Mt. Whitney Hiking 2018 (7) ~ Garmin fenix 3 HR

Garmin fenix 3 HR

GPS Watch

I posted reports for hiking on Mt. Whitney Trail.  Today, I am writing about Garmin fenix 3 HR which is a GPS device for many spots activities.  I got it about two years ago, but this is the first time to ware it for hiking in higher elevation with the pace management.

This is not the latest model from Garmin, they introduce newer model such as fenix5.  However it is improved in many areas from the Forerunner 910XT that I had been using before this model.

Heart Rate sensor

In the previous model I own, it requires a chest-strap heart rate sensor.  Without the chest-strap sensor, it could not monitor heart rate.  However, this model has an embedded heart rate sensor inside the watch and it can monitor heart rate without the chest-strap style sensor.  It is much convenient for hiking and climbing.  It is different from running like carrying a backpack.  The sensor easy to get loose, move and etc.
Regarding the embedded sensor, I evaluated the embedded sensor during my running activities.  Basically to compare the value from the both sensor.  As my conclusion, I think the embedded sensor is reasonably close enough to the chest-strap sensor and I have no problem to use it for hiking and my running activities.
The biggest improvement is it can monitor heart rate 24/7!  It is a big thing for me!

Watch function

This depends on a model.  Particularly,  Forerunner 910XT does not have watch function in the standby mode which is not tracking activities.  It is not really a big problem since whenever I hike, it is in a tracking mode.   However once I get into a tent, it works as a regular watch.  It is just convenient.  A model I owned before Forerunner 910XT, Forerunner CX405, it has a similar watch function.  I just wonder why "910" does not have such watch function..... 

Hiking profile

My previous model is something like designed for just running (and swimming).  It was not considered to use other activities.  However, this model has more profile for other activities like hiking.  It is nice.  The previous model has a feature to change the display setup for different purpose.  But I need to change every time I use different purpose.  It is much better to have a dedicated profile for each activities.

Display of heart rate

This is probably the most useful feature in this hiking.  The legacy style which just shows a heart rate value in the previous mode when I set a target heart rate to manage the pace.  I just need to know the current heart rate value.  However this model display is improved like a photo on the top of this post.  It is color coded to show the heart rate zone as well.   Therefore it is easy to see where the current hart rate in a zone.  It is really nice when I try to maintain my heart rate in a specific heart rate zone.  I just try to adjust the pace to stay my hart rate in the middle of the zone.  I do not have to memorize the boundary of the target zone.  It is pretty good way to display the heart rate!

Overall, the latest model has very similar user interface and features.  Therefore, I believe it does not have much difference.  The capacity of the battery is also good enough.  Although I charged it in the tent just in case, it might be OK not to charge it.  Based on the specification, it can be covered this activity, the total hiking duration this time is a little less than 15 hours and it supposes to be covered.

(To be continue ....)

Mt. Whitney Hiking 2018 (5) ~ All day heart rate data during hiking

All day heart rate on August 18, 2018

All day heart rate on August 19, 2018

What does heart rate trend looks like during hiking days?

The last a couple days, I reported overall walking time and heart rate for this hiking.
Today, I looked into a trend of heart late all day during hiking other than walking time.

Here is what I did for this hiking, I left home early in the morning on August 18, 2018 and came home late on August 19, including 6~7 hours driving one-way.

The first day (August 18th), I woke up around 3 am and left home at 3:40 am.  Heart rate during sleeping is around 55~65 (bpm).  During driving, it is somewhere 80 (bpm).  When I took a rest, I was moving around.  The heart rate a little jump to around 100 (bpm).

Time to arrive the visitor center in Lone Pine to pick up the permit around 9:30 am and left there before 10 am.  The elevation of trail head, Whitney Portal is somewhere around 8000 feet.  However on the way to trail head, the heart rate started up to more than 90 (bpm).   When I was preparing hiking near trail head, the heart rate reached 100 ~ 110 (bpm).

During hiking, that was what I reported last few posts.  As soon as I started walking, the heart rate hit more than 150 (bpm) as I mentioned in the previous posts.   When I took a rest with sitting, the heart rate got lower, but it was up to 120 (bpm).  It seems that the heart rate stay a little higher even I completely stopped and rest.

After setting up tents, the heart rate was stable somewhere around 110 (bpm).  However, it hit 150 (bpm) when I took water near the camp sit with a little walking.  After that I took the watch off for charging.   When I prepare meal in the tent, the heart rate was getting a little higher whenever I moved.  Overall, it was slowly getting lower, it was around 100~110 (bpm).  During sleeping, it was continue to be lower and right before waking up was somewhere around 70 (bpm).

However, whenever I started moving in the tent, the heart rate was getting higher again.  It was around 90 (bpm)

The second day, I carried minimum stuff for the summit attempt and I managed my heart rate less than 140 (bpm) as I mentioned in the previous posts.  Overall, the heart rate during hiking was 135 ~ 145 to the summit and the rest was somewhere around 120 (bpm) and the peak was a little more than 130 (bpm) during descending.

On the way back to home, the heart rate stayed higher than usual, which was around 100 (bpm).  When I came home, it was 84 (bpm).   I did not show a data during sleeping after coming back, but the heart rate was higher than usual, the starting was 80 (bpm).  However it was back to normal in the next morning which is somewhere around 50 (bpm).
My typical heart rate during sleeping is 45 ~ 55 (bpm) and heart rate during desk work is somewhere around 65 (bpm).  So it is obviously higher heart rate when I stay higher elevation during the hiking even in the tent.   Also, the data shows it took longer time to be back to normal even if the elevation is getting lower.  It is different from a regular training (running).  It is back to normal after a few hours.

Only one data, but....

This time I collected heart rate date all day during hiking.  However this is only data I have now.  It is hard to conclude anything.  However, the heart rate when I stay in higher elevation is expected.  It is just higher than usual.   On the other hand, the recovery time to back to normal was taking much longer time than what I was thinking.

It is still a speculation, however, I guess it takes much longer time when people are in lower oxygen situation.  With other data such as pace / total time, I think it is probably better to minimize the consumption of oxygen during hiking.  It is probably less impact overall.  Once people walk higher pace to consume a lot of oxygen, it might be hard to recover especially lower oxygen environment.  So that it might help to walk slowly to minimize oxygen consumption.

(To be continue)

Mt. Whitney Hiking 2018 (4) ~ SPO2 value and Heart rate at 12000 feet

SPO2 value and Heart rate at Trail Camp on Mt. Whitney Trail

SPO2 value at 12,000 feet

Elevation of Trail Camp on Mt. Whitney Trail is about 12,000 feet (3,600m) where many people have some symptom of high altitude sickness.
I majored SPO2 value with a pulse oximeter before, however it was very hard to determine which value would be a real value since the majored value kept changed in a wide range.

For this hiking, I carried a one which is used for monitoring SPO2 during sleeping to understand a situation of sleep apnea.  It can measure SPO2 continuously what it looks like when I am in the tent.
Almost all time, SPO2 value was below 90% and the range of the measured range is huge.  It depends on how I breath and what I am doing such as walking and lay down.  This is expected based on the previous measurement with real time measurement.  The range is roughly 70 ~90%.

Overall, the average SPO2 value when I awake is somewhere around 85%.  However it is getting lower when I slept, the value was somewhere 75%.  This is probably due to lower breathing rate when I slept.  As long as I am awake, I might be able to control how I breath intentionally.  However once I fell into sleep, then it is very hard to control.  Also, the range of the measured value during sleeping is probably much smaller than when I am awake.

For heart rate, it is also wide range comparing data in lower elevation and it might be related to SPO 2 value I guess.

Without acclimatization

Based on this data, SPO2 value might be getting lower when people sleep.  I guess it is probably possible to get worse when people sleep in higher elevation without acclimatization.   The reason I woke up often during the night would be one of symptoms of high altitude sickness.

Unfortunately,  this is only data I have now and I do not have any other data to compare, it is very difficult to conclude what happens.   I need to collect more data such as multiple nights with longer stay.  Then I can find out more.

One think I can tell is probably SPO2 range when people is not acclimatized.  It is probably hard to determine what would be the value in this situation.  We might need to find some average during some period.

Data during sleeping at home last night

As a reference, I show a data when I was sleeping at home last night.  SPO2 value and the heart late are much more stable than a data at 12,000 feet.  The heart rate is below 60 bpm and SPO2 value is around 95% overall during night.

I think it is very clear, the data shows impact to human body who is in higher elevation.  I do not see any sign for acclimatization.   I guess it is getting much more stable when people get acclimatized.

It is clearly the range of the change for heart rate is much smaller and it might be a better index for hiking in my opinion.

(To be continue)

Mt. Whitney Hiking 2018 (3) ~ From Trail Camp to Summit -- Fastest time !!

Heart Rate trend from Trail Camp to the Summit of Mt.Whitney

Day2 2018

Here is a data analysis report from Trail Camp to the summit of Mt. Whitney.

The total time is 3 hours 7 minutes including 4 minutes of resting.  Actually I did not take any break, therefore the resting time is just stop walking in a short period to adjust breathing.  That is the 4 minutes shows in the tracking data.
This is the fastest time from Trail Camp in my past hiking.  The previous record was 197 minutes in 2015.  The other years were between 200 minutes and 250 minutes.  So that it is 10 minutes faster than the previous record.  It is really fast for me.
As usual, I started walking around 3:40 am.   The strategy was trying not to take a break and the target heart rate was keeping less than 140 bpm.

Walking Speed

On the way to Trail Crest, I was passed by other party in 99-switch back section, however, I did not take any break.  As a result I reached the summit a little earlier than them.  Since it was low temperature early in the morning before Sun rise, I might need to ware a jacket to keep warm when I take a break.  However, I did not take any break and just walking slowly, I did not have to worry about such thing.  It was really easy!!

心拍ゾーンの分布

Slowly is better!?


The average walking speed is about 0.6 m / sec, 36 m / min.  This is really slow pace.  However, the overall it was not too bad comparing with the other parties.   The heart rate zone was also stayed below Zone 1.  I did not feel hard at all.  It was really easy!
 
I think my fitness level was getting worse than 2015 due to my age.  Even though the total time is the best record for the section from Trail Camp to the summit.   I think this is a good indication for the pace management based on the heart rate.  It is really good method for hiking in higher elevation.

I think it is very hard to keep this slow pace if I do not see my heart rate.  It is really good indication to define a better walking pace where many people feel some symptoms of high altitude sickness.

The key is "Do not push your self".  This is really trick to have a better experience for such hiking.

The next posting is looking into heart rate other than walking.  I got some heart rate / SPO2 data in a camp site this time.

(To be continue)

Mt. Whitney Hiking 2018 (2) ~ Data analysis for the first day

Heart Rate trend for the day 1

Walking Speed trend for day 1

Elevation trend for day 1

Data for the first day

As I always do for each hiking, I captured GPS / HR data by a GPS running watch.  Here is the analysis result for the first day of the hiking to Mt. Whitney this year.
As a result, the total time from the trail head (Whitney Portal) to Trail Camp where I camped was:

• Total Time:    271    minutes (including resting time)
• Resting Time   14.2 minutes

The distance based on the GPS data is 7.4 miles (11.9 km).
To compare data from different years, some reference point (location) is picked from a map with latitude and longitude.  Based on the location data, a program looks for the GPS data entries within 50m from the reference point.  Then, the program will check the minimum duration for each section.  Since GPS and distance calculation in the GPS device has some error, the measured distances are not the same for each year.  The average distance of this section (Trail head - Trail Camp) in the past years is about 6.5 mils (10.5 km) .  So that the distance measured this year is about a mile longer than the average.  However, this is not an important parameter for this comparison.  This comparison is focusing on the total duration, therefore it is not a problem.

The following is the past duration in the same section:

• 2011: 264 (min) (Resting: 56 min)
• 2014: 276 (min) (Resting: 65 min)
• 2015: 266 (min) (Resting: 64 min)
• 2016: 310 (min) (Resting: 81 min)
• 2018: 271 (min) (Resting: 14 min)

(*) Note: The definition of resting time is the walking speed is less than 20 m / min.

Based on this data, this year is 3rd fastest after 2011 and 2015.  The big difference is much less resting time this year.

Actual feeling?

Here is what I felt during hiking this year.  Overall, my condition was pretty good.  I had 4 hours sleep at home before left home.  Just thinking about long driving during night, this would be a better than other years and it was not too bad at all!

However.......

When I started walking from the trail head, the heart rate jumped to more than 160 bpm right away even if the walking pace was not so fast.  I guess this is probably due to lack of training for ascending before the hiking.  I think my muscle strength was not enough and it was easy to increase the heart rate.  Therefore, I was very carefully manage the heart rate with slower pace from the beginning of this hiking.  The target range I set was somewhere around 140 ~ 155 bpm. 

Duration for each key section

Let's look into more detail!  A section from Whitney Portal to a branch to Lone Pine Lake, I took about 103 minutes.  I thought I was walking very slowly.  However it is very similar time as year 2014, 102 minutes  which was the fastest duration in the past.  The difference between the years are resting time, it was 12 minutes in 2014, but only 6 minutes this year.  It is the half of 2014.

The next section is from Lone Pine Lake branch to Outpost Camp.  It is relatively flat section and the fastest duration in the past was 28 minutes in 2011 which includes 3 minutes resting time.  This year was 30 minutes without any resting time.

The next section is probably the most tough section in the first day which is from Outpost Camp to Trail Camp.  The best duration in the past was 125 minutes in 2015 with 37 minutes resting time.  This year was 132 minutes with 9 minutes resting time.

Please note, the sum of duration for each section does not match the total time I showed in the beginning.  This is because, each reference location is defined within 50 m range and calculated the duration with the shortest duration between each reference point.  This means the moving time with in the 50 m range for each section does not include the time.  Thus, this is not an error.

Distribution of heart rate zones

The heart rate zone distribution for the first day, almost 80% of time, it was less than Zone 2.  Except 2012, that I hiked a friend who did not have a lot of experience in high elevation, therefore the overall pace was significantly slowing down.  The rest of years, Zone 3 distribution was more than Zone 2.  That is the major difference for this hiking.   This is a similar experience from Trail Camp to Summit in the other years that I kept my heart late below Zone 2 and I did not have to take resting time a lot.  I think if I keep my heart late below Zone 2, I could move without much resting for long time.

Overall, the total duration was not taking long time I originally thought during the hiking even if the walking pace was relatively slower than the other years since the resting time was significantly shorter than the other years.  Also, I felt it was one of easy hiking comparing the other years.

Summary of the first day

I think I am pretty sure that walking pace management based on the heart rate is really efficient method to manage the pace during hiking especially in higher elevation.
This year, the heart rate was much higher than usual and I intentionally kept slow pace and it helps overall duration in day 1.

(To be continue)

Just canceled an overnight reservation for Mt. Whitney Trail on August 31, 2018

FYI!
Since my hiking plan was finalized.  I have just canceled another reservation for Mt. Whitney trail on August 31, 2018.   It does not seem that the cancellation affect the reservation site.  I did not see it came back as an available reservation.  I guess it takes some time to come back....

 Thanks!  Have a good day!

Mt Whitney Hiking ~ Plant to be there this weekend!

From the main ridge of Mt. Whitney

I have not updated this blog for a while, I could not spend a lot of time for outdoor activities this summer due to many thing I need to do.  However, I find some time to hike Mt.Whitney this summer.  As I originally planed, this weekend would be the time!
Now I am preparing the hiking!!

Confirmed the reservation

First of all, I have just confirmed the reservation on the reservation site.  People need to confirm the reservation 2 to 14 days before the reservation, otherwise the reservation will be canceled.  It is very important to keep the reservation.   It was last minutes this year, but I have done!

まずは、予約サイトで予約の確認を行いました。予約の日の2日から14日前の期間に確認をしないと予約がキャンセルされてしまいますので、重要です。今回はギリギリになってしまいましたが、予約を確認しました。

Stuff to carry

This time, it is mid August and I do not have to worry about snow.  I do not need anything special this time.  Therefore, the plan is to minimize what I carry and do easy hiking!  I plan to wear hiking shoes instead of heavy boots this time.  I do not have to buy anything new except a gas canister and foods.   Only thing I need to do is to check all equipment.

• Tent / Pads
• Sleeping bag
• Water treatment
• Water bottle
• Jackets
• Cooking ware
• Stove
• Bear canister (*) must be required!!
• Cap
• Sun screen
• Trekking poles
• lighter
• foods

Other than that, I will also ware the running watch with GPS / Pulse oximeter to monitor my heart rate and SPO2 during the hiking.   Also, I will carry amateur radio to check APRS coverage in the area.

I will report more detail after I coming back!

(*) FYI:  I also have another overnight reservation on August 31, 2018.  I do not need this any more and plan to cancel some time this week.   I am not sure when it comes back to the reservation site.  However it might be worth to watch the site if people are interested in to get it.

Help to minimize resting!

99-Switch back on Mt. Whitney Trail

Better to avoid resting in some sections

During hiking, there might be some sections where we'd better to avoid resting.  It might be hard to find out a good safe place to take some rest during hiking.   One of example is 99-switch back on Mt. Whitney Trail.  This section is steep and it might be hard to find out wide enough safe place.  In this case, one of options is to avoid resting such section.

I think to manage the pace with heart rate helps to minimize resting time.

Total Time from Trail Camp ~ the summit

This is chart shows walking time and resting time in a section from Trail Camp to the summit.  This section includes 99-switch back I mentioned above.
In 2011, I walked as fast as I can and I really exhausted.  In 2012, I walked very slowly to wait a friend who did not have much experience of hiking.  So it took the longest from Trail Camp to the summit.  In 2014, I also walked slowly since a friends got some symptoms of a mild high altitude sickness.  In 2015 and 2016, I intentionally walked very slowly to minimize the resting.  However the total time is probably similar or smaller than 2011.  Even I walked slowly, the total time could be the same or shorter.  That is one of interesting data from my hiking.

In 2012 and 2014, since the pace was very slow for me, I did not feel it was hard at all.  However, in 2011, I was really exhausted.   Unfortunately, I do not have heart rate data in 2011.  But I have heart rate data for other years.

Distribution of Heart rate zone

(From Trail Camp to Trail Crest) 

This data is a distribution of heart rate zone from Trail Camp to Trail Crest where is the most steep portion between Trail Camp and the summit.  As you can see, in 2012, I walked in zone 1 for the most of time.  In 2014, zone 1 is more time than zone 2.  In 2016, my condition was not very good and I walked in zone 2 for the most of time.  Even though, I took more time than 2015.  But the time difference is very small (about 10 minutes).   Also, I did not feel it was hard.
So as long as I can maintain the heart rate zone less than zone 2 (or zone 1).  I did not feel it was hard.  So the key is keep the heart rate less than zone 2, then I might not need resting much.

The actual walking pace was very slow.  I felt I could walk much faster, but I watched my heart rate and I kept the pace based on the heart rate.  I guess I might walk much faster if I had not monitored the heart rate.  So it is probably beneficial to monitor and manage the pace.  Just using "feeling", it might be hard to keep a good pace for hiking.

This is another good example to use heart rate to manage the pace.

Smart hiking (2) ~ Hiking over 9,000 feet

Hiking over 9,000 feet

When people hike over 9,000 feet, they might start feel some symptoms for high altitude sickness.  There are some popular destinations over 9,000 feet, such as Mt. Fuji in Japan, Mt. Whitney in California / USA, Mont-Blanc and etc.   Depending on seasons, but it is probably not so difficult in summer time and many hikers are there.  The symptom is typically not really serious in many cases for those destinations, I guess it is something wrong / different for many people and they might be able to reach the summit and come back without major problems.

However, many people feel this is different from hiking in lower elevation.  Therefore there might be some tips such as stay higher elevation in the previous night, walking slowly and etc.  They might be coming from strategy from expedition to mountains in Himalaya.   Basic idea is taking more time to acclimatize the elevation.

My experience on Mt. Whitney trail

I had a several experiences to hike to Mt. Whitney in past years.  I also tried to stay higher elevation in a previous night like many articles suggested.   However, I did not feel any clear difference.  On the other hand, I had very different feeling in a few different hiking.  I felt really exhausted once, but I felt really easy in other.  The major difference is probably walking pace.   It seems to be common sense if people walk slowly, it must be easy.   However, after I collect heart rate data during hiking, I think there is a better way to manage the walking pace.  Obviously, it might be impossible to avoid any symptoms for high altitude sickness, but I believe there might be a way to optimize the pace to minimize the impact of high altitude sickness.

This is the topic I will post as a series to this blog.  I wrote a book about this experience in Japanese and I plan to publish English edition after this series.  After publish the Japanese Edition, I got some extra data / thought, therefore I will reorganize the contents and post in this blog.

(To be continue)

Smart hiking ~ optimize walking pace with heart rate (1)

Running device

Garmin fenix 3 HR

Optimize walking pace during hiking

I think I mentioned a couple times about pace management based on heart rate for hiking, especially mountains over 9,000 feet where many people start getting some symptom of high altitude sickness.  Some people knows I posted about this topic many times in my Japanese page.  I also published a kindle books to talk about this idea.

Here is the link to the book on Amazon in the United States.  Although this is in Japanese .....

Originally, I would translate the same contents as I wrote in the Japanese edition and publish it in English.  However, I decided re-organize and modify some contents for English edition.  It may take longer time to publish, but I believe the contents can be much better for readers.  As a promotion, I will start a series of posts about this topic on this blog as a project.

By the way, I plan to cancel one of my reservation for Mt. Whitney Trail in September early next week, probably late Tuesday night in PDT/USA.  I am not sure when the reservation date would back to the reservation site.  The date is September 21/22, 2018 overnight permit.  People who is looking for the permit, it is better to watch the reservation site to get the one.  Last year, I also did cancel a reservation, however, I could not tell when it came back to the reservation site.