Author: Uphill Athlete

Training for Mountaineering – This is the first in this multi-part series. Plus we have a big introduction to make today, Chantelle Robitaille is our new director of coach training and athlete success. Chantelle is a coach, an ultra-runner, holds an advanced degree in High Altitude Physiology, and is coming to Uphill Athlete from this same position at CTS, Carmichael Training Systems, the world’s largest endurance-coaching company.

Listen in, learn, and get to know Chantelle as she, Coach Alyssa Clark, and Steve House unpack the fundamentals of training for mountaineering.

We are back! In this episode, Steve House and Alyssa Clark sit down to talk about the evolution of Uphill Athlete. From the continuation of sound training principles, to stories of the mountains, to the future of Uphill Athlete, we cover it all. Join us in plotting our route up this new mountain with a deeply experienced team who are energized and ready to help you be your mountain best.Please rate and subscribe to our podcast on all podcast platforms. If you’d like more information on coaching, one of our training plans, our training groups or to provide feedback, please…

Kazu Ishidera is 51 years old and the store manager at REI San Carlos, in California. In June 2022, he and his longtime friend and mentor Hikari Mori (Mori-San), 59, summited Denali (20,310 feet) in good style, pulling off their ascent of the West Buttress during a stable weather window. The two have been climbing partners since 2000, when they met as part of the team that opened REI’s first—and only—international store, in Tokyo, Japan. They typically enjoy classic mountain routes and moderate multi-pitch climbs, and often pick their goals from the book Fifty Classic Climbs of North America. Ishidera…

How Satish Gogineni climbed Everest and Lhotse in a 96-hour push It’s impossible to know you’ll climb a mountain like Everest (8,849 meters) before you actually do so—there are so many variables, like weather, the condition of the route, your health and response to the altitude, and objective hazards like serac falls and avalanches. But as he acclimated on the hike in to Everest Basecamp in spring 2022, Satish Gogineni, a vice president at Bank of America, felt optimistic. A diehard runner since 2007 who has raced in 14 major marathons and two 50 K races as well as a…

In this episode Scott Johnston welcomes his long-time friend and fellow sexagenarian climber Jim Nelson. Jim and Scott discuss Jim’s latest guide book. Classic Cascade Climbs. Jim, with co authors Tom Sjolseth and David Whitelaw have just published a follow up to his 2 previous Selected Climbs books. This one; Classic Cascade Climbs, published by The Mountaineers Books is sure to fire the imagination of even the most seasoned climber. While giving plenty of relevant beta for the climbs the killer photos are going to make you want to leave this book on your coffee table as inspiration. Listen on Apple…

How the retired physician Jonathan Sugarman made it to Camp 3 on Everest despite a pre-trip forced layoff. Note: We recently received word that Dr Jonathan Sugarman died on Monday while attempting to climb Mount Everest with a Washington-state guiding service. While we were not working with Jonathan for the past year we previously had worked with him for 3 years. We knew him as a good, earnest guy. He was humble and he really cared about the Sherpa people. He also had a whimsical side. He brought a plastic trumpet to basecamp to practice! In Jonathan’s memory please remember…

In this episode, Scott Johnston is joined by David Goettler. David is a member of the North Face Athlete Team, a professional mountain guide, and an accomplished alpinist. Fresh off of Everest after his successful summit without the use of supplemental oxygen, the duo discuss David’s physical and mental preparation, embracing suffering, use of intermittent hypoxic training for preparation, and David’s new approach for acclimatization this year that was a major factor in his success. Listen on Apple Listen on Spotify Listen on Google More Episodes View All Tragedy on the Haute Route: A Conversation with Steve House Training for…

The aim of this article is to describe the preparation, training, and experiences I had while preparing for and racing backcountry ski mountaineering efforts on Mount Tallac, Shasta, and Hood during the 2021-2022 season. There are also passing references to me running Mount Shasta for time (4/1/22).  I conducted all high intensity training for these efforts on a stairmaster or incline treadmill, a link to my workouts is at the bottom. Training This winter, my training was primarily focused on preparation for mountainous 100 mile efforts during summer 2022. I wanted to have an off season and intentionally placed ski…

In the episode, Scott Johnston talks with Damon Tedford who recently returned from successful climbs of both Mt Everest and Lhotse.  While Damon and Scott have been in sporadic communication over the past couple of years using our phone consultation service he has been completely self-coached, using first our book Training for the New Alpinism to create his own training plan for the first couple of training cycles.  For this final training build up prior to the Everest-Lhotse trip he bought and used our 24 week expeditionary mountaineering plan and slightly modified it because we consider those plans to be…

A Race Report from the 2022 Tahoe 200The 200-miler is the most exciting discipline in mountain running. The distance is alluring because it requires the endurance and strength demanded by an ultra-marathon and the problem-solving required on a multi-day fastpacking expedition. The discipline is a puzzle. Each race presents a challenge that, once overcome, allows some pieces to fall into place while never quite revealing the full picture. For me, tackling this puzzle amidst a 60-hour work week as a leader at a start-up and among all of life’s chaos and entropy has been a challenge and a privilege, as…