How Difficult Is Hiking at Different Altitudes?
Hiking at high altitudes can introduce significant risk to any trip, even when the terrain or distance is not especially difficult. Since backpackers often fly to remote destinations to hike, the combined altitudes of their flight, the elevation of their new location and the distance hiked uphill can all combine to cause altitude sickness. Not everyone is affected by altitude sickness, and giving yourself time to acclimate to a higher elevation can help alleviate or eliminate the effects entirely.
