Psalms 121:1-2
The best way to train for a challenge like summitting Mount Kilimanjaro is to get out and hike. I love to hike and below are some of the places I've been and plan to visit to get prepared and ready for what the Big Mountain is going to throw my way.
Living in Central Texas there are not any mountains to prepare for the challenge of elevation gain and altitude, but it is called the hill country and there are a few hikes that offer some hills with decent grades that will get your quads and calves burning. The one thing that is great about this area is the terrain tends to be more rocky and rugged offering good technical variations to help work on one's balance. Balcones Canyonlands NWR is my local hiking destination, offering a one stop shop of what I need to train. I can hike 5 to 15 miles while getting 500 feet to 4,000 feet of elevation by hiking the hills and loop trails multiple times. Check out the virtual hike below.
There isn't much out there that scares me other than snakes, but this three headed monster gets pretty close. There is no fancy name for these three peaks, mainly cause not many people try to hike all three in one day. Missbelfox, as I have dubbed it, ascends over 7,200 feet in elevation over 16.4 miles. I've hiked 21 miles in one day, summitting Mt. Whitney and in comparison it has an elevation gain of 6,646 feet. Oh by the way, that was 18 years ago so this one is going to be an absolute beast.
Also known as the Decalibron, this hike offers the best opportunity to bag four 14ers in a relatively short hike of only 8.5 miles with an elevation gain of 3,400 feet. Some of the summits are on private land so it will be important to stay on trail, follow the signs and respect the land owners privacy.
This one will probably be one of the most rewarding hikes as I look to successfully summit two peaks in just over 8 miles, which I failed to do in late May due to snow and brutal weather conditions. There are not many opportunities to bag multiple 14ers in one day but this hike offers another great opportunity to get two more at a relatively short distance. Assuming the weather and my body cooperate this will tally nine peaks in three days with only one remaining to hit my previous goal.
James 1:2-3
The tallest peak in Colorado is an absolute must and with a fresh pair of legs this hike was quite enjoyable. The 4,600 feet of elevation gain over 12 miles was steep but non-technical. I averaged 29 minutes per mile completing the hike in 7 hours. This was one of those days where I knew all the training and hiking I had done before really paid off. (Completed: September 1st, 2021)
As a man of faith, this hike was just a natural choice but also was the 5,551 foot ascent over 11.3 miles. If there was ever a hike that was going to get close to pushing me to my limits like summit day on Kilimanjaro will, this was it. This was the toughest hike I've done and I was absolutely humbled. My daughter likes to joke about how I was texting with my wife just 0.1 miles from the summit, asking her to pray for me as I was completely drained. I never doubted my ability to summit cause of my faith and the hard work I put in to get here. Once I made it up through the class 2 rock scramble I was greeted with some cheers from those who summitted before me and immediately became the hero as I was the only one up there who thought to bring a summit sign. We all took our time, got a few pics then the thunder boomed and it was time to high tail it out of there. I learned a lot about myself on this hike, namely how my nutrition and caloric intake on enduring hikes needs to improve. I will add this was my 3rd 14er in three days so the tank was already empty before I started. (Completed: September 3rd, 2021)
I was talking to my wife the night before, sharing my recent accomplishment, and while I as raving about how quickly I completed the hike, she immediately said...you need to slow down. She wasn't telling me to pace myself, which is never a bad idea on these hikes, she was telling me to slow down and get some quality Jesus time. Here I am on this mountain training for an important cause so why not use the time wisely. She's almost always right and I absolutely loved this hike for that, as I indeed took her advice and SLOWED DOWN. While I slowed down and listened it was Jesus telling me the same thing...to slow down and appreciate the relationships I currently have and the new ones I'll make along the way. This hike was both beautiful and challenging but I'll always remember Mt. Bierstadt for the great advice to slow down and appreciate. (Completed: September 2nd, 2021)
I loved everything about this hike because it represents and almost re-creates what one can expect on 'Summit Day' at Kilimanjaro minus the elevation. The ascent is a constant grind uphill with 30% and 40% grades for 1.5 miles. In all the total elevation gain was 1,959 feet over 3.4 miles with almost all of that gain in the first half of the hike. The team in Portland is lucky to have this gem nearby to train. (Completed: February 17th, 2022)
Training hikes are supposed to be hard, which is why I chose Mt. Heinen. The trail is just over 9 miles roundtrip but ascends 3,786 feet, where you get to experience 2,100 feet of it in the first 2 miles over very steep, loose dirt. Not a hike I'd do often but great preparation with some technical areas. (Completed: July 6th, 2021)
While in Phoenix on business I thought I'd tackle Camelback Mountain, which is one of the area's hardest hikes. It's a short hike that that can be done in just over an hour, but what makes it so challenging is you're ascending 1,300 feet over 1.35 miles in the hot Phoenix sun. I started early in the morning at 6am on a weekday and the parking lot was almost full. (Completed: July 21st, 2021)
After tackling Camelback Mountain in the early morning, I wanted to get one more quick but challenging hike in before I left Phoenix the next day. Piestewa Peak, formally known as Squaw Peak, offers an almost identical trek as Camelback with a bit more well manicured and less technical trail. It was 106 degrees when I hiked and I completed the ascent of 1,178 feet over 1.15 miles and back down in just over an hour. (Completed: July 21st, 2021)
Who knew you could drive less than an hour outside of Las Vegas and escape the searing heat by being up in the mountains. The Mt. Charleston Wilderness offers great elevation and an array of trails perfect for summit training. I absolutely loved the Raintree Trail as it meanders past 1,000 year old bristlecone pines. I didn't complete the full trail but I was able to hike 5.5 miles ascending 1,837 feet. (Completed: September 21st, 2021)
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