Long hikes are part of the training. They help with endurance.
Short intense hikes can be part of the training, assuming that short hike is The Incline. Serious intensity. Done that twice now.
Then, of course, there is the need to acclimate for elevation. This weekend I hiked a pair of trails that should help - The Crags and the trail to Devil’s Playground. Ending elevation for those hikes is about 11,100 feet. Still short of the tree line here, but hey, I’m training!
