Kedarkantha

22 Dec through 29 Dec 2011.

https://picasaweb.google.com/108977172875177523959/Kedarkantha

I had done the Stok Kangri Expedition trek with (IH) Indiahikes in July and that was a big deal for me. However sometime in November I started to have the desire to do a short trek. Looking up the IH website I decided to go for the KK trek. Unlike some of my other trips I don't have the desire to go into the details of the trek but I would like to list the highlights here:




22 nd  Dec 2011, Thursday:


Mumbai - Delhi Flight (Indigo for its timeliness)


Landed at Terminal 1D 15 minutes before time thanks to a 180 kph tailwind. From here took a Shuttle Bus service to Aero City Metro station (Fare Rs.25), there is a AC bus every 20 minutes.


From Aero City took Metro to NDLS. Fare Rs. 60. The metro is truly world class. I hope they manage to keep it so. Within 15 minutes I reached NDLS.


@NDLS: Reached at 5.30 pm. This place was complete chaos. Had to screen the bags, was afraid that before I get to them on the other side of the machine they would be stolen. Huge crowd at the screening machine. No room to sit in the AC waiting room. Instead went to the first floor next to PF # 16 where the general waiting area is. Had food at the railway canteen on PF # 16 at 7 pm. Again had to stand in the long queue to get the coupon. Got the special thali for Rs. 75 and it was worth every dime spent. Exceeded expectations! Met a enterprising youth from UP at the station. Got a different perspective on things. Waited at the aforesaid waiting area for Amit. He came in at around 8.30 pm.


Delhi - Dehradun NDLS DDN AC Express 11.55 pm (12205), fastest train between Delhi and Dehradun.


23rd Dec 2011, Friday:


@ Dehradun station: 7.15 am. There was nobody at the SBI ATM outside the station to guide us to the vehicle that was supposed to take us to Sankri. Lots of confusion here. Finally got to the bus at 8.30 am. Had BF at Hotel Royal near Gandhi Road. Went to Hotel Drona at 9.30 am to pickup  Kolaveri D's, henceforth also known as R&D. The ladies were very upset (and rightly so) for making them wait in a strange town for over 3 hours. Finally started the journey to Sankri (160 kms) at 10  am. Crossed Mussoorie (38 kms) at 11 am. You cross  Kempty waterfalls enroute. The name Kempty is derived from ‘Camp-tea’, as the Britishers would organize their tea parties here. The entire journey to Sankri is through Mountains and is a very scenic route, though the ride gets very bumpy for comfort at times.




Reached Damta (117 kms) at 1.15 pm. Had Lunch here. Reached Naugaon at 15.00 hours. Reached Purola (140 kms) at 16.00 hours. This place has the last ATM and after this only BSNL mobile network is available. At 6.35 pm reached at a forest  check point. Had to pay Rs. 100 here for the vehicle entry into the national park. This sanctuary is known as Govind National Park. From Purola the route is to Mori - Naitwar - Sankri (6,400 ft)  along the Tons river. We reached the Sankri Guest house at around 8 pm.


Check this out: http://www.euttaranchal.com/hotels/gmvn-sankri-trh.php


I know you must be feeling why didn't I check this out earlier!!


Had a quick dinner and slept off. It was freezing cold here.


24 Dec 2011, Saturday: Sankri (6,400 ft) to Juda ka Talab (9,100 ft). Woke up to find ice cold water running from the taps and water frozen outside the guest house.Started the trek around 9 am to Juda ka talab. Our guides were Rajmohan Rawat and Sohail. At around 11.30 we took our first official break for snacks. Fluffy the great white mountain dog gave us company. Love you Fluffy.


The route today was easy initially and then later was a little tricky for newbies on the snow on the steep slopes.Reached Juda ka Talab at 1.10 pm. A very scenic camp, has the Juda lake. The lake is supposed to be formed from two lakes which were separate earlier and hence the name. After spending a long time on the frozen Juda set up our tents. Ashish (ex husband of Juhi Chawla), Amit and I were allotted a tent. The next 3-4 days we had a blast, especially after sun down. The nights were very cold with temperatures dropping below  zero. This evening we had people singing songs besides the campfire led by Ashish. Teja and Karthik really sang well and I could not resist humming along. Ashish was instrumental in bringing the different groups together and breaking the ice even with the Kolaveri sisters. Every night the three of us used to keep our tent spic and span so that we could locate our emergency services/things without any frantic last minute searches in the dark of the night (toilet paper and head torches and additional layers of clothing). In the evening not able to bear the cold Sumantra (my Dehradun Sankri travel accomplice) decided to head back to Sankri, with encouragement from Ashish, I and Amit he decided to pull along. However Sheela English (not Sheela Ki Jawani) decided to head back the next day. 


25 Dec 2011, Sunday (Merry Christmas): Juda ka Talab to KK base (11,250 ft). Sohail decided that I, Ashish were to trail the group. Ashish was upset initially but when decided to see things from my perspective started to enjoy every bit of it. Sapna who was lagging behind yesterday was sent ahead of the group today. Started day 2 of the trek at 8.15 am.


 At 11 am took our snack break at a clearing with a hut. Here a fellow trekker got so impressed by our photography skills and the three of us that he always wanted us to take his snaps from our cameras. Not just that he always popped up like those annoying pop-ups that we find such a pain, however we had no pop up blocker at our disposal. Ashish by the end of the trek had got Claustrophobic and used to look over his shoulder every time he took out his camera. At 1.15 pm reached KK base. The kitchen here was a wooden hut and the tents were laid out on snow. Every time one turned on his sides it creaked. The support staff had taken great care to make sure that the tents were as comfy  as possible. As soon as the sun went behind the mountains the temperatures plummeted below zero and reached a minimum of -9.6 degree Celsius in the night. Most of us were in 5 to 7 layers of clothing. This night was the most agonizing.


26 Dec 2011, Monday Blues: KK base to KK top and back.
 The water in my hydration pack froze, my wet shoe laces turned stiff and the camera lens attracted a lot of moisture. It was 5 am. Sumantra after doing a recce of the camp site abandoned his plans for his morning adventure trip. After packing our sleeping bags (a herculean effort) and wearing the gaiters (thanks to Sapna for helping me out) at 8.45 am we set out for KK peak. Shubra was leading the pack today. It was a gradual climb which was a little difficult as places due to the snow. Fluffy was full of energy. He wanted to have masti all the time. He used to roll in the snow after every 10 minutes awaiting our participation in the fun, but with our heavy breaths we were in no position to reciprocate. At 10.30 am we were at KK peak. Beautiful peaks greet us here. Rajmohan briefed us about the scores of peaks that we could see. Notable among them is 'Swargarohini'. Swargorhini derives it names from the Legends associated with that it peaks forms the path to heaven that was followed by Pandavas and  their Dog. According to legend its believed that is only way one can go to heaven with human body itself. The top hosts a small Shiva temple. By 12 pm we started our descent. Rajmohan's famous words echoed through the thin air of the mountain, "Common Guys, Desh ke Jawano apne desh ki laaj rakho", frankly Jaan rahi toh Laaj rahegi. By 1 pm all of us were down but not before 3 wonderful slides on the snow. We had our lunch. By 2 pm we started our journey to Hargaon.


KK base to Hargaon: I forgot to give my bag to the mules today and for almost 50% of the way had to carry two bags. Later on Nikhil and Avadesh whose bags were carried by the mules helped me out. The climax was over but the fun not yet. For around 75% of the way the route is the same as Juda to KK base, later on it branches out. Sohail was leading and Rajmohan sweeping today. The party as usual was split into many small groups. At around 15.00 hours we were at a clearing from where the camp was at half an hour distance. Aashish was tired today and was sick of the cold and snow. At a leisurely pace me and Aashish reached the Hargaon camp at 16.00 hours. The camp was without much snow and a wonderful sight. The tents though were fixed on a incline today with out heads in the direction of the slope. Here Fluffy was attacked by three sheep dogs and all of us were furious. He was hurt but did not complain much. At 5.45 pm we had darkness cover us. We slept at around 10 pm. 




27 Dec 2011, Tuesday: Hargaon to Sankri.
Today it was a little laid-back since the distance to Hargaon was a 2-3 hour trek. We started by 10 am. By 10.15 people were lost and it took some time to get everybody back on track. After reconciling at 10.40 we resumed our trek to Sankri. On the way Rajmohan shared his experience while he did his advanced mountaineering course. At 11.30 he left at a big wooden house from where we could see Sankri and guided us as to how to go about till we reach the Sankri Guest house. He proceeded towards Juda to take care of the next group of trekkers. We reached the guest house at 12.45 pm. 


The rest of the day was spent reminiscing the last few days we were together. Avadesh and Amit's group had joy rides on horseback. In the evening we had a live performance from Kat to the tune of Sheela ki Jawani. The R of the R&D sisters sang really well and in my opinion she should sing more often:)

28 Dec 2011. Wednesday: Sankri to Dehradun. Started our journey back at 8 am in a sleeper coach even though we had paid only for a seater bus. The journey was felt like never ending post afternoon. At 10.20 am we had a tyre puncture just before Purola. The driver did a quick and nice job of getting us back on wheels in 1 hour. Had a Paratha BF at Purola. Reached Mussoorie by 4 pm. We had a tea break here. Started for Dehradun at 4.45 pm. We reached Dehradun at 7 pm. After arguing with the bus operator for giving us such a wonderful ride at such low costs we set out to have our dinner. The train was scheduled at 11.25 pm. Once in the train I slept like a log till the train reached NDLS at 5 am.

29 Dec 2011, Thursday: NDLS to T1 D. After getting into the metro station we used all the facilities we were deprived of for the last 5 days to freshen up. Got the 6.30 am metro to Aero City. From Aero city we reached T1 D by hiring a taxi. Reached T1 D at 7 am. After knowing that preponing the flight would cost us around 6k we (I and Amit) decided to wait it out at the terminal.

The Terminal: With no Catherine to give company I was wondering what could be done for the next 6 hours for our flights were at 2.45 and 3.15 pm respectively. At around 9 am Amit suggested we check out the Visa Master executive lounge. Luckily (in hindi Apni toh Chandi ho gayi) our cards were accepted at the lounge and we enjoyed 5 hours of free food, internet and Kingly seating comfort. My plans now at Delhi would always be to maximize my stay at the airport :). After a sumptuous lunch I boarded the 2.45 pm Indigo flight to Mumbai while Amit boarded the 3.15 Spicejet flight.

I reached home by 6 pm. Overall this was a nice short and easy trek. Barring the cold factor it is a trek that is very easy on the body, pocket and time. I had a really nice time with my group at KK and I am sure we will trek together again.

Stok Kangri Check List

This was originally made by Ajay Bhandari of Indiahikes.

http://www.indiahikes.in/

1. Backpack (60 - 65 L) with sturdy straps and supporting frame.
2. Trekking shoes – no tennis shoes please. You need traction on snow and sport shoes with their PVC soles are hardly the choice. Ensure the shoes are well broken in before the trek. Forclaz 500 and Woodland are good choices.
3. Ladies with smaller feet size find it a problem to get a similar shoe. Power/Addidas/Reebok has sport shoes with deeper treads. Look for them in the bigger stores.
4. 3 pair of track pants (at least one should be synthetic (quick-dry) kind). Or 3 pair of cotton pants with lots of pockets. Track pants are light and we highly endorse them. Plus when things get cold you can wear one over the other.
5. 3 cotton tees with collar. No bright colours like reds and fluorescents. Stick with lighter tones.
6. Two Full sleeve sweaters. A heavy fleece jacket would be an alternative.
7. A full sleeve thick jacket or something similar.
8. 2-3 pairs of cotton inners (optional)
9. 1 pair of thermal inners (useful when we are on snow) but optional.
10. 4-5 pair of usual sports socks, at least one woolen pair.
11. Woolen monkey cap/balaclava that cover the ear.
12. Wind cheater (to escape a quick burst of rain). Or a light rain coat/poncho.
13. Woolen hand gloves + synthetic glove (water proof).
14. Sun glasses – curved ones will cover your eyes well. No blue coloured sunglass — they don’t block UV. Blacks, greens, browns are fine. Avoid multi tone sunglasses. The brand of the glasses or the price does not matter. What matters is that they are dark and not blue in colour. Sunglasses prevent snow blindness. Sunglasses are mandatory for this trek.
15. People who wear spectacles, choose one of these:
1. Use contact lenses.
2. Photochromatic glasses
3. If either of the above is not possible, wear your spectacles and carry a big sunglass that can be worn over your spectacles.
16. Sun cap and/or head-scarf.
17. Light towel (should be thin, quick drying kind).
18. Chapstick or lip balm.
19. Cold cream & sun screen lotion (SPF 40+).
20. 2 Water bottles (1 L each).
21. Torch with 2 extra set of cells. Buy LED torches. They last longer, are more durable and give good light.
22. Personal toilet kit (minimal) and toilet paper.
23. Personal medicine kit containing:
1. Crocin - 10 tablets
2. Avomine - 4 tablets
3. Avil 25mg - 4 tablets
4. Diamox - 15 tablets
5. Combiflam - 5 tablets
6. Disprin - 10 tablets
7. Norflox - 6 tablets
8. Crepe bandage - 3 to 5 meters
9. Band aid - 10 strips
10. Digene - 10 tablets
11. Gauze cloth - 1 small role
12. Leukoplast - 1 small roll
13. Cotton - 1 small roll
14. ORS - 5 packets
15. Betadine cream
16. Moov spray
17. Water purifying tablets (small)
    
    
24. Small repair kit consisting of safety pins, needle, thread and string.
25. Camera, memory-cards, batteries etc (carry enough spare batteries. Electricity is not available on the slopes)
26. While packing, use plastic bags to compartmentalize things and carry few extra plastic bags.
27. Slippers/sports sandals (for walking around campsite).
28. Some trekkers feel loss of energy more than others. While there is adequate food provided on the trek, carry a few energy bars (5 Star/Munch and dry fruit pouches. 2-3 per day). Optional.

DON’Ts

1. Leave your denims behind – these are ill suited for treks.
2. Snacks, colas, alcohol and personal food – No need to overburden yourself with food.
3. Don’t get any sleeping bags. We are going to carry high altitude sleeping bags with us. We would also be carrying Alpine tents, ice-axes, and other equipment required for such treks.
4. After packing, weigh your gear. It should be in the range of 8-9 kg – preferably on the lighter side. Anything heavier, you will need to iterate and remove what is not essential.
5. Carry light and what is essential. As an example, toothpaste should be bought in small size (that can last you 10 days). If you are not sure you need to carry “XYZ” or not, email me please at arjun@indiahikes.in

And now some general advice about clothing…

Dressing in layers is the mantra. Two T-shirts worn one over the other is warmer than a T-shirt that is thick. This is just a guideline. Mileage varies based on your physical condition, threshold to cold etc. If you are prone to cold, carry an extra sweater.

Along with the above list, please ensure you also carry the following documents

1. An identification card (like driving license, voters ID card etc)

2. A medical certificate specifying the following points (Already mailed you).

• Any chronic disease
• Overall physical fitness
• Any drug allergies
• Are you under medication of any kind
• Blood pressure (and are there any issues in the past)
• Blood group

3. Disclaimer certificate

Training for Ama Dablam

Preparation for an Alpine Ascents’ Ama Dablam Climb
During this month-long adventure to the summit of Ama Dablam (22,493’/6865m) you will travel along superb 
alpine rock, ice gullies, a heavily corniced ridge, and technical snow and ice up to 50 degrees, using all your 
alpine skills including cramponing, ascending fixed ropes, and climbing mixed rock and ice, all at high altitude. 
You must build a high degree of  strength endurance, high-altitude tolerance, and strong cardiovascular 
conditioning.
Just because you exercise regularly (up to  6 times per week)  at low altitude  does not mean you  have the 
conditioning needed to  reach the summit of Ama Dablam. Plenty of people who have the endurance to  run a 
marathon or compete in triathlons fail to summit high-altitude peaks. Pure cardiovascular fitness is simply not 
enough. Focus on building the physical conditioning necessary to ascend 3,500 feet of vertical elevation gain on 
successive days carrying 35-40 pounds.  This trip  is a Himalayan classic that  includes  beautiful climbing in 
remote territory, and with it comes a very high conditioning requirement.
Prioritize your training efforts in the following way, assuming that you are in good health and injury-free:
1. Climbing conditioning – pack-loaded uphill hiking, walking, and stair climbing
2. Strength training for the lower body and core
3. Cardiovascular training, including both aerobic and anaerobic workouts without pack weight
4. Flexibility training
Most people will need to train specifically for their climb of Ama Dablam for at least 6-9 months, building up 
from a solid baseline of fitness. During your training, you will need to progressively ramp up your hike time, 
distance and elevation gain (at roughly 10% per week) to safely and effectively build your climbing-specific 
conditioning. Trying to rush this will increase the risk of experiencing some sort of training injury and not being 
ready for  your trip. Below are more details of how to incorporate these four priorities into your  training 
program.
Climbing conditioning - Hike  along  outdoor trails, gradually increasing your pack weight until you  feel
comfortable carrying a 40 pound pack. If you live where it is relatively flat, go up and down stairs or train on an 
inclined treadmill or stairmaster. Use whatever varied surface terrain (i.e. gravel beds, sand dunes, river banks) 
you have access to.  A reasonable goal would be to ascend 3,500 feet carrying a pack of 40-50 pounds in a 2-3 
hour period, or averaging  roughly 1,500 vertical feet per hour over rugged terrain. A good training option for 
pack weight is to carry water in gallon containers or collapsible jugs, so you can dump water at the top as 
needed, to lighten the load for the descent.  
In early season, start with a hike that gains up to 2000’ elevation over 5-7 miles round trip, and carry a  20-
pound pack; each hike try adding  3-5 pounds until you are comfortable with a  40-45-pound pack, then begin 
increasing the total elevation gain and mileage. When you can gain 3,000 feet while carrying a 45-pound pack, 
start decreasing rest breaks and increasing speed on each conditioning workout.  A month from your climb, you 
should be comfortable hiking on successive days with at least 45 pounds on one of those outings.
Although you will not be carrying such weight on Ama Dablam, by conditioning your body to that degree of 
high tolerance you will have built extra reserves that will serve you very well on the mountain as you inevitably 
start to lose musculature and bodyfat from being at extreme altitude for a full month. This extra reserve will also 
make it possible to focus on the many, many other components involved in a climb of such extremes, rather 
than dealing with the added harsh reality that your physical preparation may have been somewhat less than 
adequate.





Two training techniques that will be useful for high-altitude trekking are 1) interval training and 2) back to back 
training (discussed in more detail in “Putting it all together” below.) To include interval training, find a steep 
hill or sets of stairs that will allow you to climb steadily for several minutes. Push as hard as you can going up, 
then recover coming down, and repeat for anywhere from 20-45 minutes depending on how close to your climb 
you are.  Gradually add weight to your pack (no more than 10% per week) until you can carry 40 pounds the 
entire time. If possible, participate in as many hikes at altitude – and in winter conditions -- as you possibly can
to learn how your body reacts in extreme cold and above 13,000 feet elevation.
Strength conditioning - Training with free weights, bands, a backpack, bodyweight exercises, or gym 
machines will help you build overall strength, particularly in the core (lower back and abdominals), upper back 
and shoulders, and legs. Developing strength in your upper back and shoulders will help you with such tasks as 
carrying your pack and using trekking poles effectively.  The calves, hips, quads, hamstrings and glutes are all 
involved in ascending and descending steep, hard-packed snow and ice slopes, and a great degree of strength 
endurance is required in all areas of the legs and hips.
Training primarily with free weights will give you the functional, climbing-specific strength that will help you 
most in the mountains. Free weight-training requires that you balance the weights as you would your own body, 
weighted with a pack, in three-dimensional space. When starting any strength conditioning program, complete 
two full-body strength workouts a week for  45-60 minutes each, focusing on compound exercises such as 
squats, lunges, step-ups, dips, pull-ups, rows, dead lifts, bench presses, pushups, and overhead presses.  
Incorporate 1-2 weekly gym climbing sessions as well, focusing on building endurance in calves, forearms, and 
core.
In the beginning phase of strength conditioning, focus on building a foundation for harder workouts; to that end, 
keep the weight light enough to concentrate on good form and complete 2 sets of each exercise for 8-10 
repetitions. As you continue to train, you will shift focus to building  strength (generally lower reps 5-8 with 
heavier weight). 4-6 weeks before your climb, shift your training to focus on strength endurance (higher reps 
10-15 with light weight) to turn the newly gained strength into greater strength endurance. Each training phase 
should vary the weight used, repetitions completed, number of sets, and rest intervals. Regardless of training 
phase, always be sure you maintain proper form in order to prevent injury or strain.
Cardiovascular conditioning – Include spinal-loading aerobic training options 4-6 times a week. Appropriate 
options include trail running,  walking on an inclined treadmill, doing stair stepping or  step mill training, 
jogging, working on an elliptical machine, walking up and down hills, or participating in step aerobic classes. 
While biking, rowing and swimming are aerobic options for the earliest stages of training, be sure as you get 
closer to your trip that you include activities suggested above that load the spine and legs the same way that 
hiking will. 
When first beginning a cardiovascular training program, begin with three weekly workouts of 30-45 minutes of 
sustained activity at a moderate intensity, and build to 4-5 aerobic sessions of sustained effort for at least 45-60 
minutes. Be sure to include a 5-10 minute gentle warm-up before working at your target heart rate for the day
(for most workouts, choose a level of exertion that allows you to connect a few words together in a phrase, but 
leaves you feeling comfortably tired at the end of the workout), and cool down with 5-10 minutes of appropriate 
stretching of the muscles you use most in your activity,  including lower back, calves, hamstrings, hips and 
quadriceps.
Flexibility conditioning  – Be sure to include at least 5-10 minutes of targeted stretching following every 
workout, specifically for the hamstrings, glutes, hips, calves, forearms, lower back and quadriceps. If you have 
any areas of concern early season, add emphasis to making sure you have normal range of motion about all your 
joints. This will become even more important as you add weight and distance to your conditioners

Putting it all together --

Roughly a month before 
your climb, you should 
be at the conditioning 
level where you are 
comfortable hiking on 
consecutive weekend 
days, what  is referred to 
as Back-to-Back training. 
This involves hiking with 
your target  climb pack 
weight (40-45 pounds) on 
the first day for at least 
3,000’ gain, and a 
somewhat lighter pack 
(30-35 pounds)  for 
greater mileage or 
elevation gain (or both)
on the second day to 
simulate the back-to-back 
requirements of long 
days on your  trip. This 
will not only be helpful 
physically but also 
prepare you 
psychologically for the challenge of repeat high-effort days without any recovery days in between. A sample 
week of training a month prior to your climb might look like the chart above, in an effort to help you build as 
much stamina as possible.
Be sure to include at least one recovery day per week and listen closely to your body. Take the final week to 
taper or gradually reduce intensity and volume of training so that by the time you leave for your trip  you are 
well rested and physically and psychologically up to the challenge.
You can find additional training resources at www.BodyResults.com for the following:
• Training Articles
• Training Books and DVDs
• Customized Online Mountaineering Specific Training
Special discounts are available for Alpine Ascents Customers at the page www.BodyResults.com/aai
This training information was provided by Wilderness Sports Conditioning experts Courtenay and Doug 
Schurman of BodyResults.com.  They are the exclusive conditioning resource for Alpine Ascents.  They 
oversee all client training, are co-authors of the book, The Outdoor Athlete (2009) and are creators of the 
Train To Climb Mt Rainier DVD.

Training for Cho-Oyu Climb

Training information provided by www.BodyResults.com
Preparation for an Alpine Ascents’ Cho-Oyu Climb
During this 6-week adventure to the summit of Cho-Oyu, one of the 8,000m peaks and the 6th tallest mountain  on earth at 26,906ft’/8,201m, you must be comfortable carrying at least 30 pounds for weeks on end. You will  be facing very cold temperatures as well as extreme altitude, and you will need to have solid cramponing skills, be able to rappel with a pack on, and be comfortable using ascenders on a fixed line. In addition to solid alpine  living,  snow, and  ice  climbing skills, you need  significant  strength endurance, high-altitude tolerance, and strong cardiovascular conditioning.
Keep in mind that just because you exercise regularly (4-6 times per week) at lower elevation does not mean you  have  suitable conditioning needed to  reach the high altitude summit of Cho-Oyu. Plenty of people who have the endurance to run a marathon fail to summit high-altitude peaks. Pure cardiovascular fitness is simply not enough. You  should focus on  building physical conditioning at lower altitudes  necessary to ascend 4,000feet of elevation on successive days carrying 50-60 pounds. Although you will not be carrying such weight on Cho-Oyu, by training your body to that high tolerance you will have built extra reserves that will serve you very well on the mountain as you inevitably start to lose musculature and body fat from being at extreme altitude for 6 weeks.
Prioritize your training efforts in the following way, assuming that you are in good health and injury-free:
1. Climbing conditioning – pack-loaded uphill hiking, walking, and stair climbing
2. Strength training for the lower body and core
3. Cardiovascular training, including both aerobic and anaerobic workouts with and without pack weight
4. Flexibility training
Most people will need to train specifically for their climb of Cho-Oyu for at least 6-9 months, building up from a solid baseline of fitness. During your training, you will need to progressively ramp up your hike time, distance and elevation gain (at roughly 10% per week)  to safely and effectively build your  climbing-specific 
conditioning. Trying to rush this will increase the risk of experiencing some sort of training injury and not being ready for  your trip. Below are more details of how to incorporate these four priorities into your  training program.
Climbing conditioning - Hike  along  outdoor trails, gradually increasing your pack weight until you  feel
comfortable carrying a 50-60 pound pack. If you live where it is relatively flat, go up and down stairs or train on an inclined treadmill or  stairmaster. Use  whatever  varied surface  terrain  (i.e. gravel beds, sand dunes, river banks)  you have access to.  A reasonable goal would be to ascend 3,500 feet carrying an average pack of 50 pounds in a 2-3 hour period, or roughly 1,500 vertical feet per hour. A good training option for pack weight is to carry water in gallon containers or collapsible jugs, so you can dump water at the top as needed, to lighten the load for the descent.  
In early season,  you should be comfortable gaining  2000’ elevation over  5-7 miles round trip, with  a  30-40 pound pack; each hike try adding  3-5 pounds until you are comfortable with a 55-pound pack, then begin increasing the total elevation gain and mileage. When you can gain 4,000 feet while carrying a 60-pound pack, start decreasing rest breaks and increasing speed on each conditioning workout.  A month from your climb, you should be comfortable hiking on successive days with at least 60 pounds on one of those outings.
Two training techniques that will be useful for extreme altitude climbing are 1) interval training and 2) back to 
back training (discussed in more detail in “Putting it all together” below.) To include interval training, find a 
steep hill or sets of stairs that will allow you to climb steadily for 1-3 minutes. Push as hard as you can going 
up, then recover coming down, and repeat for anywhere from 20-60 minutes depending on how close to your climb you are.  Gradually add weight to your pack (no more than 10% per week) until you can carry 60 pounds the entire time. If possible, participate in as many hikes at altitude – and in winter conditions -- as you possibly can to learn how your body reacts in extreme cold and above 13,000 feet elevation.
Strength conditioning - Training with free weights, bands, a backpack, bodyweight exercises, or gym 
machines will help you build overall strength, particularly in the core (lower back and abdominals), upper back and shoulders, and legs. Developing strength in your upper back and shoulders will help you with such tasks as carrying your pack and using trekking poles effectively.  The calves, hips, quads, hamstrings and glutes are all involved in ascending and descending steep, hard-packed snow and ice slopes (up to 30 degrees), and a great degree of strength endurance is required in all areas of the legs and hips, especially during those segments when you will be carrying a pack and pulling a sled. 
Training primarily with free weights will give you the functional, climbing-specific strength that will help you 
most in the mountains. Free weight-training requires that you balance the weights as you would your own body, weighted with a pack, in three-dimensional space. When starting any strength conditioning program, complete two full-body strength workouts a week for  45-60 minutes each, focusing on compound exercises such as squats, lunges, step-ups, dips, pull-ups, rows, dead lifts, bench presses, pushups, and overhead presses.  
In the beginning phase of strength conditioning, focus on building a foundation for harder workouts; to that end, keep the weight light enough to concentrate on good form and complete 2 sets of each exercise for 8-10 repetitions. As you continue to train, you will shift focus to building strength (generally lower reps 5-8 with heavier weight). 4-6 weeks before your climb, shift your training to focus on strength endurance (higher reps 10-15 with light weight) to turn the newly gained strength into greater strength endurance. Each training phase should vary the weight used, repetitions completed, number of sets, and rest intervals. Regardless of training phase, always be sure you maintain proper form in order to prevent injury or strain.
Cardiovascular conditioning – When embarking on a cardiovascular training program for a climb as strenuous as an 8000m peak, you should already be at the point starting out where you are regularly including 4-6 weekly aerobic sessions of sustained effort for at least an hour each. Include spinal-loading aerobic training such as trail running,  walking on an inclined treadmill, doing stair stepping or  step mill training, jogging,  working on an elliptical machine, walking  up and down  hills, or participating in step aerobic classes. Reserve 1-2 days per week for pack endurance training (2-6 hours), 1-2 day per week for high intensity intervals (30-60 minutes) and the other 1-2 per week for general cardiovascular fitness (60-90 minutes). Get as much experience on all sorts of varied terrain as you can, including (as strange as it sounds) walking in crampons on rocks. Be sure to 
include a 5-10 minute warm-up at reduced intensity before working at your target heart rate for the day, and 
cool down with 5-10 minutes of appropriate stretching.
Flexibility conditioning  – Be sure to include at least 5-10 minutes of targeted stretching following every 
workout, specifically for the hamstrings, glutes, hips, calves, forearms, lower back and quadriceps. If you have any areas of concern early season, add emphasis to making sure you have normal range of motion about all your joints. This will become even more important as you add weight and distance to your conditioners. 

Putting it all together  --
Roughly a month before 
your climb, you should be 
at the conditioning level 
where you are 
comfortable hiking on 
consecutive weekend 
days, what is referred to 
as  Back-to-Back training. 
This involves  hiking with 
your target  climb pack 
weight (60 pounds) on the 
first day for at least 3,000’ 
gain, and a  somewhat 
lighter pack  (45-50
pounds)  for greater 
mileage, elevation gain, or 
both on the second day to 
simulate the back-to-back 
requirements of long days 
on your trip. This will not 
only be helpful physically 
but also prepare you 
psychologically for the 
challenge of repeat higheffort days without 
significant recovery days in between. A sample week of training a month prior to your climb might look like the 
chart above, in an effort to help you build as much stamina as possible.
Be sure to include at least one recovery day per week and listen closely to your body. Take the final week to 
taper or gradually reduce intensity and volume of training so that by the time you leave for your trip  you are 
well rested and physically and psychologically up to the challenge.
You can find additional training resources at www.BodyResults.com for the following:
• Training Articles
• Training Books and DVDs
• Customized Online Mountaineering Specific Training
Special discounts are available for Alpine Ascents Customers at the page www.BodyResults.com/aai
This training information was provided by Wilderness Sports Conditioning experts Courtenay and Doug 
Schurman of BodyResults.com.  They are the exclusive conditioning resource for Alpine Ascents.  They 
oversee all client training, are co-authors of the book, The Outdoor Athlete (2009) and are creators of the 
Train To Climb Mt Rainier DVD.