Here’s where I’m training for backpacking (and general fitness). Anyone else want to share a photo of where they go to get prepared for a summer backpack season?
At this point in the winter it’s a conditions-dependent mix of hiking, XC skiing, BC skiing (tour), splitboarding (laps), or snowshoeing. (I.e., variety is good!)
Mostly in the central Cascades. We hike every weekend and there are winter routes (low elevation) and greatly expanded summer options. We also run. My wife and I are running 14-mile trail race in September and a Marathon in 2022. I’ve been hiking regularly for far longer than running. I mix-in rowing, and strength training mid-week and overall adding in the additional training has really improved my climbing. I’ve lost 30-pounds in the last year so that hasn’t hurt anything either. Hard to know where I’ve improved the most but I’ve cut 30-minutes of my time for climbing Mailbox, one of our local training routes.
That is the Maple Pass Trail off Route 20. We hiked into Steheiken in September so technically I guess that is a Northern Cascades picture. It is a 2.5 hour trip to that trailhead so we have only hiked it a couple of times but it is a gorgeous spot and an easy day hike….about 7-miles @ 2000ft of vertical as you start off near Rainy Pass.
for me it’s a walk up to blacks mountain in rancho San Antonio park because it’s a short bike ride from my house, but also use a number of other other county parks / mid-peninsula open space trails in the Santa Cruz hills. Not as spectator as some of the picture posted here, but every time my wife and I take a hike I find myself thankful, and never grow tired of the scenery.
We periodically do Mission Peak in Freemont, Mt Diablo, or Mt Tamalpais when there is some reason to be in other parts of the Bay Area.
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