I am looking to build myself up by this time next year so I can go mountain hiking.

[Metalhead]

I want to spend some time over the next year building up the strength in my legs so I can hike trails on Mount Rainier next year and not get thoroughly wrecked within an hour or two.

Does anybody here have any idea where to start on this ambitious endeavor of mine?

 

[FayetheADHDsquirrel]

Perhaps start taking longer walks and/or start including areas that have an incline. I am not an expert but that is what I would probably start with unless someone recommended something that sounded like a better option.

 

[Metalhead]

Perhaps start taking longer walks and/or start including areas that have an incline. I am not an expert but that is what I would probably start with unless someone recommended something that sounded like a better option.

I have been completely sedentary for years, and recently I have decided to pick up the physical activity big time. I don't eat too many calories but I have been a lazy slug.

 

[Mary Terry]

Walk, walk hard and fast, walk so fast you start getting breathless, your lungs expand, and your heart rate rises. Walk every day, rain or shine. Get some good shoes to walk in or you'll wreck your feet. You can do this.

 

[Masked Man]

Do a little bit every day. Each day try to increase your time. As other people have said, do inclines, faster walking, use a heavy backpack, etc. Build up to it.

 

[saturnv]

Step one is walk around the neighborhood. Take it easy at first. Do that regularly and gradually increase speed and distance. Get good shoes like Mary Terry said. You can do it.

 

[FayetheADHDsquirrel]

Make sure to bring water along and don't overdo it in the extreme heat.

 

[Rodafina]

A year is a good time frame, @Metalhead. It might help to start out by making gentle exercise a part of your daily routine so much that it feels weird not to do it. You could pair it with something that already happens every day. For example, every night you will eat dinner. Maybe a new habit could be always walk 20 minutes after dinner.

 

[Metalhead]

A year is a good time frame, @Metalhead. It might help to start out by making gentle exercise a part of your daily routine so much that it feels weird not to do it. You could pair it with something that already happens every day. For example, every night you will eat dinner. Maybe a new habit could be always walk 20 minutes after dinner.

There is a hill about a mile and a half away from where I live. I can start by walking a couple of blocks up it after work today, and slowly build up endurance until I can conquer the whole thing without feeling wasted.

 

[Gerald Wilgus]

I depends upon the conditions you will encounter. At altitude above 10,000 feet you will need to increase your aerobic capacity. Also, will you backpack? If so, endurance and the strength to carry 1/3 of your body weight is needed. Also consider understanding the altitude gain and loss. Do not think of challenging the Surprise Lake trail in the Tetons until you can handle a climb of 3,070 feet in 4.9 miles starting from an altitude of 6,300 feet. It's a beautiful trail with spectacular views of the Valley. It was our warmup before tackling the Wind River Wilderness where the trails start at 9,000 feet and go up until you are at the granite core of the Wind River Mountains.

A good goal would be to book lodging at the Granite Park Chalet in Glacier National Park. From the Logan Pass trailhead the Highline trail is 7.6 miles of fairly level trail (6 hours max). Carry basics with you so you can hike light. Views are expansive and gorgeous. I liked seeing the blooming beargrass along the trail, and in a boulder field you may be able to spot Pika. Their call sounds like an old fashioned squeeze toy.

 

[Jumpinbare]

In my teens, I trained for an upcoming mountain hike by running every day (built up to 5 mile runs), and did 5 mile hikes once a week with a pack that was heavier than I would be using on the trip. Everyone in the group did this because we were all Florida kids and had no mountain experience.
On the actual hike, we passed others who looked like the walking dead, while we were doing fine. When they heard we were from Florida, they would looked shocked.