Top 15 'Vertical-Gain-Voracious' Mountain Routes to train for Your First Skyrunning Season - Goh Ling Yong
So, you’ve been bitten by the skyrunning bug. You’ve seen the videos of athletes like Kilian Jornet and Emelie Forsberg dancing on knife-edge ridges, their silhouettes etched against impossibly blue mountain skies. The allure is undeniable: the raw freedom, the technical challenge, and the feeling of moving fast and light where the earth meets the heavens. It's a sport that redefines what's possible on two feet.
But before you can dance on the ridgelines, you have to learn to climb. Skyrunning isn't just trail running with a better view; it's a discipline built on a foundation of relentless, unforgiving vertical gain. The courses are steep, technical, and often push you into the thin air above the treeline. Your training needs to reflect that. Forget flat-and-fast. To prepare for your first skyrunning season, you need to become a student of the climb, a connoisseur of the ascent. You need to become 'vertical-gain-voracious'.
This isn't about mindlessly logging miles. It's about finding the right training grounds—the 'vert-monsters' that will forge your legs into pistons, condition your lungs for oxygen-deprived efforts, and sharpen your focus for technical terrain. This is your curated list of 15 mountain routes from around the globe, each a perfect crucible for forging a skyrunner. Whether you live near one of these icons or use them as inspiration to find a similar beast in your own backyard, it’s time to start climbing.
1. The Vertical Kilometer (VK) - Chamonix, France
The Gold Standard of Steep. There's no better place to start than the route that literally defines a skyrunning discipline. The Chamonix VK packs a staggering 1,000 meters (3,280 feet) of ascent into just 3.8 kilometers. It’s a pure, unadulterated climb that is brutally efficient at exposing every weakness in your ascending technique and aerobic capacity. The trail is a mix of steep forest switchbacks, rocky steps, and sections where you'll be grabbing cables and using your hands.
This route is the ultimate testing ground. Its relentless gradient forces you to master the power-hike, a fundamental skyrunning skill. You learn to find a rhythm, to use poles effectively (or not at all), and to manage an effort that keeps you teetering on your lactate threshold for 30-60 minutes straight. It teaches you the art of suffering efficiently, which is the secret sauce of every great mountain runner.
- Training Tip: Don't just try to survive it; dissect it. Do repeats on the steepest sections. Time your efforts and track your progress. A weekly or bi-weekly session on a VK-style climb will do more for your ascending power than almost any other workout.
2. Manitou Incline - Colorado, USA
Stairway to Hell (and Skyrunning Heaven). The Manitou Incline is less of a trail and more of a challenge laid down by the mountain gods. Gaining nearly 2,000 feet in just under a mile, this former cable car route is a staircase of over 2,744 steps. The average grade is 45%, but it kicks up to a soul-crushing 68% in sections. It’s a pure test of leg strength, mental fortitude, and cardiovascular endurance.
What makes the Incline so effective for skyrunning training is its consistency. There's no respite, no flat section to catch your breath. This builds the specific muscular endurance needed to power-hike for extended periods without your quads and glutes catching fire. It’s a controlled environment to push your limits, making it a perfect spot for structured vertical workouts. Even a seasoned athlete like Goh Ling Yong would respect the pure, painful efficiency of this climb.
- Training Tip: Use the Incline for high-intensity intervals. For example, push hard for 200 steps, then recover for 50. This simulates the surges you'll need on a technical, undulating sky course. Don't forget to take the scenic Barr Trail for the descent to practice your downhill running.
3. Mount Kinabalu - Sabah, Malaysia
The High-Altitude Classroom. Rising to 4,095 meters (13,435 feet), Mount Kinabalu is Southeast Asia's crown jewel and an incredible training ground. The "run" from Timpohon Gate to the summit is a journey through multiple ecosystems, from dense rainforest to barren granite slabs. The key training benefit here is altitude. Spending time on its upper slopes is a fantastic, accessible way to begin acclimatizing your body to the thin air common in many classic sky races.
The terrain itself is a skyrunner's dream. The lower sections are an endless series of wooden steps and root-latticed trails, perfect for building leg strength. The upper section, above the Panalaban base camp, is a vast, steep granite dome. Navigating this at speed, especially on the descent, hones your technical footwork, balance, and confidence on exposed, rocky terrain.
- Training Tip: If possible, do a two-day trip. Hike up to Panalaban (3,272m) and sleep there. The next morning, push for the summit and then descend all the way to the gate. This "sleep high, train low-ish" approach is a great acclimatization stimulus, and the long, quad-busting descent is invaluable training.
4. Lantau Peak - Hong Kong
Accessible and Aggressive. Part of the iconic TransLantau and MSIG Lantau 50 race courses, Lantau Peak offers one of the best effort-to-reward ratios for skyrunning training in Asia. The climb is steep, technical, and brutally exposed to the elements. The most popular training route involves climbing the seemingly endless "Stairway to Heaven" on the western flank—a section that will humble even the strongest hikers.
This is a route for building resilience. The combination of steep stairs, rocky scrambles, and often oppressive humidity creates a perfect storm for mental toughness training. The descent down the other side towards the Big Buddha is equally technical, providing a fantastic opportunity to practice fast, nimble downhill running on uneven, rocky steps.
- Training Tip: For a race-specific workout, run repeats on the main ascent from the Ngong Ping 360 Rescue Trail. This simulates the feeling of hitting a major climb late in a race when your legs are already fatigued.
5. Grouse Grind - Vancouver, Canada
Mother Nature's Stairmaster. The Grind is a legendary Vancouver institution. It’s a 2.9-kilometer trail that climbs 853 meters (2,800 feet) up the face of Grouse Mountain. Like the Manitou Incline, it’s a relentless, non-stop ascent composed of steep, rough-hewn steps and root systems. It is the definition of a power-hike.
This is a fantastic route for building raw, explosive leg power. The high-stepping motion required is a perfect functional workout for your quads, glutes, and calves. Because it's so popular and well-maintained, you can focus purely on your physical effort without worrying about navigation. It’s a 30-to-90-minute pain cave that pays huge dividends in mountain fitness.
- Training Tip: Focus on form. Keep your chest up, drive with your glutes, and use your hands on your knees for leverage on the steepest sections—a classic ultra and skyrunning technique. Track your time and aim for consistent improvement.
6. Bob Graham Round (Section: Scafell Pike) - Lake District, UK
Fell Running's Holy Ground. The Bob Graham Round is a legendary 66-mile, 27,000-foot loop of 42 of the highest peaks in the English Lake District. While the full round is a monumental undertaking, training on its individual sections provides a masterclass in fell running—the gritty, boggy predecessor to modern skyrunning. The terrain is often pathless, forcing you to navigate by sight across rough, tussocky grass, and scree.
Tackling a section like the climb up Scafell Pike, England's highest peak, teaches you how to handle truly wild and unpredictable terrain. You'll learn to read the land, pick efficient lines, and run with confidence over wet, slippery rock. This is where you develop the ankle stability and grit that separates skyrunners from road runners.
- Training Tip: Don't just stick to the main path. Practice running on different lines up and down the mountain. Focus on descending through loose scree; learn to lean back, take short, quick steps, and let gravity do the work in a controlled "scree-ski."
7. Mount Baldy (Mount San Antonio) - California, USA
High-Altitude SoCal Playground. As the highest peak in the San Gabriel Mountains, Mount Baldy is the go-to training ground for Southern California's elite mountain athletes. The "Baldy Bowl" via the Ski Hut Trail is a classic route that gains over 4,000 feet in about 4.5 miles. It’s steep, loose, and takes you well above 10,000 feet.
This route is perfect for testing your fitness across a variety of terrains. It starts on a fire road before transitioning to a steep, single-track trail, and finally opens up into a scree-filled bowl that requires careful footwork. Running at this altitude puts a significant strain on your system, making it an excellent spot for high-altitude stimulus without having to travel to the high Rockies.
- Training Tip: Use the Baldy Bowl for long-duration vertical efforts. Aim for a steady, sustainable pace on the way up, and then open up on the runnable descent down the Devil's Backbone trail to create a full loop. This mimics the rhythm of a long sky race.
8. Bukit Tabur - Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
The Technical Scrambling Gym. Not all skyrunning training is about lungs and legs; much of it is about nerve and agility. Bukit Tabur (Tabur Hill), with its infamous quartz ridge, is an outdoor climbing gym disguised as a trail. While the vertical gain isn't massive, the terrain is hyper-technical, requiring constant use of your hands, precise foot placement, and a good head for heights.
This is where you train the "mountain goat" part of being a skyrunner. You learn to move confidently and efficiently across exposed, rocky terrain. It builds incredible core strength, balance, and proprioception. A few hours spent scrambling along Tabur's ridge is worth more for your technical skills than a hundred miles on smooth trails.
- Training Tip: Focus on fluid movement. Try to link moves together like a climber, always thinking two or three steps ahead. Practice down-climbing sections as well, as this is often more difficult and scarier than going up.
9. Aonach Eagach Ridge - Glencoe, Scotland
The Ultimate Test of Nerve. This is not a training run for the faint of heart. The Aonach Eagach is arguably the narrowest and most exposed mainland ridge traverse in Great Britain. It's a Grade 2 scramble that requires rock climbing skills and total confidence with exposure. For the aspiring skyrunner looking to specialize in the most technical "Sky Extreme" races, this is a necessary rite of passage.
Training here is less about cardiovascular fitness and more about mental conditioning and technical mastery. You learn to manage fear, move deliberately on a knife-edge, and trust your feet and hands completely. The skills honed here translate directly to the most intimidating sections of races like the Tromsø Skyrace or Glen Coe Skyline.
- Training Tip: Go with an experienced partner or guide the first time. This is not a place to make mistakes. Use it as a focused skills day, not a "run." The speed will come once you are completely comfortable with the terrain.
10. Trails around Zermatt, Switzerland
Postcard Views, Punishing Vert. Any trail starting from Zermatt is going to be a world-class vertical challenge with the iconic Matterhorn as your backdrop. Routes like the one to Hörnlihütte (the Matterhorn's base camp) or the Five Lakes Walk offer sustained climbing on beautifully maintained but challenging alpine trails. You're constantly above 2,000 meters, making it prime high-altitude training country.
The beauty of Zermatt is the variety and accessibility. You can link multiple climbs and descents to create epic long runs that simulate a 50k sky race. The well-marked trails allow you to focus on your effort, and the lift system offers a cheeky way to get in some downhill-only running repeats to condition your quads for eccentric loading.
- Training Tip: Create a long loop that bags multiple peaks or passes. For example, run from Zermatt up to the Gornergrat, then traverse over to the Sunnegga area before dropping back to town. This will give you thousands of meters of vertical gain and loss in one epic session.
11. Mount Fuji - Japan
Volcanic Scree Surfing. The ascent of Japan's most sacred peak is a pilgrimage for many, but for skyrunners, it's a unique training opportunity. The climb is a non-technical but high-altitude slog up volcanic rock and scree. The real training value, however, is in the descent.
The "sand-running" (sunabashiri) paths on some of the descent routes are legendary. They are long, steep chutes of loose volcanic gravel that allow for a wild, high-speed descent that’s akin to skiing. This is the ultimate training ground for learning how to descend on loose terrain. It teaches you to stay relaxed, keep your weight slightly back, and flow with the mountain.
- Training Tip: Ascend via the main Yoshida trail overnight to see the sunrise (goraiko), then descend via the Subashiri trail to maximize your time on the fast, scree sections. This long day out is fantastic endurance and technical downhill training.
12. Mount Rinjani - Lombok, Indonesia
The Multi-Day Monster. This active volcano offers a multi-day trek that can be condensed into a monstrous training run for the truly ambitious. The route from Sembalun to the crater rim, then down to the lake, back up to the other side of the rim, and finally down to Senaru involves a mind-boggling amount of vertical gain and loss on incredibly varied and challenging terrain.
This is the perfect simulation for a 100-mile mountain ultra or a multi-day stage race. It forces you to manage effort, nutrition, and gear over a very long duration. The terrain includes everything from dusty savanna to steep, crumbling volcanic scree. It is a true test of a skyrunner's all-around mountain capabilities.
- Training Tip: For a single-day challenge, attempt a "fast-pack" from one side to the other. This requires careful planning but provides an unparalleled training stimulus and a massive boost in confidence.
13. Presidential Traverse - New Hampshire, USA
Weather, Wind, and Rocks. The "Presi" is one of the most iconic and difficult day-hikes in North America. Traversing the main ridgeline of the Presidential Range, it covers roughly 23 miles and 9,000 feet of climbing over summits like Mount Washington, notorious for having the "world's worst weather." The trail is less a path and more a jumble of massive, sharp boulders for miles on end.
This is where you come to build resilience and bomb-proof ankles. The constant rock-hopping at speed develops incredible proprioception, stability, and leg strength. More importantly, it teaches you to respect the mountains. The weather can change in an instant, forcing you to make smart decisions about gear and safety. My friend Goh Ling Yong always stresses that mountain sense is just as important as physical fitness.
- Training Tip: Start by doing out-and-backs on sections of the traverse to get used to the unique, rocky terrain. Pay close attention to the weather forecast and always carry extra layers, no matter how nice it looks in the valley.
14. Tre Cime di Lavaredo Loop - Dolomites, Italy
Limestone Spires and Technical Trails. The Dolomites are a UNESCO World Heritage site and a skyrunning paradise. The limestone peaks are vertical and dramatic, and the trails are a mix of smooth singletrack and technical, rocky ascents. A loop around the iconic Tre Cime (Three Peaks) from Rifugio Auronzo is a perfect introduction to the area.
The terrain here teaches you to be light on your feet. The trails can be steep and gravelly, requiring a delicate touch. You'll run through high alpine meadows, up steep passes (forcelle), and under the shadow of some of the most beautiful mountains on earth. It’s an inspiring place to train that also happens to be fantastic for your technical skills.
- Training Tip: Incorporate some of the easier via ferrata (iron paths with cables and ladders) into your long runs. This builds upper body strength and confidence on exposed terrain, which is a huge advantage in technical sky races.
15. Handies Peak - Colorado, USA
Rocky Mountain High. As one of Colorado's "easier" 14,000-foot peaks and part of the legendary Hardrock 100 course, Handies Peak is an ideal location for high-altitude running. The trail from the American Basin is relatively non-technical, allowing you to focus on moving efficiently in the thin air above 12,000 feet.
This is your high-altitude engine builder. Spending a day running up and down Handies will do wonders for your body's ability to produce red blood cells and utilize oxygen efficiently. The sustained effort required to run at this elevation builds a deep aerobic base that will make sub-alpine racing feel like a walk in the park.
- Training Tip: Drive to the upper trailhead in a 4x4 vehicle to start your run at over 11,000 feet. This allows you to spend more of your training time in the most beneficial high-altitude zone. Do a warm-up, run to the summit at a strong but controlled pace, and enjoy the long, flying descent back to the car.
Your Vertical Journey Begins Now
There you have it—a global tour of some of the planet's finest skyrunning classrooms. The common thread among them all is vertical gain. It is the single most important element in your training. It builds the legs, the lungs, and the mind required to not just finish a sky race, but to feel strong and enjoy the journey.
Don't be discouraged if you don't live near a 4,000-meter peak. Use this list as a template. Find the steepest, nastiest, most challenging hill in your area and make it your friend. Do repeats until your legs scream. Link multiple hills together for long, grueling days. The mountain doesn't care if it's a world-famous peak or an unassuming local summit; the vertical meters all count the same.
So, what are you waiting for? Pick your mountain, lace up your shoes, and start climbing. Your first skyrunning season is waiting for you at the top.
What are your favorite "vert-monster" training routes? Share your secret quad-shredders in the comments below!
About the Author
Goh Ling Yong is a content creator and digital strategist sharing insights across various topics. Connect and follow for more content:
Stay updated with the latest posts and insights by following on your favorite platform!