I’ve been above 14k multiple times every year since 2001 and never had a problem. But spent one night this March above 13k in Nepal and didn’t sleep a wink while gasping for breath all night. Easily the worst nite I’ve ever had in the mountains... It was the onset of altitude sickness, and the next day I became an official member of the lollipop gut-wrenching guild and vomited most of the next day until I got down to Phortse Tenga. Could not eat, could not hold anything down including liquids and everything I drank came back up to the point of dry heaves. Horrendous day I’ll never forget- just horrible! Barely made it out the teahouse once to ralph – hit the ground was on my hands and knees just outside the door thinking about how ‘I’d never set foot on a mountain again.’ (haha, another never again moment) A Nepalese lady was outside close by washing clothes, and prob thought I drank too much beer the night before! But it was all AMS, I had no alcohol. I got a sinus infection up high at the same time there, which combined with the AMS shut down my Everest base camp trek from going any higher. No fun.
So I can relate, I was offered helicopter evacs too, even told I’d be forced to helivac out if I didn’t get better by the next day, but was able to walk out slowly. It’s nice to have helivac options when you’re super sick, and I will ever commend the amiable Sherpas that ran back down to help me get down to a lower altitude fast! They brought a basket and I would have been stuffed in that crazy thing and carried down to a chopper pad if I couldn’t walk- (imagine having to puke while confined in this small basket while being carried on rough terrain!)- so if nothing else AMS is a good motivator to get down. If I ever go back to Nepal, I’ll need more time to acclimate coming from 1000 ft!
Be aware. It could happen to you! I may have escaped being a basket case this time- but next time that basket is all mine!
