Clear and breezy
Lat/Lon 39.1 N 105.4W
We are at Jenny and Pete's house in Woodland Park, CO. (Awesome people, with 2 adorable and very well behaved kids.)
Last night at the dinner table, Jenny asked me if I had been this high in elevation before, and if I felt the air being thinner. Frankly, I hadn't realized we were all that high, therefore had not noticed a change in the air.
Well, apparently Jenny and Pete's front yard sits at 8,533 feet. This is the view from their front yard.
(The highest point off to the left in this pic is Pikes Peak.)
This made me stop and think, (which I typically don't do unless absolutely necessary), just how high HAVE I been? I even put this question out to my friends on Facebook.
My first thought for my highest elevation was either the summit in Glacier Park, or the Lodge that is 1/2 way up Mt. Hood near Portland, OR. After doing some research on google, I realize the highest I've been in altitude, (until now), is up at the top of Bogus Basin Ski Resort in Idaho!
Since it's measured from sea level, and not from the foot of the mountain, elevation can be very deceptive!
For instance, Mt. Hood,which looks huge, is a little over 11,000 feet. It looks so big because the foot of the mountain is so close to sea level.
The summit over Glacier Park is 6,600 feet. The mountains at their peaks reach between 8,000 and 10,000 feet. This seems so high, it even has glaciers!A friend on Facebook mentioned he's been to Lima, Peru. The Andes Mountains in Peru! WOW! That's high! Right?
But here was the BIG elevation surprise for me!
Lake Titicaca, high in the Andes is about 12,500 feet.
By comparison, Mt. Borah in Idaho is 100 feet higher at 12,600 feet.
And Machu Piccu pictured at right, is 7,900 feet, only a little higher than the top of Bogus Basin Ski Resort (below) at 7,582 feet!
Since being made aware of the high altitude here at Jenny's house, now I DO feel the thin air. I'm almost as high in elevation as Machu Piccu for cryin' out loud!
I think I'm feeling a little faint,... in fact, I am fairly sure I am suffering from pulmonary edema!
Oh, get over it. You were fine, just fine, until Jenny asked you about the elevation. Those are great pictures, and a good thinkable thread.. (guess that's one of my made up phrases). anyway, thanks .
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