Why Hiking Gets Risky at Higher Altitudes

Most people think altitude danger kicks in somewhere around 10,000 feet, when you start gasping for air and getting headaches. But your favorite hiking trail can turn deadly way lower than that, and it's got nothing to do with thin air.

The real danger zone starts around 6,000 feet - an elevation tons of popular trails hit without people realizing it. What makes this altitude sketchy isn't oxygen levels, it's weather that changes faster than you can react.

Weather Goes Absolutely Nuts at 6,000 Feet

Around 6,000 feet elevation, you hit this weird atmospheric zone where weather systems collide and can create total chaos. Sunny morning hikes can turn into life-threatening storms in minutes.

Temperature swings at this elevation are brutal. You might start hiking in 70-degree weather and hit snow an hour later. The air gets thinner but not thin enough to slow you down, so people push forward right into dangerous conditions.