Altitude sickness is one of the most common ailments among people who visit Mammoth Lakes as many come from sea level. With years of experience in altitude sickness, we'll share everything you need to know about Mammoth altitude and our best tips how to avoid Mammoth altitude sickness.
Mammoth altitude starts at 7,953 feet in the town, and goes up from there. Mammoth Mountain is known as the highest ski resort in California, reaching 11,053 feet high.
Mammoth Mountain is one of the largest and longest ski resorts in the United States, located in the Sierra Nevada Mountain Range of California. Although Vail has Mammoth beat in skiable acreage and total trails, not many ski resorts get close to the size of Mammoth.
In addition to skiing and snowboarding, Mammoth Mountain offers a wide range of winter activities, such as snowshoeing, cross-country skiing, snowmobiling, and ice skating. The resort also has a lively après-ski scene, with numerous bars, restaurants, and nightlife options to enjoy after a day on the slopes. Beyond winter sports, Mammoth also offers plenty of outdoor activities in the summer months — including hiking, mountain biking, fishing, and golfing. The area's stunning natural beauty, with its towering mountains, crystal-clear lakes, and majestic forests, is also a big draw for visitors.
Some of its many high altitude hikes include Thousand Island Lake at 9,833 feet, Convict Lake Loop at 7,620 feet, and Devils Postpile & Rainbow Falls at 7,500 feet.
Whether visiting Mammoth or one of its many surrounding mountains, you should take precautions for altitude sickness.
If you're wondering do people get altitude sickness at Mammoth, yes they do.
According to science, altitude sickness or acute mountain sickness can start as low as 5,000 feet, such as in Denver.⁹ With Mammoth Mountain at much higher altitudes reaching 7,953 to 11,053 feet high, the risk of altitude sickness is very high and even more so for anyone coming from sea level.
It's estimated that up to 50% of people past 10,000 feet will experience altitude sickness.⁹ Based Mammoth Mountain's high altitudes, this would indicate it's very common to experience altitude sickness.
The summit of Mammoth Mountain reaches an altitude of 11,053 above sea level. This puts Mammoth Mountain Ski Area in the top 30 highest resorts in North America.⁸
Some visitors to Mammoth Lakes may find it hard to breathe due to the high altitude, it's one symptom of altitude sickness.
With an elevation starting at 7,953 feet, there's oxygen compared to lower elevations. Based on Mammoth's range in altitudes, there can be anywhere between 4% and 7% less oxygen compared to sea level.¹⁰
Between world class skiing, outdoor activities, and natural beauty — Mammoth Mountain is a popular destination for both visitors around the world and in California like Los Angeles and San Francisco.
With the trip comes a high chance of altitude sickness, which can completely ruin the Mammoth experience. Being based out of Colorado, we have years experience with high altitudes and will share our best tips.
Here's 7 tips to avoid Mammoth Altitude Sickness:
Sleep has been found to increase blood flow and oxygen and be key for recovery.¹² This is vital for your body to adjust and rejuvenate, try to get at least 7-9 hours of sleep a night.
To maximize your sleep and circadian rhythm, get ample sunlight at daytime and sleep in complete darkness at night.
High altitudes have been found to cause oxidative stress and free radical damage in your body.¹⁴ Supplementing antioxidants are shown to be effective.¹⁶
Specifically glutathione, a master antioxidant, was shown to deplete by 45% at high elevations.¹⁵ You can replenish antioxidants by taking glutathione to revitalize your body.
In conclusion, follow these 7 steps to help avoid Mammoth Altitude Sickness — including acclimating gradually, staying hydrated, limiting alcohol, taking it easy, considering altitude sickness medication, getting plenty of sleep, and replenishing antioxidants.
Zaca is a quick, natural way to rehydrate, replenish, and recover. It is designed as a chewable to fuel the body with antioxidants, amino acids, and herbs to enhance your performance. Whether skiing, biking, or traveling — take these fast-acting chewables on-the-go when you need them most. Try Zaca chewable tablets today and power your mountain trip.
SOURCES:
1. Mammoth Mountain Ski Area Elevation
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mammoth_Mountain_Ski_Area
2. Mammoth Mountain Main Lodge Elevation
https://elevation.maplogs.com/poi/mammoth_mountain_main_lodge_1_minaret_rd_mammoth_lakes_ca_usa.272441.html
3. Mammoth Mountain High Altitude Tips
https://www.visitmammoth.com/high-altitude-tips/
4. Mammoth Mountain Elevation
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mammoth_Mountain
5. Thousand Island Lake Elevation
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thousand_Island_Lake
6. Convict Lake Elevation
https://convictlake.com/activities/hiking-convict-lake/
7. Devils Postpile Elevation
https://www.nps.gov/depo/planyourvisit/high-altitude-safety.htm#
8. Comparison Of North American Ski Resorts And Elevations
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comparison_of_North_American_ski_resorts
9. High-altitude illness (including mountain sickness)
https://www.uptodate.com/contents/high-altitude-illness-including-mountain-sickness-beyond-the-basics
10. Oxygen Levels at Altitude
https://wildsafe.org/resources/ask-the-experts/altitude-safety-101/oxygen-levels/
11. Why Do You Need to Drink a Lot of Water at a High Altitude?
https://www.livestrong.com/article/360485-how-to-train-for-high-altitude-hiking
12. Sleep: The Secret Ingredient of Injury Recovery
https://www.orthocarolina.com/media/sleep-the-secret-ingredient-of-injury-recovery
13. Effects of Alcohol
https://www.ahajournals.org/doi/full/10.1161/01.HYP.29.6.1278#
14. High altitude and oxidative stress
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17482529/
15. Effect of high altitude (7,620 m) exposure on glutathione
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/11320641/
16. Oxidative Stress and Diseases Associated with High-Altitude Exposure
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8868315/
