“Let your instincts guide your steps … he’ll take you where you most love.” – Kilian Jornet
For several years I have maintained a simple website dedicated to recording and documenting Fastest Known Time (FKT) efforts on various trails, routes and mountains. “Fastest Known Time” essentially means the same thing as “Speed Record”, while acknowledging it is the fastest time that we know about, as some may have been forgotten or not reported. By making this information much easier to share, the Internet (with help from my site), has probably made possible the explosion of FKT-style efforts over the last few years.
2013 was huge for FKT attempts, and may represent the start of new era for this niche activity within the overall sport of mountain, ultra, and trail running. We now are now seeing elite runners make FKT efforts a central focus; they are putting as much effort into an FKT as they would for a race. This has, of course, resulted in some impressive times on some classic routes!
What follows, in no particular order, are my picks for the Top 10 FKTs of 2013. Links are all to pages on my FKT site, which will direct you to further information about these remarkable trips. What are YOUR top picks?
Presidential Traverse (NH)
Ben Nephew, 4h34m36s – 9/7/13
The Presidential Traverse is “a strenuous and sometimes dangerous trek over the Presidential Range of New Hampshire’s White Mountains… a string of summits in excess of 4,000 feet” (Wikipedia). The “Presi” is 18+ miles, and its difficulty is reflected in the FKT time, which works out to a stodgy 15 min/mile! This route has been hotly contested by Ben Nephew, Ryan Welts and Jan Welford over the last 4 years or so, with 6 new FKTs set in that time. Nephew’s current FKT beat Welford’s from 2 weeks earlier by just 53 seconds! Verification of both FKTs was by GPS.
http://fastestknowntime.proboards.com/thread/33/presidential-traverse-nh
Colorado Trail (CO)
Scott Jaime, 8d7h40m (supported) – 8/16-24/13
FKTs on the 486-mile CT go back to 1988, almost immediately after the trail was completed. It has been contested by such luminaries as Barkley finisher Jonathan Basham and by the legendary David Horton. This record is getting TOUGH: Jaime beat Paul Pomeroy’s 2008 time by less than 5 hours.
http://fastestknowntime.proboards.com/thread/10/colorado-trail
credit: Brandon Stapanowich
“Look around. How many people are here supporting one person’s project? You never have to ask anybody twice, they just come out and do something for this whole (ultrarunning) community. It’s an amazing community. And I feel very fortunate.” – Scott Jamie
Maroon Bells Four Passes Loop (CO)
Sage Canaday, 4h27m10s – 9/5/13
This is a fabulous trail run in the Elk Mountains near Aspen which circumnavigates the Maroon Bells, Colorado’s most scenic and recognizable mountains. I’ve called it the best 1-day run in the state. Previously the route had been tackled by the likes of Neal Beidleman, Anton Krupicka, Rickey Gates and even Lance Armstrong! Canaday is one of the best mountain/ultra runners in the world right now, and he gave this a 100% effort.
http://fastestknowntime.proboards.com/thread/22/maroon-bells-passes-loop
Grand Canyon Rim-Rim-Rim (AZ)
Christina Bauer, irunfar.com
Rob Krar, 6h21m47s – 5/11/13
Running across the Big Ditch and back has been a test piece for ultrarunners for decades. Since 2007 this record has been held by Kyle Skaggs, Dave Mackey and Dakota Jones, and Anton Krupicka has also run a fast time. Krar smashed Dakota Jones’ 2011 FKT by over 30 minutes. Krar’s video shows him shocked at his own speedy time to the halfway mark on the North Rim.
http://fastestknowntime.proboards.com/thread/13/grand-canyon-az
“Alright, North Rim. Running time… Oh fuck! … 3:02!” – Rob Krar, checking his split at the North Rim
Colorado 14ers Thru-Hike (CO)
Junaid Dawud & Luke DeMuth, about 70 days (thru-hiker style) – summer 2013
Using the normal backpacking style of walking everywhere unsupported, this pair summitted all 55 “traditional” Colorado 14ers (plus the3 additional high points over 14,000’ which have become popular recently), while walking everything in between on trails and roads, covering a total of about 1,350 miles. While this is more of a “first” than a regular FKT, it is an instant classic! Star backpacker Andy Skurka called this the “Coolest thru-hike of the year.”
http://fastestknowntime.proboards.com/thread/45/colorado-fourteeners
credit: Fred Marmsater
Wonderland Trail (WA) – Female
Darcy Africa & Krissy Moehl, 22h22m45s (supported) – 8/22-23/13
The Wonderland is an amazing, rugged 95-mile loop around Mt. Rainier. Two of ultrarunning’s top women, Africa and Moehl were able to put down the second fastest time ever run, and only about 90 minutes shy of Kyle Skaggs’ outstanding 2006 time. (Skaggs’ supported time is so fast that nearly every FKT attempt since has been “unsupported” – a different category.)
http://fastestknowntime.proboards.com/thread/40/wonderland-trail-wa
“Life doesn’t always give us opportunities to execute better than we’d hoped/planned/expected.” – Krissy Moehl
Pacific Crest Trail (CA/OR/WA)
Heather Anderson, 60d17h12m (thru-hiker style) – 6/8-8/7/13
The PCT is one of the “Big 3” National Scenic Trails. It runs 2,655 miles from Mexico to Canada, through the Sonoran and Mojave deserts, and over the Sierra Nevada and Cascade mountain ranges. Scott Williamson, who has hiked the PCT an astonishing 13 times, owned this record for several years. Yet Anderson, a relative unknown, crushed Williamson’s best time by nearly 4 days! This might be the greatest feat of lightweight backpacking ever: 44 miles a day for 61 days! While her overall PCT record was beaten 1 day later by Josh Garrett, Garrett’s trip was supported, while Anderson used pure thru-hiker (backpacking) style, and even walked to the off-trail resupply points instead of hitch-hiking (as was also done by Williamson.)
http://fastestknowntime.proboards.com/thread/29/pacific-crest-trail-ca-wa
credit: James Varner
“My day starts at 5 am. I will walk all day at 3 mph, stopping only to get water, dump sand from my shoes or such. Each stop lasts but a few minutes. I walk until the miles pile up, until night falls and my headlamp comes out, until the aching in my feet and legs seems unbearable. The last miles I am stumbling, tripping. Finally, I pitch my tent on whatever surface is available. It may be flat, or not, or rock hard, but it is home for the next few hours. Inside I struggle to choke down a protein shake; my exhaustion overrides my hunger. I peel socks off from blistered, swollen feet. I crawl into my sleeping bag and prop my feet on my food bag. Pain, spasms, cramps, sharp cries that shoot along my nerves; my legs and feet make it hard for me to sleep. I clench my teeth against the jolts and wait for exhaustion to overcome me again.” – Heather Anderson
John Muir Trail (CA)
Hal Koerner & Mike Wolfe, 3d12h41m (supported) – 8/1-4/13
The JMT is one of the most iconic backpacking trails in the USA, if not the world. It runs 223 miles from Mt Whitney to Yosemite Valley, through some of the most remote and scenic country in the States. This was a strong effort by two of the country’s top ultrarunners. Still, there is room for improvement; they bettered Brett Maune’s 2009 unsupported record by only an hour 34 minutes. This is a tough distance, and the trail is harder than most people appreciate, making the JMT one of the uber-classics.
http://fastestknowntime.proboards.com/thread/21/john-muir-trail-ca
credit: Tom Robertson/irunfar.com
Te Araroa (New Zealand)
Jez Bragg, 53d9h1m (supported) – 12/12/12-2/2/13
Te Araroa is a 3000 km long route than runs the length of New Zealand. This route was opened in December 2011, but has already seen two FKT trips. Bragg, one of Britain’s top ultrarunners, set an excellent time using full support, including a camper, crew and pacers at times. He did the trip entirely self-powered, using a kayak for the 120-mile down river section on the North Island, the hazardous crossing of the Cook Straight between the two islands, and several other water sections. This was just an epic trip, which, while certainly arduous, sounds to me like the most fun FKT of the year!
http://fastestknowntime.proboards.com/thread/387/te-araroa-nz
source: Jez Bragg blog
Matterhorn (Switzerland/Italy)
Kilian Jornet, 2h52m2s – 8/21/13
Nothing needs to be said about the Matterhorn itself – it is one of the most beautiful and recognizable mountains on Earth! Jornet is the best mountain runner in the world right now, and has the sponsorships to do anything he wants. At just 26 years old, his resume is beyond impressive. He demolished Bruno Brunod’s seemingly impossible record of 3h14m44s (both men used the Lion Ridge route on the Italian side of the peak). Anything Jornet does is impressive, but this one is out of the park!
http://fastestknowntime.proboards.com/thread/466/matterhorn-switzerland-italy
credit: Ian Corliss
Please Comment below: Which of these trips inspires YOU?
Comments (14)
All of these are just amazing. Great locations. I can’t wait to see what 2014 brings!
The Presidential Traverse inspires me to actually check out the route one day, but Kilian Jornet’s Matterhorn FKT is truly over-the-top inspirational.
Amazing list. 2013 was Epic!
Great list, Peter! I know there’s so much crazy stuff to pick from, but Kilian’s Chamonix-to-Chamonix speed record on Mt Blanc back in June certainly deserves a mention as well. He and Matheo Jacquemod (who would’ve broken it too had he not fallen in a small crevasse on the descent) took it sub-5hr on what is, of course, one of the most famous and important mountains in Europe.
How could you be serious. The first person to go sub 60 on the PCT and no mention is made. What is the definition of unsupported? I can tell you. Its bull shit. No one on the PCT is unsupported. They may do unsupported stretches from town to town but everyone is supported in some way. Trail Angels, trail magic, friends and family, everyone gets support out there. I personally saw Anish’s boyfriend at the trail head where he met her the night before. They acted like they didn’t know each other the next morning when they saw me but right before they realized i was a hiker they were speaking to each other like a couple. There were also monetary gifts that i found on the trail addressed to her. Is that support? Anyway what she did is great sure, but the definition of supported, self-supported, and unsupported should be more clear, not to mention that she did not break 60 days.
Agreed Anton! You could probably fill the whole Top 10 with stuff Kilian has done. Actually, I don’t even have Mt Blanc on my site yet, and should definitely add it. But, a mountain like that is complex due the many routes, whether you start in the valley or at the top of the tram, etc.
This isn’t even worthy of a mention? http://www.trailrunnermag.com/people/profiles/612-ras-vaughans-unsupported-sextuple-rim-to-rim
Yeah, that one is pretty crazy! That guy Ras has done some nutty things, also including the Double Wonderland Trail in 89h35m! If you go to his blog you can listen to a cool report from Heather Anderson, the PCT backpacking record holder:
http://ultrapedestrian.blogspot.com/
(Love her daily mantra: “The record isn’t going to break itself.”)
Unfortunately, not everything fits in a Top 10 list!
Nicolas Mermoud posted his Top Three on my Facebook; thought I’d share:
3. Kilian/Matterhorn
2. Alex Honnold/anything/Zion Linkup
1. Ueli Steck/Annapurna South Face
1 & 2 are climbing/mountaineering so belong on a different list, but all three share something important in common: 5 years ago, no one thought what they did was possible, and 5 years from now, no one will have repeated or bested any of them. So for our list, I have to give the nod to Kilian – for the other 9, there’s someone out there saying “I can do that”, but sub 3 hours on the Matterhorn? No one in the world is planning on challenging it.
I’m honored that our trip has been included alongside such great accomplishments! It was 72 days of grueling good times!
Congrats to all that attempted and/or completed these FKT’s! Truly inspiring! I thought my buddy’s Oregon PCT was a top ten for sure…but I do realize I am a little biased! 😉 http://www.irunfar.com/2013/09/brian-donnelly-and-his-fkt-on-the-oregon-section-of-the-pct.html
Nice list Peter. I’m not going to get into what is and isn’t in the most impressive FKTs of the year; they’re all impressive! For us mere mortals, some of these are more inspirational than others. The Te Araroa trip sounds particularly interesting, but the 4-pass loop is a lot more attainable. On the list it goes for 2014!
An FKT that did not make the list, because it is in a different category is Mike Hall’s 2,745 mile mountain Bike ride during the Tour Divide going from Banff Canada to Antelope Wells, NM in 14 days 11 hours and 14 min. That is just shy of 200 miles a day following the continental divide as close as possible.
Great list, and I understand that not everyone could be on it, but I think my number one would definitely be Matt Kirk’s self-supported Appalachian trail thru-hike. A twenty-three year old record on the most famous long distance hiking trail in America?
(Maybe my east coast upbringing is showing a bit with that last statement.)