The Training For Mountaineering Podcast TFM57: Your #1 Priority Before A Big Mountaineering Expedition
Oct 3, 2025
Discover the crucial pre-expedition precaution every mountaineer often overlooks. Learn how accumulated fatigue, stress, and lifestyle changes can lead to illness just before a big trip. Explore practical immune support steps to minimize sickness risk, from hygiene practices to stress management. Get travel-specific tips for staying healthy, including food adjustments and hydration strategies. Make health reminders a part of your taper routine to ensure you're in peak condition for your climb!
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Why Pre-Trip Illness Is So Common
- Mountaineers commonly get sick in the final 1–2 weeks before expeditions due to accumulated fatigue and taper-related immune vulnerability.
- Stress, travel exposure, and dropped self-care combine into a perfect storm that raises infection risk.
Practical Health Habits For The Taper
- Avoid sick people, practice good hygiene, and use hand sanitizer after public contact to reduce exposure risk.
- Prioritize sleep, stress management, hydration, healthy food, and minimize alcohol in the final weeks to support immunity.
Travel-Specific Precautions
- On flights bring hand sanitizer, wear a mask if nearby passengers are ill, and drink plenty of water to stay healthy.
- Avoid alcohol on the plane to preserve immune function and hydration before arrival.