Altitude-Oxygen Chart
Use the tables below to see how the effective amount of oxygen in the air varies at different altitudes. Although air contains 20.9% oxygen at all altitudes, lower air pressure at high altitude makes it feel like there is a lower percentage of oxygen. The chart assumes a constant atmospheric temperature of 32 degrees Fahrenheit (0 Celsius), and normal 1 atmosphere pressure at sea level. See also: Altitude Training Schedule.
The Effective Amount of Oxygen at Different Altitudes (feet)
(see below for altitude table in meters)
Need to prepare for a climb or other high altitude event? Acclimatize to high altitudes before you leave home. An altitude generator can produce varying oxygen levels from sea level (20.9% oxygen) to 20,000 feet to 6000 meters (9.5% oxygen). By pre-acclimatizing, you can climb, run, ski, or bike at high altitudes without altitude sickness - and with more speed and endurance.
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Getting ready for races like Hardrock or Leadville 100? Climbing Kilimanjaro? Acclimatize to high altitudes before leaving home. "Wanted to let you know that of our team of 8, I had zero altitude issues—no headache, shortness of breath, or other AMS--even at the summit of Kilimanjaro hiking to Uhuru Peak. Most of the rest of the team either had to go on Diamox or suffered headaches/altitude shortness of breath and had to head down fairly quickly. It was almost certainly a result of the Higher Peak altitude tent training." -C.S.
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The Effective Amount of Oxygen at Different Altitudes (meters)
(see above for altitude table in feet)
"Greetings from Gorak Shep (altitude 16,942 ft), last outpost of semi-civilization before Everest Base Camp. My climbing partner and I have ascended quite rapidly and we have been track our blood oxygen concentration regularly. He is a fantastic climber who is more experienced than I am, but I have been consistently out-performing him so far on this metric.,,Though he *lives* at 5200 ft and regularly trains at 9000 ft), I would like to think that sleeping in the hypoxic tent every night the last two months has made a difference. I have been very pleased with my acclimatization thus far."
- Steve Pearson (subsequently reached summit) |
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"Just as a note of possible interest to you, I have run two 50k races since starting to use the system and have won both. The first, in Tahoe, I beat my previous course record by about 4 minutes, the second in a Northern California Park called Whiskeytown, I was about 7 minutes slower than the course record I set last year but it was only a week after the Tahoe race so I was not fully recovered."
- Beverly Anderson, shown below holding her 1st-prize machete from the 6-day Coastal Challenge ultra endurance race that took place in Costa Rica in February 2007 |
