In this plan, you’ll find the minimal training we recommend for skiers bound for a moderate multi-day hut trip and or ski traverse like the Wapta traverse in Canada or the Oertler in Italy.

This plan is ideal for ski tourers who have never engaged in an organized training program or who have not done so for a long time. It is also meant for those without access to snow on a daily or even weekly basis. It starts at 7 hours/week and builds to 10 hours/ week and includes a lot of vertical elevation gain and loss. While there are options for the use of machines like a stairmaster or steeply inclined treadmills, the ideal training will take place on big hills outdoors, preferably skiing at least 1-2 days/week. Many of the mid-week workouts will allow you to do dry land training when skiing is not an option.

During the last 4 weeks we introduce more intensity into the aerobic workouts in the form of weighted uphill hikes. Do not increase the intensity of the other aerobic workouts and hope to gain more benefits or try to squeeze a 1 hour workout into 30 minutes. There is no shortcut when it comes to aerobic adaptation.