Endurance training for Grand Teton

Hey, I'm thinking of doing the Owen Spalding route this summer. In order to be able to move quickly and have a good time on the route, how fast should I be? Can anyone approximate in a measurement I can understand? Such as: run a 6-7 minute mile, or run 8 minute miles for 8 miles, etc... Unfortunately in Minnesota there isn't a lot of steep hiking near me. Would weighted training be of much use given the packs we carry should be fairly light for Owen Spalding? Also would squats be useful?

There are too many variables, including your current fitness, history of training, etc. But this book will help you out. A great book. amazon.com/Training-New-Alp…

Trying to do it in a day? Elevation will kick your butt if you're on a short timeline and you're not prepared for it. Valley floor at 6500, summit at 13,775, ~6-7 miles of approach before the route starts. Lots of running and leg training will help. You'll need to endurance to still have some fuel left after the hike in. I agree Training for the New Alpinism will help in the coming months. Steve House recommends plenty of step up which are mind-numbing but beneficial.
Lots of reps at low weight for legs, and various cardio paired with it. Running a lot, but I've also found a rowing machine to be new and exciting.

I'll be living there all summer and have been training a bunch using House's book, Mountain Athletics app, and Gym Jones free plan after some advice from a local trainer.

You are over thinking it, way over thinking it. Do some long hikes, take a bacon sandwich, and an extra pair of trousers. All ya need is a day anyways.

youtube.com/watch?v=goVrUOC…

publications.americanalpine…

Superb response Allen, and great video of some awesome climbing history.

How many days should I spend acclimatizing? Also in the day/days prior, would you recommend doing part of the approach (if so, how far) or doing some lower elevation objective nearby?

Thanks for the replies so far. I had seen the bacon sandwich video actually which is part of the reason I want to do the route. Bacon sandwich guy was a strong hiker according to the video. I will do at least every other day 1+ hour of cardio plus some leg weights (once a week?) and maybe some jumping drills... Don't want to overdo it tho. My current fitness level is basically decent, I can probably run 8 minute miles for 4 miles if my knees don't get pissed off too much. Hard to say for sure because I use treadmill/elliptical not running outside for the winter.

Endurance training would benefit you big time on this objective. You should invest in Steve House's book suggested above.

If $28 is too steep workout doing a high volume of level1-2 cardio with a day of intervals, Lift light weight doing high reps and start off every workout with a killer ab workout.

Pontoon wrote:How many days should I spend acclimatizing? Also in the day/days prior, would you recommend doing part of the approach (if so, how far) or doing some lower elevation objective nearby?

People vary widely in how quickly they acclimatize. If you haven't been to altitude before you have no way of knowing how much it will impact you and how long it will take to adjust. The first time I went to altitude I was very fit (able to run 5ks in the mid 17 minute range near sea level) but I still got my butt kicked the first few days. I've learned that it takes me 4 or 5 days before I can do anything strenuous. I have partners though who seem barely affected.

Going appropriately light is more of a benefit than being able to do 500 pistol presses. Get your total pack weight to 10lbs and you'll fly through the OS.

Ray Pinpillage wrote:...you'll fly through the OS.

Depending on conditions of course.

There is no specific fitness benchmark which will correlate with summitting the Grand. Even if there were, fitness is merely one component of alpine climbing success.

You don't say when you want to do it (conditions), if you plan to bivy, etc. I would definitely do some training, though, since the approach is about 7 miles and 7000' of elevation gain. You've gotten some good advice here already. If I were you, I would focus on anaerobic threshold interval training. This should carry over well to long slow endurance required for the approach and climbing. If you can get access to a stepmill machine, this will be the most specific type of cardio you can probably do in a controlled environment. You can add a weighted backpack as well over time. Running should also help. Then make sure you have on point nutrition for the trip and eat appropriately during your approach and climb.

Last summer I did the Full Exum car to car and I started at 5am at the t/h (descended the OS). But we did it in mid-season and conditions were easy, perfect weather window, etc. We didn't see anybody else on our route, either. All which helped us make good time.

Edited to add: there are drugs which can help ward off altitude sickness. You might consider getting a script for a few doses (can't remember the name).

Aerili wrote: Edited to add: there are drugs which can help ward off altitude sickness. You might consider getting a script for a few doses (can't remember the name).

Diamox. It is a diuretic, so be wary of that.

The OS --- day long power hiking interrupted by six easy climbing moves, a rap, and a bacon sandwich.

Not quite training, but a good thought for your adventure.

Carry along a water filter. There's a reliable spring just below the Saddle. Stop there briefly on your way up and again on the way down. This keeps you from lugging many pounds of water to supplement your bacon sandwich. And Snickers bar.

Nick Stayner wrote:How long do you have? If possible, you could find an nontechincal summit (Disappointment, South Teton, Middle Teton) to do in a day to help w/ acclimatization and that would probably pay dividends in lessening your fatigue on Grand Teton day. Obviously give a day or two to recover before GT since you're not used to that sort of thing.

To further elaborate on the acclimatization point: The Tetons are an amazing range with lots of great peaks and routes...it isn't all just about bagging the summit of the Grand. If possible, schedule at least a week there, and go do a handful of cool routes (either nontechical scrambles or technical rock routes) on the slightly lower peaks, then rest a few days, then go do the Grand.

Also, give some thought to aiming your sights a bit higher and doing the Exum Ridge (either full or upper) instead, if your abilities are up to it. It will require a higher level of technical skill, especially for moving fast on long low-5th ridgeline, but the route is way better. I thought that the majority of the O-S was a unpleasant choss gully, while the Exum is a spectacular ridge of golden gneiss.

flynn wrote:Carry along a water filter. There's a reliable spring just below the Saddle.

Its a spring...do people really filter that water? I never have...(nor does anyone I know)...

Tim Lutz wrote:Smoke em if you got em: summitpost.org/phpBB3/thc-a…

I used to smoke a pack a day of cigs. I can't figure out why I did so much better at high altitude than others much more fit... Until someone told me that my body is used the lack of oxygen from smoking. That started me thinking quit.

Nick Stayner wrote: Me neither... though I think at a certain point in the mid 2000s they started recommending it?

Of course they do...!

I never carry more than around a half to a full liter up the trail. Never a shortage of clean water IMHO. But, a certain percentage of folks never show symptoms of gettin' bugs too...so...

How fast? More steady than fast. Keep movin'. Pick a spot every hour to hydrate and get a snack. Do the lower trail in early morning when its cool. Time your ascent to be off the summit by 11am.

Not too many years ago, and, not super fit, I did it car-to-car in around 12 hours. But, I'd done the O-S before and knew I could solo it in my approach shoes.

This was mentioned earlier in the thread, but it is worth repeating in case it got lost amongst the other chatter:

The book "training for the new alpinism" is absolutely perfectly suited for answering the OPs questions about how to prepare for this route, including training, acclimization, nutrition, and even how to prepare when stuck in the flatlands. It would be worth every penny to buy it.

Thanks I ordered the training for new alpinism book... Now to try and avoid justifying an ice axe and crampons. Late June I'll probably pass on the route if conditions are not dry... Not decided on whether we will bivy or not. Considering staying at the climber ranch a few days to acclimatize and do nearby stuff. Or maybe use Diamox and fly thru the area as we will be on a road trip to CA and don't want to spend too many days there.

Just realized my gym treadmill can do a 15 degree incline. Woot!

Pontoon wrote: Considering staying at the climber ranch a few days to acclimatize and do nearby stuff. Or maybe use Diamox and fly thru the area as we will be on a road trip to CA and don't want to spend too many days there.

Diamox does help to ease the suffering a bit when adjusting to altitude, but it is not a miracle drug, and it is certainly no replacement for acclimating properly. The idea that you can just pop a pill and prance up a high peak is erroneous, and frankly quite dangerous. This is especially true if you have not previously spent time in higher mountains and are not familiar with how your body reacts to altitude. Altitude sickness is not something to take lightly, even in the "small" mountains of the lower 48.

The Tetons are a place worth investing the time in to get to know. Doing some other climbs in the area first would be a great experience, and it would greatly increase your chance of success on the Grand Teton because of both acclimatization and knowledge gained.