Presi Training
At 20+ miles in length and with almost 10,000 feet in elevation gain, doing the Presidential Traverse in a day is a feather in any hiker’s cap. Here are some tips for taking it from pipe dream to reality.
1. Train! Unless you’re in incredible shape, doing the Presi off the couch probably isn’t the best idea. Instead, start planning months early for your traverse, thinking of each week leading up to the Presi as a discrete training block. During the course of each week you’ll want to do a longer hike as well as several shorter training sessions (ideally some gym and some actual hiking). So in a Monday-Sunday week, you might do an hour hike on Tuesday and Thursday, a gym workout on one or 2 other days, and a longer hike on a weekend day.
From week to week, you should progressively increase your overall mileage, elevation, and time, with most of the increase coming on the longer weekend hikes. The increases should be sustainable, in the 5-10% range. If you make too big a jump too early, you might burn out. So, for example, if you’re starting your training 12 weeks out (a great idea), a long hike of about 7-8 miles is perfect for the first training week, followed by increases of 1 to 1.25 miles per week to get to 20-ish for the Presi.
As you progress through your training, treat every fourth week as a recovery week, where you cut back the amount of training to let your body accumulate the 3 prior weeks of training. During the recovery week aim for 60-70% of the prior week. The next week (week 5) start with the same approximate volume as You ended the third week.
Finally, you want to make sure most of your training is aerobic, as opposed to anaerobic. That means not trying to crush it every time you go out. (From personal experience, this can be hard.) For more info on training regimes, a great resource is Training for the Uphill Athlete: A Manual for Mountain Runners and Ski Mountaineers by Scott Johnston, Steve House, and Killian Jornet.
2. Train Some in Presi-like Terrain. The first half of the Presidential Traverse is steep and rough, especially between Madison and Washington. So that your mind and body are ready for the challenge, make sure to do some hiking in similar terrain in the months leading up to the event. Some longer training options with terrain like the Presi are the Lincoln-Lafayette-Haystack loop on Franconia Ridge (8.5 miles, 4,000 feet of elevation gain), the Kinsman Ridge Traverse (the second hike discussed here), and a Bonds Traverse. A Madison-Adams loop is another great option, with the added bonus that you’ll get some familiarity with the first third of the traverse.
Can’t get to the Whites every week? No problem—even visiting once per month will pay dividends, especially when combined with closer-to-home hikes. (For those from the Greater Boston area, the Skyline Trail in the Blue Hills is a fantastic option at 7.5+ miles and almost 2,000 feet of elevation gain.)
3. Get Accustomed to Moving Non-Stop for Long Periods of Time With a Pack. For many, completing the Presi Traverse takes a long time. As in 12-16 hours. A key to finishing in a reasonable time is to keep things moving. That means not stopping every few minutes to adjust layers, have a drink, or take a picture. Instead, try to move in blocks of at least 60-70 minutes, followed or so by a short break to rest and eat. Even better, get a hydration bladder so you can drink on the move. And don’t linger at the huts or the cafeteria on Mt. Washington any more than necessary, as they can turn into time sucks.
4. Think Strategically. Doing some advance planning will help you find ways to lower your pack weight. Here’s one example: you can save a few pounds just carrying just the amount of water you need and refilling at the huts. Another way to save weight is to bring a few bucks to buy a Gatorade and snack at the Mt. Washington cafeteria.
5. Plan for the Day. The Presidential Traverse is best done on a good day, when there’s minimal wind, rain, or snow. After Madison Hut, you’re going to be above treeline for a long time, so the better the weather, the better the trip, and the greater chance of sending.
As well, study the trail beta in advance. We’ve done a whole Alpha Guide on the Presidential Traverse that’s brimming with helpful info. Read it before you go so that you will know which way to go at the numerous trail junctions you’ll encounter along the way.
By Doug Martland
