Acclimating to altitude...

[Cindy Lou]

   Ginger can ease some of the symptoms of altitude sickness.  Ginger ale, gingersnaps, crystallized ginger, ginger root.
Some liquor stores even carry a ginger beer!  Maybe it's for a buzz without hangovers.
Some long-time pilots clued me in to this a few years ago when a friend came from Hawaii to 7000' where I live. Nothing seemed to help her until I found out about the ginger, and it worked quite well.
Just take it easy when you first get here, and pace yourself.

[Matt]

Of course training your liver and brain for a couple of weeks before you arrive at altitude always helps.    I prescribe your favorite alcoholic beverage and bluegrass/newgrass on the stereo each night for at least 2 weeks before heading to Telluride.  That way only your lungs need to adapt! 

Be sure to dance around in your living room too.  Also, blast the AC and the Heat periodically.

And hop into the shower with all your clothes on every afternoon for 5 minutes.

For an added bonus, you can try to put on your rain gear after you get into the shower.  To make it more realistic, as soon as you get all your rain gear on, turn off the shower.

[Bevin]

Of course training your liver and brain for a couple of weeks before you arrive at altitude always helps.    I prescribe your favorite alcoholic beverage and bluegrass/newgrass on the stereo each night for at least 2 weeks before heading to Telluride.  That way only your lungs need to adapt! 

Doc, send us all a bill for that advice.  That s**t is priceless.   

As my friend John McNair always says, it "the well-managed buzz" that you're after.  Especially since at Telluride it can last for, like, 10 days and all.

[TRL]

This is some real handy info

[Mark of Bloomington]

If you are driving out, there should be no problem.  You gain the altitude over a couple of days.  My wife and I drive out from Bloomington, Indiana and have never had any symptoms from the altitude, but it helps that we spend a couple of nights in Boulder on our way.  If you are flying, that is a different beast.  Like people have mentioned above drink plenty of water, and I would be judicious with any alcohol the first day.  Just saying...

[Linds]

When I moved up to 7000 feet (Steamboat) from almost-sea level (San Antonio), I got out of breath easily for the first couple of weeks, so take it slow.  The more immediate symptoms that you'll want to manage are light-headedness, fatigue, headaches, and kind of a fuzzy feeling in your brain (or that could be the hooch!).  Like everyone else said, drink lots and LOTS of water, eat a banana, and take lots of deep breaths.  Don't forget to bring Tylenol or something similar to "break" those stubborn, persistent headaches.  Take it easy on the alcohol. 

Once you're used to the elevation, though, you'll have a fun "superpower" that lots of people don't know about.  For about 4 days after you return home to a lower elevation, you'll be able to drink everyone under the table because of all those extra red blood cells your body's produced to adjust to the high altitude.  It's a fun side-effect!

 Listening to: Steep Canyon Rangers