I figured it would take time getting used to Albuquerque’s high elevation, but it was a lot harder at first than I realized
While I was growing up, my family lived near the ocean at an elevation that was just a few feet above sea level. Whenever there was an incoming hurricane, we were close enough to the water that a deadly storm surge was always a concern. It was a trade off living in a gorgeous area with clear skies and warm temperatures. You could spend a vacation in a rental on the beach and wonder why everyone doesn’t try to live near the ocean, only to learn that those who do have high prices to pay when mother nature comes to cash the check. I have seen entire neighborhoods leveled by 150 mile-per-hour winds coming off a category 4 or 5 hurricane, assuming you address the wind gusts that go even higher than 150. I was excited when my wife told me about her idea of moving back to Albuquerque, New Mexico to be closer to her parents. Aside from having a fascination with the desert areas of the southwest, I was excited to learn that Albuquerque is the city with the highest elevation in the United States. The city sits at a whopping 5,312 feet above sea level, with some areas at the base of the Sandia Mountains reaching over 6,000 feet. The lowest places in the area are still over 4,000. I figured it would take time getting used to Albuquerque’s high elevation, but it was a lot harder at first than I realized. You can’t exactly turn on an HVAC system to make it better, as they don’t produce oxygen they simply “condition” it with cooling, heating or purification. In other words, running an HVAC system isn’t going to help you acclimate to Albuquerque’s high elevation in central New Mexico.