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As climbers we need to travel safely through complex and hazardous terrain to reach the day’s objective and ultimately return to the car so that we can share our mountain experiences. As Guides we have 3 specific expectations of the people we rope up with:

1. Keep the pace of the guide
2. Climb in balance
3. Take care of yourself at breaks

Climbing in balance will help you manage the other two expectations. By climbing in balance you will move through the mountains more efficiently and be less fatigued so that you can re-fuel and manage your layering at the breaks. Balance can be developed and improved through a variety of training regimens, and incorporating agility training is a great way to improve your balance while climbing.

Wikipedia defines agility as

• the ability to change the body's position efficiently and requires the integration of isolated movement skills using a combination of balance, coordination, speed, reflexes, strength, and endurance. Agility is the ability to change the direction of the body in an efficient and effective manner and to achieve this requires a combination of:
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• • balance – the ability to maintain equilibrium when stationary or moving (i.e. not to fall over) through the coordinated actions of our sensory functions
• • static balance – the ability to retain the center of mass above the base of support in a stationary position;
• • dynamic balance – the ability to maintain balance with body movement; speed - the ability to move all or part of the body quickly; strength - the ability of a muscle or muscle group to overcome a resistance; and lastly,
• • co-ordination – the ability to control the movement of the body in co-operation with the body's sensory functions.

Mt. Rainier’s Disappointment Cleaver route tests a climber’s agility while climbing the rock ridge that divides the Ingraham and Emmons glaciers, aptly called the Disappointment Cleaver. In the spring months the route up the Cleaver is comprised of steep snow and by mid-summer is entirely rock. Regardless of the conditions, this section of the climb is more physically taxing for climbers who haven’t developed solid agility skills, as the Cleaver involves large steps, difficult footwork on loose snow or scree and 1,200 feet of elevation gain, so the ability to climb it in balance and as efficiently as possible is a must.

How to train agility:

Get off the pavement! Much of your balance and agility is achieved by small stabilizer muscles in your feet, ankles, knees, hips, and core. Running over roots, rocks, and uneven terrain will help you develop your agility by causing these muscles to fire more often and in different combinations as they adapt to the terrain changes of each step. Cross-country and alpine skiing, hiking, and yoga can all help to build these same stabilizer muscles and can be a tool if running isn’t possible for you. Off-road activities also help train you to look ahead to anticipate the irregularities of the trail. This will aid you when you climb so that you focus on what is ahead of you and don't get stuck on what is directly at your feet.

An agility ladder is a great tool for home workouts and will help your dynamic balance and coordination.  If you do not want to purchase a ladder, draw one with sidewalk chalk on your driveway. There are a multitude of potential exercises you can use with a ladder, to build quick footwork, reflexes, and agility. Start with these and build your repertoire as you see fit! 

Remember, if you're not having some fun while training then you will likely find an excuse to just go through the motions or not train. Get after it and I look forward to seeing you out in the hills!

Useful agility ladder drills: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oxjC-0yuSHM

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Mike King is a senior guide with RMI Expeditions and a Wilderness Medicine Instructor for WMI of NOLS. Mike guides around the world for RMI. Some of his favorites are upcoming trips to Machu Picchu, Aconcagua, and Mexico's Volcanoes. 



Questions? Comments? Share your thoughts here on the RMI Blog!

The Five Day Climb July 21 - 25 reached the summit of Mt. Rainier this morning led by RMI Guides Nikki Champion & Joe Hoch. The teams reached the summit early this morning and were well on their descent around 7 am. RMI Guide Trevor Katz provided the photos from the teams descent from the crater rim.  Once back at Camp Muir everyone will repack and continue another 4.5 miles to Paradise.  They will then transfer to Rainier BaseCamp for a celebration and conclusion of their program.

Nice work everyone!

On The Map

The Four Day Climb July 17 - 20 reached the summit of Mt. Rainier this morning led by RMI Guides Casey Grom & Kiira Antenucci.  The teams enjoyed clear skies, sunshine and light winds today.  After enjoying the views and spending time in the crater they began their descent from the crater rim around 6:45 am. Once back at Camp Muir they will pack up and continue down to Paradise.

Congratulations to today's climbers!

Tuesday, September 14, 2021

At around 10am today a team led by RMI Guide Matias Francis reached the summit of Mt. Shuksan. The climbable weather was short lived, as they raced the impending rain back to camp. The weather won this round as they made it back to camp soaked, but happy. The team will spend the night at high camp, before descending down during the day tomorrow (hopefully in the sun). 

Congratulations to the team!

The advice “show up in the best shape of your life” can mean very different things for different people. People from all sorts of different backgrounds come to Mt. Rainier for an adventure and they can all have great success, but it helps to know what you are training for. For an Ironman triathlete, perhaps it isn’t so much about showing up in the best shape of their life, but in the right shape: the physical demands of mountaineering can be very different than those of a triathlon. For someone venturing into the mountains for the first time, building overall aerobic fitness and core strength may be the focus.

Numbers that help to understand the climb:

17,982’ (5480m) of total elevation gain and loss

21 hours on our feet

45-55 lbs of weight potentially in your pack (pack weights do decrease for summit day)

30,000+ steps up and down (no one has ever actually counted them all for us)

2/3 roughly the amount of oxygen available to us at the summit versus sea level.

36 hours in which to do all this (*four day summit climb)

First off, aerobic fitness: For most, summit day on Mt. Rainier will be far and away the longest period of sustained exertion that they have ever done. A typical summit day involves 15 to 16 hours on our feet; as a general guideline that includes an hour of packing and prep, 10 hours of climbing to the summit and back to Camp Muir, an hour of packing and recovery at Muir, and 3 more hours down the Muir Snowfield. Even though the overall pace of our movement is slow, the sheer amount of time on our feet and moving adds up to be exhausting. Now consider that the previous day, the team spent 5 or 6 hours climbing to Camp Muir, and then got maybe 6 hours of somewhat fitful sleep prior to waking for the summit push. Having a deep aerobic base is the only way to be able to push through all these hours, and consequently, the bulk of your training should focus on this realm.

Recovery from anaerobic spurts: While 99.5% of the climb is accomplished in that zone of aerobic endurance, there are small sections of increased effort. It may be just a handful of tricky steps through a boulder jumble on Disappointment Cleaver, or a more sustained section of ice climbing through a tricky, steep section on the Kautz Ice Chute. At altitude, since we are breathing in less oxygen, these increases in effort can quickly become anaerobic, and the ability to recover mid-effort from these bursts is essential. Interval training helps to increase your body’s anaerobic threshold (the level of exertion at which you begin to create large amounts of lactic acid) and also builds your body’s ability to metabolize that lactic acid, effectively recovering. This way, though a few tricky steps may leave you feeling breathless or winded, you are able to recover in a matter of moments with a few deep breathes and fall right back into your rhythm.

Strength: While many focus on overall leg strength — consider that we will essentially be doing shallow squats all the way to the summit — and it is important, core strength and balance are perhaps even more important and more often overlooked. Throughout the climb you will be carrying a pack of varying weight. Your core muscles are responsible for helping to manage a load that is trying to pull you over backwards, keeping it stable and your posture in a position for efficient movement, and a base of core strength allows you to accomplish the more athletic moves that steeper climbing requires. While your core is doing the work to deal with your pack and much of your balance, the small muscles of your ankles and lower legs have to deal with ever-changing terrain: no step is the same, and your ankles and knees have adapt to the changes in slope and pitch to allow the rest of your body to remain in balance. Overall strength is still important, but strength exercises that incorporate an element of balance and coordination or involve your core will pay huge dividends once you find yourself on uneven terrain.

As you build your training plan, take these elements into account, and assess where you already stand. If you come from a strong endurance background, continue with that, but place more of your focus on recovery and core strength. If endurance sports are new to you, start here, focusing on building your base (as that really is the foundation of the rest). Most of all, have confidence that if you follow your plan, your will show up ready for the adventure of a lifetime!

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Questions? Comments? Share your thoughts here on the RMI Blog!

The Expedition Skills Seminar, led by RMI Guide Andy Bond, spent six days in the North Cascades.  They had a tremendous time learning mountaineering skills and to top it off, reached the summits of Mt. Shuksan and Mt. Baker!  The team is currently on their descent to the trailhead where they will celebrate together before departing for home.

RMI Guide Mike King and the Mt. Baker Coleman Deming July 20 - 22 team reached the summit this morning.  Mike reported a cold and windy day with firm conditions on the Roman Headwall.  The team returned to camp shortly after 11 am.  After packing up camp they descended to the trail head and concluded their program.

Congratulations to today's climbers!

RMI Guide JM Gorum called from Camp Schurman (9,440') around 9 am, the Expedition Skills Seminar - Emmons June 25 - 30 team had made it safely back to camp after making their summit attempt this morning.  The team encountered soft snow and poor route conditions at 12,600' which caused them to turn back.  The team will spend their third and final night on the mountain tonight.  Tomorrow they will pack up camp and descend to the White River Trailhead and return to Rainier BaseCamp in Ashford.

We hope they had a great week of training and climbing on Mt. Rainier!