I recently moved from Colorado to San Diego, and I've found lately that the mountains are calling again. I'm planning on climbing Mount Whitney in late fall. While I've climbed 14-ers in Colorado before, I was living at about 5500 feet and acclimatization was not all that tough. Now I live on a hill about 100 feet above Mission Bay, and the prospect of climbing another mile higher than what I'm used to is a little daunting. I understand that spending as much time as possible at altitude would be the best solution, but what can I do the other five days a week down here at sea level to get myself in the best shape for non-technical climbing?

— Dave Murphy, San Diego, California

When you are going to go high, there is no question that spending at least seven to ten days at a gradually increasing altitude helps in making the thinner air feel more like home. One solution for your San Diego base is to go high tech and build or buy a pressurized chamber, which would allow you to acclimate in the comforts of a cylinder in your living room. But something tells me you're looking for a more reasonable solution. Thankfully, there are a few things that will help you get in shape for an excursion closer to the sun. First, recognize that the experience will be a little less comfortable due to your inability to properly acclimatize to the altitude. You'll most likely move a little slower, breath a little harder and have to watch for signs of high altitude sickness (nausea, dizziness, headache) and be prepared to take some breaks along the way. Your former Colorado residency should come in handy here--seems as though individuals who have spent time at altitude have fewer problems adjusting.

In regards to training, you've got a few good options to help you get ready. The first, readily available training modality would be to do fast hikes or runs in the sand. Strap on a pack and walk briskly on the sand, alternating between the soft sand and hard stuff. The added resistance will help develop your heart, lungs and legs. Don't be afraid to up the intensity of two of these outings each week to an uncomfortable level of 80 to 90 percent of your maximum heart rate (i.e. very heavy breathing and thoughts of stopping are foremost in your mind). San Diego is also blessed with some hilly terrain nearby, get out into the rolling hills at least once a week for a run, walk or hike. Lastly, consider using a good old treadmill, set at a ten percent grade or more and hike away. You can do intervals where you hike at a moderate intensity for five minutes, take a two minute break by bringing the treadmill down to one to two percent grade and then going back into climbing mode. Repeat for 40 to 60 minutes. Hang a picture of Whitney in front of the treadmill and visualize a successful trip as you slog along.