While Salt Lake City will have less instances of altitude sickness than Denver, many of the mountainous areas of Utah have high risk of altitude sickness with higher elevations.
Yes, altitude sickness is common in Colorado including Denver.
Altitude sickness is noted to start around 5,000, which just the city of Denver and Colorado Springs well exceeds.
² It's estimated that around 10% of Denver visitors experience altitude sickness, where in the mountains it can get as high as 30%-50%.³
6 Steps To Avoid Altitude Sickness In Utah & Colorado
Utah and Colorado are known for their breathtaking mountain ranges and high elevations, making them popular destinations for everything outdoor related.
However, the high altitude can also cause altitude sickness, which can be a major setback to any trip. Being based out of Colorado with years of high altitude experience, we'll share the best steps to take.
1. Hydrate
Staying hydrated is essential to avoiding altitude sickness as higher elevations can cause increased urination and sweating. It's been reported by the Wilderness Medical Society that fluid loss can happen twice as fast at high altitudes.⁴
Drink plenty of water, it's commonly recommended to drink at least half your body weight in ounces of water per day.
2. Prioritize Your Sleep
Getting enough sleep is crucial to our physical well-being and recovery.⁷ High altitudes can be counterproductive by actually causing sleep issues or insomnia.
Prioritize your sleep, and target 7-9 hours of sleep. One step you can take to help optimize your sleep is getting plenty of natural sunlight during the day, which can increase melatonin production.
3. Avoid Intense Activity
Intense exercise can lead to more physiological and oxidative stress than the body can tolerate with the high altitude environment.
It is recommended to take it easy for the first few days after arriving at high altitude in Utah and Colorado. Avoid hiking, skiing or any other intense activity until you feel acclimated.
4. Limit Alcohol
Alcohol can cause similar symptoms as altitude sickness such as headaches and fatigue. Alcohol is also know to lower sleep quality and even decrease oxygen saturation.⁸
Limit alcohol when you first arrive to Salt Lake City or Denver, or at least the first night or two until your body is better adjusted.
5. Acclimate Slowly
With both Salt Lake City and Denver being between 4,000 and 5,500 feet high, they are good baselines for your trip. Meaning, you can fly into these cities and stay a night or two before heading to the higher altitude mountain destinations like Deer Valley in Utah and Vail in Colorado.
6. Boost Your Antioxidants
Oxidative stress is a known issue at high elevations in Utah and Colorado.⁹ One study showed that these type of high elevations can deplete glutathione in the body, which is known as the body's master antioxidant.¹¹
Supplementing antioxidants can be a promising solution to combat free radical damage, and specifically glutathione can help replenish your levels to normal.¹⁰
Follow these steps to help avoid the high-altitudes of Salt Lake City and Denver — including hydrating, prioritizing your sleep, avoiding intense activities, limiting alcohol, acclimating slowly, and boosting your antioxidant.
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