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Categories: Mountaineering Fitness & Training
“Do you train?” A climber recently asked me as we descended the Disappointment Cleaver on Mt. Rainier. My answer: “Well, to be honest, training to most guides is a way of life.” We don’t HAVE TO go for a run, lift weights, and bike all day; we GET TO. Training and performing are both mentally demanding to do and to motivate for. My remedy is to remove the need to motivate and intentionally make training part of who I am. There are two ways to view the 5 A.M. wake up to go to the gym: The first - it’s a choice you make every day and the second - it’s what you do. Consciously removing the decision to get out the door and train makes the process easier. I was suffering from decision making fatigue just the other day as I tried to decide which Tillamook ice cream to buy, but had no problem walking out the door to get in a jog because it wasn’t a choice. On days when it seems harder to get moving, I tell myself; “Well, there is no decision to make. Here we go.”
What do many of us guides do for training? You name it and guides are doing it: road biking, mountain biking, rock climbing, yoga, HITT, sprinting, jogging, swimming, skiing, weight lifting, sit-ups, bouldering, and on and on. The guiding lifestyle lends itself well to activity and a solid foundation of endurance, and as a result our training may be less structured. We all make choices around what’s important to us. If I am building fitness for a specific climb however, I will be more organized about my approach, dividing my training into specific categories and foci to more efficiently reach the gains that I’m depending on. This is probably more applicable to many of the climbers I work with, for whom their next climb likely is one of the largest athletic feats they have taken on in their life.
Training takes time in what is often a busy schedule. What if we took 5 to 10 minutes from different ways we spend our time each day (time on our computers, socializing, food preparation, tv watching, house cleaning, shopping, sleeping, social media) and put that into fitness? There is no way I can navigate your personal time management, but it is all a compromise and we can do almost anything but not everything.
There are lots of good blogs here on types of workout and training preparation routines so I’m not going to outline specific workouts here but instead link to some of my favorite references:
https://www.uphillathlete.com/training-plans/
https://www.redbull.com/us-en/lindsey-vonns-training-regimen-will-wreck-you
https://www.rmiguides.com/resources/fitness-and-training
http://www.fitclimb.com/page/6-week-beginner-mountaineering
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Christina Dale has led climbing expeditions all over the world - from Everest Base Camp to the Mexican volcanoes to the summit of Denali. She’s skied from the top of Chilean volcanoes, peaks in Patagonia, and across Mount Cook. During the summer, she’s a regular on Rainier. She spends her winters ski patrolling at Crystal Mountain, with her avalanche search and rescue dog in tow.
Questions? Comments? Share your thoughts here on the RMI Blog!
Posted by: Dustin Wittmier, Dominic Cifelli, JT Schmitt
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Guide News
Elevation: 16,000'
RMI Guides JT Schmitt, Dustin Wittmier and Dominic Cifelli are in Nepal on an expedition with the main objective to climb Manaslu without supplemental oxygen. They departed the United States on September 1st and are able to check in from basecamp:
Hello,
We arrived at Manaslu basecamp on September 11th after four days of trekking through remote valleys in Nepal. Most days were spent shrouded in a cloudy veil, but we were treated to the occasional view of rugged glaciers clinging to high mountains. Staying in tea houses, we were immersed in Nepalese and Sherpa cultures through conversation and enjoying traditional foods together.
Six days after arriving in basecamp we are well established at 16000’ and have made our first rotation on the mountain. We spent three days moving to as high as Camp 2 at 21,000’, setting up our tent and caching gear. On that rotation we spent two nights at Camp 1, letting our bodies acclimatize to sleeping at 18900’.
Currently we are on our third rest day, waiting out torrential rains; and the report from higher on the mountain is that there is significant snow accumulation. It is beneficial that Wi-Fi is available in basecamp so we can continue to monitor weather forecasts, waiting for a window to make a second rotation.
We are hopeful we will be able to push through some marginal weather tomorrow to take advantage of a small, upcoming window. Our second rotation will hopefully allow us to reach Camp 4 at 24,300’, to cache some gear and set us up for a summit push.
RMI Guides JT Schmitt, Dustin Wittmier & Dominic Cifelli
Posted by: Andy Bond, Jack Delaney, Joey Manship
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Mt. McKinley
Elevation: 14,000'
June 16, 2023 11:38PM PT
On this glorious morning, we awoke to partly sunny skies and light snow showers (for those who don't know, this means mostly cloudy.) As temperatures warmed, we all gathered in the posh for another round of pancake Hibachi. Yours truly went for broke and landed a double pancake flip (that is one pancake flipping twice). Unfortunately, the blast wave of this extreme maneuver broke our big strong Andy's fork.
To make the most of our relatively mild weather and rest day, we headed out of camp and practiced fixed line travel and clipping pickets. The team did great and is ready for whatever gloves the mountain throws at them.
Famished, we made our way back to camp to gorge on snacks, mainly cheese. This helped quell our toilet paper crisis for the near future.
After dinner and a sweet treat of Jack's cheesecake the team retired to hopefully sleep deep and oxygen rich.
Posted by: Alex Van Steen, Mark Tucker
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Carstensz Pyramid
Elevation: 16,023'
RMI Guide Alex Van Steen with the Carstensz summit news.
On The Map
Alex, I’m so proud of you!!! Good job. Love, your cousin-in-law!!! ;-)
Posted by: Lynnette Rutledge on 7/6/2012 at 7:53 pm
Hey guys!! So incredibly proud of all of you! To celebrate your achievements today, Sophie and Kasey slept til noon!!!!You guys are all amazing. Can’t wait to see the pics and hear the stories. Get home safe!
Posted by: Uncle Martin on 7/6/2012 at 4:51 pm
Hello, Linden! We Wallaces are enjoying your blogs! We are thinking about you way up there in the wild, blue, yonder and wishing you and your team well, safe, strong. We send you lots of love! Mary and Roger
Posted by: mary wallace on 5/2/2011 at 7:18 pm
Another great post and love the pictures! Enjoy the “thick” air of base camp and know that we are thinking of you all! And Bro - Happy Anniversary to you and Lisa! You are both extraordinary people!! Stay strong!!
Posted by: Martin on 4/26/2011 at 6:30 pm
Posted by: Hannah Smith, Joe Hoch, Lauren Macklin, Lily Emerson, Michael Murray, Evan Sather
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Mount Rainier
Elevation: 12,300'
The Four Day Climb for August 1 - 4 led by RMI Guides Hannah Smith and Joe Hoch were unable to summit today due to a descending cloud and gusty winds. The teams reached the top of Disappointment Cleaver but were unable to continue due to weather. As of 7 am the teams were safely back at Camp Muir. They plan leave Camp Muir around 9 am to make the remaining 4,500' descent to Paradise. We look forward to seeing the teams at Rainier Basecamp this afternoon.
Posted by: Dustin Wittmier, Josh McDowell, Augi Fleer, Matias Francis, Trevor Katz, Nicole De Petris
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Mount Rainier
Elevation: 14,410'
The Four Day Climb July 4 - 7 led by RMI Guides Dustin Wittmier and Josh McDowell led their teams to the summit of Mt. Rainier today. The guides reported windy conditions on the mountain but an overall clear and sunny day. They are currently at Camp Muir and will pack and ready for the remainder of their descent to Paradise.
Congratulation to today's climbers!
Wow!! So proud of the whole team and especially the Larson sibs! Thanks to the guides for keeping them all safe. What an adventure!!
Posted by: Elizabeth Larson on 7/7/2022 at 8:34 pm
Awesome! Congratulations
Posted by: Susan Decker on 7/7/2022 at 4:56 pm
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Categories: Guide News
Kahiltna Base Camp sits in the heart of the Alaska Range, surrounded on all sides by peaks such as Denali, Mt. Foraker, and Mt. Hunter. With the plethora of climbing options the pair decided to climb the Kahiltna Queen (12,380’).
AM: Around Base Camp there are so many cool peaks to climb and one of those is the rarely climbed Kahiltna Queen. This peak is located at the end of the southeast fork of the Kahiltna glacier. It is the only peak in the range that divides three different glaciers: the Kahiltna, the Ruth and the Tokositna.
KB: Andres and I spent a day skiing up the Southeast fork of the Kahiltna Glacier, stopping along the way to look at different climbing options and to do some ice climbing. Kahiltna Queen looked like a gorgeous peak to climb and both of us were stoked about trying an unclimbed route.
The following night Katie and Andres began their climb up the West side of the Kahiltna Queen.
KB: The line we took followed a rib splitting the west face, starting from where the rib emerged from the glacier. The part of the climb was mostly steep snow climbing on some great and not-so-great neve (granular snow that accumulates near mountain tops from wind and precipitation). The route then transitions into ice climbing with some rock mixed in.
AM: The mixed climbing was great all the way to the summit. The day was incredible and the views were just amazing. At the top we stopped to melt water and high five. Then it was time for us to start descending the West Couloir Route. The descent ended up being longer and more difficult than I expected as we had to do over fourteen rappels.
Following the successful climb, Katie and Andres, skied two hours back to Base Camp. After 25 hours of climbing they returned safely to Base Camp.
KB: Seeing the moonrise while we were climbing was awesome! It came up for maybe an hour or so and just skimmed the edge of the horizon. For the whole way up we had splitter weather and were basking in the sun at the summit. After this trip I can definitely understand why my friends are excited about Alaska. It was great to be able to climb the Kahiltna Queen after guiding the Alaska Seminar since it enabled me to spend so much time in the Alaska Range. Andres has heaps of experience in the Alaska Range and I learned a lot from working and climbing with him.
AM: All and all it was a great climb with a great partner. I am already looking forward to next year’s seminar and more personal climbs in the Alaska Range.
Andres Marin is a senior guide at RMI leading programs in Washington, Alaska and Colorado. He is an off-width specialist and an accomplished ice and mixed climber. One of his recent achievements includes climbing the five hardest mixed lines in Ouray, Colorado, in a day. Andres is a fully certified alpine and rock guide sponsored by Millet, Blue Water Ropes, 5.10, Petzl, GU and Ice Holdz.
Katie Bono is an RMI Guide and accomplished climber with impressive ascents in North America and Canada. A retired Nordic ski racer and Millet athlete, she currently holds the women’s speed record on Mt. Rainier.
To see more of their climb check out Andres’ Kahiltna Queen video.
Do you think the Kahiltna Queen can be solo’d in January? There is a climber in Talkeetna, Alaska right now who may attempt the first solo of the KQ in January 2019. He was going to solo Denali, but due to the government shut-down, that was a no-go. Alaska just had a big earthquake (7.0) on November 30, 2018, and the aftershooks are still plentiful even in Big Lake and Talkeetna, which are not that far from KQ. I wish this climber the best and would value your opinion.
Posted by: Annie G on 1/12/2019 at 4:13 am
Anyone looking into Andres’ background as a guide or a teammate can have confidence that he is capable of more than most and still patient with those less skilled. (thanks again, Andres)
Posted by: Creighton Miller on 8/15/2013 at 8:15 pm
Posted by: Pete Van Deventer, Grayson Swingle, Erika Birkeland, Cal Smith, Keeley Rideout, Emma Lyddan
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Mount Rainier
Elevation: 13,000'
The Mt. Rainier Summit Climb, led by RMI Guides Pete Van Deventer and Grayson Swingle, turned at 13,000' due to an impasse on the route. The team reported light wind and precipitation earlier this morning. They are currently descending to Camp Muir where they will pack up their remaining gear and continue onto Paradise.
Best of Luck and Best of Experience !!
from
Baldev Raj Narang
Rakesh Bala Narang
Varnali Narang
Posted by: Baldev Raj Narang on 7/31/2021 at 8:26 am
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Categories: Mountaineering Fitness & Training
Stay strong team! Love you Dom. Uncle artie
Posted by: Art cifelli on 9/21/2022 at 4:30 pm
Hey Dustin!!!
This is So Awesome!! You Are Strong!! You can do this!! After all you pulled my old farmer a$$ to the top of Cotopoxi!!!
All the best for Strength and Stamina Dustin!!!
Farmer Dave
Posted by: Dave Kestel on 9/19/2022 at 7:17 am
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