Feeling Hung Over After Climbing?

Two weeks ago, I was in New Hampshire, putting in a 11+ hour day to bag the Northeast Ridge of Pinnacle on Mt Washington. This was a long day, after driving 7 hours after work the night before and sleeping 4 hours. I still woke up the early the following morning after climbing Pinnacle, feeling great, as every twenty-something-year-old should feel the next day. No hint of soreness, or fatigue. My friends, who are much older, didn’t feel the same way.

This last weekend, my boyfriend and I went up to the Gunks for a day of trad climbing. For us, the Gunks is a short 1.5 hour drive and we normally drive up in the morning after a good night’s the night before. We had a lazy day, only completing at most 400 ft worth of climbing, with all climbing easily accessed off the road. I woke up the morning after, feeling like a hung over old lady. My muscles were sore, stiff and fatigued. I felt depleted and beaten up, that I had to take 2 Advil’s to make it through the first half of the day.

Pinnacle, by far, was a much tougher day then a lazy day at the Gunks. So what happened? Why such a dramatic difference in how my body feels?

Dehydration, played a big role in this regard. The weather, when we climbed Pinnacle, was cool with temperatures around 50-60s. At the Gunks, it was a sweltering high 80s-90s, with such humidity so high, the air felt thick. Both days, I’ve packed about 3 liters of water.

A few tips, I’ve learned from a few experiences on staying hydrated to avoid the morning after hang over feeling:

• Stay hydrated at least the day or two before. 

• The night before make sure you have drink enough liquids before bedtime. In the morning, drink another cup or two of water as soon as you get out of bed.

• Keep a liter in the car on the way to your climb and another liter waiting for you in the car after the climb

• Pack minimum 2 liters of water. For longer or hotter days, your water intake should be 3-4 liters. 

• If your trip requires keeping weight down, plan ahead for water sources to refill your water bottles. Bring a filter or water treatment chemicals. 

• Electrolyte drops are a great way to help the body retain fluids.

• For climbs with long approaches, carry a camelback or a water hydration bag that allows you to sip water on the go without having to stop often for water breaks. 

Here are some products I currently use for staying hydrated outdoors (you can purchase them on Moosejaw):

CamelBak Antidote Replacement Reservoir

CamelBak Elixir 12 Tablet Tube Pack

MSR Miniworks EX Microfilter

Nalgene Tritan Water Bottle

Katadyn Micropur MP1 Purification Tablets