SKI MOUNTAINEERING
Train for the Climb. Be Ready for the Descent.
A 12-week sport-specific training program for ski mountaineers preparing for big vertical, long approaches, technical descents, traverses, and demanding ski objectives in the mountains.
Training is matched to your current fitness and the demands of your objective, including vertical gain, pack weight, uphill travel, technical terrain, descent demands, consecutive days, altitude, and available training time.
PROGRAM OVERVIEW
Ski Mountaineering Training is a 12-week sport-specific program designed to prepare you for the full demands of moving efficiently through big mountain terrain on skis: long climbs, sustained vertical gain, carrying equipment, technical transitions, demanding descents, and repeated days in the mountains.
Your training is matched to both where you’re starting and what your objective will demand. A local spring summit, a big volcano descent, a multi-day traverse, and a high-altitude ski objective all require different levels of preparation.
This program builds on an existing fitness base and progressively shifts your training toward the specific uphill, downhill, technical, and endurance demands of your ski objective.
You’re not just training to reach the summit. You’re preparing to climb efficiently, ski well, and stay strong through the entire objective.
Build the Fitness Your Ski Objective Demands
WHO IS THIS PROGRAM FOR?
Who Is Ski Mountaineering Training For?
Ski Mountaineering Training is for skiers who already have a basic fitness foundation and are ready to prepare specifically for long climbs, technical descents, big vertical days, traverses, or multi-day ski objectives.
This program is a good fit if you are:
✓ Preparing for a ski mountaineering objective, traverse, peak descent, or multi-day ski trip
✓ Already training consistently and ready for more ski-specific work
✓ Preparing for long climbs, significant vertical gain, technical descents, or repeated days in the mountains
✓ Looking for training that reflects the actual demands of your route, terrain, pack weight, and itinerary
✓ Pursuing a performance goal such as a fast ascent, big single-day objective, or long traverse
✓ Comfortable skiing backcountry terrain and ready to build the fitness needed for bigger mountain objectives
Not quite ready for sport-specific ski mountaineering training? Start with Outdoor Fitness Foundation or Mountain Endurance to build the base first.
If you’re still building your aerobic base or general strength, begin with Mountain Endurance first. Ski Mountaineering Training is designed to build on that foundation with more specific uphill, downhill, and mountain-focused work.
TRAINING OUTCOMES
What You’ll Build
Ski Mountaineering Training develops the uphill endurance, strength, durability, and ski-specific work capacity needed for demanding objectives in the mountains.
Build the aerobic capacity to climb efficiently for hours, handle sustained vertical gain, and arrive at the top with enough left for the descent.
Uphill Speed
Develop the leg, hip, core, and full-body strength needed for sustained climbing, efficient transitions, technical descents, and carrying ski mountaineering equipment.
Ski/Board Strength
Build the ability to keep climbing and riding strongly as fatigue accumulates during long ascents, repeated climbs, and big vertical days.
Muscular Endurance
Develop the strength and control to ski well after hours of climbing, when fatigue can have the greatest effect on movement and decision-making.
Downhill Durability
Prepare for big single-day objectives, long traverses, and consecutive days of climbing and skiing in big mountain terrain.
Long-Day Capacity
Progressively shape your training around the vertical gain, duration, terrain, pack weight, altitude, and pace of your actual ski objective.
Objective-Specific Fitness
The goal is to arrive with enough fitness for thousands of feet of climbing with enough strength left to ski or ride the mountain in good style.
HOW YOU’LL TRAIN
Train for the Full Ski or Split Mountaineering Experience
Your week combines strength, aerobic endurance, uphill conditioning, and longer ski-specific work. Training volume and difficulty increase with your assigned level and the demands of your objective.
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AEROBIC & UPHILL CONDITIONING SESSIONS
Aerobic base training develops endurance, while progressive uphill and muscular-endurance work prepares you for sustained skinning, bootpacking, and big vertical days.
2
STRENGTH WORKOUTS
Focused strength training builds the leg, hip, core, and full-body strength needed for climbing, transitions, skiing under fatigue, and carrying equipment.
1
LONG ENDURANCE SESSION
A progressively longer session builds time on your feet, vertical gain, ski durability, and the capacity to handle long climbs followed by demanding descents.
WEEKLY GUIDANCE NOTES
Short notes inside your training calendar to help you understand the purpose of each week and the fundamentals of training, recovery, and long-term progress. So you have clear direction between check-ins and coaching calls.
Delivered & Monitored with TrainingPeaks
Your workouts, notes, and training feedback are organized in TrainingPeaks so you can track progress and stay consistent throughout the program.
TRAINING THAT BECOMES MORE SPECIFIC
As the program progresses, later phases can shift toward more uphill conditioning, less general strength work, bigger vertical days, and back-to-back sessions that better reflect the demands of your actual objective.
Training Matched to Your Objective
Three levels. Built for different climbs. Designed to get you to the summit.
Level 1 | Entry-Level Mountaineering
5–7 hrs/week
For shorter entry-level summit objectives and climbers newer to structured mountain training.
Preparation: No previous training program required. The program begins with manageable training and progresses toward mountaineering-specific fitness.
South Sister, standard Mt. Hood itineraries, Matterhorn Peak, and similar objectives.
Level 2 | Standard Mountaineering Objectives
7–10 hrs/week
For classic summit climbs with substantial vertical gain, loaded approaches, long summit days, and multiple days in the mountains.
Preparation: Best started after 4–6 weeks of consistent general fitness or base training.
Mt. Shasta, Adams, Baker, standard Rainier itineraries, and similar climbs.
Level 3 | High-Demand Mountaineering
9–12+ hrs/week
For expedition-scale demands, very long routes, heavy loads, big traverses, and performance-oriented objectives.
Preparation: Best started after at least 8 weeks of consistent aerobic base or Mountain Endurance-style training.
Denali, demanding Rainier routes, Shasta in a day, Three Sisters Traverse, and similar objectives.
Starting Early? Even Better.
If your climb is 16–24 weeks away, your training can begin with the appropriate Foundation or Mountain Endurance phase before transitioning into Mountaineering Training.
You don’t need to piece the phases together yourself. Your intake, current fitness, training history, available time, and objective help determine the right starting point so your training progresses smoothly from general preparation to mountain-specific fitness.
You don’t need to choose your level before enrolling. We’ll place you in the appropriate program and adjust the workload as your fitness develops.
HOW IT WORKS
Getting started is simple.
Choose
Select the level of coaching support you need and enroll through TrainingPeaks.
Connect
Create or sign in to your TrainingPeaks account during checkout. You’ll connect to Dane automatically.
Complete
Dane will email your short intake form and waiver.
Train
Once your start date is confirmed, your training will appear in the app.
TrainingPeaks Premium Included
The app is free to download, and Casaval covers your Premium membership while your program is active.
Choose Your Level of Support to
Start Training
Every athlete starts with the same proven training system.
The difference is how much individualization, coaching, feedback, and accountability you want along the way.
Guided
Essential coaching and support to keep you consistent and moving forward.
$149
per month
✓ 12-week Ski/Split Mountaineering training program
✓ Coach-paid TrainingPeaks Premium included
✓ Structured strength and aerobic conditioning workouts
✓ Weekly guidance notes built into your training calendar
✓ Unlimited email support
✓ Program Q&A
Most Popular
Plus
Plus provides the best balance of structure, accountability, coaching, and value for most athletes.
$249
per month
✓ Everything in Guided
✓ Monthly program adjustments
✓ TrainingPeaks workout analysis every 2 weeks
✓ Two individual coaching check-ins each month
✓ One coaching call each month
✓ Priority email support
Custom
Completely individualized training and coaching that meet you exactly where you’re at.
$549
per month
✓ Fully customized training plan
✓ Weekly program adjustments
✓ Weekly workout data analysis and feedback
✓ Nutrition Coaching
✓ Weekly individual check-in emails
✓ Two coaching calls each Month
✓ Priority text support
Not sure which option fits? Plus is the best starting point for most athletes who want structure, feedback, and accountability without full custom coaching.
No separate TrainingPeaks subscription is required. Casaval covers your Premium membership while your coaching is active, a $19.95/month retail value.
YOUR COACH
Built by a Coach Who Lives This Kind of Training
Ski Mountaineering Training was created by Dane Brinkley, founder of Casaval Personal Training, certified personal trainer, mountain guide, ski patroller, ski mountaineer, and someone who genuinely loves endurance sports.
Dane has spent decades climbing and skiing in the mountains and more than 20 years working in mountain environments as a guide and ski patroller. His own training spans ski mountaineering, backcountry skiing, trail running, cycling, strength training, and year-round mountain endurance.
That experience shapes a practical approach to ski mountaineering preparation: build the aerobic base, develop the strength and muscular endurance to climb efficiently, and make sure you still have the legs and control to ski well when fatigue is high.
Ski and splitboard mountaineering are simply more enjoyable when you’re fit, and good fitness gives you more physical capacity when long days, difficult terrain, weather, and fatigue start adding up.
The goal is not just to get you uphill. It is to help you move efficiently, ski well, and have the fitness to enjoy the full day, from the first skin track to the final descent.
20+ Years Mountain Guiding
Real mountain experience from Mt. Shasta to the Cascades to Denali.
230+ Mt. Shasta Summits
First-hand insight into what it takes to prepare everyday people for big mountain goals.
Certified Personal Trainer
ISSA Elite Trainer with education in strength and conditioning, nutrition, and endurance training.
Trusted by Industry Leaders
A practical training approach used by climbers, skiers, mountain guides, and professional ski patrollers
CLIENT RESULTS
WHAT ATHLETES ARE SAYING
“Dane, thank you for providing such incredible training, for your steady guidance, and for helping me realize what I’m capable of. You are a master of your craft, and we were lucky to have you.”
“I Summited Denali and felt strong the whole trip. I honestly would’ve turned around and climbed it again!”
“From struggling to do ten squats at the start to feeling genuinely strong on the mountain, this program completely changed my body and my confidence.”
Questions Before You Start?
Here are the most common questions about this training program and how coaching works.
How do I know which Mountaineering Training level is right for me?
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You don’t need to choose your level before enrolling.
After signup, you’ll complete a short athlete intake covering your objective, route, recent training, current fitness, available training time, and experience. Dane will use that information to place you in the most appropriate starting level.
Your level is not fixed. Training volume can be adjusted throughout the program based on your progress, recovery, fatigue, and the demands of your climb.
Do I need to complete base training before starting?
2
It depends on the level.
Level 1 can be used as a stand-alone starting point for newer climbers.
Level 2 is best started after about 4–6 weeks of consistent general fitness or base training.
Level 3 is best started after at least 8 weeks of aerobic base or Mountain Endurance-style training.
If your climb is still 16–24 weeks away, we can build that preparation into your calendar first and transition smoothly into Mountaineering Training.
The preparation timeline is flexible, but starting earlier allows the foundation and mountain-specific phases to be sequenced more smoothly before the objective.
Do I need to live near the mountains to train effectively?
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No. You do need a reliable way to accumulate uphill work and vertical gain.
That can come from steep outdoor terrain, stairs, a treadmill, a StairMaster, or structured box-step workouts. Outdoor mountain days are valuable when available, but the program can be adapted around where you live and the equipment you have access to.
The program can be adapted to different environments, but the best uphill substitute depends on the equipment and terrain available to you.
Does the program include guidance beyond the workouts?
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Yes. Mountaineering preparation involves more than fitness alone.
Along with your training, you’ll receive guidance on altitude preparation, pacing, nutrition and hydration, pack weight, equipment, and preparing for the specific demands of your route and itinerary.
The program addresses more than fitness, with route-specific preparation for altitude, pacing, nutrition, hydration, pack weight, and equipment shaping how you apply the workouts to your objective.
A full gym is helpful but not required.
You should have access to free weights such as dumbbells, kettlebells, or a barbell, resistance bands, a pull up bar, and a sturdy box or step. You’ll also need some way to train uphill regularly, such as steep terrain, stairs, a treadmill, StairMaster, or box-step workouts.
A full gym is not required, but the minimum equipment setup should still cover strength, resistance, step-ups, and regular uphill work for the program to be effective.
5
What equipment do I need?
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How is the program delivered?
Your workouts and weekly guidance notes are delivered through TrainingPeaks, the world’s leading training software. TrainingPeaks is trusted by professionals and everyday athletes and helps you stay organized, track progress, and keep all of your training data in one place.
Do I need a TrainingPeaks Account?
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Yes. Your training plan, workout instructions, progress, and coaching feedback are delivered through TrainingPeaks. When you enroll, you’ll create a new account or sign in to one you already have, and it will automatically connect to my coaching account.
The app is free to download, and your TrainingPeaks Premium membership is included with active coaching at no additional cost.
What kind of coaching support is included?
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Coaching support is provided with the TrainingPeaks app, email, phone, text and Zoom. The level of support depends on the package you choose. Plus is the best fit for most people because it gives you more guidance, accountability, and support while still keeping the program simple and affordable.
Will this program work with the recommendations from my guide service?
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Yes. Your guide service’s route, itinerary, equipment requirements, and preparation recommendations help inform your training.
If you’re climbing with a professional guide service, share any training or trip information they provide during your intake. Your program can then be aligned with the specific demands of your climb while respecting the guidance and requirements of the team leading you on the mountain.
Which package should I choose?
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Choose Guided if you want the basic structure and can stay consistent with minimal support.
Choose Plus if you want the best balance of structure, coaching support, and accountability.
Choose Custom Coaching if you want the highest level of personal guidance and support and require a fully individualized program or have a specific goal coming up in less than 12 weeks
MOUNTAINEERING TRAINING
Arrive Ready for the Mountain
The climb may be months away, but the preparation starts now.
Mountaineering Training gives you a clear progression from where you are today to the specific strength, endurance, uphill capacity, and durability your objective demands. Whether you’re preparing for your first major summit, a classic Cascade climb, a fast ascent, or a major expedition, the goal is the same: show up prepared for the work ahead.
You don’t need to choose your training level before enrolling. We’ll use your intake, training history, available time, and objective to put the right preparation on your calendar.
12 Weeks
A clear structure to build strength, fitness, and consistency.
Delivered Through TrainingPeaks
Your workouts, guidance, and tracking in one place.
1:1 Coaching Support
Get feedback and accountability when you need it.
Train for the Real Demands
Uphill conditioning, loaded movement, long days, and objective-specific preparation.
More Than Fitness
Guidance for pacing, altitude, nutrition, equipment, and performing well on the mountain.
Not sure if this program is the right program for your climb?
Train for Your Mountain
Build the fitness, skills, and preparation to make the most of the climb you’ve worked so hard to reach.