Castle Rock Altitude: The Complete Guide
If you are planning to visit or move to Castle Rock, altitude sickness is a common problem. As a local Colorado company with years altitude experience, we'll share with you everything you need to know about Castle Rock altitude and our top tips to avoid altitude sickness.
Castle Rock Altitude
Castle Rock altitude sits at 6,224 feet (1,897 m) above sea level. This is considered one of the highest altitude cities along the Colorado Front Range.
- Castle Rock altitude - 6,224 ft (1,897 m)
According to Mountain Medicine, Castle Rock's elevation is considered "high altitude".¹
Castle Rock is located in Douglas County, which includes Parker, Highlands Ranch, Castle Pines, and Lone Tree — all of which are close to the base of the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains, just south of Denver.
Known for its natural beauty and outdoor recreation opportunities, Castle Rock has been named one of America's best places to live by Money magazine.
Altitudes of nearby areas:
- Denver altitude - 5280 ft (1609 m)
- Colorado Springs altitude - 6,035 ft (1839 m)
- Loveland Ski Area altitude - 10,800 ft to 13,010 ft (3292 m to 3965 m)
- Arapahoe Basin Ski Area - 10,780 ft to 13,050 ft (3285 m to 3977 m)
- Red Rocks altitude 6,450 ft (1,965 m)
With the heights of Castle Rock altitude, altitude sickness is something you should be prepared for.
Castle Rock Altitude vs Denver Altitude
Castle Rock has higher altitude than the mile high city of Denver by about 1,000 feet. Castle Rock is at an altitude of 6,224 feet versus Denver is at an altitude of 5280 feet.
At that difference in altitude and therefore pressure, there's a one percent (1%) less oxygen in Castle Rock than in Denver. This means it will be even harder to adjust to the altitude in Castle Rock and altitude sickness occurrence can be slightly higher.
Castle Rock Altitude Sickness
If you're visiting Castle Rock, it's important that you understand how high elevation affects your body and can cause altitude sickness.
When you climb up in elevation, it takes some time for your body to adjust and adjust to the lower oxygen levels. This can cause symptoms such as headaches or fatigue, which can make it difficult for you to enjoy your trip.
Symptoms of Castle Rock altitude sickness can include:
- headache
- dizziness
- fatigue or tiredness
- weakness
- malaise or feeling ill
- loss of appetite
- nausea or vomiting
- shortness of breath
- difficulty sleeping or insomnia
These altitude sickness symptoms can typically develop within 6-24 hours. Be aware of these symptoms when you first arrive to Castle Rock or if visiting Colorado from out of town.
Keep reading to learn how you can avoid Castle Rock altitude sickness.
6 Tips to Avoid Castle Rock Altitude Sickness
The Colorado town of Castle Rock is home to many things and outdoor activities, but what makes it noteworthy is its natural beauty and its elevation. At just over 6,000 feet above sea level, the altitude in Castle Rock can cause some visitors to experience altitude sickness.
Being based out of Colorado we have years of experience and research on altitude sickness. We'll share with you our top tips to help you avoid Castle Rock altitude sickness.
Here are 6 tips to avoid Castle Rock altitude sickness:
1. Maximize Your Hydration
One of the most important things to do is drink lots of water before and during your trip to Castle Rock.
The high altitudes of Castle Rock will increase respiration and fluid loss, causing dehydration which can lead to headaches and fatigue.
Most visitors of Colorado are actually dehydrated and don't drink enough water. Experts often say to drink half of your body weight in ounces of water. We'd recommend that at least, and increasing your water intake if hiking, skiing or doing other outdoor activities.
TIP: Add sea salt to your water/foods, or take Zaca
hydration chewables to maximize water absorption and electrolyte intake.
2. Sleep Well & Take It Easy
If you are going to be at Castle Rock's high altitude, take it easy and don’t overexert yourself.
Avoid strenuous activity such as hiking or skiing for the first day or two at this altitude. Your body needs time to adjust to lower oxygen levels and this can be hard on your body.
If you are having trouble breathing at any point, slow down. Take a break and cool off, this is a sign your body is struggling with the altitude.
When you're sleeping, it is found to increase recovery and support your immune system.⁴ Sleep is critical for altitude adjustment, and experts say 7-9 hours per night is recommended.
3. Slowly Acclimate
The best way to avoid altitude sickness is by letting your body adjust gradually to changes in elevation.
While this may not be possible if you fly straight in from sea level, you can apply this if you visit the mountains. Most mountain destination such as
Aspen,
Breckenridge, and
Telluride — all sit at over 8,000 feet in altitude.
If possible, spend at least two nights at Castle Rock's intermediate altitude before climbing higher to those destinations.
4. Visit An Oxygen Bar
While it's questionable how much
canned oxygen helps with altitude, supplemental oxygen that you get at an oxygen bar can be effective.
- The University of Pennsylvania Schools of Medicine and Nursing showed that supplemental oxygen had a significant effect on physiological factors at high altitude.³
This can be both preventative of altitude sickness, or help recover if you already have altitude sickness.
While there's not an oxygen bar directly in Castle Rock, a short drive away to Lone Tree is
All Things Vain Medi Spa that has 10 to 30 minute oxygen bar sessions.
5. Limit Alcohol
Alcohol can worsen or add to the effects of altitude sickness.
Both alcohol and altitude sickness have similar symptoms, including headache and nausea, and can cause dehydration. Mixed together can taxing on your body.
Limit alcohol consumption until you're acclimated to the new altitude level in Castle Rock and don't show signs of altitude sickness.
6. Take Glutathione
Glutathione is an antioxidant that helps the body fight free radicals, and is popularly used in supplements for altitude.
- A study showed that glutathione can be depleted by up to 45% from high altitude conditions.⁵
This is noteworthy as glutathione is a key amino acid for the body to protect against oxidative stress, which increases at higher altitudes.
You can take an IV for glutathione, such as the
Aspen IV at Onus iV which can cost $260. Or, you can take glutathione from a supplement which can be more affordable and easier to take on a daily basis during your Castle Rock visit.
This concludes our list of well researched tips to avoid Castle Rock altitude sickness — including to maximize your hydration, sleep well and take it easy, slowly acclimate, visit an oxygen bar, limit alcohol consumption, and take glutathione.
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SOURCES
1. Effects of high altitude on humans
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Effects_of_high_altitude_on_humans#cite_note-10
2. Oxygen Levels at Altitude
https://wildsafe.org/resources/ask-the-experts/altitude-safety-101/oxygen-levels/
3. Supplemental oxygen and hyperbaric treatment at high altitude: cardiac and respiratory response
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17571664/
4. 7 Benefits of Sleep for Exercise Recovery
https://www.acefitness.org/resources/everyone/blog/7818/7-benefits-of-sleep-for-exercise-recovery/
5. Effect of high altitude (7,620 m) exposure on glutathione
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/11320641/
