Combining generations of mountain experience from the Whittaker family with expert training knowledge from the coaches at Evoke Endurance, this 18-week training plan provides the workouts, strategies, anecdotes and specific preparation you need to reach the summit of Mount Rainier.

Origins

Legendary mountaineers Jim and Lou Whittaker began guiding on Mount Rainier in 1948. On the glaciated slopes of Washington’s tallest peak, the twin brothers honed their skills and developed the strength that would carry them to impressive achievements on Denali, Everest, K2 and countless other peaks around the globe. 

Jim and Lou passed down their knowledge and love for mountains to the next generation. Lou’s sons, Peter and Win, have worked as guides on Mount Rainier for more than three decades, accumulating hundreds of summits each. Jim’s wife of more than 50 years, Dianne Roberts, is also an accomplished mountaineer who gained experience on Rainier and brought these skills to the Himalaya, where she was a team member on the first American ascent of K2, breaking the high altitude record for women at that time.

Jim and Dianne’s son, Leif Whittaker, the author of this plan, first climbed Mount Rainier at age 17. Over the next two decades, he progressed to bigger mountains, including Mount Vinson, Aconcagua, Denali and two ascents of Mount Everest. He also served as a USFS Climbing Ranger on Mount Baker for ten years before renowned coach Scott Johnston hired him to work for Evoke Endurance. Scott continually imparts his vast training knowledge to Leif and all the coaches at Evoke Endurance.

This training plan brings together all that history and accumulated knowledge into a comprehensive and highly detailed program that will give you the best possible chance of standing on the summit.

Target Athlete

This plan is suitable for anyone preparing to climb Mount Rainier or similar peaks. Flexibility for current training tolerance, fitness level, and prior experience was taken into account when this plan was created. It contains notes and suggestions about how to scale the plan to fit your unique needs.

What Makes It Special?

This is more than just a fitness plan. The program is chock-full of witticisms, tips, anecdotes, guidance, and notes passed down from the Whittaker family and Evoke Endurance coaches whose combined experience in the mountains is truly astounding. You will not only get fit with this plan; you will also come away with a better understanding of how to train properly and what to expect on Mount Rainier and other peaks.

Equipment Requirements

Only basic exercise equipment is needed to execute the workouts in this plan. All of it will be available in commercial gyms. Athletes who do not live close to mountainous terrain for outdoor hiking can use exercise machines such as stair machines or inclined treadmills to achieve elevation gain. A pull up bar, dumbbells or kettlebells of various weights, and a sturdy box for step ups that is roughly 75% of your knee height are useful items to add to home gyms. 

Implementing the Plan

The plan will be located in the TrainingPeaks fitness application. You will need to sign up for a free basic account with TrainingPeaks, but you do NOT need to pay for a Premium account. Once you purchase the plan, all the workouts and notes will populate into your TrainingPeaks calendar. Start with Week 1 and go on from there!

You Own It For Life

When you purchase this plan, it will remain in your TrainingPeaks library permanently. Any updates we make to the plan will populate automatically when you reapply it to your calendar.

Support

The plan includes copious links to articles found on the Evoke Endurance website that will help you make the most of your training. You can contact Evoke Endurance to set up a consultation call with one of our coaches if you would like to ask questions or adjust the plan to your specific needs. You are also welcome to connect with our community on our Forum.