Visitors to Flagstaff from lower elevations might feel a change in the air — a short hike feels harder than it should. Even walking up a staircase can result in feeling out of breath.
It’s not just that Flagstaff sits at about 7,000 feet in elevation. At that height, the air is thinner, meaning there is less oxygen in every breath.
Yet when it’s hot outside, the elevation can feel as if it’s even higher. As temperatures rise, the air expands and becomes less dense, making oxygen even less available.
Pilots call this phenomenon “density altitude.” They study it because hot air makes it harder for airplanes to take off. In thinner air, airplane wings produce less lift, and it’s harder for planes to get off the ground. The same idea applies to our bodies. Your lungs and muscles work harder in hot than in cool temperatures.
That can be a shock for people coming from lower elevations, who might tire faster or feel lightheaded. It’s also easier to become dehydrated when the pressure is lower.
Our bodies can adjust to altitude, but that doesn’t happen right away. It can take several days to begin adapting. That is why a midday hike right after arriving from the Valley can feel much harder than expected, and why it’s a good idea to plan hikes at cooler times. In the mountains, even a cool-ish summer day can make for a tough physical workout.
This episode of Earth Notes is brought to you in part by Pink Jeep Tours. Written by Carson Pieper and produced by KNAU and the Sustainable Communities Program at Northern Arizona University.
