Altigen™ donates to 7th Annual
Aspen/Snowmass Ride for the Cure

This year’s 7th Annual Aspen/Snowmass Ride for the Cure will take place Saturday August 21, 2010 in beautiful Snowmass Village, Colorado and Altigen was there to help athletes of all levels enjoy this event.

Altigen partnered with Carl’s Pharmacy in Aspen, who also carries Altigen year round, for this fund-raising first and a bike ride second event. The money raised supports the Aspen Affiliate of Susan G. Komen for the Cure® and its promise to save lives and end breast cancer forever.

To register visit www.komenaspen.org

Altigen™ donates to 19th Annual
FAT TIRE Classic

This year’s event is taking place July 16, 17 and 18 in beautiful Winter Park, Colorado and Altigen donated to help athletes of all levels enjoy this event.

The 19th annual Fat Tire Classic features 2 days of hiking and mountain biking and free beer! What a better place for Altigen to help people have fun and perform better.

Altigen donates to Leaves of Hope

On Sunday, June 6, 2010, Altigen joined Lutheran Medical Center Foundation hosts its third annual Leaves of Hope at Exempla Lutheran Medical Center Foundation (the fundraising arm for the Cancer Center at Exempla Lutheran Medical Center)in conjunction with National Cancer Survivors Day.

400 tins of Altigen were donated for the gift bags handed out at the event to help participants breathe easier and peform better!

Altigen and the The Hard Rock 100

We sponsor the elite athlete David Wilcox. He competes in the Hard Rock 100, the the hardest race in North America, and Leadville 100, and we are very proud to show our support. David uses 1 comment ...

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The SIA Snow Show

The SIA Snow Show is coming to Denver for the first time and we are psyched! Why? Because we’re locals, we love snow sports and Altigen is such a perfect match for all sports! Altigen is a natural adaptogenic tablet that maximizes energy, minimizes fatigue and optimizes performance whatever you’re doing.

We’re going to be handing out some sick stickers (shown here) at the show and information on how to get a free Altigen Tin, worth at least $10, check it out!

High Altitude Fourteener Event!

Fourteener - a 14,000+ foot mountain - 3:15 a.m.
I was expected at YAO Clinic at 3:45 a.m., but, because my alarm failed to awaken me at 2:45, I was left with a mere half hour to dress, feed the dogs and let them out, eat, gulp down some tea, and drive six miles to the clinic. It’s so easy to blame the alarm clock. I had last seen 1:59 a.m. right before I fell asleep, anxiety tormenting me. I was drowning in my own need for sleep. Somehow, I managed it all, but I was also eight minutes late, and the Hudson brothers, Daniel and Darren, were packed and ready.

As I pulled into the lot, I’m certain I saw them clearing a seat for me in the back of the Jeep, in utter disbelief that I had actually made it (although late). They told me three more minutes would have cost me that seat, and I wondered whether that would have been a very bad thing. I’m not one for Jeeps. All the bouncing around reminds me of the bumper cars at Idora Park, being slammed around and ganged up on by my brothers, in that endearing, sibling-torture kind of way, and the inevitable headache that followed.

This ride was no different. The hum of the tires was a meager attempt at lulling me back to sleep, but every bump in the road jolted me back into reality. My reality. I was about to climb a 14,000 foot mountain. No wonder I couldn’t sleep! Anxiety. I’m a mom, after all - a single mom, raising an 8-year-old son, Sam, who spent the entire previous day encouraging me to go. What was ringing in my ears was the offhand comment by a co-climber about the “sheer cliffs”, “narrow trails”, and “huge drop-offs”. Was I crazy?

I spent much of my childhood in treetops, high above the roof of our three-story house. I loved the gentle sway of the pine trees, the wind’s whispers, the chirping squirrels, the solitude, the loftiness. It was an escape from a bustling house, kids everywhere, lingering chores, the paper route that always called urgently for delivery. “Am I that same person,” I wondered? How I miss those treetops and that fearlessness!

I had every intention of drawing my mind away from my anxiety, and I hoped the “Tropical Rain” soundtrack on my iPod would help. In this case, however, my own thoughts about the mountain pulverized the crickets and croaking frogs. There was no exit from this speeding car, nor my racing mind. No turning back. At this point, I could only hope to make my boy proud of his mama. I hate to disappoint him!

We exited the highway, the headlights burning into the darkness ahead, and I quickly realized that the climb was imminent. We approached the trailhead on the worst road I’ve ever had the displeasure to traverse. Crevices, two and three feet deep, lacerated the terrain. We zigzagged up the road, if you could even rightly call it that, and came dangerously close to those “sheer cliffs” and “huge drop-offs”.  ”Wait a minute,” I thought, “we aren’t even hiking yet!” It was at this point that I became infinitely grateful for my own mother-sense to leave my child at home. My anxiety would have quadrupled had he been by my side on this jarring ride. The bouncing headlights revealed flitting previews of the journey ahead: teasing, tormenting, terrifying, exhilarating. 5:30 a.m., at 11,000 feet.

Stevens Gulch as moon was setting.

It being August, I forgot my winter hat and gloves, and I immediately realized my mistake as I stepped down from the Jeep. The cold found its way through every gap in my clothing. I tightened up all the drawstrings, and gratefully accepted the knit hat offered by Darren. I did, however, manage to gear up: Altigen, Camelback, Columbia hikers, high-carb snacks, cameras, first aid supplies. I was as ready as I could be.

We commenced on our journey through Stevens Gulch shortly after our arrival at the trailhead. This trail is no joke. The climb begins immediately, and doesn’t let up for some time. I thought, “If it’s like this the whole way, I’ll be out before you can say ‘Boo!’” The sun teased its way up, first casting an indigo glow over the meadow, then gilding the peaks ahead, and finally, blazing up over the range. Here, the trail evened out, a much steadier ascent, and I could regulate my breathing again.

Time for some Altigen. Time to layer down, or begin the big sweat. The topography gradually transformed from verdant meadows, to olive-colored scrub, to pale lichen-covered rocks. At points, it was difficult to discern the trail through the rockslides. About every hundred feet or so above 12,000 feet, I needed to take a breather. At about 13,000 feet, it seemed dire.  No headache, though - a first for me! I usually get a headache as soon as I reach the Eisenhower Tunnel. Thank you Altigen!

Along a loose rock wall, I braced myself against the face, and filled a water bottle with Emergen-C and Electro-Mix packets. I gulped it down with more Altigen, insatiable, and drained the bottle of every drop. Within minutes, I was renewed. The remaining 1,200 feet were easy! I powered ahead of my team, (sorry, guys!) cruising comfortably at a pace that I hadn’t yet seen. I’m certain it was the Altigen and the view that drew me on, it pushed and pulled me to the top of Grays Peak, the highest peak in the Rocky Mountain Front Range. And, to say the least, the view was spectacular. My first thought, upon reaching the summit of my first fourteener, was, “Sam would love this!”

Me, at the summit of Grays Peak, 14,270 feet.

Grays Peak, Clear Creek and Summit Counties, Colorado along the Continental Divide. 14,270 feet at summit Visit the Colorado Fourteeners Initiative for information about Colorado’s 54 fourteeners, or to volunteer and become a Peak Steward like Daniel or Darren.

High Altitude Adventurers: Where did we get these rockin’ shirts?

By becoming a Colorado 14er Peak Steward you can have a shirt too. Did you know that Colorado has Peak Stewards? Well only about 34 people volunteer with Colorado 14ers Initiative (ONLY 34 PEOPLE!) to walk on the trails and peaks of our beautiful 14000 foot peaks. They help educate and protect these amazing natural outdoor areas.

The Colorado 14ers Initiative was established in partnership with the USDA Forest Service in 1994 along with five founding organizations: Colorado Mountain Club, Outward Bound West, Volunteers for Outdoor Colorado, Rocky Mountain Field Institute, and Leave No Trace Center for Outdoor Ethics.

The volunteers mentor travelers and regular hikers as well as take physical count of the activity and attendance on the trails. It’s important to know that with only 3 months a year to gather food for the winter, it is vital to the wildlife and their environment that they stay protected from unleashed pets and uninformed visitors. Daniel and Darren to the rescue!

Go to www.14er.org to learn more.
And always make sure you take Altigen when ascending your next mountain!

King of the Campfire

Our first camping trip of the season came a little late this year. We traveled southwest into Pike National Forest, about two hours’ drive from Denver. Smelter Basin is a lush area, fed by several streams and creeks, with alpine meadows bursting with color.

Knowing my history with altitude adjustment, which never fails to strike as headache and nausea within a half hour at high altitude, I began taking Altigen™ two days prior to our departure. My 8-year-old son also suffers the effects of altitude adjustment, usually manifesting as a persistent headache. He, too, took Altigen™ for this trip.

We arrived late in the afternoon, after a bumpy ride down Routes 62 and 119 in Clear Creek County. Water washed roads exposed sharp rocks and felled boulders, which made the road pretty hazardous. We bounced and swerved all the way in, about 10 miles into the pass and through a stream. Now, that alone is enough to make anyone nauseous!

The view was beautiful, and I could actually enjoy it. I wasn’t fighting a headache nor trying to suppress nausea. We set up our camp along a riverbank, the rushing water making a lovely soundtrack for our fun activities. For the first time, I was pitching a tent, not my sanity!

My son, too, was running around the campsite with our dog, playing in the stream, and proclaiming himself, “King of the campfire!” We increased our water and carbs, and ate lean meals to keep our energy up.

We took Altigen™ for both camping days, and never once felt like we were adjusting to altitude. We even snuck in a hike and a game of soccer! Now that’s what I call high-altitude camping! Our site sat at about 9,000 feet in altitude, and, in the darkness, I never would have known it wasn’t Denver, but for the mosquitoes and utter solitude.

Altigen™ at the races

Altigen™ will be at the following races:

Friday July 10, 2009
Hardrock Hundred Mile Endurance Run is a big 100 mile loop through the San Juan Mountains of beautiful southwest Colorado. 33,000′ total elevation gain, 11,186′ average elevation, low point 7,680′ at Ouray, high point 14,048′ at Handies Peak.

You think that’s a heart attack? Try this!

Saturday, July 11, 2009
The Triple Bypass, 120 miles from Evergreen to Avon over Squaw (11,140 ft.), Loveland (11,990 ft.), Swan Mountain and Vail (10,560 ft.) passes, with over 10,000 ft. of lung-busting gain in elevation!

YAO Company becomes Peak Steward for Colorado’s Fourteeners

Daniel Hudson, founder of YAO Company and developer of Altigen™, the all-natural high altitude adjustment formula, attended the Peak Steward Training for 2009 on June 13th and 14th in Alma, CO and on Mts. Lincoln, Democrat, and Bross.

“Fourteeners” is the affectionate name given to the Colorado Rockies’ peaks that soar more than 14,000 feet above sea level. These peaks are visited by over 500,000 people seasonally. That’s a lot of traffic!

The Colorado Fourteeners Initiative’s Peak Stewards are volunteers trained to monitor high-use Fourteeners.

Peak Stewards are responsible for documenting human and wildlife encounters, user behaviors, compliance with Forest Service regulations, and trail and resource conditions. They also interact with other climbers and provide educational information about Fourteener-specific Leave No Trace principles for Colorado’s alpine environment.

Peak Stewards commit to volunteering a minimum of four days throughout the summer season.

This two-day training focused on:

This program is offered through the Colorado Fourteeners Initiative: A Partnership for Preservation.

For more information, call (303) 278-7650 or visit http://www.14ers.org