CONSIGLIEREG8R wrote:due to my job and family it is likely first and only time to for Rainier or any other similar mountains. BUT I want to do everything in my power to reach the summit. I understand there may be many things that prohibit making the summit, but I don't want blister's feet issues to be one of them.
Since I am going with RMI, I assume that I will be roped up with other climbers. How many are in a group? How ofter do they stop? If I wear my light hiking shoes, will I hold up everything changing to boots? I am working to try to be sure I am not the slowest one. This is the first time I have gone without a group that I have climbed with before.
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Thanks for all the help
Get fit. Find the longest stairs you can and do an hour at a time on them with a 30-40lb pack 3 times a week. Just go as hard as you can and still maintain a consistent pace for an hour. If you do that from now until Rainier, you'll be one of the fittest people in your group. Don't worry too much about cross-training with weights or cycling or anything - the biggest gains come from getting really efficient at hiking uphill with a pack.
Then, when on the mountain, hydrate thoroughly. 16oz per hour is good. You won't feel like eating, but do it anyway. Focus on moving efficiently and smoothly and you will "cruise", as the last poster said.
The best thing you can do for your feet if you're concerned about blisters is a thin liner sock with another sock over it. Any friction will be between the socks, not your skin and the sock/boot. Your foot is going to move in plastics, so buy a couple pairs of these:
http://www.rei.com/product/618127?prefe ... erralID=NAand these:
http://www.moosejaw.com/moosejaw/shop/p ... GoogleBasefor extra insurance. But really, the hike to the summit doesn't have enough steps in it to cause blisters unless something is really terrible with the fit. Your quads and calves will be what hurts.