Medical Camp History

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The camp at 14,200 ft was the site of the High Latitude Research Project, led by Dr. Peter Hackett, that took place during 1982, 1983, and 1985 by the Department of High Latitude Studies of the University of Alaska, Anchorage. The purpose of the project was to study altitude and cold problems of mountaineers.

The High Latitude Research Project was not funded in the 1987 season that I was there, but a short research project, coordinated by Dr. Hackett, was conducted by several medical personnel which investigated a possible link between retinal hemorrhaging and cerebral edema of climbers at altitude. Currently the National Park Service has a large medical tent there, providing rescue and medical assistance to climbers.