0 registered
and 9 anonymous users online.
|
|
|
#20494 - 07-07-05 02:17 PM
Hallucinations
|
Barefoot Ted
Member
Registered: 07-05-05
Posts: 32
Loc: Hahamonga Hills, CA
(24.130.130.82)
|
I really do have to report some interesting experiences that I had on the trail, but even more interestingly, on the road trip back to Los Angeles.
As mentioned in an earlier post, I started up the mountain at midnight on July 4th. We had come up from LA on Saturday, camped at the Lone Pine campground Sat night, so we really had not acclimatized ourselves.
In general, I had no problems other than some very slight dizziness and at times heavier than normal breathing.
The funny things started happening as I descended. I would see things, people, etc. where there were only rocks, at second glance I would know it was just an illusion.
I am guessing sleep deprivation along with altitude had something to do with it.
But it gets stranger. As we were driving back down to Lone Pine, the visual hallucinations increased dramatically, but only if I looked at rocks.
Every time I would look at a pile of the Alabama Hill rocks, all at once, every single rock would become a unique, somewhat primative looking sculpture: various animals, human forms, mermaids, big heads, angels, religious motifs, on and on and on!
The amazing thing was that I could turn my head away, look back again, and the very same rocks would be the very same sculptures! Very interesting.
This visual hallucinations continued all the way along 395 anytime I looked at mountains. There were different kinds of visual hallucinations depending on the type of mountain surface I looked at. Some mountains made what looked like extremely complex illustrations of famous people. Other mountains had huge, folkish advertisements.
All in all it was quite pleasant and lasted until I drank some soda with caffiene.
Finally, getting to bed that evening, I seemed to be hearing music and the sounds of a television in some far off room.
Woke up the next morning with no problems, although a couple unusual for me headaches during the day.
I am sure this is all trivial for those of you who have been doing these kinds of things all your life; however, I found them intersting enough to report.
Best, Barefoot Ted
|
|
Top
|
|
|
|
|
#20495 - 07-07-05 03:04 PM
Re: Hallucinations
|
braingoo
Member
Registered: 05-06-05
Posts: 54
Loc: Calif
(64.170.134.150)
|
I used oxygen from Trail Camp to the summit and back to TC. I experienced none of the symptoms that other people mentioned. (Though I tend to see most of the world in a hallucinatory manner, so maybe I am always hypoxic!)
I'll bet a lot of the loopiness that you felt was induced by simple fatigue.
|
|
Top
|
|
|
|
|
#20496 - 07-07-05 03:42 PM
Re: Hallucinations
|
Rick Kent
Member
Registered: 05-23-03
Posts: 535
Loc: Bakersfield, CA
(63.175.219.5)
|
My first time up Whitney I had a similar experience. Looking down at certain rocks I would think I saw someone and was concerned for their safety. This only occurred above Trail Crest. Perhaps the oxygen starved mind gets bored with looking at endless rocks and wants to see something different. It seems odd that you experienced this even when you got back down.
When on top, it's cool to bow your head down and then raise it quickly. You can just about blank out doing this. The light headedness is kinda cool.
-Rick
|
|
Top
|
|
|
|
|
