Utah Altitude (Salt Lake City, Ephraim: hotel, houses, living in)

[mj949]

Hello everyone, this is my first time posting in this forum.

My question is about altitude in Utah. Except for a few years living in Nevada, I've always lived at sea level.
In a couple of months my spouse and I plan on traveling to Utah to look around and see if it's a possible place to move to.
We have no plans to do anything recreational involving being high up in the mountains.
We'd be looking at the Salt Lake City area. Houses, places of possible employment, just things like that.
My spouse also has relatives in Ephraim, so we'd also be stopping by that area to visit with them for an afternoon.

I've read conflicting information about experiencing higher altitude and the physical symptoms associated with it. Some publications say that it's not something that you really have to worry about unless you go 8,000 feet, others say 6,000, and some even consider as low as 5,000 feet.

It's got me thinking I'm going to walk out of the airport in SLC and feel like I just ran a marathon.

I thought this would be a great place to ask about this subject. What your experiences are or the experiences of friends & family who visit you from other places.
If it's something I need to worry about or not worry about.
I want to be able to enjoy the trip but lately this issue has been giving me a little stress.

Thanks for your help.

[irman]

Originally Posted by mj949

I want to be able to enjoy the trip but lately this issue has been giving me a little stress.

Absolute first thing you do need to do is get rid of your stress before you get here.
*Stress* alone will make you miserable in any condition.

OK, with that out of the way, altitude will only effect you when you get way above I'd say 10,000 feet
and then you have to do a bit of laborious work to really feel the effects of a bit less oxygen concentration in the air.

While you are in Utah, I doubt if you would be that often above 8,000 feet,
and unless you will be running a marathon at that altitude, you would not even notice.

There *could* be some problems, but then only if you are asthmatic.
Then even altitudes above 2,000 feet *might* give you some problems, but only if you start doing some strenuous work.

The whole area of the SLC valley and immediate surroundings is about 4500 feet to may be 6500,
but only when you get close to the feet of the mountains.

Ephraim, the city itself, is about 5600 feet, and from SLC, you may have to pass thru some higher altitudes.
I assume you are not walking there, are you ?

The information you have *heard* about how altitude might effect you personally,
is not *conflicting*, but can be classified as *different*.
Altitude WILL effect any person in some way or another,
but the human body is extremely fast in adapting if you have a *normal* physical condition.
If you have some breathing problems, aged a bit in the advanced years, or whatever,
then altitude could give you a few problems, but even then your body will adjust.

I have a family member who used to live around 7500 feet and she needed some help during sleep times.
The doctor mentioned that living around 2,000 feet or below might help.
When she visited us, we are at 4,800 feet, she never had any problems !

Again, if you just go about what you normally would be doing, you WILL be OK, to about 8,000 feet.
Any higher, and you want to take long walks, and are a bit advanced in age, you *may* have to slow down a bit.

[coolcats]

The valleys are generally below 5000 feet. We were at over 9000 feet this weekend with a 3 month old and a two year old with no issues. It is not a big concern IMHO.

[mj949]

Thanks for your reply irman.
I'm late 30's and in general good health.
Thanks coolcats.

[oldtrader]

If you have lung or heart problems you may be effected by the altitude, but otherwise not really any problem. You may get short winded for a few days if you exert yourself, but nothing to worry about.

[SouthernBelleInUtah]

Some people are affectrd in SLC. nausea and headaches are the main symptoms. Drink a LOT of water the first couple of days and you should be fine.

[kaytidid]

When we visited UT from NJ before moving here, we flew in late at night and spent the night in a hotel. The next morning I got up and was as dizzy as all get out. It lasted for about an hour. I couldn't tell you whether it was altitude related or maybe I was exhausted or hungry or...? At any rate, it didn't last for very long and that was the only "symptom" that I had. We flew home back to NJ and a month later drove out here to live. Didn't have any trouble whatsoever then. Make sure you drink a LOT of water and stock up on chapstick and lotion.

[Katzpur]

mj949, I have two volunteer postions in which I interact with tourists a lot. I come in contact with people from all over the world, and meet a lot of people who have basically spent their entire lives at or near sea level. The subject of altitude doesn't come up a lot, but it does occasionally, and my experience is that it is hardly even noticeable to most people. If you were an athlete and were playing a tennis match here for the first time, you'd undoubtedly be able to tell the difference, but for most people, regardless of what they're used it, it's pretty much a non-issue.

[Marat]

If you do notice anything at first, please remember that your body will adapt in a few weeks. I play a lot of sports and when I first moved out there, I would get winded more easily. After a month, I realized that had passed.

Posters above have mentioned to be sure and keep hydrated. That is great advice. The region is quite dry and it is easily to become a little dehydrated without even knowing it. Dehydration will make any altitude sickness worse.

In a nutshell, take it easy at first, drink plenty of water, and you will be fine.

[mj949]

Thanks for all of your replies. It's helped me feel much better!