Is it possible for a cigarette smoker to climb Denali? I honestly think that there's nobody better than me at 'mind over matter', but that means nothing when it comes to safety.

Your statement is very generic. For how long, are you still, and how well do you perform on other peaks. While we don't be able to give you an accurate yes/no, it will at least give us a better idea to help you. When I was 14 years old I read a fictional book about climbing Denali (it was based on real things/experiences) in which the smoker character gave up at 14,000 feet. That being said you should at least try 14ers and see how you do. If you get thrashed by them, you will want to do a lot more training. I've been to 19,500 feet which was very rough on me (granted I was sick and ice climbing). The air is so much thicker and nice at 14K which means that you will want to make sure you perform well at that altitude.

I put in quite a show myself on peaks that I care about, however I had to do a lot of obsessive training months in advance (this excludes all my years of climbing experience). The running was so hard that I had to sleep 10-12 hours a night often. The standard try hard wasn't going to cut it. Just make sure you don't over do it with your training and get some perspective by doing some "stepping stone peaks" along the way.

Jim Bridwell climbed to something like 28,000 feet on Everest without supplemental oxygen and that guy smokes like a chimney.

ExcitableBoy wrote:Jim Bridwell climbed to something like 28,000 feet on Everest without supplemental oxygen and that guy smokes like a chimney.

It's true. He used to joke by saying "it made every breath at sea level feel like altitude". That being said, he probably had a physiological advantage.

Thank you.

I smoked and drank on my Denali trip. I brought some rollies and a fifth of Glenfidditch as far as 14k. I was pretty popular on our rest day...

Don't smoke. It'll kill you and I'm sure it hinders your ability to breathe, especially at altitude. Can it be done? Yes, but it makes your climb harder than it has to be. But if smoking was good for you, I'd be Keith Rochards. I love to smoke, but gave it up for good years ago...

Now scotch? Nobody messes with the scotch.

Wasn't smoking considered to be an aid for high altitude acclimatization at one time? Answer is yes, by the way. Maybe in the 50s, 60s, 70s and earlier? I've run into references to this a few times though I can't remember where exactly. Also have a vague memory of my guide on Cho Oyu talking about it.

On the flip side, I remember stopping by the South American Explorers Club in 1990 when it was in Denver, and asking about info on Chimborazo. Montague handed me Whymper's account of the first ascent. I opened it up randomly and found a passage where Whymper was talking about the difficulties his Swiss guides the Carrels were having with smoking. As I remember it, they were feeling sick from smoking at altitude and when they didn't smoke, they were feeling sick from the withdrawal. Not something I wanted to experience so I quit my 2 to 3 pack a day habit well before my first trip to altitude, Aconcagua in 1993.

Personally, I don't think smoking or not smoking is likely to be the deciding factor on whether someone summits or not, but I believe it would at least slow you down. Just my 2cents.

Might be a good idea to check the NPS rules though. Some national parks don't allow smoking outside of vehicles. That's the way it is here at Rocky Mountain NP.

JimS

It's actually easier to quit smoking than it is to climb Denali and I was a big smoker many, many years ago. I remember lighting up after a 5k and my friends just shook their heads.

I can do steady ascents for hours at a time, no problem, but I live at 400 feet in Texas. I have gone up Guadeloupe mountain several times, but that's only 8,700 vs Denali's 20,000 and the weather in the winter, at its worse, is nothing like Denali. I can't really sprint or anything of the like.

Fletch wrote:I smoked and drank on my Denali trip. I brought some rollies and a fifth of Glenfidditch as far as 14k. I was pretty popular on our rest day...

Need a climbing partner? I'll even throw in.

Seems like a person would have more of both a psychological AND physical advantage if they KICKED their habit. But could be wrong.

I would think that if you're going to invest the time, effort and money to make an attempt on Denali, you would also want to do everything in your power to increase your chances of success. Only 50% who attempt the mountain make it to the summit, don't think smoking is going to increase your chances.
Perfect time to kick the habit! Might not hurt to have a wee bit of scotch though...

Bill Reed wrote:I would think that if you're going to invest the time, effort and money to make an attempt on Denali, you would also want to do everything in your power to increase your chances of success. Only 50% who attempt the mountain make it to the summit, don't think smoking is going to increase your chances.
Perfect time to kick the habit! Might not hurt to have a wee bit of scotch though...

Hey, Bill ? Thanks for making sense in THIS sea of insanity --- and you deserve that Scotch more than Scotty does on Star Trash ....

Least I could do, Larry. Proof that great minds DO think alike!!