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Chapter 150 Oxygen Deprivation and Steep Slope! [Second Update!]

Li Younan is someone who sleeps very well, and in the high-altitude environment, not to mention the altitude, it is really quiet.

In such a place, the most common sound you can hear is the echo of your own heartbeat and the flow of blood.

Many people find it difficult to get proper rest in such an environment, and they also suffer from oxygen deficiency, with their blood oxygen levels dropping sharply.

These sounds naturally became the biggest disturbance to his sleep at night, but for Li Younan, they were not a problem. Instead, they became the best white noise, helping him to rest.

When Li Younan woke up the next morning, he felt refreshed. He stretched comfortably, pulled back the curtain, and looked at the tent of the three people not far away.

The three of them got up very early and were having breakfast together.

It was called breakfast, but it was really just a few compressed biscuits with freshly boiled hot water.

Li Younan could hear their conversation, but the wind made it difficult to hear clearly. He could only vaguely make out a few words, such as "not rested well" and "a bit of a headache."

Next, Li Younan also needed to start preparing breakfast.

He still used the mountain stove to boil water. There was still a lot of water left in the thermos from yesterday, and he took it out very extravagantly to wash his face.

Then fill the thermos with freshly boiled water.

After doing all that, I slowly took out the compressed food.

I'm not going to bother cooking for myself this morning.

By the time he finished doing this, the three people over there were already preparing to start climbing the mountain.

Before setting off, Zhao Liang came over to greet Li Younan, which was considered a friendly gesture.

To be fair, putting aside their conversation with Li Younan yesterday, it was quite a coincidence that they met here. They were also very friendly, but in such a harsh environment, it's impossible to judge everyone's actions by conventional moral standards.

Before long, they packed up their equipment, packed up all the trash, and officially set off.

Li Younan silently watched their departing figures, not in a hurry at first. He waited until they had almost disappeared from sight before he began to pack his luggage and equipment.

He did bring his own oxygen, of course, but it doesn't seem necessary at the moment.

It has to be said that this high-altitude heritage is truly a divine skill that complements mountaineering techniques.

If he only has mountaineering skills, climbing a 5-6 meter peak would be relatively easy.

However, when climbing higher peaks, physical condition becomes the biggest obstacle limiting the altitude.

But with the skills of high-altitude heritage, an altitude of 5 meters is just a starting point for him.

Those who frequently climb Mount Everest know that the biggest obstacle to climbing at altitudes above 5 meters is not mountaineering skills, nor energy sources like water and food, but rather the lack of oxygen.

Decades ago, the cold was a major problem, but nowadays, warm clothing can completely solve the problem.

At least in recent decades, almost no one has died of cold or starvation on the mountain. Most deaths are due to oxygen deprivation leading to unconsciousness, and ultimately death on the mountain.

One misconception is that many people think that mountaineers use supplemental oxygen simply by taking a few breaths when they are short of oxygen.

In fact, the oxygen breathed while mountaineering in such high-altitude areas is not the ordinary bottled oxygen, but high-pressure oxygen cylinders.

Once you put it on, you need to breathe oxygen continuously for it to be effective. If you breathe for a while and then stop, it will actually hinder your body's adaptation to high altitude.

Therefore, truly professional mountaineers will go up and down a section before climbing a peak, and then go up and down again after their bodies have adapted, repeating this process to allow their bodies to adapt.

Before setting off, Li Younan checked her blood oxygen and blood pressure.

Somewhat surprisingly, his blood oxygen saturation was still above 98%, and his blood pressure was much lower than it would have been in the plains.

Li Younan recalled that many wealthy people hire a Sherpa guide when climbing Mount Everest. Because Sherpas have lived at altitudes of 4 to 5 meters for a long time, their genes have made them fully adapted to the thin air of high altitudes. Their blood pressure is much lower than that of people in the plains. And because of the system's adjustments to his body, Li Younan was far superior to most Sherpas at this moment; he could even be considered the best of the best.

However, in such an environment, it is best to avoid strenuous exercise as you would in a flat area.

Once blood pressure and heart rate rise, the problem of decreased blood oxygen levels will also arise.

After thinking it over, Li Younan brought two bottles of oxygen just in case.

Both of these oxygen cylinders are high-pressure oxygen cylinders, which can be used continuously for several hours.

He looked towards the ridge. Although he knew he wouldn't need oxygen now, having it would be better than not having it if he encountered a situation that might raise his heart rate or blood pressure after climbing up the mountain.

Most of the equipment should be left at the camp.

In such an environment, there is no need to worry about anyone stealing it.

On the one hand, people who come here are unlikely to be short of money, as mountain climbing is almost the most expensive sport. On the other hand, everyone's equipment is similar and of similar value, so bringing extra gear would only increase the load, which is definitely not something a smart person would do.

His current plan is to try to climb a little higher, but if he encounters insurmountable difficulties, he will come down.

Currently, there is still a vertical elevation gain of over 2000 meters and a distance of approximately 3 kilometers to reach the summit.

Judging by visual inspection, the slope ranges from 40 degrees to 60 or 70 degrees.

Although it is challenging, it doesn't seem as exaggerated as some people online say.

Let's take a step by step.

Li Younan packed only the crampons, ice axe, and other equipment he needed for climbing the snow-capped mountain, and set off lightly.

The two oxygen cylinders were quite heavy, but for Li Younan, it was practically the same as not having any.

Getting up wasn't as scary as it seemed.

There is indeed no fixed format for climbing a mountain.

Some people who crave nature and the wild will even attempt to climb mountains barehanded.

Li Younan climbed slowly, not because he couldn't go fast, but because he needed to assess the surroundings before deciding whether to proceed.

Safety was his top priority. However, after climbing for a while, he gradually realized that it wasn't actually that dangerous.

The path is one you can choose.

This was also thanks to his excellent physical condition at the time, which made his mind particularly clear.

With a clear mind, one can more calmly analyze which area ahead is safer. Sometimes taking a detour is fine; if there's a risk of slipping on the glacier ahead, or if certain angles are difficult to climb, Li Younan will choose to avoid it, even if it's closer.

In this way, the distance traveled will naturally be a bit longer, but that doesn't matter, we'll climb as much as we can.

However, climbing a mountain involves going up the ridge, so the actual routes available are very limited, though the general direction is the same as the previous team members.

After climbing for a while, Li Younan gradually came into view of Zhao Liang and the other two.

……

The altitude at this point has exceeded 6500 meters.

For the vast majority of ordinary people, this altitude is already their limit.

Below this altitude, blood oxygen levels drop rapidly.

Although Zhao Liang and his two companions had climbed many mountains before, they had only climbed one or two peaks that were actually over 7 meters high.

Therefore, for them, altitude is still a very unstable factor that limits their ability to reach the summit.

All three of them have a background in rock climbing, so they will have an advantage when climbing mountains with higher technical difficulty.

Mount Gongga is indeed a place that requires more comprehensive technical expertise.

The next 1000 meters or so is where the real test of skill begins.

Zhao Liang could clearly hear his own heartbeat and the sound of blood rushing in his ears; he knew very well that this was a sign of oxygen deficiency in his body.

Although several days of acclimatization had been completed beforehand, those who frequently climb high altitudes know that the body's tolerance for high-altitude, oxygen-deficient environments is limited.

Once you get past 6500 meters, you have to rely on willpower to push through.

This is one of the reasons why Mount Gongga is so difficult to climb—the most difficult part of the journey is when your body starts to lack oxygen.

Ahead lay an unavoidable slope of about 60 or 70 degrees, only a few dozen meters long, which became the first obstacle standing in their way.

They were going to take a short break.

When resting, your body should be facing away from the slope, which can effectively relax your calves.

As professional mountaineers, they know that they cannot squat down to rest at this time, as doing so would disrupt the body's blood circulation rhythm and make them extremely tired when they stand up again.

In such an environment that challenges the limits of human capability, no detail can be overlooked.

The three of them helped each other in a very tacit way, adjusted their resting postures, and took out water to drink.

At that moment, the three of them naturally saw Li Younan about one or two hundred meters below.

……

Li Younan was not in a hurry and continued climbing.

I also chose a place to rest, and used a selfie stick and action camera to record the scenery at that moment.

Ding Rui gently nudged Zhao Liang: "Brother Zhao, look at that guy."

Zhao Liang nodded. "I didn't expect him to climb this far." He looked up at the slope above, shook his head, and said, "Never mind him, let's keep climbing. Is everyone rested enough?"

Both of his friends nodded, and Zhao Liang took out his climbing tools: "I'll go up first, and you can follow."

Climbing this slope is indeed very dangerous; if you slip and fall, you could easily fall straight down.

It's not like falling off a sheer cliff here, but such intense physical exertion would definitely cause your blood pressure to rise and your heart rate to increase.

If the body lacks oxygen, it is also in danger of death.

Li Younan stood below with great interest, watching the three people climb the slope.

The three of them climbed very carefully, using professional climbing equipment.

Overall, the slope is about 60 degrees, but there are one or two places that exceed 70 degrees or even 80 degrees.

Li Younan hesitated, wondering whether he should continue climbing.

It took them about 20 minutes to climb the slope one by one, and then there was another gentle slope of about 40 or 50 degrees.

After the three of them climbed up, they glanced back at Li Younan.

Li Younan thought for a moment and decided to go up and check on the slope first.

On the other side, Zhao Liang and his group continued climbing up the slope without resting.

When hiking, try to stop and rest as little as possible, and just slow down.

After climbing for a while, Li Younan disappeared from sight.

Ding Rui smiled and said, "It seems that person won't be following us anymore."

Zhao Liang nodded, then looked up again and said seriously, "Forget about the others, things are still tough up there."

At this point, the altitude was approaching 7 meters, and there were only about 600 meters of elevation gain and 1000 meters of distance left to reach the summit. However, everyone's body was already close to its limit.

And similar steep ramps like the one we just saw became increasingly common on the roads above.

For Zhao Liang and his two companions, the real challenge was just beginning.

(End of this chapter)