Upcoming Multi-Day Trail Record Attempts

The season is gearing up! Here are just a few of the Big Trail record attempts developing.

COLORADO TRAIL – David Horton

The professor emeritus of multi-day trail records is back! David set the record on the Appalachian Trail in 1991, followed up with the record on the Long Trail in 1999, and after a John Muir Trail attempt  aborted on the first day, became the first person to do a supported run on the Pacific Crest Trail, establishing in 2005 what is still fastest time.  (An excellent video called “The Runner” was made of this project). Last year David tried the biggest big trail of them all, the Continental Divide Trail, but abandoned after the first day, June 7, which went very badly.

This year he hopes to start in Denver at 6 am on July 4 and break Paul Pomeroy’s 2008 record 8 1/2 days later in Durango.  This timing would enable him to be on the Hardrock 100 course, a race he has won, when the race itself is taking place – the HR100 and CT courses are briefly the same.  That would be remarkable.

Winter Dreams

 

It’s snowing.  It’s grey, dark and cold outside; the ground is frozen and uninviting.  The holiday gatherings are gone, spring has not yet arrived, and I’m irritated rather than impressed hearing of my friends in California doing 50 mile trail races wearing shorts and t-shirt.  Here, it’s January, aka, mid-winter.  I thus have two options:    

A) Take advantage of this time to: Increase my pathetic flexibility by starting a yoga routine; strengthen my weaknesses by a careful weight-training program; improve my diet by laying off the chocolate-covered almonds at bedtime; and keep running enough to stay in shape for a springtime buildup.  

Or,

B) Spend hours fantasizing about all the fun projects to do this summer.

Guess which option I’m choosing?  So here goes …

Karl Meltzer live online

Yes,  July 29, from 4 – 5 pm MST, this Post hosted a live online chat with Karl Meltzer.  

Karl is going for the renowned Appalachian Trail Record, starting Aug 5.  For very thorough background on this project, including interviews with David Horton, Flyin’ Brian, and Andrew Thompson, check out this website.

Check out a Karl video here:   http://youtube.com/watch?v=U5K3WJ31kV0

How the Chat works: you post a question (click “Comments” at the bottom of this Post).  Karl does the same in reply to you.  Read Comments below for the very informed questions and his responses.

Karl is now driving the RV across the country, and out of touch until he arrives in Maine in 3 days.

Multi Multi Days

Here’s a summary of notable multi-day action:

RUNNING AMERICA

Well known ultra/adventure runners Charlie Engle and Marshall Ulrich announced plans last winter to set a new record running across the US.  They had major funding, publicity, and an extremely ambitious plan: 70 miles per day.

Their May 24 start date came and went and I didn’t hear anything.  A recent web search disclosed that they apparently have made the project even larger, by combining it with a National Geographic documentary, and the run appears to be still on for Aug 8.

Other than that website I know nothing; if anyone does, please post a Comment.

CONTINENTAL DIVIDE TRAIL RECORD ATTEMPT

An even better known ultra runner (one of the best actually), David Horton, set out on June 7 to set a new record on the CDT.  This had obvious appeal, as David is the current supported record holder on the PCT as well as the previous speed record holder on the Appalachian Trail.  The CDT would complete his Triple Crown of long trails.  The plan was to cover the estimated 2,959 miles in 69 days (42.9 mpd).

However, the CDT was not to be.   The effort was abandoned at the end of the first day due to dehydration and exhaustion.  Yikes.

APPALACHIAN TRAIL RECORD ATTEMPT

Starting on August 5, Karl Meltzer will attempt to do the 2,175 mile Appalachian Trail in less than 47 days (46.25 mpd).  Like David before him, Karl is one of the best-known and accomplished ultrarunners in the country.  It’s gonna be good.

This blog will have more updates and a live “chat” with Karl in mid July.  In the meantime, there is excellent info here, including interviews with David, Flyin’ Brian, and Trail Dog:  http://www.mountainrunning.com/

Teton Mountain Running – not (yet)!

Are you done with the desert and ready to do some good projects in the mountains?  Might have to wait another month at least … Z Billimoria sent in these photos … taken just last week! They were skiing the Middle Teton.

However, the snow might be finally coming down:

* The Hardrock 100 Board met on Sunday to consider whether to cancel the race or not due to large snowpack.  The decision was to measure a certain place and if the depth is over 23″ to cancel … it will be decided on June 1.

* The Lake City 50 RD also just considered whether to use the “Snow” course this year, but also decided the “Normal” or “Alpine” course would be ready to go in time.

* The Sierra snowpack, while well above last year for most of the season, came down fast and is now well below average.

* Galen Burrell was at the North Rim of the Grand Canyon Thursday morning (5/22).  He reported light snow and 28 degrees!

CHECK BACK HERE FOR UPCOMING REPORTS:

* Bill Wright attempts to climb Longs Peak once every month, by a different route each time.

* Karl Meltzer launches a speed record on the Appalachian Trail.

* David Horton launches a speed attempt on the Continental Divide Trail.

 

Maze Super Loop (hopefully)

I leave this morning for Canyonlands National Park, from where l expect embark early Saturday morning on  a 3-4 day jaunt I’m calling the “Maze Super Loop”.  The Maze (measured by time/distance to services) is the remotest place in the lower 49 states.  It’s great.

Normally I’m loath to announce any plans in advance … why risk telling anyone what you’re doing,  if there’s a fair chance you’ll fail?  Utilizing this strategy, one looks back at the previous 10 years (or in my case, 40 years) and the record shows nothing but an unbroken string of fabulous trips, great adventures, and grand discoveries.  But as we all know – and in the interest of honest blogdom I’m owning up to right now – that record doesn’t list all the miserable failures, total screw-ups, and complete debacles.

So here we go … if all goes well I’ll file a Trip Report on Wednesday or Thursday.  But if I mess it up … well … maybe I’ll just delete this Post and we’ll forget about it, eh?  ;-)