Mt. Whitney Portal Store & Hostel Forums General Mt. Whitney Portal Store Message Board How to improve speed?

doc's suggestion is a good one Kala. If you're concerned about your pace, you also need to be aware that in the summer you really need to be off the summit and the ridge before those early afternoon t-storms have a chance to pop up and possibly barbecue all your good intentions. Someone correct me if I'm wrong, but hasn't lightning killed more people on Whitney than any other single event? In other words, you want to be back below Trail Crest by 1:00 pm at the latest- call it 13 miles plus summit time. At + @ti2d's 1 mph pace threshold, that's a midnight start, minus your time at the top. Maybe even 11:00 pm - you sure wouldn't be the first one to do it!

If you think your pace will be a problem, do as doc suggests and break it up into a one- or two-nighter. It's a heavier load, but most folks are slow with 35 pounds on their back at 11K'. Go 7 miles to Consultation Lake/Trail Camp, get a belly full of food and a nice rest overnight (true sleep is iffy that high), then do the final 4 miles to the summit the next morning with a stripped-down, ultra-light pack that will feel like a feather compared to the day before.

Remember your priorities: (1) get down safely to tell your story and (2) enjoy the experience. I'm 52 and personally I'll never dayhike Whitney again. The one-day death-march just takes too much enjoyment out of the experience for me. This year it's at least a one-nighter, and I'm gonna smell the roses.

I wouldn't worry about your speed. You are doing the right things. I've don't the MMWT as a day hike twice both times in about 16 hours, when I was in fair shape. My guess is I could do it in about 13 today being in very good shape.

I would suggest you spend some time in the Sierra or Whites to get use to hiking at the higher elevations. Personally, I like White Mtn. for day hikers because the peak clears of snow early and it really difficult to get lost even for a newbie hiker.

Locally, go higher. Mt. Wilson tops out at 5,500'. Think San G, to San Bernardino Peak...all the peaks between these two are well over 10,500'.

The less surprises you have the big day the more enjoyable your trip is going to be.

Hi Kala,
The speed is very important depending on your trip plan and safe return.
All my Mt. Whitney hikes were one day hike starting 2:00am and come down before 5:00pm at latest for the hamburger at Portal store.

I break up the entire trail into 4 segments,1)Portal to Outpost camp,2)Outpost camp to Trail Camp,3)Trail camp to Trail crest,4)Trail crest to Summit,and travel each segment with almost same time span. Take 10-15 minutes break at each segment. Walk slowly
as possible at the beginning of hike and try not to stop or take any breaks. Keep on sipping water as you walk when you need the water. Walk consistent speed without making any extra efforts.
Save as much energy as possible.

Rather than hiking on long distance without any significant elevation gain,hike on Mt Baldy's Ski hut trail or Bear canyon trail which give you about 6000 feet of elevation gain in 6 miles, Mt. Whitney trail is 6000 feet of elevation gain in 11-12 miles. If you can do Bear canyon with about 4-5 hours without any problems,you will be fine on Mt. Whitney.

Walk slowly without stopping for the breaks.

If you plan to enjoy the camping, you can hike with any speed as long as you can come down safely.

Keep on training.

Shin

Slow and steady with fewer (and shorter) stops. That has always worked for me. Be sure to save energy for coming down - that is the hardest part for me.

Hi Kala,

Slow and steady will be your key to success on Mount Whitney. Go too fast on Mount Whitney and you may succumb to AMS that much quicker.

How many long distance and greater than 4000' elevation gain hikes have you been doing? You really should be improving over time but may plateau at some point.

You are doing the right thing by working out in the gym to supplement your hikes. 90% of your max heart rate for 1 hour straight is great (I am assuming you are taking NO breaks during that 1 hour). I am trying to do this myself to improve my hiking pace. The key is to keep that heart rate up for longer and longer periods of time. Your body will adapt over time.

The more long distance/high elevation gain hikes you do, you will become stronger and if you go back and do the same exact hike your time should improve. Try these hikes:

1) Mount San Jacinto (10,804') via Devils Slide Trail:
16 mi, +4500' gain
2) Mount San Jacinto (10,804') via Marion Mountain Trail:
11 mi, +4400' gain (one of the steepest approaches to
Mount San Jacinto)
3) Mount Baldy (10,064') via Baldy Village:
12 mi, +6000' gain
4) Mount San Gorgonio (11,500') via Vivian Creek:
17.5 mi, +5500' gain
5) Mount San Gorgonio via South Fork:
22 mi, +5350' gain

I almost forgot:

Iron Mountain (8,007') --> 14 mi, +7200' gain (very steep the last 2 miles and best to do on an overcast day as there's no cover from the intense sun)


Another thing is using trekking poles on the uphill should improve your time (it has for me since I recently began using them).

Kala,

I like what everyone has said so far. But while training for a big objective I do something I think of as 'Interval training' On my shorter training hikes I alternate a little higher intensity with normal intensity.

One I just pick up the pace enough to raise my heart rate and increase my breathing so that talking will be hard to do. I do this for a short time. This higher speed/intensity gets me ready for the high workloads experienced at altitude even when going slow. Example is the MR up to the Notch. When I am in the RED zone, counting 30 steps to my next 10 breath rest.

Two I just slow my pace a little until my heart rate comes down & I can walk and talk again. When I switch to normal speed thats when I train my ability to recover. The better I am at recovering, while still moving, the faster I will be. I won't have to stop as much.

For me I feel this helps. It simulates periods of high & low load. It gets me ready for what I will feel on the Mountain.

I am still slow, but I strive for improvement.

Wes

If you read all the "experts" articles they agree with our man Wes. Interval training is the way to go be it on the trail in the pool or on the treadmill. It sounds like you like the gym so mix it up. You can switch between the stairclimber, bike and treadmill. Monitor your heartrate because that's the real way to gauge to see if one is "really" doing cardio.
I have to say I got a kick out of reading that Richard say's he's slow and steady.....He only hikes with the fastest dude i've ever met.

I have to if I want a burger and fries and a cold one not necessarily in that order!

Seriously, I average about 1.5 mph up and 3 mph down. Then,it's a "recon shuffle" from LPL to the TH because my brain and body "want to get off this dadblamed trail!"

Drink water throughout the hike EVEN IF YOU ARE NOT THIRSTY. If you are thirsty you are already showing signs of dehydration. Every few minutes take some water, does not have to be a lot.

As for Iron Mountain, AHHH!!! Kidding. The last couple of miles on Iron Mountain are tough and not just overcast day but a cool day. You can hike to the moon after Iron.

Lots of good advice, here, but little of it oriented towards your question.

First, your hiking time is pretty fast, so you shouldn't feel that you are slow.

Second, contrary to some, I feel that taking a rest, off your feet, about every hour, makes a huge difference in cumulative fatigue, particularly on the lower body. If you are standing, you are not resting your legs.

Third, do your hiking with progressive weight. Ideally, you'd do five lb increments, starting perhaps with 15#. The best way is to use water. Carry it up, pour it out. You don't need the weight downhill, it only puts more strain on your body and increases the risk of injury. Your goal is to do the hike with the same time, carrying the weight. When you can do that, add weight. When you can do your current hike/time with 30#, you will find that you will have significantly decreased your weightless time.

One final thought: Many people have a hiking speed that they find most comfortable, which may be determined by things other than cardiovascular: faster or slower is less so. Even if you make yourself capable of hiking faster, your body may choose not to do so. However, if you have the capability, you will feel better when you are done......

G'luck!

A few more...

Acclimate. If you have the time spend it up high. A couple days wandering around above 10,000' in the White Mountains, Tioga Pass, Rock Creek, etc. will do a lot.

Don't waste energy. When hiking focus on an efficient pace. Keep your upper body quiet and send all the energy to your legs. At altitude your oxygen and energy delivery (cardiovascular) system is probably more limited than your leg muscles.

I find that for flat or uphill travel hiking poles raise my heart rate without increasing speed. The only time I use them going up is to save my knees on big steps up or when traction is very limited (like sand). Most of the time I carry them in one hand.

Don't waste oxygen digesting food. Digesting fats and protein uses up oxygen. Keep dinner the night before, breakfast, and trail snacks mostly carbohydrate.

Carry less weight on your feet. "A pound on your feet equals five on your back" is an old saying that is mostly true. Find the lightest footwear that provides the protection you need. Using hiking poles downhill helps prevent ankle sprains and bruised feet- allowing lighter footwear.

Carry less gear weight on your back. Day packs can weigh anywhere from a few ounces to 4 pounds. First figure what gear you need to carry, then find a lightweight pack that will hold it all. Don't scrimp on safety items, but don't go overboard either.

Carry less water weight. Find out where the water sources are and plan to use them. It's silly to carry water from the Portal when you have several chances to replenish on the trail. "Tank up" your body when water is available and carry less on your back.

Never go anaerobic on the hike or the day before. Avoid "feeling the burn". Conserve the glycogen reserves in your muscles as long as possible. "Don't Bonk!"

Go for reverse splits. In other words, aim to do the second 3000' of climbing faster than the first 3000. Don't burn yourself out on the first part. If you use a heart rate monitor I suggest at least 30 BPM lower at the beginning than your Anaerobic Threshold (AT) level. Never go above AT.

Finally, Hike Your Own Hike. Do you really need to go faster?

+ @ti2d

1.3 mph up for me....1.9 down. Yea, even with the new hip, I did quite a bit of jogging back to the Trailhead. Running down the switchbacks was a bit "stupid" though as I did trip a couple of times, but never came close to falling. Kind of fun though. I want the downhill over too, so from Lone Pine Lake down, just put it into keep-agoing speed. I did run out of water right before Outpost on the way down, but filled up at that spring just past OP Camp. Water never tasted soooo good.

p.s I hear you're going to be there when Gary and I are there in July.

Yep, locked and cocked and ready to rock at Lone Pine Campground Site 17 from July 16-18.

A friend of mine did his first Whitter a couple of years ago and complained of "lower back pains" from LPL down. He said he ran out of water above Outpost (he didn't know where the spring was after I told him where to find it before his trip). He didn't want to fill up out of the creek near OC. He said he felt good after the hike while downing some water at WPS. I told him after he emailed me about his success, "That wasn't back pain, my friend. That was your kidneys telling you were dehydrated!"

I thank you all from the bottom of my heart for sharing your wealth of knowledge and experience. I appreciate the time you all have taken to respond.

I will apply your advice not only to improve but also to enjoy my hikes.

I am eager to hike higher elevation gain and long distance trails, ..waiting patiently for the snow to melt.

Response to some of the questions:

Are you hiking Wilson with anyone who has summited Whitney?
• I came across some hikers who had summited Mt. Whitney but they all are much younger and faster than me.

..have you ever considered camping at Trail Camp?
• I didn’t win the lottery for over night stay but I will try again in 2011.

How many long distance and greater than 4000' elevation gain hikes have you been doing?
• 10 this year. My longest was 18 miles; highest was 5000’.

Kala

Hey Kala, on that point you may have some wiggle room. Last year there were 8 overnight permits that went unused for July 6th, and over the next 2 days those numbers went up to a staggering 31 unused for July 8th - and those numbers are close-of-business leftovers, after all the dust had settled with walk-in traffic transactions. 31 available overnight permits that went completely unused for lack of demand the day of - just incredible! You may be in a sweet spot for historically high no-shows just after the 4th of July.

Of course, you'd have to check at the InterAgency Center in Lone Pine once you arrive, and possibly adjust your schedule, but just because you didn't snag an overnighter in the lottery it doesn't mean it can't happen. In fact, the chances are pretty good it can. The locals on this board attest to that time and again - many don't even bother entering the lottery.

How firmly do I believe that? In July I'm traveling 2000 miles to Whitney - with no permit in hand 'cuz I got skunked for the 4th time in 5 years - based on the assumption I can get a couple of overnighters just by walking in to the IA Center and asking. Now that's what I call faith . . .

Either way, just a thought for an option to play with if you're so inclined.

I am 54 and successfully climbed Whitney, in one day for the first time last year. I've used Baldy and Wilson for training and felt that Wilson was the most helpful between the two because of the distance, 14 mi and the steepness which closely resembles Whitney. I found that Baldy via Ski Hut was unbelievably steep, it was fun but not long enough. Bear Flat was a good run but was told the benefits of altitude training lasts only 5 days, so the 2 hr drive and effort was not good value.

I trained slow on purpose and took short breaks every 20 min but felt that I could have gone much faster, even though it took us 19 hrs. I wanted to make sure I was successful on my first attempt. I will try to improve my time this year, so I am running. Also, what was helpful was we stayed over night in Cottonwood to acclimate. Once we reached 12 -13K ft things slowed down tremendously. The altitude will kick your ass. I found the last 2 miles before the summit were the most difficult due to the altitude and the rugged trail conditions. It was 1 mi/hr. The 97 switchbacks were more tedious than difficult but the steepness was similar to Wilson. Personally I felt Whitney wasn't more difficult than any of my training hikes EXCEPT for the altitude.

My one advice is a hydration backpack with electrolytes and Drink OFTEN!!
Good LUCK

Kala,

You are going to have to wait a while for the snow to clear this year, especially for north and east facing trailheads. Solid snow still can be found at 7,500' and knee deep snow at 10,000' in the center of the couloirs...at least last weekend on the north side of San G.

Again, you are going to do just fine, based on the description of what you have done this past winter.

Kala,

I've done tons of cardio at the gym and have found through experience that it's of little use. I always wear a heart monitor when I exercise so I know when I'm getting a good workout. I did Whitney last year via the main trail in 6 up and 4 hours down. I could have done it in 5 hours up, but being my first time I didn't know what to expect on the switchbacks so I took it a little slow to save up some energy. I don't know if that's fast or slow but it's a good pace for me.

To your question, you have to do exercises that strengthens your legs to improve your speed. Not like weights, but doing the stairmaster or other step type machines. My wife hasn't been hiking in almost a year and she started doing the stairmaster every day while I was doing one of those elliptical machines, well after only a month she was able to beat me up our local mountain hikes. Pretty depressing for me I must say!

The other two things I do is train with a little heavier pack and mix in some trail running if possible. Either way you need to get stress/weight on your legs for extended periods of time and you will surely see your speed improve.

I only did one altitude hike before Whitney which was San Gorgonio via Vivian Creek which was a great hike. Outside of that I trained like a madman on local hikes with a heavy pack. My whitney pack weighed in at 12lbs for the day hike but I trained with 25-50lbs.

Thanks a good luck.