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Posted by: Alex Halliday, Dustin Wittmier, Kiira Antenucci
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Mount Rainier
Elevation: 11,200'
On Friday the Camp Muir Expedition Skills Seminar returned from five days of training on Mount Rainier. Aspiring climbers learned a variety of movement and technical skills that will further their future mountain experiences. This wraps up RMI trips on Rainier this season, thank you to everyone who has been following along!
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Categories: Mountaineering Fitness & Training
There are several terms in training articles that get thrown around in confusing ways: aerobic threshold, lactate threshold, anaerobic threshold, aerobic capacity, VO2 Max, anaerobic capacity, and functional threshold power or pace. Many of these terms have definitions that are quite similar to each other, with minute differences that matter in the field of sports science, but are basically equivalent for athletes training. These terms all fit into three main categories that are important for us to understand as endurance athletes.
Aerobic threshold (AeT)
The aerobic threshold is defined as the intensity of exercise at which lactate levels in the blood begin to rise from their baseline. Lactate accumulation indicates that the metabolic pathways that are fueling our muscles with energy have begun to shift to a combination of aerobic and anaerobic mechanisms, and if the intensity that we are working at stays the same, or increases, lactate will continue to build. This is in effect an endurance limiter. Aerobic capacity is essentially the same term – it refers to the amount of work that can be performed before the athlete reaches their AeT.
Lactate Threshold (LT)
Lactate Threshold is the level of intensity at which lactate in the blood reaches 4 millimoles/liter. This is a tiny amount and is something that requires a blood test during exercise in a lab to determine. The more useful definition for athletes is that it is the intensity at which lactate production exceeds its removal. This is also the defining line above which, exercise can only be sustained at that intensity for short periods of time before fatigue and slowing set in. Consider this the upper-end limit to endurance. While the definitions are slightly different, this is essentially the same thing as Anaerobic Threshold (AnT) anaerobic capacity, and functional threshold. They all refer to the point at which the metabolic pathways switch to a primarily anaerobic pathway that burns glycogen (carbohydrates), and the ability to sustain that intensity will be limited.
VO2 Max
VO2 Max refers to the maximum amount of oxygen that the body can utilize for energy during an all-out effort that is well above their AnT. Theoretically, the better your body is at delivering oxygen to where it needs to go, and the better adapted your muscle cells are to exercise, the more oxygen they will be able to utilize to make ATP (energy) and the more energy they will have to do work. Sounds simple enough right? VO2 Max has been a big focus in endurance sports for a long time, partly because it is easily quantifiable. However, ask elite coaches, such as those at Uphill Athlete, and they will tell you that VO2 Max doesn’t correlate very well to performance, and seems largely determined by genetics. Athletes for decades spent considerable effort training to increase their VO2 max, but recent studies suggest that that time would be better spent increasing the aerobic threshold.
Why do these terms matter? One dispels a popular myth related to training (VO2 Max), while the other two are the categories where we as athletes have the greatest abilities to affect our metabolic and motor pathways to achieve better performance. The balance of aerobic threshold and lactate threshold training that we do as we prepare for a large climb will determine how we perform. We’ll be diving into these two topics in more depth in the coming weeks so stay tuned!
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There are several great resources that provide a lot more information on these topics. For this article, we pulled from Joe Friel’s blog and from the recent book, Training for the Uphill Athlete, from the folks at Uphill Athlete. We can’t recommend the book enough if you are serious about training for endurance mountain sports!
Comments? Questions? Share your thoughts here in the comments!
Posted by: Joe Hoch, Grayson Swingle, David Price, Leif Bergstrom, Josh Hankin, Lauren Macklin
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Mount Rainier
Elevation: 11,300'
The Five Day Climb August 30 - 3 September completed their program. The team met on Monday for their Orientation and Equipment check, then headed out the next day above Paradise for a full day of Mountaineering School. With their glacier travel training complete the team ascended 4.5 miles to Camp Muir on Tuesday. They spent two nights at Camp Muir and were able to explore the route up to 11,300', the group was unable to make a summit attempt due to route conditions. However, they did get in some crevasse rescue training. Today the group finished up a bit more training before packing up and descending to Paradise.
Congratulations team - we hope you enjoyed your time on the mountain!
Your shining example amid tragedy for the second time in 24 months make me proud to have been associated with RMI…You help all understand how to be w-i-t-h the mtn as well as o-n it, and more importantly to be with others, inhabitants as well as climbers.
Best + God bless JJ and team. Waltero
Posted by: Waltero Glover on 4/29/2015 at 8:32 am
Safe thoughts for the unsure journey ahead.
Posted by: holly seaton on 4/29/2015 at 8:02 am
The pictures get more and more breathtaking and the blog makes this so real. So proud of you!
Posted by: Mom / Grandma on 3/30/2011 at 10:48 am
MORE PICTURES!!!! I am so excited to read your blog! It makes it so much more real! thanks and keep us posted! xo,lynn
Posted by: Lynn Crow on 3/30/2011 at 9:07 am
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Categories: Everest BC Trek
9. Lama Geshe: A renowned spiritual leader living in a small house in Pangboche, Lama Geshe never fails to greet visitors with a deep laugh and broad smile. As he chants prayers in his native Tibetan in a deep but soft voice, he provides a fascinating appreciation and insight into the Buddhist process of embarking on a journey, whether for an Everest Expedition or a trip to visit distant relatives.
8. Momos: Akin to Chinese dumplings, the Nepalese momo is a delicious treat after a long day on the trail.
7. Afternoon prayers at the Tengboche Monastery: After making the 1,300’ ascent to the ridge top Monastery, find a seat along the edges of the Dokhang (the prayer hall), framed by a two story tall golden statue of Buddha, and listen to the deep chants of the resident monks fill the space.
6. Exploring Namche Bazaar: Perched on a hillside in the middle of the Khumbu, Namche Bazaar is the cultural and economic hub of this mountainous region. Yaks, monks, and Tibetan traders share the narrow streets with locals and trekkers alike, and a new discovery can be found around every corner, from tailors to bakeries to monasteries and museums.
5. The experience of trekking lodge-to-lodge: After a warm breakfast served in a cozy dining room, shoulder a light day pack with only the gear you need for the day, leaving your duffel outside your door, and start up the trail. Spend the day wandering through villages, fields, and valleys, until you reach your next night's teahouse where your bag awaits. The teahouses are simple but comfortable, with cozy community dining rooms to eat, relax, and socialize in and sleeping rooms just down the hall.
4. The Trail: While the excitement of trekking to Base Camp is reaching the foot of Everest at the end of the trail, the wonder comes from the entire experience of traveling the trail, where a simple centuries old footpath serves as both highway through the valley and the villages' Main Streets. Slow your pace now and again to look around and take in the shops, homes, and life that all happens right along the path!
3. Island Peak's summit ridge: Ringed by several of the world's greatest mountains (Nuptse, Lhotse, Everest, and Ama Dablam), the airy summit ridge of Island Peak provides all of the excitement of Himalayan climbing in a short extension to the spring trek.
2. Spending the night at Everest Base Camp: you've walked all that way, why turn around and leave again in a matter of hours? Spending the night in Base Camp is a peek into the full experience of embarking on an Everest Expedition and enjoying a cup of tea while watching the sun peak over the top of the Western Cwm is an unforgettable moment.
1. Stopping to soak it all in: The Khumbu is simply an amazing place. One of the best things is just being there: stopping to dig your heels into the ground and looking around. There is nowhere else in the world like it.
Ready to experience the Khumbu for yourself? Join RMI on a trek to Everest Base Camp!
Please see our in depth blog about hiking to everest base camp. We have pictures, our budget, planning, and pictures/videos. It should be very helpful for you!
http://www.ditchthemap.com/travel-blog/2016/4/15/14-day-everest-base-camp-trek-in-nepal
Posted by: Scott on 4/26/2016 at 11:30 pm
It is one of the best Everest Base Camp Trekking blog i have ever read. Really well written n knowledgeable thanks for sharing glad to read your blog.
Posted by: Everest Base Camp Trekking on 4/6/2015 at 12:26 am
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Categories: Mountaineering Fitness & Training
| DAY | WORKOUT | TOTAL TIME | DIFFICULTY |
| 1 | Rainier Dozen / Easy Hiking ( 30 min) | 42 min. | Medium |
| 2 | Rainier Dozen / High Intensity Stair Interval Training (60 min) | 72 min. | Very Hard |
| 3 | Rainier Dozen / Rest | 12 min. | Recovery |
| 4 | Strength Circuit Training x 4 | 54 min. | Hard |
| 5 | Rainier Dozen / Rest | 12 min. | Recovery |
| 6 | Fitness Test | 60 min. | Medium |
| 7 | Rainier Dozen / Hike (4 hrs, 15lbs of pack weight) | 252 min. | Medium |
| Total | 8 hrs 24 mins |
What is a realistic pack weight from base to camp Muir and from Muir to summit?
Thank you
Posted by: Mark on 11/26/2019 at 8:58 am
I am climbing Rainier in mid May 2018 and plan to utilize the 16 week training plan starting first week in January. Where can I find the plan online? or can I begin getting these emails to start in Jan 2018? thanks john
Posted by: John Gay on 11/17/2017 at 11:56 am
Posted by: Mike Uchal
Categories: Mount Rainier Responsible Climbing
Every summer, RMI climbing teams consume over 7,000 gallons of drinking water at Camp Muir, the primary camp on Mt. Rainier's Disappointment Cleaver Route. For many years, melting snow in a large barrel heated by propane created drinking water for Camp Muir. We knew that there was a better way to provide drinking water to our teams and it just required a little bit of creativity, brainstorming, and initiative. Over the course of the 2012 and 2013 climbing seasons, a new solar thermal system was installed at Camp Muir. This system, designed to use environmentally benign and free solar energy to efficiently melt snow, provides drinking and cooking water for RMI climbers and guides at an elevation of 10,060'. The system was designed and built by RMI Guide and alternative energy professor Mike Uchal and his colleague Dr. Brian Raichle, who is a professor of solar energy technology at Appalachian State University. RMI Guide Cody Doolan also contributed with the design, installation, and maintenance. RMI's Solar Snow Melt System, part of our commitment to Responsible Climbing, reduces our environmental footprint on Mt. Rainier by minimizing the need to burn liquid propane gas in order to melt snow, cuts our operating costs, and reduces the environmental footprint of the helicopter used to transport propane to Camp Muir.
How it works:
A small electric pump powered by photovoltaic panels pulls water from the burn barrel, a large barrel used to melt snow, uphill to a solar thermal collector. The collector, a conventional flat plate solar thermal collector is the kind that is typically used in residential and commercial domestic hot water systems. The water is pulled by gravity through the copper pipes in the collector and is heated by solar radiation before returning to the melt barrel. RMI guides keep the barrel fed with clean snow from the snowfields above Camp Muir and this snow mixes with the warm water and melts into liquid form. A controller turns on the pump in the morning and off at the end of the day when the sun goes down. Because the collector is uphill of the barrel, gravity drains water from the collector at night to prevent damage from freezing water. This system design eliminates any problems associated with overheating during late season conditions when solar energy can be plentiful and strong.
How it performs:
On warm, sunny days at Camp Muir, typical in the late summer, the solar snow melting system heated the 30+ gallons of water in the burn barrel to above 100°F. That is nearly spa temperature! On cold, sunny days, often found early in the season, the system heated water to temperatures above 40°F - enough to effectively melt snow. Propane is still used during storms that last several days, when solar radiation isn’t strong enough to heat the collector, but the solar snow melting system dramatically reduced the amount of propane burned during the 2013 summer climbing season.
Anecdotally, before the 2013 climbing season the propane burner was running for around 3.5 hours per day to melt enough snow to provide drinking water for the RMI teams. During the 2013 climbing season, guides estimate that the burner was needed on average around 15 minutes per day. During the summer climbing season of 2013, we estimate the solar system saved approximately 250 pounds of propane, the associated cost of transport that propane, and 0.33 metric tons of CO2 emissions.
This project is part of RMI’s commitment to the outdoor community and environment as we work to reduce the environmental footprint of our climbs in order to ensure that many future generations are able to enjoy the same mountain environment that we enjoy. The RMI Solar Snow Melt System is a great example of practices that can reduce a business' environmental footprint and provide cost savings at the same time. By the end of its first full year at Camp Muir, the system paid for itself with savings in fuel and helicopter transport costs. The next time you make it to Camp Muir, swing by the guide shack and check it out! The guides would love to show you the system in person.
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Mike Uchal is a Professor of Alternative Energy at Appalachian State University and guides trips on Mt. Rainier and Mt. McKinley for RMI Expeditions. Mike lives the mountain life, rock climbing, paddling whitewater, mountain biking, trail running, and skiing whenever he has spare time.
Thanks for sharing such an amazing informations.
Very helpful.
Rachel
Posted by: Rachel on 1/16/2019 at 5:46 pm
http://www.rmiguides.com/blog/2014/06/05/mt._rainier_expedition_skills_seminar_muir_reaches_summit
Hello folks looking for the skills seminar this week. There was a posting yesterday but not under Rainier. The above link will take you to a great picture!
Posted by: Doug on 6/6/2014 at 4:13 pm
Posted by: Elias de Andres Martos
Categories: Guide News
Congrat’s Elias and Bridgette!
Posted by: Ryan Aldrich on 12/16/2011 at 7:38 am
Posted by: Luke Wilhelm, David Price
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Aconcagua
It is good to be back in the summer heat of Mendoza! The team returned to the city healthy, safe, and proud of our climbing accomplishments. Switching our boots and jackets for flip flops and swim suits has been a welcomed change. To unwind from the trip, we have enjoyed all of what the city has to offer. Lounging by the pool and eating copious amounts of gelato have been our main focuses. The group has become incredibly close during our time in Argentina. We are all eager to head home, yet reluctant to part ways. As the trip concludes, we will continue to relish in each others company until the final moments. Our time together has truly been the best.
Till next time,
RMI Guide Luke Wilhelm, David Price and Team
Thanks to the guide team and my fellow hikers for helping to get the most that the mountain would allow. Hard to beat being on a glacier in a spectacular landscape. Hike On!
Posted by: Steven McKenna on 9/7/2021 at 10:29 am
Thats so cool to spend so much time on the mountain. Blessed.
Posted by: Bryan Lundgaard on 9/4/2021 at 12:36 am
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