Altitude pacing
Above 3,000 m, sleep no more than ~300–500 m higher than the previous night when possible. Add rest days. Hydrate and eat — fatigue hides AMS early.
Safety guide
Trek safer at altitude
Field-first guidance for Nepal and high mountains worldwide: pacing, AMS, weather, offline maps, and emergencies. Same rules on Himalaya, Alps, Rockies, and Andes. TrekGuard supports prep — guides, lodges, and your body still decide.
Three rules
- 1. Plan offline before signal ends
- 2. Move slowly — symptoms beat itineraries
- 3. Turn around early — descent is treatment
Core principles
Six margins that matter more than gear upgrades
Use on Everest, Annapurna, Langtang, Manaslu, Mardi Himal, Alps, or any thin-air trail.
Weather windows
Wind, precip, freezing level, and daylight decide pass days — not your itinerary. Check lodge reports and sky; use forecast tools before you commit to exposed ridges.
Offline navigation
Download GPX/KML and offline map packs on Wi‑Fi. Keep paper or screenshot backups. GPX lines are plans — trails move with landslides and snow.
Emergency planning
Insurance with evacuation cover, whistle, headlamp, power bank, warm layer, and someone at home who knows your route. No app replaces rescue.
Prepare before signal dies
Kathmandu or Pokhara: map packs, GPX import, weather pull, emergency contacts, permits copy, checklist done. Not the night before Thorong La.
Fitness ≠ acclimatization
Strong legs do not protect against AMS. Listen to headache, nausea, sleep, appetite, and coordination — they outrank summit photos.
Altitude sickness
Symptoms decide the day — not the pass on your calendar
AMS, HACE, and HAPE are medical emergencies. TrekGuard AMS checker is educational logging only.
Sleeping altitude gain matters more than daytime passes.
Never climb higher with worsening symptoms — even one in the group.
Descent is treatment; Diamox does not replace going down when severe.
Children and older trekkers need the same caution — fitness is irrelevant.
Mild — monitor
- • Headache
- • Poor sleep
- • Mild nausea
- • Fatigue
- • Dizziness
Do not go higher today. Rest, fluids, food. Re-check tonight. TrekGuard AMS log helps track trends — not a diagnosis.
Moderate — stop ascending
- • Worsening headache
- • Repeated vomiting
- • Worse fatigue
- • Symptoms not improving at rest
Stay at same altitude or descend if no improvement in 24–48 h. No pass push. Tell your group and lodge.
Severe / HACE / HAPE — act now
- • Confusion or odd behaviour (HACE)
- • Cannot walk straight
- • Breathless at rest or wet cough (HAPE)
- • Blue lips or fingernails
Descend immediately with help. Oxygen if available. Evacuation — do not wait for better weather. Call for help when signal allows.
Weather
When the mountain says wait, wait
TrekGuard weather verdict helps planning — lodge owners and the sky still win.
Pass day killers
- Sustained winds on exposed ridges
- Heavy precip or whiteout
- Freezing level above you on the pass
- Afternoon thunder on open ground
Turn-back triggers
- Worsening AMS in anyone
- Visibility below safe navigation
- Avalanche or slide debris on approach
- Lodge advice to wait — wait
Offline prep
Download before the trail — not on the pass
Same checklist for teahouse treks and remote alpine routes.
Pre-trail checklist
- 1.Download offline map regions for every zone you cross
- 2.Import GPX from trekguard.app or your planner
- 3.Fetch mountain weather while on Wi‑Fi
- 4.Save emergency contacts in the app (you add numbers)
- 5.Charge phone + power bank; test torch / SOS
- 6.Screenshot key junctions or carry paper map
- 7.Share itinerary dates with someone at home
Field routine
Repeatable rhythm every trekking day
Before Kathmandu / Pokhara
Permits, insurance, flights, backup dates, route GPX, gear checklist, altitude meds only after doctor advice.
Before trailhead
Offline map packs saved, weather refreshed, contacts set, full battery, group agrees turn-back rules.
Each morning
Body check (head, gut, sleep, lungs), weather + lodge news, daylight math, water, battery, exit route if weather flips.
Each evening
Tomorrow’s gain, worst-case descent lodge, signal spots, AMS log if symptomatic, charge gear in warm pocket.
TrekGuard & safety
What the app helps — and what it cannot do
Honest limits keep you safer than marketing hype.
Helps withDoes not replace
AMS self-check logging (Lake Louise style)
Not: Diagnosis or pulse oximeter
Trek Safety Verdict from forecast data
Not: Replace looking at the sky
GPS altitude + barometer trends
Not: Guarantee correct elevation
Offline map + GPX + ~100 m drift alert
Not: Prove trail is safe today
Backtrack on your walked path
Not: Rescue or helicopter dispatch
SOS torch + SMS GPS when cellular works
Not: Satellite messenger (InReach)
Offline first aid reference
Not: Remote medic
High-risk warning
Bad weather + altitude = stop or descend
Visibility, symptoms, snow, wind, or fading daylight beat any GPX line or summit plan. TrekGuard files are planning aids — not permission to push through unsafe conditions. When in doubt, go down.
Nepal high-altitude trekking safety, AMS monitoring, and emergency planning
High-altitude mountain safety requires preparation, pacing, and accurate monitoring. In Nepal treks like Everest Base Camp (5,364m), Annapurna Circuit (Thorang La, 5,416m), or Manaslu Circuit (Larkya La, 5,106m), acute mountain sickness (AMS) is a significant risk. The TrekGuard app provides an educational Lake Louise Score diary to track headache, fatigue, dizziness, and sleep symptoms offline, assisting you in making critical safety decisions.
Before pushing higher, ensure you have offline maps, emergency coordinates, a trusted barometer-backed altimeter, and custom local contact details. Always climb gradually, take scheduled acclimatization days, and descend immediately if severe AMS, HACE, or HAPE symptoms manifest.
Get it on Google Play
Ready for your next Nepal & mountain adventure?
Download map packs on Wi‑Fi, pull weather while online, then use GPS altitude, planner & safety tools on trail — free on Google Play. Not a guide or rescue service.
Free on PlayNo ad SDK in Play buildPrivacy-firstOffline packs after download