It's called Altitude Sickness and it's exactly what it says: sickness caused by increased altitude. What are the symptoms?

· Mild. A headache, nausea, poor appetite, rundown feeling, shortness of breath after exertion.

· Moderate. Headache not relieved by Tylenol/aspirin, vomiting, raspy cough, weakness, and balance/coordination problem. (Balance difficulty is highly predictive of serious progression of illness. See a physician immediately!)

· Severe. Wet cough, shortness of breath at rest, disoriented "Leave me alone" behavior, too weak to eat or get up, lips or fingernails blue in color. (Seek medical help immediately! Call 911 in Red River.)

What To Do, What To Do?

· Altitude illness is usually preventable if ascent is slow. Persons traveling above 8,000 feet - Red River sits at 8,750 feet above sea level - are most likely to be symptomatic. The chances increase to about 15% when sleeping above 8,000 feet. (Being in excellent physical condition has no bearing on one's ability to acclimate to altitude.)

· Take it easy when you first get to town. Hikers who can't wait to head up the side of a mountain can easily ruin the rest of the week. Stop early when you start to feel fatigue or prolonged breathlessness.

· A high carbohydrate diet (pasta, rice, pancakes, etc) helps your acclimation. In fact, increase your intake to 70% of total calories for the day. Reduce fat intake as well.

· Avoid alcohol, tranquilizers and sleeping pills, at least for the first two nights of your visit. All of these things slow your body's adjustment to elevation.

Mogul Medical Clinic of Red River is a full service medical clinic and the treatment of altitude sickness is their specialty. It is located in the Lifthouse - look for the clock tower by the river - at the Red River Ski Area. The clinic is manned by Matt Prewitt, PA-C and Tim Quigley Peterson, MD. They can be reached seven days a week by telephone at 754-2379.

Hypothermia: It's often referred to as "freezing to death," but it can occur during the summer months, especially in the mountains. It's caused by the lowering of the temperature of the human body's inner core. It most frequently affects fatigued people who get wet and are then exposed to wind. As the body temperature decreases, even a few degrees, hypothermia is in progress. If allowed to continue, cold will reach the brain, depriving the victim of good judgment and reasoning power. If uncorrected, it can result in death.

The first symptom is shivering. Be aware of this sign and take immediate steps to correct it. Other symptoms include lack of coordination and fatigue. Advanced symptoms include incoherence, listlessness, hallucinations, decreased shivering and, ultimately, unconsciousness. If you suspect or detect hypothermia in yourself or others, take immediate steps to restore body temperature. Get out of the wind and/or rain. Remove wet clothing, put on dry clothes and stay dry. Warm drinks and high energy foods are good.

Victims of hypothermia cannot, in advanced cases, produce enough body heat of their own. Share body warmth. Skin-to-skin contact in a sleeping bag is a great way to exchange and retain body heat.

Even mild symptoms of hypothermia call for immediate treatment.