To the top we go! Thirteen days into our trip, we can all feel the wear and tear from the previous mountains. Chimborazo is our final objective, the tallest of the three peaks standing tall at 20,500'.
There is quietness to the team as we get ready for our climb. As per usual, the alarm clock goes off far too early. There is no need to go wake folks since we are all sleeping in a dome tent. An hour goes by quickly and we are all roped up ready for our journey. The first portion of the route has a disappointment clever feel as we traverse under el castillo. Crampons and rocks is never a fan favorite but the team cruises through it. A short section of ice brings us to our first break. No matter how tired the team may be, everyone looked motivated to keep going. From that moment to the summit we climbed sustained steep switchbacks. The climb is unrelenting, never easing up. After a few false summits and a confusing bright star we reached the lower summit Pico Veintimilla. Once at the false summit we make the extra 30 minute walk to the true tippy top. A very faint glow of the sunrise greets us at the top.
The team finishes their trip three for three on the volcanos. The hardwork and preparation they all put in for these climbs shows with the great success on all the volcanos. Its a bitter sweet moment on top as we celebrate our victory but also acknowledge that this trip is coming to an end. After snapping summit photos and the beauty of the sun rising, we safely reverse our steps and head back down to camp. We pack up our things, enjoy some pizza and coffee and then make our way back to the van. The van has never looked so good. We free our feet from the confines of our mountaineering boots and load up. After a hard days climb we all look forward to hot showers, comfy beds, and celebratory drinks.
Moods are high as we reminisce on our climbs. With heavy eyes from an early start, its early to bed for all. Its been a great day and an excellent trip. We can all go to sleep feeling good about all that we have accomplished. Tomorrow we make our way back to Quito and then back to the states.
BRIEFING
Last week we bumped up the length of three workouts and you may still be a little bit tired. This week, all workouts keep the same length and intensity.
DESCRIPTIONS OF WORKOUTS
Day 1: Rainier Dozen + Easy Hiking (30 Minutes)
Perform the Rainier Dozen, and follow it up with approximately 30 minutes of easy hiking. Feel free to mix things up occasionally with a different activity, such as running, biking or swimming.
Day 2: Rainier Dozen + Stair Interval Training (50 Minutes)
Warm up for about 10 minutes, and then climb up and down a set of stairs, at a consistent pace, for about 30 to 40 minutes. Cool down with some stretching.
Day 3: Rainier Dozen / Rest
Begin your day with the Rainier Dozen. Feel free to add another 30 to 60 minutes of light exercise if you up for it (a brisk walk is a great option). Listen to your body. If you feel tired, rest. It would be good to take a complete rest day instead.
Day 4: Strength Circuit Training x 3
Repeat the strength circuit training workout introduced in Week 3. After warming up, perform three sets of the following exercises:
• Steam Engine
• Push Up
• Three Quarter Squat
• Russian Twists
• Lunge
• Steam Engine Laying down
• Mountain Climber
• 8 Point Bodybuilder
Spend 40 seconds performing the exercise and take 20 seconds between exercises to rest and switch to the next one. Take a full minute of rest between each set. Take ten minutes to cool down by stretching after you’re done.
Day 5: Rainier Dozen / Rest
Begin your day with the Rainier Dozen. Feel free to add another 30 to 60 minutes of light exercise if you up for it (a brisk walk is a great option). Listen to your body. If you feel tired, rest. It would be good to take a complete rest day instead.
Day 6: Rainier Dozen + Cross Training (1 Hour)
Warm up with the Rainier Dozen and then spend an hour in some moderately vigorous activity as cross training. Listen to your body, and have fun with it.
Day 7: 3 Hour Hike
Warm up with the Rainier Dozen. Hike for about 3 hours, covering 5 - 6 miles in distance. Hike at an even pace.
SUMMARY
As you work hard at your workouts, pay close attention to how you feel during your workouts and be diligent about self-care and recovery. This self-awareness can help you know what parts of the fitness triangle (aerobic, anaerobic and strength) might need a little extra work. It might also help you realize that you’re pushing too hard and need to dial it back a little. You do have leeway as you train. If, for any reason, you feel exhausted or you feel like you're slipping back, it's often best to take an extra rest day or two. Taking more rest is not a negative. This is not to encourage a lack of discipline, but to respect and honor the intuition and self-knowledge that we all have when it comes to understanding when enough is enough. A simple rule in this regard that is often used in elite athletic coaching circles is that "If you have to choose one, it's always better to undertrain than to overtrain."
- 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.
Dear friends, family and colleagues: we are happy to get back in touch with you. Before all, we would like to apologize for the lack of communication of the last 10 days, but unfortunately, we were the most frustrated with that issue. Our satellite phone decided not to cooperate with our solar panel, and recharging the battery was an impossible task. Being the last team this season on the mountain, we could not borrow any other means of communication and we understand the worries this might have caused. But this is what being in the Himalayas brings to all of us...
That said, we are eager to announce that entire team is back safe in Kathmandu after having reached the SUMMIT ON THE CENTRAL SUMMIT OF SHISHAPANGMA at 8013metres!!!!
On Oct.11th, Bridget, Jake, Geoff and Elias reached the central summit in the mid afternoon, on a warm and cloudless day, after having followed the NW ridge for several hours from C3 (Elias and Bridget) at 7450m and from C2.5 (Geoff and Jake) at 7100m. The next day, Oct 12th, Eric and Leon, who had made shelter in C3 the previous day, started strong towards the summit. Leon reached the summit hours later, having Eric turning around well above 7600m in a wise and mature decision that honors this young, strong and smart climber, since his cold toes were not warming up in those early hours and up there you are the mercy of the temperatures.
Two days later, the entire team was reunited at Base Camp, from were we would proceed to do several back-carries to clear our gear and trash from anywhere below C1 at 6400m. After another day of rest and packing, we initiated our descent towards the trail head, also called Chinese Base Camp, were we arrived yesterday, the 16th. We were picked up by our truck (who learned about our arrival by a paper note sent down 2 days earlier with a yak shepherd) which would take us to the town of Nyalam, just a few Kilometers away from the Tibetan-Nepali border, to spend the night. This morning (Oct 17th) we made it into Nepal not without a couple small issues at the border and multiple traffic stops en-route to our hotel in Kathmandu, due to the heavy tourist season in the area. Is close to midnight here, so I will stop writing, but we will send you a good recap of the entire expedition soon.
Again, thanks to all of you for your support, your interest and the good vibrations sent. Best regards.
RMI Guide Elias de Andres Martos
BRIEFING
This week, we're loading up your pack with another ten to fifteen pounds of weight. Your ultimate target weight will be 35 to 45 pounds, depending on your individual gear. The added pack weight takes you a big step closer to that goal of preparing for your climb. A side benefit of increasing the amount of gear in your backpack is learning how to pack your gear like a pro! Check out RMI Guide Pete Van Deventer's packing tips for some insights on how to pack a backpack for climbing!
Since day one of Fit To Climb, you've been practicing squats, lunges and other core exercises which are building your upper and lower body strength. This is a great time to focus on your technique, especially for squats (see Fit to Climb: Week 3 for a refresher on proper technique).
This week, you’ll also increase the stair training workout to 60 minutes, pushing it into the “very hard” workout territory. The strength workout is twice as long as when you started; you’ll be doing 4 sets of the 8 exercises. In this week’s workouts you’ll notice that you’re building muscle endurance, indicated by your ability to make repeated efforts with less fatigue.
DESCRIPTIONS OF WORKOUTS
Day 1: Rainier Dozen + Easy Hiking (30 Minutes)
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 2: Rainier Dozen + Stair Interval Training (60 Minutes)
After the Rainier Dozen, warm up for about 10 minutes, and then climb up and down a set of stairs, at a consistent pace, for about 40 to 50 minutes. Cool down with some stretching. You don’t need to carry a pack on your stair interval training, the focus in this workout is on speed and intensity.
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: Strength Circuit Training x 4
Repeat the strength circuit training workout introduced in Week 3. After warming up, perform four sets of the following exercises:
• Steam Engine
• Push Up
• Three Quarter Squat
• Russian Twists
• Lunge
• Steam Engine Laying down
• Mountain Climber
• 8 Point Bodybuilder
Spend 40 seconds performing the exercises, and take 20 seconds between exercises to rest and rotate. Take a full minute of rest between each set. Take a full minute of rest between each set. Take ten minutes to cool down by stretching after you’re done.
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: Rainier Dozen + Cross Training (1 Hour)
Warm up with the Rainier Dozen and then spend an hour in some moderately vigorous activity as cross training. Listen to your body as to what activity sounds appropriate and have fun with it.
Day 7: 3 Hour Hike
Adding a pack with 15 pounds doesn’t sound like much, but if you’re not used to wearing a pack, it’s quite normal to experience tiredness or muscle ache, especially in the shoulders. If you feel a sharp pain, you should stop. However, if what you feel is muscle fatigue or an ache, do persevere and your shoulders will become used to the pack over the next few weeks.
An organizational aspect to this workout is to practice packing your pack so that the needed gear is easy to accessible, weather proofed and packed in a way that is balanced. Nothing wears you down like a poorly-organized, lop-sided pack.
Practically, if you have been acquiring gear for your climb, you could use it for ballast. If you don't have the specific items that you're climbing with, yet, you can be creative by adding heavy items such as water and bags of rice, or even spare clothes. A tip for anyone who is worried about knee pain on the descent: carry a jug of water to achieve the desired weight on the way up (15lbs = ~1.8 gallons of water). At the high point of the hike you can dump out some, or all, of this water so that you can descend with a lighter load and lessen the strain on your body.
- 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.
For the stair interval training, the comments say to climb at a consistent pace for 40-50 minutes. the link however says to do 3-4 intervals of 2 minutes at high intensity. Which is it? thanks.
Posted by: Phil on 9/19/2016 at 7:31 am
With regard to a previous article on the benefits of using trekking poles on the climb of Rainier, how does one coordinate the use of two poles with an ice ax?
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.
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?
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.
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
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.
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
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 !!!!!
Adjusting to the low oxygen of high altitude environments is a natural process that we will all experience if we travel or live at high altitudes. Like all things in life, some people are better at adjusting to high altitude than others. Fortunately, there are ways that each of us can prepare at home and in the early stages of mountain travel before going to the big peaks.
We all experience the low oxygen of high altitude a little differently, but the most prominent symptoms of going to high altitude are categorized as the condition Acute Mountain Sickness (AMS). AMS is composed of a group of symptoms that can present themselves after spending some time at high altitude. Symptoms of AMS include headache, fatigue, anorexia, nausea and insomnia. While the severity of these symptoms can vary, AMS does not have to end your climb but should be used as an indication that your body is struggling to acclimatize.
The most important aspect of performing well and staying healthy in the mountains under the stress of low oxygen is by being physically fit. If you have been following a rigorous training program then you are well on your way to being physically fit for your climb. Fitness cannot prevent the symptoms of AMS but if the daily physical tasks of climbing are easier due to your high fitness level, then you have more energy reserves to battle the stress of the low oxygen environment.
Proper nutrition and hydration are also important variables leading up to and during your climb. While you may avoid simple carbohydrates during daily life, at altitude simple carbohydrates are the most efficient and most preferred form of energy for your acclimatizing body. Don’t be afraid to eat those high glycemic foods while working hard at altitude!
Dehydration can certainly be detrimental to your performance and health at high altitude, but you do not need to constantly consume water. Listen to your body, specifically your thirst, it has been finely tuned over many generations to keep you hydrated.
The prescription medication acetazolamide (Diamox) can help with acclimatization to high altitude, but it is not a magic pill that will solve all your high altitude problems. Diamox has repeatedly reduced AMS symptoms and hastened acclimatization during multi-day clinical and laboratory studies. It can work and is a great tool to use if you are not acclimatizing during an expedition even though you are using a standard acclimatization schedule, but its efficacy is less known for a quick overnight summit attempt such as Mt. Rainier. Remember: all medications have side effects that you need to understand before using and Diamox will not make up for a lack of fitness when headed into the mountains.
The bottom line is make sure that your body is fit enough to handle the stress of a high altitude mountain trip, and listen to your body while you are at altitude. If you pay attention, your body will tell you what fuel you need to keep going and how well you are adjusting to the high altitude environment. Have fun and climb safe!
_____
Walter Hailes is a senior guide at RMI and has guided extensively in North and South America. He also works as an exercise physiologist at the University of Montana, primarily studying the human capacity to endure/excel in difficult environments including high altitude, extreme heat and cold.
Questions? Comments? Share your thoughts on the RMI Blog!
Congrats to all!! 2022 is bringing great things! Safe travels home
Posted by: Jane on 2/21/2022 at 2:28 pm
Wonderful. What a thrill…..
Posted by: Terri L. Jennings on 2/21/2022 at 6:56 am
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