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Greetings Rangers! At the end of May/beginning of June I will be attempting a ski summit of Mt. Rainier! Quest #1: Vertically Challenged A summit of Mt. Rainier demands over 9,000 vertical feet of ascent! Um, excuse me? Oh, I can do it in 2 days? Ok that could be doable. 4,600 feet from Paradise to Muir (overnight camp) and then 4,400 from Muir to the summit. This presents 2 challenges to me. Much more vert than I've done in a day all winter.Back to back big vert days.A general guideline for build up that fitness is below. This can either be on skis or hiking dirt (as it is spring here, both are an option) Week 1 - April 13 A - 2,000 ft + at least 2 days in a row B - 1,000 ft + 2 days in a row C - 1,000 ft or 2 days in a row Week 2 - April 20 A - 4,000 ft + at least 2 days in a row B - 2,000 ft + 2 days in a row C - 2,000 ft or 2 days in a row Week 3 - April 27 A - 4,000 ft + at least 2 days in a row with pack weight B - 2,000 ft + 2 days in a row with pack weight C - 2,000 ft + 2 days in a row with pack weight Week 4 - May 4 A - 6,000 ft + at least 2 days in a row with pack weight B - 4,000 ft + 2 days in a row with pack weight C - 4,000 ft + 2 days in a row with pack weight Week 5 - May 11 A - 8,000 ft + at least 2 days in a row with pack weight B - 6,000 ft + 2 days in a row with pack weight C - 4,000 ft + 2 days in a row with pack weight Week 6 - May 18 A - 10,000 ft + at least 2 days in a row with pack weight B - 8,000 ft + 2 days in a row with pack weight C - 5,000 ft + 2 days in a row with pack weight Excellent! A plan to make it to the summit! Quest #2: The Sherpa But there's a catch. Not only do I have to drag my ass up the mountain, I get to drag all of my gear on my back as well! This means 40-50 lbs of extra pack weight to carry. I have integrated part of this above, but carrying a heavy pack for extended periods requires core and leg strength. To realize this goal I will be lifting with a focus on squats, deadlifts, cleans and other ab/core exercises. A - lift 3x per week B - lift 3x per week C - lift 1x per week Quest #3: Fuel Shortage Fuel is always a struggle for me. Preparing meals and planning always seems to fall by the wayside first. For this challenge, I'm starting small. A - All lunches from home but 1 per week. B - Only 2 cafeteria lunches per week. C - 3 cafeteria lunches per week. Bonus point: Healthy choice from cafeteria. Possibly a salad over a burger and tots.