Rob, I used to work out like nobody else -- ran stairs (6 floors, 3x, short rest, repeat the group 4x, for a total 72 floors.) And that was after a light weight workout. And I'd run down, two steps at a time. I recall getting my heart rate up to 220 at the top of a 6-flight stair run. Now 25 years later, I can only get my heart rate up to 170 on those stairs, and only do one or two groups.
I'd also run laps around a stadium -- up high behind the stands, down low at each end.
When I was in that great condition, I'd get out on a backpack trip, carrying big loads, ...and suffer with AMS, because I didn't acclimate.
Now I do like tdtz: Spend a night or two at Horseshoe Meadows before climbing high, and take low-dose Diamox. I sure don't suffer the AMS like before.
It is interesting, too, that people like RenoFrank, and Bob P on this board who also lives near Reno, never suffer the AMS. It seems that Colorado hikers don't have the AMS situations like here, either. I think it is because they all live at higher (~5k) elevations. Their going to 14k is like California low-landers going to 9k.
