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Mt. Everest Expedition: Dave’s Thirteenth Everest Summit

RMI Guide Dave Hahn summits Mt. Everest for a Record Thirteenth Time. On May 20th, 2011, Dave Hahn, Linden Mallory and their Sherpa team stood on the summit of Mt. Everest on a clear and beautiful day. Congratulations! The team has safely returned to Everest Base Camp.
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Congratulations to everyone. I was disappointed that Sara and her dad didn’t summit but she has a whole lifetime to try again. I’m glad you’re back to Base Camp.

Posted by: Sue Eilers on 5/23/2011 at 7:02 am

Hi Dave….and hi there LINDEN!  Congrats to Dave on #13…but a special high five to Linden for #1 on Everest.  Very happy for you.

Steve from Team Kuwaz- Kilimanjaro

Posted by: Steve di Costanzo on 5/23/2011 at 5:28 am


Mt Everest Expedition: Dave Hahn and Team at Camp 3 on Lhotse Face

Hello from Everest Base Camp, I spoke with Dave and Melissa at Camp 3 and WOW did they sound great! The climbing team left Camp 2 early this morning under perfect conditions. As they periodically checked in it sounded like they were truly enjoying the climb and taking pictures when possible. As you can imagine, under harsh weather there isn't time to enjoy the mountain and the views. Our super Sherpa team started a bit earlier and set up tents at Camp 3 then returned back to Camp 2 to spend the night. The equipment that had been brought up there weeks ago was all intact and the team was able to pull into a well provisioned home for the night. Last I heard Melissa was kicking Dave's you know what in the stove boil off competition for dinner, Go Melissa Go! As this climb is quickly coming to it's conclusion, and a day like today that can be so pivotal in the future success I get so excited with this good luck. Not that these tough individuals wouldn't meet the challenge of wind, cold and snow. I just like the way it is shaping up. The weather forecast is still looking good with winds decreasing over the next few days. You have to love that! The Sherpa team will get out of Camp 2 early tomorrow morning and the climbing team will try and have a seamless hand off of some gear to them from Camp 3, check out time should be around 6:00 am. Then the whole team should climb together up to high camp the South Col, getting there midday, that should allow enough time for rest and preparation for early departure toward the summit that night. RMI Guide & Everest Base Camp Manager Mark Tucker


RMI Guide Dave Hahn checks in from Camp 3 on Mt. Everest.

On The Map

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Wishing everyone a safe a successful summit! Go RMI!

Posted by: Russell on 5/24/2012 at 10:38 am

PLEASE keep posting, we are eagerly waiting for news from the summit.

Posted by: Sara on 5/24/2012 at 9:53 am


Lou Whittaker Interview

RMI Founder Lou Whittaker was interviewed last month by the Magic Valley Newspaper in Twin Falls, ID. Lou took some time off from skiing in Sun Valley to sit down and talk about his lifetime of climbing. Check out the article: Famous Mountain Climber Lou Whittaker Talks about His Highest Climbs.
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Mt. Rainier: Remembering Our Climbing Friends

Our thoughts are with our friends at Alpine Ascents and with the family and relatives of the guides and climbers involved in the climbing accident on Mt. Rainier. The climbing community is tightly knit and we feel the loss deeply. Our sincerest thoughts and prayers go out to all of those involved. Please join the climbing community for a memorial service for Eitan Green and Mathew Hegeman: Saturday, June 21, 2014 | 3 - 5 pm The Mountaineers | 7700 Sandy Point Way NE | Seattle, WA 98115 - The RMI Team
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My heartfelt condolences.  A painful and poignant reminder that these professionals only make climbing LOOK easy and without risk.

Posted by: Danny Bobrow on 6/17/2014 at 2:04 pm

God Bless those who were taken “home” during this part of their life’s journey. May peace come to the family and friends of all.
Please forgive the commercialism attached to this ... but i simply cannot think of a better song for those who were called to ... and from ... the mountain !!!!!

http://youtu.be/XxNYvzXQ3m4

Posted by: Kathy Wolf on 6/2/2014 at 2:14 pm


Mt. Everest: Update 4-18-14

April 17th - 11:20 pm Pacific Time RMI Guide and Everest Base Camp Manager Mark Tucker reports that RMI climbers, Sherpa and guides are safe at Everest Base Camp. Around 7 am local time on April 18th an avalanche occured below the West Shoulder continuing down into the Khumbu Ice Fall. Our thoughts and prayers are with the teams on Mt. Everest.
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So happy you guys are all safe! Miss ya kare, I am so glad you are safe!!! Praying for the families of the Fallen Sherpa and for your continued safety.

Posted by: Farah Hedwig on 4/20/2014 at 9:05 am

Hi, Nicole! So relieved to hear you and your team are safe. Our prayers are with you all. Your dad is with me. He says “Be careful, we want you home safe. We love you and am proud of you!” xoxoxoxoxoxox
Love,
Dad and Patti Cakes

Posted by: Patti Tebo on 4/18/2014 at 12:48 pm


Mountaineering Training | Testing Your Fitness

Testing your fitness from time to time is a great way to gauge improvement and to take the opportunity to find your limits. A fitness test acts as a measurement of overall fitness as well as specific core muscle endurance and agility. A test like this should be repeated several times during your training so that you can measure your progress. It’s not the individual results from the test that provide information, it’s the change between results that tells you of your progress. Complete the fitness test, write down your results, and then try it again in a few weeks to see how much you’ve progressed. As with all training, there should be an emphasis on safety and self care. Push your limits but don’t place undue stress or strain on your body. Rather than go all out, try to nudge your results forward in a controlled and sensible way, much like a successful mountain climb. In our Seattle based ‘Fit To Climb’ workouts we use a custom version of a military fitness test that can be done during a short workout. The test consists of a ‘timed run’ - we suggest a mile (if you don’t like to run, then walking is perfect) - followed by a strength test with 4 exercises designed to gauge your upper-body strength, core strength, leg strength, and agility. After a good ten-minute warm-up followed by the Daily Dozen, or similar exercises, first do the timed run. Go at a speed that feels like an intense effort. Record your time. Then, rest for 5 minutes by gently walking or just pacing slowly back and forth. For the strength test, find an area that has a solid, level, and soft surface. Grass is perfect but you can also do this indoors if you prefer. During this test, you will perform four exercises for 2 minutes each, with 3 minutes of rest between each exercise. For the first three exercises, the goal is to count the number of perfect repetitions you can complete in 2 minutes. If you do this with a partner, you can rest while counting their repetitions—along with encouragement! For the fourth exercise, the Shuttle Run, simply time yourself. Write down your scores for each test. Perform the strength test as follows: 1. Push-ups: 2 minutes, followed by 4 minutes of rest 2. Steam Engines on Back: 2 minutes, followed by 4 minutes of rest 3. 3/4 Squats: 2 minutes, followed by 4 minutes of rest 4. 20-yard Shuttle Run: Set up your shuttle run course with some cones or water bottles. If you aren’t sure of measurement use 25 normal paces as a guide. Run back and forth between your markers for 2 minutes, counting the number of times you complete one leg. • For an explanation of strength exercises see the Daily Dozen. • A tip: Break the 2 minutes into 30-second segments, it’ll help you maintain a steady pace. Is it hard? It really is! Two minutes may not sound like a lot but your body will know it is working hard! I suggest you record your scores and do the test each month during your training. - John Colver John Colver is a longtime climber, former mountain guide, and certified personal trainer with the American Council of Exercise. Colver introduced outdoor fitness classes to athletic clubs throughout the greater Puget Sound region before creating his adventX brand. Currently, adventX leads training programs in Seattle and Colver presents clinics on outdoor fitness at companies such as Microsoft, Boeing, the American Lung Association, and REI. Colver lives in Seattle.
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Very interesting, good job and thanks for sharing such a good blog. Your article is so convincing that I never stop myself to say something about it. You’re doing a great job. Keep it up

Posted by: Alisha Donnelley on 4/29/2018 at 7:40 am

Hi,

I signed up for a Mt. Rainier climb in September.  The skills course - Muir. 

I’ve been reading through the blog/emails that was forwarded to me.  For the one above, you describe the run, and the four strength tests for testing your fitness, but you don’t give gauges of fitness levels (e.g. if you can do x pushups in 2 minutes, then you’re at y% of the goal, etc.)

Where can these be found?  Otherwise, how do you know if you’re at, below or above the required fitness?

Thanks,
Steve

Posted by: Steve on 1/31/2013 at 6:39 pm


Mountaineering Training | Fit To Climb: Week 16

Fit to Climb: Week 16 Schedule
DAY WORKOUT TOTAL TIME DIFFICULTY
1 Rainier Dozen / Easy Hiking ( 30 min) 42 min. Medium
2 Rainier Dozen / Stair Interval Training (30 min) 42 min. Hard
3 Rest / Travel Day - Recovery
4 The Climb Begins! - -
Total 1 hr 24 mins.
BRIEFING To be honest, there is no way you can improve your fitness this week. Instead, the purpose of this week’s workouts is to simply allow your body to move, feel the benefit of some light exercise, and manage the stress of the upcoming climb. If any day this week you would rather not exercise at all, you should make that choice. Your top priority is being well rested and prepared by the end of the week! DESCRIPTIONS OF WORKOUTS Day 1: Rainier Dozen + Easy Hiking (30 Minutes) Today’s hike is a recovery workout and you can always substitute it with a different activity, such as running, biking or swimming. The important thing is to move at a moderate pace for 30 to 45 minutes. The pace can be conversational and you do not need to be dripping with sweat at the end of the workout. Day 2: Rainier Dozen + Stair Interval Training (60 Minutes) You are cutting the volume of this workout by 50%. You should also cut the intensity by the same amount. You've been training for 16 weeks and will be working hard on the mountain. You do not want to feel your legs burning in this workout and you certainly don't want to deplete your energy stores. Just get out, have fun, celebrate your last stair workout, and maybe head to a nice restaurant with friends and savor the opportunity to eat with a knife and fork off a real plate. Warm up for about 10 minutes, and then climb up and down a set of stairs, at a consistent pace, for about 20 to 25 minutes. Cool down with some stretching.  Day 3: Rest / Travel Day Today may be a long travel day for you. If you're traveling by air, be sure to plan ahead to maintain your nutrition intake, paying attention especially to your hydration. If you don't have to travel, consider today a bonus rest day. Day 4: The Climb Begins! SUMMARY Mt. Rainier is a tough climb no matter what amount of preparation you have managed to put in. Remember that all of the training you’ve put in up to this point is just getting you to the trailhead. From here, it’s all about managing the challenges of the mountain as best you can in order to preserve your strength and energy through the entire climb. In the mountains the little things add up: keeping yourself at a comfortable temperature and eating and drinking continuously throughout the day will help you arrive into camp feeling good and with energy to spare. Conversely, ignoring that hot spot on your foot and not taking the time to pull out a snack at a break can mean that by the end of the day you’re dealing with blisters and running out of energy. You know how to manage all of these little things after the training hikes you’ve already completed - carry these habits through to the climb! And most of all: have fun! Mt. Rainier is a beautiful climb and an unforgettable adventure - enjoy the experience! Good luck and safe climbing! - John Colver Have a question? See the Fit To Climb FAQ for explanations of specific exercises and general pointers to help you through the Fit To Climb Program. John Colver is a longtime climber, former mountain guide, and certified personal trainer with the American Council of Exercise. Colver introduced outdoor fitness classes to athletic clubs throughout the greater Puget Sound region before creating his adventX brand. Currently, adventX leads training programs in Seattle and Colver presents clinics on outdoor fitness at companies such as Microsoft, Boeing, the American Lung Association, and REI. Colver lives in Seattle, and is working on his second book, Fit to Climb - a 16 week Mount Rainier Fitness Program.
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Mountaineering Training | Fit To Climb: Week 15

EXPEDITION PHASE: PULSE CHECK As we discussed in the summary of the last week, you really can’t build any more fitness between now and the climb. The other side of that point is there really is the potential to squander the benefits you’ve worked for by doing too much in the coming weeks and arriving to the climb thoroughly exhausted. You’ll note that there is no crux workout this week. For some people, the crux of the week is managing the reduced amount of effort and intensity. In a very similar way to being stuck on a mountain waiting for a storm to pass, this week may test your patience, but you have to recognize that to overdo it now would be akin to stepping out into the storm. There is just no point. Roughly speaking, the training intensity and volume are reduced by 50%. Some ways to manage the additional downtime can be reviewing your gear, reading about the climb, watching a movie or catching up with friends and family. The last few weeks have been busy and your climb is coming up at the end of next week. It’s time to relax. Given that your climb is coming up very soon, this week’s and next week’s preparation really blend into each other. As you look ahead at your schedule for the next ten days, bear in mind that it’s perfectly fine to juggle around the days to suit your needs. Another important thing to bear in mind is that it’s certainly okay to skip training days. The goal from now onwards is rest and preparation. Week 16 is the week all the training has been leading up to. Most people are going to be a little nervous. If your nerves are getting the best of you, now is a good time to start actively practicing relaxation and anxiety management skills. My frank observation is that no matter what concerns or doubts come up between the start and the end of this week, the right thing to do in almost every case is to relax and focus on the next hour. You will need all of your energy to climb this mountain and you should feel confident that the training you have will afford you the opportunity to reach the summit of Mount Rainier. There are, however, many things that cannot be controlled, weather and snow conditions being the biggest factors. It is easy to worry about both of these things, but I can promise you as a guide I learned not to worry about those things until the time is actually right. The determination of whether to continue or turn back is always a calculated decision made in the moment, and this is one of the fascinations of the challenge. A climbing team can have a hundred percent perfect weather forecast and if there's a slight air pressure change two hours from the summit, this can result in white-out conditions and winds so high that turning around is the only reasonable option. It is also true that many successful climbs start out in poor visibility and inclement weather which dissipates as the team climbs higher. No one knows what the conditions will be like on your summit day and this is why the gear list contains clothing and equipment for all conditions. What you can count on is the knowledge that no matter how many times your guide has walked out of Camp Muir in the middle of the night, she or he does not forget what it was it is like the first time. Try and suspend thinking about what is happening above the clouds; I say this with absolute assurance, you will be supported by a world-class guide team. On this note, many people report that the experience of being part of a team is one of the most memorable aspects of the climb. Being connected by carabiners and a thin nylon rope is certainly a bonding experience. The famous French guide and writer Gaston Rébuffat often spoke of the "Brotherhood of the Rope" to symbolize the connectedness of everyone on the team. It’s an amazing experience to share the mountains with like-minded climbers! If at the end of next week, you stand on the summit of Mount Rainier, it will be because you put one foot in front of the other, over and over again, and met the challenge of climbing 9,000’ from the alpine meadows of Rainier’s foot to the glacier capped summit. Along the way, you will find synchronicity with your teammates. You will boost them when they are tired and they will do the same for you. Fit to Climb: Week 15 Schedule
DAY WORKOUT TOTAL TIME DIFFICULTY
1 Rainier Dozen / Easy Hiking ( 30 min) 42 min. Medium
2 Rainier Dozen / Stair Interval Training (60 min) 72 min. Hard
3 Rainier Dozen / Rest 12 min. Recovery
4 Rainier Dozen / Stair Interval Training (60 min) 72 min. Hard
5 Rainier Dozen / Rest 12 min. Recovery
6 Equipment and Food Preparation Day - -
7 Hike (4 hrs) 240 min. Medium
Total 7 hrs 30 mins.
BRIEFING This week you scale back the volume all of your training sessions and switch back to the easier stair training at a consistent pace. You’ll still do a hike this week, but it will be only 4 hours. After the last week, this should be a walk in the park! Take an extra day of rest from physical exertion on Day 6, but you spend that time in the valuable activity of checking all your gear and making a list of all the food you’ll need for next the climb at the end of the next week. DESCRIPTIONS OF WORKOUTS Day 1: Rainier Dozen + Easy Hiking (30 Minutes) Today’s hike is a recovery workout and you can always substitute it with a different activity, such as running, biking or swimming. The important thing is to move at a moderate pace for 30 to 45 minutes. The pace can be conversational and you do not need to be dripping with sweat at the end of the workout. Day 2: Rainier Dozen + Stair Interval Training (60 Minutes) Warm up for about 10 minutes, and then climb up and down a set of stairs at a consistent pace for about 50 to 60 minutes. Cool down with some stretching. Day 3: Rainier Dozen / Rest Begin your day with the Rainier Dozen. Feel free to take another 30 to 60 minutes of light exercise if you feel like it (a brisk walk is a great option). If you feel tired, today is a good opportunity be good to take a complete rest day instead. Listen to your body. Day 4: Rainier Dozen + Stair Interval Training (60 Minutes) Warm up for about 10 minutes, and then climb up and down a set of stairs at a consistent pace for about 50 to 60 minutes. Cool down with some stretching.. Day 5: Rainier Dozen / Rest Begin your day with the Rainier Dozen. Feel free to take another 30 to 60 minutes of light exercise if you feel like it (a brisk walk is a great option). If you feel tired, today is a good opportunity be good to take a complete rest day instead. Listen to your body. Day 6: Equipment and Food Preparation Day If you already have all your gear ready, just use this as a rest day. Otherwise, using the lists provided by your guiding service, make sure to go through all your gear and to ensure that you have everything that you need and that everything is in clean and proper functional condition. Make sure to practice packing all this gear into your backpack so that you know how to easily get everything to fit correctly. Day 7: Hike (4 Hours) This is your last substantive hike before heading up the mountain. All you’re aiming to do with this hike is to maintain the level of fitness you’ve worked so hard for over the last sixteen weeks. As always, after warming up, hike at an even pace for six to eight miles, or four hours, and bring the proper amount of gear and food to keep you safe and comfortable. SUMMARY By this time a week from now, you’ll be at Camp Muir, just one day shy of your summit climb. For now, get plenty of rest, pay attention to nutrition, and know that you are ready. - John Colver Have a question? See the Fit To Climb FAQ for explanations of specific exercises and general pointers to help you through the Fit To Climb Program. John Colver is a longtime climber, former mountain guide, and certified personal trainer with the American Council of Exercise. Colver introduced outdoor fitness classes to athletic clubs throughout the greater Puget Sound region before creating his adventX brand. Currently, adventX leads training programs in Seattle and Colver presents clinics on outdoor fitness at companies such as Microsoft, Boeing, the American Lung Association, and REI. Colver lives in Seattle, and is working on his second book, Fit to Climb - a 16 week Mount Rainier Fitness Program.
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Hi John,
I love you training program. Wondering if you can address women specific training issues like strength sufficient for carrying heavy packs.  Suggestions? Do you do any training at the Magnusen Athletic Club? My daughter and I are members. We are set for the 4 day climb on Memorial Day weekend so we are 90 days out.  Thank you! Deirdre

Posted by: Deirdre on 2/19/2016 at 8:45 pm


Ecuador Volcanoes: Knoff & Team Rest Day at the Chilcabamba Eco Lodge

Last night we arrived at Chilcabamba Eco Lodge situated ten miles to the north of Cotopaxi, our final mountain object for this adventure.  This morning we had a crystal clear view of this beautiful peak and of the actual climbing route visible with binoculars.  After yesterday, we are all chomping at the bit to get a second shot at going high.  I’m just hoping the mountain gods quit goofing around and make our climbing and our decision making a bit less strenuous.

During the last three weeks, Dustin and I have attempted four big peaks with only one of them giving us a clear green light.  The three previous attempts, two on Cayambe and one on Chimborazo, could best be described as a devious poker game where you are constantly dealt a low grade two pair and going all in on that isn’t the risk you want to take.  But it isn’t outright horrible either.  Just one more card, one more bet, maybe the odds will turn.  We have folded in the name of safety but the questions still linger.  Could we have gone higher?  Yesterday I wasn’t ready to fold but the next bet came at a cost.  Through pure determination and a bit of luck we squeaked it out but those aren’t the hands you want to have to bet on day in and day out.  Let’s hope tomorrow that Cotopaxi deals us the hand as it did last time.  

Gambling aside, this day was a well needed reprieve from the continuous ride we have been on the last week.  Fifteen minutes ago one of our faithful staff stalled into my room, lit a fire and asked if I needed anything.  “Not at the moment,“ I replied, things for now are pretty much perfect.

Tonight we will pack for our climb ahead and enjoy one more night's rest before heading up hill again.  We will touch base tomorrow.

Please enjoy some photos from our Cayambe summit day.

RMI Guide Adam Knoff

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Sorry I missed sending you a post yesterday. I know you had a BIG day ahead!!!

My mother said to me, “If you become a soldier, you’ll be a general; if you become a monk, you’ll end up as the pope.” I became a painter and wound up as Picasso.
                                                          Pablo Picasso

LUMTA 1TF

Posted by: Geri Kuehn on 1/30/2020 at 8:16 am

Wow, those were some spectacular pictures! Wishing you all a safe and memorable climb on your last mountain on this trip! Can’t wait to here about it Farmer Dave!

Posted by: Jodi Kirincich on 1/29/2020 at 3:40 am


Mountaineering Training | Fit To Climb: Week 14

Fit to Climb: Week 14 Schedule
DAY WORKOUT TOTAL TIME DIFFICULTY
1 Rainier Dozen / Easy Hiking ( 30 min) 42 min. Medium
2 1-2-3 Stair Workout x 5 90 min. Very Hard
3 Rainier Dozen / Rest 12 min. Recovery
4 Rainier Dozen / Fartlek Training Hike or Stair Interval Training (2 hrs) 120 min. Very Hard
5 Rainier Dozen / Hike (2 hrs, 1,500' of elevation gain) 120 min. Medium
6 Rainier Dozen / Hike (4 hrs, 2,500' of elevation gain) 420 min. Medium
7 Rainier Dozen / Hike (7 hrs, 4,500' of elevation gain, 45 pounds of pack weight) 420 min. Medium
Total 17 hrs 24 mins.
BRIEFING Week 14 may well be harder than the climb itself. This is intentional: in an ideal situation, you want to make the training more difficult than the climb so that you can arrive feeling more than prepared! Self care, organization, and a positive attitude play a critical role in the success of this week’s training. Good luck! The only easy day this week was yesterday! During the first part of the week, you complete the interval training you are used to from the last few weeks. On Day 4, you have a choice between stair interval training or a fartlek training hike. Heading into the weekend, over three days you’ll complete up to 13 hours on the trail. After this effort, the next big push you’ll do will be on the climb! With the appropriate planning, you could make Days 5 through 7 a three-day backpacking trip. If you are able to, it wouldn’t be a bad idea to take a day off from work so that you can focus on a pretty tough series of workouts. The goal of these hikes is to prepare you fully for the terrain and efforts you will encounter in the mountains, hence the emphasis on elevations throughout the hikes - nothing beats training for uphill climbing like climbing uphill! Carry whatever amount of weight is necessary to pack all of the gear you will need for the hikes on Days 5 and 6, but aim to carry about 45 pounds on the final hike on Day 7. If you are unable to find steep enough terrain consider finding a series of smaller hills and repeating them until you achieve the needed amount of elevation gain. An altimeter watch is a great tool for this. You can also consider adding a bit of weight to your pack if that sort of elevation gain is out of the question for the terrain you have available but be careful not to injure yourself in the process. DESCRIPTIONS OF WORKOUTS Day 1: Rainier Dozen + Easy Hiking (30 Minutes) Today’s hike is a recovery workout and you can always substitute it with a different activity, such as running, biking or swimming. The important thing is to move at a moderate pace for 30 to 45 minutes. The pace can be conversational and you do not need to be dripping with sweat at the end of the workout. Day 2: Stair Interval Training: The 1-2-3 Workout Warm up with some moderate paced stair climbing. Then, make three efforts: one moderately hard, one very hard, and one close to maximal effort, with rest periods in between. This may look like: • 2 minutes at 50-65% intensity, followed by 3 minutes of rest (1 minute standing, 2 minutes descending) • 2 minutes at 65-80% intensity, followed by 3 minutes of rest • 2 minutes at 85-90% intensity, followed by 3 minutes of rest Repeat this sequence five times. Day 3: Rainier Dozen / Rest Begin your day with the Rainier Dozen. Feel free to take another 30 to 60 minutes of light exercise if you feel like it (a brisk walk is a great option). If you feel tired, today is a good opportunity be good to take a complete rest day instead. Listen to your body. Day 4: Rainier Dozen / Fartlek Training Hike or Stair Interval Training (2 hrs) This week, you have a choice between a two hour fartlek training hike or your consistent pace stair training workout. Either way, warm up with the Rainier Dozen first. Day 5: Hike (2 Hours, 1,500 feet of elevation gain) After a warm up, hike for two hours and aim to cover 1,500’ of elevation change. If you are absolutely not able to take some time off from work or otherwise fit in three consecutive days of hiking, you might opt to skip this hike and do two long days instead by changing the hike on Day 6 to a 6 hour hike. Day 6: Hike (4 Hours, 2,500 feet of elevation gain) This is the second day of your three consecutive days of hiking this week. Find a hike that allows for 2,500’ of elevation change and takes about 4 hours. Warm up with the Rainier Dozen, and then hike at a consistent pace. Carry a light pack with you with just the bare essentials of food and water to keep you comfortable and adequately equipped for the hike. Day 7: Hike (7 Hours, 4,500 feet of elevation gain, 45 pounds of pack weight) This hike is shorter in distance than last week but bumps your pack weight up to 45 pounds. This is more akin to the weight of your pack on the actual climb. Pick a location that allows you to cover 4,500’ in elevation change. This will be your longest hike or workout of any kind until your actual summit bid and it’s a great opportunity to practice packing well, exercising the right safety-related steps, and take in the right nutrition. On the hike itself, keep moving at a consistent pace and try out any gear that you’ve recently purchased to make sure it works well for you. Pay close attention to how you feel during the hike because it is a great opportunity to learn from you experience and make any adjustments to your gear or nutrition before the climb itself. SUMMARY Hearty congratulations! You not only completed the toughest week of training, but have completed the entire peak phase of the Fit to Climb Program! As you think forward to the final couple of weeks, one thing you should feel confident about is that you have prepared yourself well and are set up for success on your climb. Next week’s training will be significantly different in that you’ll be resting instead of loading up your body. It’s also true that from this point forward, you really can’t build any more fitness. The best part of this news is that you don’t need to; you are ready! - John Colver Have a question? See the Fit To Climb FAQ for explanations of specific exercises and general pointers to help you through the Fit To Climb Program. John Colver is a longtime climber, former mountain guide, and certified personal trainer with the American Council of Exercise. Colver introduced outdoor fitness classes to athletic clubs throughout the greater Puget Sound region before creating his adventX brand. Currently, adventX leads training programs in Seattle and Colver presents clinics on outdoor fitness at companies such as Microsoft, Boeing, the American Lung Association, and REI. Colver lives in Seattle, and is working on his second book, Fit to Climb - a 16 week Mount Rainier Fitness Program.
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