Mountain medicine and first aid:
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* lower atmospheric pressure
* low temperature
normal behavior (phenomena):
* increased urination
* awaken many times at night
* periodic breathing at night
* edema of altitude
Altitude illness:
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* ams - acute mountain sickness (fatigue, difficulty in sleeping, dizzying)
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diagnostic: illusions, memory loss, will not be oriented with time place and person.
* hace (haco): high altitude cerebral edema
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fluids in the brain
change in mental status
ataxia
* hape (hapo): occurs above 12,000 ft
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breathlessness at rest (dyspnea)
cough with blood
fatigue
chest congestion
treatment of mild ams:
--> rest
--> make sure you are not dehydrated
--> use painkillers
--> take acetazolamide (tablets) / dymox 250mg x 2
--> keep head covered and dry socks
treatment of hapo/haco:
--> descend
Himalaya:
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in 1965 Canadian geologer talked about the plate theory
mountain: any elevated portion of the planet
It is the youngest mountain range with length: 24000 km, width: 160 km
14 peaks above 8 km
300 peaks above 7600 m
evolution of the Himalayas:
rose 200 millions years ago, ecology is very young, formation still rising.
before 50 million years there was only Tetis sea and sediments subside on top.when there was collision it rose up with sea sediments
before 130 million years the super continent separated to 2 geological sub continents:
south continent: Gondwana land (s. Africa, India, Antarctica, Australia)
north continent: Laurasia (Europe, Asia)
60 million years ago the Indian subcontinent collided with the Eurasian landmass.
this collision marked the formation of the Himalayas 50 M years ago. it was not a single event but a result of several impulses spread over a span of 30-40 M years.
Himalayan mountains rose about 4000-5000 meters in the last million years.
the six major tectonic plates:
1. Australian
2. Eurasian
3. American
4. Pacific
5. African
6. antarctic plate
India got the title subcontinent because of:
1. geological location
2. flora & fauna
Division of the Himalayas: top graphical divisions (by height)
1. Himalayas -lower. average altitude 1000-1300m. youngest of all mountains. densely populated. forms the home of tigers, leopards, bears and others.
2. Lesser Himalayas (shaviliks): average 3500-4500m. lower slopes has tropical forests: Darjeeling, Gangtok and more
3. Greater Himalayas: Axis of the whole mountain system, generally aligned to shivaliks (= lesser Himalayas). crest height not below 5500m
now 6 tectonic plates exists with 30 small plates.
some terms in mountaineeringng: gendarme, glacier table,crust,snow/tree line,icicles,scrags,snow bridge, verglass, slab, avalanche,cornice, tarn, snout, moren, neve, crevasse, bergschrund,spree,arete,pinnacle,ridge,Col,pass,valley,traverse ,bivouac,binightment