We come from varied backgrounds. How people handle stress will be an eye-opener. So far everyone seems diplomatic, like we're going to complement each other. The most disconcerting element of the trip, Garvin said, is the higher passes where altitude sickness could be an issue. The group plans to allow extra time to acclimate to the higher ground.
High altitude can cause dizziness, fatigue and nausea.
It can alter people's judgment about danger and behavior. We don't want to compromise safety. We're going to listen to our bodies intensely at the higher altitudes. Robertson said the only confirmed finisher is Walker, who has posted field dispatches on the organization's Web site . He has heard talk that two men from the Northeast have also completed the route, but those are rumors, he said.