EARN THE ASCENT. ENJOY THE DESCENT.
Ski touring fitness and endurance coaching for backcountry skiers, splitboarders and ski mountaineers.
Build capacity for mountain days.
Prepare for sustained uphill movement and repeated days on snow through progressive endurance and strength work. Plans adapt to your season, schedule and terrain. Avalanche education and backcountry decision-making remain separate from fitness coaching.
Does this sound familiar?
Why do I struggle to keep up on the skin track?
How do I build towards 1,500 metres of ascent?
Why are my legs tired before the descent?
Should I prioritise running, cycling, hiking or gym work?
How can I prepare for a multi-day ski traverse?
How do I maintain fitness once touring season starts?
What should I consider for equipment, forecasts and longer objectives?
What we’ll train
Uphill aerobic endurance — Develop sustained climbing capacity and appropriate effort control.
Lower-body strength — Build strength in the quads, glutes, hamstrings and calves for climbing and descending.
Muscular endurance — Prepare for repeated ascents and controlled downhill movement under fatigue.
Movement capacity — Combine appropriate conditioning with separate on-snow skills practice.
Multi-day performance — Develop a repeatable rhythm for successive touring days.
Seasonal progression — Build before winter, then adapt strength and endurance work around actual tours.
Your training week: pre-season touring
Monday — Strength: squats, lunges, hinges and core
Tuesday — 75-minute easy bike or run
Wednesday — Suitable uphill muscular-endurance intervals
Thursday — Recovery and mobility
Friday — Single-leg strength and controlled eccentric work
Saturday — 3–5-hour uphill hike or appropriate mountain outing
Sunday — 60–90-minute easy aerobic session
Illustrative example for an experienced recreational tourer—not a fixed programme. Once winter arrives, touring counts towards the workload and other sessions are adjusted accordingly.
Beyond the training plan
Discuss ski and splitboard equipment, layering, pack weight, traverse logistics, pacing, fueling and recovery. Educational conversations can introduce weather tools, avalanche bulletin literacy and route-research resources. They do not replace avalanche training, current conditions assessment, competent mountain partners or professional guiding.
Backcountry questions, answered
Can I train before there is snow?
Yes. Accessible endurance work, strength and suitable uphill outings can build the foundation.
Does a big weekend tour count as training?
Absolutely. We account for it when planning the following days instead of adding a full gym schedule on top.
Is fitness coaching also avalanche instruction?
No. Those are distinct services. Seek appropriate avalanche education and skills practice; VIBE Backcountry Education offers a separate pathway for relevant instruction.
Mountain expertise. Individual preparation.
Jordan Lenham combines university-level sports education, professional mountain guiding experience and coaching since 2011 with first-hand experience of ultramarathons, alpine climbing and multi-day backcountry journeys. Your TrainingPeaks programme evolves through feedback and scheduled check-ins. Canadian owned and operated, supporting athletes across Canada and worldwide.