Why do people get sick at high altitude?
There are a variety of factors that contribute to the human body’s weakness at high altitudes. Our bodies were not created to handle the incredibly frigid temperatures, the high winds, or the lack of oxygen that are common in places such as these, and thus we are forced to come properly prepared mentally and physically. It goes without saying, that ambient air temperature decreases with height, meaning that you will be much colder on the summit of an 8000-meter peak than you would when sitting on the beach in Miami. Recent developments from specialized clothing manufacturers have alleviated much of the danger posed by the temperatures and winds, though oxygen concentration is a different animal altogether. One common myth is that it is a decrease in the amount of oxygen that acts as the driver for all types of altitude sickness. The true cause, however, is the lack of atmospheric pressure. Pressure is defined as the weight exerted on the surface of the Earth by a column of air rising v
