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I'm from Minnesota and am staying in Custer, SD. Since we got here on Thursday night terrible migraine, fatigue, dizziness and shortness of breath climbing stairs. It has to be from being from flat Minnesota but it's been absolutely awful in that aspect. The scenery is just as beautiful as I remembered though so it'll be OK for a few days.
If you are getting altitude sickness at 3,500 feet, anything more than a little shortness of breath, you may be seriously anemic. See a medical doctor.
Otherwise your symptoms are likely to be simple dehydration, especially since most higher altitude locations are out West and typically visited by tourists in the warmer months. Or maybe that shrimp salad you had at the Howard Johnsons is not sitting well.
I'm from Minnesota and am staying in Custer, SD. Since we got here on Thursday night terrible migraine, fatigue, dizziness and shortness of breath climbing stairs. It has to be from being from flat Minnesota but it's been absolutely awful in that aspect. The scenery is just as beautiful as I remembered though so it'll be OK for a few days.
It doesn't seem high enough to get AS. It normally doesn't affect people until 5,000 or 6,000 feet at a minimum. You're extremely out of shape, need to drink more (dehydration), and or have a serious condition going on.
I'm from Minnesota and am staying in Custer, SD. Since we got here on Thursday night terrible migraine, fatigue, dizziness and shortness of breath climbing stairs. It has to be from being from flat Minnesota but it's been absolutely awful in that aspect. The scenery is just as beautiful as I remembered though so it'll be OK for a few days.
Yes, in Custer, altitude is an average of 5300 ft. Some places in the area are higher - some are substantially higher (when I lived at Jewel Cave, we were just over 5700 feet, and when I moved into the USFS land off of Custer Limestone Road, we were at 6300 feet). So, even though most people don't experience altitude sickness at this elevation, it is possible - especially if they spend most of their daily life below 1500 feet. However, your symptoms most probably can be alleviated by drinking plenty of WATER. Most folks think any liquid will do, but drinking heavily sugared and caffeinated beverages will only aggravate things. If, after 24 hours of proper hydration, your symptoms persist, I would definitely consider seeing a doctor, as you may have an underlying issue.
Whenever I visit Spearfish, I do get more headaches, but that is due to dehydration from adjusting to the lower humidity. I also notice more shortness of breath when exercising, but that's not altitude sickness, that's just altitude higher than what your body is used to.
According to WebMD, true altitude sickness does not exist unless you're above 8,000 feet. The highest elevation in South Dakota is 7,242 so there's nowhere in South Dakota where you would experience true altitude sickness.
I've actually noticed the altitude at as little as 4,000 feet when I moved to Wyoming from sea level. Granted, I never got sick or a headache but a little short of breath. I was in pretty good shape at the time. Indeed, at Fort Wauchucca in Arizona, which is at 4-5k feet, the soldiers stationed there notice the altitude and many of them are in top shape.
Last edited by Dangerous Dave; 08-29-2016 at 02:11 PM..
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