Back in Broomstock for a day or two to get some “real life” junk done. Back up to the high country later this week to play in the thin air.
So Kilian’s next project was revealed. Apparently culminating in Everest.
Tell you what … that kid is epic. Seriously … a generation of ultra running mountain and trail folks are going to call this guy the best ever.
Jared Scott gets the one way crossing record (FKT) of the big ditch (North to South) in 2:51 as told by Jason Wolfe.
DC Op-Ed discussing the coexistence of open space conservation and recreation. Another related op-ed.
Anyone seen a registration list for Evans? Sort of curious.
Regarding Mt Evans...the last few years they waited until after registration closed before posting a list of entrants. My guess is they'll do the same this year...
ReplyDeleteYou plan on running this?
Re: KJ. I don't disagree with you that many people will eventually call him the best ever. But personally I don't think aiming for speed ascents on established routes hardly qualifies him as a "visionary" (not your words - just paraphrasing some of what I've been reading lately), and frankly the project just isn't really that interesting to me (this coming from someone who has watched every episode of Kilian's Quest). There is always going to be someone who comes along who is able to do things just a little faster than has been done before. To me it's much more interesting to follow what guys like Andrew Skurka, Ueli Steck, or Alex Honnold are doing. Or more locally, following what a guy like Peter Bakwin has done with the mosquito / ten-mile range traverse.
ReplyDeleteGood luck with your training this summer.
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteCall me old-fashioned but Matt Carpenter is still the cream of the crop as far as high-altitude running. The "problem" (if you want to call it that) is that he didn't do that many ultras, but the ones he did do were spectacular. His Leadville record is one of the 3 most stout records in the sport, in my opinion. Then you look at all of his Sky Runner wins and it's just insane. Kilian is on track for immortality, but he could flame out and be forgotten--it's happened before. Carpenter has been the man for a few decades now.
ReplyDeleteWyatt
Jim - no, not doing Evans. I will be out of town then. Just curious as to how it is shaping up.
ReplyDeleteScott - I agree. I think that KJ is at a point where he is capturing - via social media, camera work, and obviously with his talents and hard work - an audience of this "generation" (whatever that means these days).
Wyatt - certainly what Matt has done puts him into any conversation regarding best MUT runner ever. He was clearly one of the pioneers in the Skyrunning group as well. No doubt - I am a fan of his.
A little late on this conversation, but, Scott, explain to me how what Kilian is doing is any different from what Ueli, Alex, and Andy do. Especially Steck and Honnold are known for doing established lines, but just waaaay faster than ever before. This is essentially what Kilian is up to. (As an aside, I think that Andy's Alaska trip was probably the most "visionary" of any of the things we're talking about.)
ReplyDeleteI would say that Kilian is visionary in that he's coming to speed mountaineering from an aerobic/cardiovascular mastery standpoint versus Ueli who approaches speed ascents from a highly-technical climbing skill-set (he solos 5.13) with a somewhat average aerobic engine (he's fit as hell, but not a very good runner). Kilian's technical climbing skills are mediocre but sufficient for the things he wants to do.
There will always be prior pioneers...for Ueli it's guys like Messner and Habeler, for Alex it's someone like Bachar or Reardon or Potter, for Kilian you can look to Bruno Brunod, Valerio Bertoglio, Fabio Meraldi.
Kilian is a pretty impressive dude whose talent, passion and vision are all worth noting, I think. It is not insignificant, IMO, that Salomon is not backing Kilian's Summits projects. It's a labor of love for him.