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Events & Hikes

Guided wilderness travel, fitness drop-ins, and in-person workshops.

Upcoming Schedule

March 21 8AM ~ 1PM
Open
DAY HIKE | 📍 Santa Clarita County

Vasquez Rocks

This will be a moderate difficulty loop at Vasquez Rocks. Sights include Hilltops, Ridges, Canyon Views, and AWESOME MOON ROCKS! Elevation Gain ~590ft over 3.5-4ish miles.

Rating 1A.1
Rating Explanation Details & Register →
April 6 6:30 - 7:15 PM PST
Open
FITNESS DROP-IN | 📍 Livestream (Zoom)

Ascent Fitness Drop-in

Durability engineering for the backcountry. Build the quads and hamstrings necessary to power up the mountain and control your descent safely.

April 16 6:30 - 8:00 PM
Open
WORKSHOP | 📍 BodyFix - Thousand Oaks, CA

Third Thursday Workshop: Backcountry Foundations

Competence creates calm. Join us in-person for a focused session on backcountry awareness, wilderness medicine basics, and trip planning.

April 26 8AM ~ 1PM
Open
DAY HIKE | 📍 Ventura County

Rock Ridge Open Space

A moderate to moderate/hard loop in the Conejo Valley. Sights include Hilltops, Ridges, Canyon Views, Oak Groves. Elevation Gain ~1,450ft over 5ish miles.

Rating 1B.1
Rating Explanation Details & Register →
May 21 6:30 - 8:00 PM
Open
WORKSHOP | 📍 BodyFix - Thousand Oaks, CA

Third Thursday Workshop: Backcountry Foundations

Competence creates calm. Join us in-person for a focused session on backcountry awareness, wilderness medicine basics, and trip planning.

April 27 6:30 - 7:15 PM PST
Open
FITNESS DROP-IN | 📍 Livestream (Zoom)

Ascent Fitness Drop-in

Durability engineering for the backcountry. Build the quads and hamstrings necessary to power up the mountain and control your descent safely.

The FMF Rating Standard

Subjective ratings like "Easy" or "Hard" mean different things to different people. Other systems require a calculator to understand. We value clarity and preparation.

The Crux Rule: A trip is rated by its hardest single day (or section). If a 5-day trip is mostly flat but has one day of vertical scrambling, the entire trip is rated for that specific challenge.

1. Length

The total mileage of the itinerary's longest single day. This measures endurance.

  • 1: < 6 miles (Short)
  • 2: 6 - 10 miles (Standard)
  • 3: 10 - 14 miles (Long)
  • 4: 14 - 18 miles (Severe)
  • 5: 18+ miles (Ultra)

2. Elevation & Intensity

Total vertical gain plus density. Gaining 800ft over 1 mile is significantly harder than 800ft over 3 miles. We adjust for steepness.

  • A: < 1,000 ft (Aerobic)
  • B: 1k - 2.5k ft (Moderate)
  • C: 2.5k - 4k ft (Threshold)
  • D: 4k - 6k ft (Anaerobic)
  • E: 6k+ ft (Redline)

3. Terrain

The technical skill required to move safely. Do you need hands? Do you need a rope? This measures consequence.

  • .1: Trail Walking (Groomed)
  • .2: Rough / Balancing (Uneven)
  • .3: Scramble (Hands Down)
  • .4: High Consequence (No Fall Zone)
  • .5: Technical (Ropes Required)

Example: Steep Conditioning Hike

Consider a standard training loop: 3 miles round-trip on a loose dirt trail with 1,800ft of elevation gain.

Length: 1 (Under 6 miles)
Elevation: B (High density gain)
Terrain: .2 (Uneven footing)
Result: 1B.2