision with about 50 other homes. I did not realize it would be so high when we rented it and had many effects of altitude sickness.

Originally Posted by jazzlover

Not only are residences above 11,000 totally impractical, they are an environmental nightmare. Vegetation disturbances in the above-timberline environment can take DECADES to recover--if ever. There are a few hare-brained, out-of-state imbeciles that have bought high-altitude mining claims and built homes on those (which is directly in conflict with the intent of the mining law, but is nonetheless legal). Not only do these homes destroy view-sheds, their effects are on the tundra environment are severe. Just another example of stupidity, ignorance, and greed--not to mention a total lack of common sense.

[DOUBLE H]

50 homes in a subdivision at 11,400 feet? I think I'm getting sick myself!

[stillkit]

In the first place, why would anyone WANT to live that high up? But, that's a matter of individual preference.

Two major problems:

1. As has been mentioned; the weather. Did you know that even at the equator, the conditions at 14,000 ft are theoretically identical to Antarctica? How much more so is that true for 12,000 ft half way to the North Pole?

2. You can't boil water that high up.

[treedonkey]

Originally Posted by stillkit

In the first place, why would anyone WANT to live that high up?

The only plausible reasons I can think of are:

NFS assignment
or
bragging rights

[EscapeCalifornia]

Originally Posted by stillkit

2. You can't boil water that high up.

You can boil water in space. It just won't be 212F.

[Josseppie]

Originally Posted by stillkit

In the first place, why would anyone WANT to live that high up? But, that's a matter of individual preference.

Two major problems:

1. As has been mentioned; the weather. Did you know that even at the equator, the conditions at 14,000 ft are theoretically identical to Antarctica? How much more so is that true for 12,000 ft half way to the North Pole?

2. You can't boil water that high up.

These are the mountains in Peru around Machu Picchu. Some are over 14,000 feet high and are lush and green nothing like Antarctica.



This is right on the equator at Quito, Ecuador. That city is over 10,000 feet high.

[treedonkey]

Originally Posted by stillkit

Two major problems:

1. As has been mentioned; the weather. Did you know that even at the equator, the conditions at 14,000 ft are theoretically identical to Antarctica? How much more so is that true for 12,000 ft half way to the North Pole?

According to what sort of theory? I've been on some fourteeners here in the summer and fall, and I'm certain that the tops of any of our peaks in July are much warmer and milder than anyplace in Antarctica at that time...

[CosmicWizard]

The only factor that determines the boiling point of water at any altitude is the barometric pressure (the altitude itself doesn't actually matter, it's just that at higher elevation, the barometric pressure usually drops). However, water will boil at two different temperatures at the same elevation if you are in a high pressure weather system instead of a low pressure system.

@ 12,000 ft above sea level H2O boils at or near 191.78 °F or 88.77 °C

[Moonwalkr]

Originally Posted by Josseppie

Not a fair comparison, I was at Machu Picchu and Quito Ecuador last year and the mountains there are completely different because they are on the equator. Even at the very highest of elevations they are warm and green. If Leadville was like that I would suspect they would be larger then they currently are. However, I will say I found out the hard way I cant drink the same at 12,000 feet as I can at 4,500 feet lol.

Yep, the latitude makes a big difference in terms of mountain climate. Timberline is a lot higher at the lower latitudes. Now I think the partial pressure of oxygen is not latitude dependent? So you would probably die from altitude sickness before freezing to death on the equatorial mountains. I seem to recall there's really no seasons, it gets cold at night but mild during the day, all year long, due to the nearly vertical sun.