Human Limits

bugnout · **Posted:** Sun Sep 27, 2009 10:58 pm

Interesting article in the Latest National Geographic

When your core body temp hits 107.6F you suffer heat stroke that can't be reversed.
Most of us can last barely 30 minutes in water 40F or colder
Most of us can last barely 10 minutes in 300F, as in a room on fire. In a closed car, kids won't last long at 120F
Most of us would fade to unconsciousness quickly if we spend any time at 15,000 ft. Highland dwellers develop more red blood cells and bigger lungs.
In water most of us will black out before we hit 60ft deep. Deepest recorded free dive is 282 ft.
Most of us will black out after 2 minutes of holding our breath. With training people have been known to hold their breath for as long as 11 minutes
You can survive 30% loss of blood. At 40% you need an immediate transfusion
Going without food for 45 days would cause you to lose about 30% of body wieght will put you on deaths doorstep.
7 days without water is about max before you will die of dehydration. Much less if you are walking, working or otherwise doing stuff to survive.

wheeee32 · **Posted:** Sun Sep 27, 2009 11:15 pm

Some interesting info. I'd love to be at 15K feet or higher. I've only had a small taste of higher altitude at 14,259. I loved the difference in the way the air felt.

Sir Sam · **Posted:** Mon Sep 28, 2009 1:24 am

wheeee32 wrote:

Some interesting info. I'd love to be at 15K feet or higher. I've only had a small taste of higher altitude at 14,259. I loved the difference in the way the air felt.

It'd be more like 20k feet for us, we are so used to the air here at 5k that we would have a leg up on sea dwellers.

Edvalencia · **Posted:** Mon Sep 28, 2009 11:43 am

I used to be able to hold my breath for about 3.5 minutes while free diving.
Haven't done it in a while, though.

Edit: Just tried holding my breath and only went 2:45. Guess I'm out of practice.

Diggerfreek · **Posted:** Mon Sep 28, 2009 2:21 pm

I've been up to 14350~.... we spent over an hour up there for lunch and then tried to go higher but the snow was in the way.... I loved it up there... the air was so clean

Tokyojoe · **Posted:** Tue Sep 29, 2009 12:53 am

I have swum underwater in a 25m pool for 2 1/2 lengths. Not sure how long that took but all that work swimming underwater is not easy.

Murphyman · **Posted:** Tue Sep 29, 2009 1:03 am

My deepest free dive was 450ft, in -5F water. I was down there for a good 25 minutes. Oh did I mention I lost 65% of my blood to a shark attack half way through? All of this was just after I went 60 days without food or water. Just thought I'd share like everyone else :lol:

.

KJ-BOL · **Posted:** Tue Sep 29, 2009 10:33 am

My highest Climb was Mount Sajama in Bolivia
5,421 meters (17,785 ft) - got very close to the top but bad weather made us turn back to camp at 15,500 ft

Second Attempt to summit the top of the Andes was Nevado Illimani (21,277') - never made it - not even half way.... wrong time of the year to try it out

I guess being born and growing up at 12,008 ft makes it easier to deal with high altitudes

durangotang · **Posted:** Tue Sep 29, 2009 11:48 am

Yeah... the altitude figure is a bit misleading. If the average person were to be SUDDENLY teleported to 15k ft they probably would black out. But you can acclimate pretty quickly to that elevation even from sea level.

20,000 ft seems to be the big hurdle for me... no noticeable difference in my cognition or abilities but my memory of events above there get a little fuzzy. Most of my memories of summiting Denali and Aconcagua are rather vague :lol:

wheeee32 · **Posted:** Tue Sep 29, 2009 1:04 pm

Diggerfreek wrote:

I've been up to 14350~.... we spent over an hour up there for lunch and then tried to go higher but the snow was in the way.... I loved it up there... the air was so clean

As long as you hiked or climbed to the top it's all good. I had someone tell me they summited Mt. Evans but then I laughed b/c I knew he drove to the top. :lol:

I'd like to do Mt. Elbert but I need to do some long distance stuff again above tree-line to get used to it. When I went to Machu Pichu I wanted to hike Huayna Picchu(big mountain that towers over the city). My wife wasn't crazy about it b/c you have to sign a waiver before you do the hike. :shock:

Neatus · **Posted:** Tue Sep 29, 2009 4:18 pm

bugnout wrote:

Interesting article in the Latest National Geographic
7 days without water is about max before you will die of dehydration. Much less if you are walking, working or otherwise doing stuff to survive.

I once went 7 hours in the AZ desert without water.....I don't think you would make it even 4-5 days out here without a drink. My KJ even had to drink from the river last time I was out.

bugnout · **Posted:** Tue Sep 29, 2009 4:32 pm

I once was driven to the top of Pikes peak 24 hours after flying in from Illinois (800 ft ASL). Didn't pass out, but had all the symptoms of hypoxia, tunnel vision, couldn't concentrate, wandered all over the site in a stupor and had to be collected by my hosts. Went up on another trip after 8 days of acclimation at 5000 ft and was fine.

03CDKJ · **Posted:** Tue Sep 29, 2009 4:36 pm

Tokyojoe wrote:

I have swum underwater in a 25m pool for 2 1/2 lengths. Not sure how long that took but all that work swimming underwater is not easy.

I used to be able to do 100 Meters underwater.... I could probably do about 25 now.... :roll:

wheeee32 · **Posted:** Tue Sep 29, 2009 4:52 pm

bugnout wrote:

I once was driven to the top of Pikes peak 24 hours after flying in from Illinois (800 ft ASL). Didn't pass out, but had all the symptoms of hypoxia, tunnel vision, couldn't concentrate, wandered all over the site in a stupor and had to be collected by my hosts. Went up on another trip after 8 days of acclimation at 5000 ft and was fine.

Haha! Sounds like my Dad one time when he flew in. He did the exact same thing when he asked us to take him to Pikes Peak the day he arrived. We were picking on him to whole time accusing him of slipping in some drinks on the plane. :lol:

KW AV8R · **Posted:** Tue Sep 29, 2009 5:08 pm

If you fly in the same day you're going to the top of Pike's Peak, then I strongly advise hitting the Oxygen Bar while up there. If, for whatever reason, the altitude up there doesn't bother you, try taking a shot (just 1) of your favorite beverage and see how well you do. :wink:

Budke · **Posted:** Tue Sep 29, 2009 5:48 pm

I once......... ok I don't have a cool story about some intense stuff thats pushing my limits.... hah

linewarbr · **Posted:** Tue Sep 29, 2009 5:57 pm

Murphyman wrote:

My deepest free dive was 450ft, in -5F water. I was down there for a good 25 minutes. Oh did I mention I lost 65% of my blood to a shark attack half way through? All of this was just after I went 60 days without food or water. Just thought I'd share like everyone else :lol:

.

I alos have done all of that, but I went 83 days just drinking ULSD. . . :lol:

KJ 119 · **Posted:** Tue Sep 29, 2009 10:53 pm

linewarbr wrote:

Murphyman wrote:

My deepest free dive was 450ft, in -5F water. I was down there for a good 25 minutes. Oh did I mention I lost 65% of my blood to a shark attack half way through? All of this was just after I went 60 days without food or water. Just thought I'd share like everyone else :lol:

.

I alos have done all of that, but I went 83 days just drinking LSD. . . :lol:

wheeee32 · **Posted:** Wed Sep 30, 2009 7:39 am

linewarbr wrote:

Murphyman wrote:

My deepest free dive was 450ft, in -5F water. I was down there for a good 25 minutes. Oh did I mention I lost 65% of my blood to a shark attack half way through? All of this was just after I went 60 days without food or water. Just thought I'd share like everyone else :lol:

.

I alos have done all of that, but I went 83 days just drinking LSD. . . :lol:

Wow. Bear Grylls has nothing on you. :lol:

linewarbr · **Posted:** Wed Sep 30, 2009 9:23 am

Human Limits

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