A male hiker wearing a blue jacket, black pants, and yellow hiking boots stands on rocks in a mountainous landscape during sunset, with snow-capped peaks in the background.

SUMMIT TRAINING

Build the strength, endurance, mobility and confidence needed to take on your next hiking or mountaineering goal.

Whether you’re preparing for your first major hike or a challenging Pacific Northwest summit, your training will be built around your current fitness level, experience and objective.

Six-Month Summit and Hiking Training

Build the strength, endurance and confidence needed for Mount Rainier, Mount St. Helens, Mount Baker, Mount Adams, Glacier Peak or your next major hiking goal.

This six-month program is designed for beginners, experienced hikers, backpackers and aspiring mountaineers.

How Your Training Progresses

  • Months 1–2: Build Your Foundation
    Improve strength, mobility, balance and basic cardiovascular endurance.

  • Months 3–4: Increase Strength and Endurance
    Add uphill conditioning, longer workouts, trail training and weighted-pack work.

  • Months 5–6: Prepare for the Mountain
    Focus on elevation gain, pacing, fueling, recovery and the specific demands of your objective.

What’s Included

  • In-session strength and endurance workouts

  • Independent trail workouts between sessions

  • Uphill and mountain-specific conditioning

  • Weighted-pack training

  • Nutrition, hydration and fueling guidance

  • Gear and packing preparation

  • Ongoing accountability and support

Near the end of the six months, a group preparation climb will be scheduled, weather and trail conditions permitting. This allows you to practice your pacing, equipment, fueling and pack setup before your big day.

Experience Behind the Coaching

My mountain experience includes unguided climbs and six summits of Mount Rainier, along with Mount Baker, Mount Shuksan, Glacier Peak and Mount Hood. I’ve also raced 50Ks and completed endurance distances of up to 50 miles.

I know what it takes to prepare for a summit—not only to reach the top, but to feel strong, confident and capable of enjoying the climb instead of simply suffering through it. I’ll guide you through the entire preparation process, from strength and endurance training to pacing, fueling and packing, so you feel ready when the big day arrives.

Start With a Fitness Assessment

Begin with a 50-minute fitness assessment. We’ll discuss your goal, review your experience and evaluate your current strength, mobility and endurance.