Any places to train at altitude on the east coast?

The Blowing Rock area is pretty nice, lots of trails, check out Bass Lake. ZAP Fitness is nearby. Blue Ridge Parkway very close.

Not really all that high, an altitude tent might be a good choice.

Also training in summer on the coast gives a pseudo-altitude effect because there is less O2 in the air.

new to altitude wrote:

I am looking to spend a couple weeks this summer at some higher elevation. I live on the east coast, so it would be more feasible to stay somewhere east of the Mississippi. It looks like New Hampshire, North Carolina, and Tennessee have the highest mountain ranges, but I am not sure how the running and trails are around those areas. It seems like the highest elevation is around 6,000 feet on the east coast. Does anyone have any suggestions for nice places to stay for 2-3 weeks? Thanks!

Mt. Washington, 6,289 ft. Go up the paved road, or White Mtn. Trails around Conway, NH.

Other than that, Go West, young man, Go west.

Live at altitude, train at sea level.

But your choices are pretty slim east of the might Mississippi.

Blowing Rocky wrote:

Also training in summer on the coast gives a pseudo-altitude effect because there is less O2 in the air.

On the basis of what principle are you claiming this? If you're thinking of photosynthesis and CO2 and O2, I think you have it backward. Perhaps you mean training in the heat can have a pseudo altitude effect, as it forces the body to work with less oxygen (as blood is diverted to the skin cool), which can results in beneficial adaptations?

There is almost no physiological benefit for altitudes less than 5k. Also you need to spend roughly 16 hrs a day at higher altitude to reap any significant benefits. If you have to stay east my recommendation would be to stay somewhere like mile high campground near Asheville or camp at one of the many 5k + elevation spots nearby. Nice thing is you can get down to 1-2k ft pretty quickly.

You're not going to get any altitude stimulus in only 2-3 weeks over the summer, at least not that would carry into your XC season. Just find a good place to train and don't worry about the altitude.

I agree, you need at least 6 weeks at altitude to give you an effect that will make it worth it.

Miami.

Also training in summer on the coast gives a pseudo-altitude effect because there is less O2 in the air.[/quote]

On the basis of what principle are you claiming this? If you're thinking of photosynthesis and CO2 and O2, I think you have it backward. Perhaps you mean training in the heat can have a pseudo altitude effect, as it forces the body to work with less oxygen (as blood is diverted to the skin cool), which can results in beneficial adaptations?[/quote]

PV = nRT

PV = nRT

Sure, in lab conditions. Empirical evidence this is the case (less oxygen in summer)?

The highest US town east of the Mississippi is Mt. Beech, NC. It's at about 5,500 feet so you'd be at elevation comparable to Boulder. It is not much of a town, I think there are something like 300 people living there. I don't recall seeing anyplace you could stay but I was only passing through. Nothing else in the east is even close to 4,000 ft unless you want to count mountaintops, e.g., Mt Washington, Mt. Mitchell, etc. Probably the highest places in the east where you could find somewhere to stay would be Davis, West, Va. (maybe somewhere to stay) at around 3100 ft or Seven Springs, Pa. (definitely places to stay) at 2500 ft.

PS, There are definitely places in North Carolina near Beech Mountain, not quite as high, where you could find places to stay and be much higher than you'd be in West Va. or Pa. If you want to do what you're pondering the mountains in North Carolina and eastern Tennessee are where to look.

Id just take a cheap flight west. Dude hop on a plane to denver...take the goalpine taxi to any town and camp out . Or checkout an outward bound school. You can stay in those dorms for like 5 bucks a night. Leadville you can camp at 11,000 ...ull be miserable but should get maybe a 2% increase in that amount of time

The whole East Coast is at sea level. As coasts tend to be.

Softloper wrote:

I agree, you need at least 6 weeks at altitude to give you an effect that will make it worth it.

This.

Not claiming anything. 'Cold air will have the same ratio of oxygen as hot air, but the molecules will be closer together when cold so cold winter air will have more oxygen than hot summer air per volume.'

zero dark 30 wrote:

Miami.

Would training in Death Valley (below sea level) reduce your VO2 max?

RI red wrote:

Softloper wrote:

I agree, you need at least 6 weeks at altitude to give you an effect that will make it worth it.

This.

Follow the science.

1) altitude training is not possible on the East Coast; simply nowhere high enough to spend all your non-training hours; you need to be above 6000ft to maximize exposure

2) four weeks is the optimal time for altitude camp; after that the gains of hypoxic living simply plateau

Stay at Pinnacle Inn Resort (5300 ft) and drive to Appalachian State University in Boone (30 min drive) for workouts? It could work.