Training and Acclimatization
At Sierra Mountain Center, we’ve guided countless individuals from all walks of life, of varying ages, fitness levels, and experiences, through the rugged beauty of the Sierra Nevada. Time and again, we’ve seen our clients achieve remarkable feats—whether it’s hiking hundreds of miles or reaching the summit of towering peaks deep in the California wilderness. There’s something truly transformative about exceeding personal expectations in the mountains and turning a dream into reality.
However, one of the most common reasons for trips being cut short is the lack of activity-specific physical preparation and acclimatization. We’ve found that being properly prepared not only enhances the enjoyment of the experience but is crucial for ensuring safety and success in these demanding environments.
What is Activity-Specific Physical Preparation?
Activity-specific physical preparation means training for your hiking or climbing trip by practicing the demanding movements and activities that you’ll be doing on your trip. As a backpacker or alpine climber, the main demanding activity you will encounter is hiking over uneven terrain with a 20-30 pound pack on your back. This will likely be for 5-8 miles a day, gaining as much as 3,000-4,000 feet of elevation at a time, for 2-3 days in a row, possibly more.
The single best way to prepare for those demands – go hiking in uneven terrain with a pack on your back. Slowly increase the distance, weight, and pace of your hike every week. By the time you arrive for your trip, the distance, elevation, and weight are nothing new, or at least not drastically far off from what you’ve been doing in your own time.
While activities like CrossFit, weightlifting, or running are excellent for overall fitness, they don’t replicate the balance, slow aerobic endurance, and comfort in mountain footwear that you need for long days on rough terrain. If your fitness routine doesn’t include weighted hiking, your guide may have concerns about the pace and safety of the trip.
Your guide will adjust to your speed, but we do need to maintain a reasonable pace to ensure safety. For example, reaching the summit before afternoon storms or getting to camp early enough for proper rest. If progress is slow, we may need to modify the day’s goal to keep things safe and enjoyable. After all, the aim is to have a fun, manageable experience—not one that leaves you overly exhausted.
If you’re unsure how to train for your upcoming trip, we’re here to help. Schedule a free 30-minute consultation to discuss your preparation and get guidance tailored to your needs.
Training Recommendations
- Begin preparation early. A strong training program will begin 3 months or more before your trip. That being said, something is better than nothing, and you can get a decent amount of training done in 6-8 weeks if necessary.
- Start slow. Your training hikes don’t need to kick your butt–that’s not the point. Start slow and make sure you can complete your training session with some gas left in the tank. Then, be sure to recover adequately by getting enough sleep, eating enough carbohydrates and protein, and taking a day or so to let your body compensate for the work you’ve done.
- Progressively increase the challenge of your training hike. Our bodies can tolerate as much as a 10% increase in training load week to week with adequate recovery between sessions. So, if you hike 5 miles on week 1, you should increase your distance to 5.5 miles on week two, a little over six miles on week 3, and so on. The same is true for increasing elevation gain and pack weight.
- Learn to squat. One or two low-repetition squat sessions a week can dramatically improve your core, leg, knee, back, and ankle strength and stability. Six to eight sets of four repetitions, up to a weight that feels like an 7/10 exertion, is a great session structure that will only take you 40 minutes or so to complete.
Train with Louie at Vertical Ascents - 20% off
SMC guide Louie Allen is also a certified personal trainer working with Vertical Ascents (VA). Louie and Vertical Ascents are offering 20% off to SMC guests! VA offers remote programming and coaching that teaches athletes to coach and program for themselves to maximize self-efficacy moving forward. Working with Louie is a great way to ensure you are training effectively for your specific program. Schedule a free, no-obligation consultation with Louie!
Do I Really Need to Train for my Trip?
If you’re reading this and asking yourself “do I really need to train for my trip?” Here are a few acid-tests to perform or answer to help you decide.
- Can you sit down on the floor and get back up without using your hands? If not, you should consider training.
- Has it been 3 months or longer since you hiked 5+ miles in a day with a 20+ lb pack on, with 1000+ feet of elevation gain? If so, you should consider training.
- Can you hike 1 mile with a thousand feet of gain, with a 20+ lb pack on, in an hour or less? Can you do that 3-4 times in a row during the day with 5-10 minutes rest between efforts? If not, you should consider training.
- Can you step up on a box, bending your leading knee past 90 degrees, with heavy boots and a 20+ lb pack on your back, relatively easily several times in a row? If not, you should consider training.
- Do you feel confident in your ability to tolerate elevation above 10,000 feet while performing the hiking and climbing demands of your trip? If not, you should consider training!
- These questions aren’t meant to scare you or overwhelm you. They’re meant to de-mystify what it actually takes to prepare for challenging hikes and climbs. The reality is that, while the training takes time and some planning, the best activities and structure for your training are actually very simple and straightforward.
Sierra Mountain Center is committed to making sure you are more than prepared with the information you need to understand and train for the physical demands of your trip. If you’re not sure what the distance and elevation numbers in your trip information mean, please don’t hesitate to get in touch. We are here to help!
Acclimatization
Our programs take place in high-altitude environments. Altitude-related illnesses can force us to abandon our objective, or worse, pose life-threatening risks. Your guide is trained to promptly identify signs and symptoms associated with altitude sickness, and help you descent to lower altitudes if you do not improve. Taking the time to acclimatize properly prior to your trip is a proactive measure that can significantly enhance your experience and safety. In the days leading up to your trip, incorporate small hikes at low intensity from higher elevation trailheads. Going for a hike to, and above, 10,000 feet will help your body begin to respond to the decreased oxygen supply. Then you can allow your body to recover from that slight strain by resting low. Many hikers and climbers have had great success with this technique for a very long time, which is where the phrase “climb high, sleep low” comes from.
If you know you sleep well at elevation, we suggest spending at least one night at a moderate altitude, higher than 8,000 feet, just prior to the start of the journey.
- Cottonwood Lakes Walk-in Campground (10,000 feet)
- Mammoth Lakes Basin Campgrounds (9,000 feet)
- Bishop Creek Campgrounds (9,000 feet)
- Mosquito Flat Campground (9,000 feet)
While sleeping at high elevation is helpful for some, many people do not sleep well at elevation. If you know this is you or if you’re uncertain about how well you’ll sleep, we recommend sleeping in town, at lower elevation, the night before your trip. Prioritize your rest by choosing the most comfortable sleeping arrangements, such as staying at a slightly lower elevation hotel room in Mammoth Lakes (7,800 feet). Arriving at your mountain adventure well-rested is crucial. It equips your body to handle the physical exertion and altitude-related stress more effectively.
Proper hydration is another vital component of feeling your best at high altitudes. This entails being well-hydrated before embarking on your trip and maintaining that hydration throughout your journey. It doesn’t mean guzzling a gallon of water just before bedtime and spending the night in the restroom! Instead, consider gradually increasing your water intake while incorporating electrolyte supplements into your routine several days before your trip. Once at altitude, continue to increase your water intake slightly, still complemented by electrolytes. Without these essential minerals, increased water consumption alone may have adverse effects. Numerous brands of electrolytes are available, some of which can enhance the taste of your water, and others are conveniently in capsule form. Meticulous attention to your hydration will yield significant improvements in your energy levels and recovery throughout your adventure.
Example Training Plan
This is an example training plan for Mt Whitney via the Mountaineer’s Route.
Trip stats:
Total distance: 10 miles round-trip
Total elevation: 6000 ft gain (and descent)
Average pack weight: 25-30 lbs on hiking days, 10-15 lbs climbing days.
Prep time: 12 weeks/3 months
**Note that this is an EXAMPLE and may not be best suited for your specific needs or fitness.
Week 1
Monday: squat, six sets up to 100 lbs
Tuesday: Rest
Wednesday: Hike 3 miles, 10 lb pack, 500 ft gain
Thursday: squat, six sets up to 105 lbs
Friday: Rest
Saturday: Hike 3 miles, 10 lb pack, 1000 ft gain
Sunday: Rest
Week 2
Monday: squat, six sets up to 105 lbs
Tuesday: Rest
Wednesday: hike 3.5 miles, 11 lb pack, 1000 ft gain
Thursday: squat, six sets up to 110 lbs
Friday: Rest
Saturday: hike 3.5 miles, 11 lb pack, 1000 ft gain
Sunday: Rest
Week 3
Monday: squat, six sets up to 110 lbs
Tuesday: Rest
Wednesday: hike 4 miles, 12 lb pack, 1000 ft gain
Thursday: squat, six sets up to 115 lbs
Friday: Rest
Saturday: hike 4 miles, 12 lb pack, 1250 ft gain
Sunday: Rest
Week 4
Monday: squat, six sets up to 115 lbs
Tuesday: Rest
Wednesday: hike 4.5 miles, 14 lb pack, 1000 ft gain
Thursday: squat, six sets up to 120 lbs
Friday: Rest
Saturday: hike 4.5 miles, 14 lb pack, 1500 ft gain
Sunday: Rest
Week 5
Monday: squat, 6 sets up to 120 lbs
Tuesday: Rest
Wednesday: hike 5 miles, 15.5 lb pack, 1000 ft gain
Thursday: squat, 6 sets up to 125 lbs
Friday
Saturday: hike 5 miles, 15.5 lb pack, 1750 ft gain
Sunday: Rest
Week 6
Monday: squat, 6 sets up to 125 lbs
Tuesday: Rest
Wednesday: hike 5 miles, 17 lb pack, 1000 ft gain
Thursday: squat, 6 sets up to 130 lbs
Friday: Rest
Saturday: hike 5 miles, 17 lb pack, 2000 ft gain
Sunday: Rest
Week 7
Monday: squat, 8 sets up to 125 lbs
Tuesday: Rest
Wednesday: hike 5 miles, 19 lb pack, 1100 ft gain
Thursday: squat, 8 sets up to 130 lbs
Friday: Rest
Saturday: hike 5 miles, 19 lb pack, 2250 ft gain
Sunday: Rest
Week 8
Monday: squat, 8 sets up to 130 lbs
Tuesday: Rest
Wednesday: hike 5 miles, 20 lb pack, 1200 ft gain
Thursday: squat, 8 sets up to 135 lbs
Friday: Rest
Saturday: hike 5 miles, 20 lb pack, 2500 ft gain
Sunday: Rest
Week 9
Monday: squat, 8 sets up to 135 lbs
Tuesday: Rest
Wednesday: hike 5 miles, 22 lb pack, 1500 ft gain
Thursday: squat, 8 sets up to 140 lbs
Friday: Rest
Saturday: hike 5 miles, 22 lb pack 2500 ft gain
Sunday: Rest
Week 10
Monday: squat, 8 sets up to 140 lbs
T: Rest
W: Rest
T: Rest
F: Rest
Saturday: hike 3 miles, 24 lb pack 3000 ft gain
Sunday: hike 3 miles, 24 lb pack 1500 ft gain
Week 11
Monday: squat, 6 sets up to 145 lbs
Tuesday: Rest
W: Rest
T: Rest
Friday: hike 3 miles, 27 lb pack 3000 ft gain
Saturday: hike 3 miles, 27 lb pack 2000 ft gain
Sunday: Rest
Week 12
Monday: Rest
Tuesday: Rest
Wednesday: squat, 6 sets up to 150 lbs
Thursday: Rest
Friday: hike 4 miles 30 lb pack 3000 ft gain
Saturday: hike 4 miles 30 lb pack 2500 ft gain
Sunday: hike 4 miles 30 lb pack 0 ft gain
Week 13: de-load. No strenuous activity 5-7 days prior to your climb