New Adirondack Speed Climbing Record

[RoySwkr]

I am impressed that "only" an hour (actually two hours, given the trailhead beginning?) came off Cave Dog's (Ted Keiser's) ADK record from a few years ago.

Cave Dog was a fast hiker who required little sleep, had outstanding support arrangements, and pushed himself about to the point of recklessness at least on the Long Trail. There is still nobody in the NE who claims to have beat his times on the same route - both in NH and NY they chose different routes ending farther from the road. On the Long Trail where aspirants would need to use the same route, either nobody has bothered to try or they haven't admitted it - sad, as even several hours slower would be impressive. I'm not quite sure why people are willing to post trip reports on mountains that have been climbed thousands of times but most speed hikers consider a slower time to be a failure and don't post it - surely an hour slower than CD would be 99% as good as a hour faster.

 

[Raymond]

Someone could always take on the Long Trail going in the opposite direction; a time longer than Cave Dog's could still be a South-North record.

I'm disappointed that private roads were used by the Adirondack record-setters. It doesn't seem fair, but I'm not going to be the one to change it by by starting at all public trail heads and still managing to beat the time. Heck, I couldn't beat the time for even one of those mountains (or section of trail!), let alone all 46.

 

[iceNsnow]

private roads now but.......

I was thinking that the only private road used by Jan was a road that will "soon" (I believe I heard 3 yrs.??) be public when the recent land changes go into affect? Is this correct?

 

[Doc McPeak]

Inge, the road, when public, will only be "walkable."

There will be no parking lot at the little meadow for quick scampers up Allen and CC and friends. We don't want to make it too easy for you.

Oh, and keep the quibbles coming. Funny stuff!

 

[iceNsnow]

Duh!

Sean - I guess I wasn't thinking........again!

Is there room to land a helicopter in that little meadow?

 

[BlackSpruce]

Yes, most but not all of those roads will become state land in about three years. The team was very small and finalizes the week prior. Jan “light” organization and small support team able him to quickly adapt and make schedule or route changes as the days went by and when needed. Additionally what I consider remarkable this time around is that this was Jan very first attempt. There are as well, as every climber is fully aware, many other factors (weather, trail conditions, etc.) which weight heavily in the final time frame. Time-wise adding, Allen from trailhead, would have added 13-miles of hiking to a 152-miles trek which is far from negligible, particularly when one considers that Jan’s time already includes hiking from the Sewards (+ 5-miles) and Santanonis (+ 12-miles) trailhead in and out. For comparison sake we can add a couple more miles regarding the Allen climb as Jan’s Allen’s Skylight “trailhead” was at least a mile further away from the summit. Cavedog as well was driven from what he called Skylight “trailhead/trailend” to Hanging Spears “trailhead/trailend” a few miles further away from where he headed to Marshall and the rest of the MacIntyres. I understand that being myself a member of the East River Club I can easily relate to the geography of the trails in that area of the High Peaks and fully understand all the differences.

In the end, what matters is that Jan Wellford greatly enjoyed, even if not all of the time, his special week in the Adirondack Mountains, while storing away a lifetime of memories.

 

[Neil]

I'm disappointed that private roads were used by the Adirondack record-setters. It doesn't seem fair,

Actually it was an act of politeness.

This way, they have left some room for future record setters to raise the bar still higher. And, lest we forget, the Adirondacks are still rising, quite rapidly too.

 

[AntlerPeak]

It was an achievement, no doubt. Most hikers when climbing the 46 drive to the trail head and hike to their destination and back. After a succession of trips they complete their goal.

Setting a speed record to climb all 46 in the shortest amount of time is merely a stunt. It seems to me if somebody really wants to set a record in climbing the high peaks they would do it on their own. When somebody climbs all 46 using approaches that are accessible to all and does it on their own, without help then I'll be impressed. The key here is do it without help. Anybody know if that has been done?

 

[iceNsnow]

Each life is different than any other's life

Dear AntlerPeak -

I am surprised that you are not impressed. You may surprise yourself and see how impressed you actually are if you were to attempt to "even" hike a couple of peaks at the pace (~2.3miles/hr) that Jan kept for the entire 46 peaks.

It seems to me that Jan's 46 Challenge was not a mere "stunt". He used the tools that were accessible to him. We each bring to the mountains the gifts that God gave us.

Do you hike w/o friends?
Does your wife support your endeavors?
Do you live closer to the trailheads than I?
Are you more fit than your friends?

I believe that each person uses the tools that he/she has to work w/ and challenges themselves accordingly.

To say the least, I am impressed and inspired by Jan's feat and greatly appreciate his sharing the details of his successful challenge w/ us!

 

[AntlerPeak]

Dear AntlerPeak -

I am surprised that you are not impressed. You may surprise yourself and see how impressed you actually are if you were to attempt to "even" hike a couple of peaks at the pace (~2.3miles/hr) that Jan kept for the entire 46 peaks.

It seems to me that Jan's 46 Challenge was not a mere "stunt". He used the tools that were accessible to him. We each bring to the mountains the gifts that God gave us.

Do you hike w/o friends?
Does your wife support your endeavors?
Do you live closer to the trailheads than I?
Are you more fit than your friends?

I believe that each person uses the tools that he/she has to work w/ and challenges themselves accordingly.

To say the least, I am impressed and inspired by Jan's feat and greatly appreciate his sharing the details of his successful challenge w/ us!

The questions are, how long would it have taken him if he did it on his own? How long would it have taken without support staff? Finally ending the clock on the summit? Don't most of us walk back to the trail head before considering the climb over? You want to claim a record then do it without a support staff.

All of your questions are valid ones but even including those we still do the hike without cutting corners.

Yes when I did the AT in Maine with full pack 40-50 pounds on a through trip the average was 20 miles a day. Check the maps there is more elevation gain from Gorham to Monson than that which is involved climbing all 46.

It took more than three days but then again I hauled my stuff nobody did it for me.

What I am saying is simply do it on your own, carry your own stuff and don't stop the clock before you get off the mountain.

 

[David Metsky]

What I am saying is simply do it on your own, carry your own stuff and don't stop the clock before you get off the mountain.

And I think what others are saying is "Hike your own hike." I don't believe Jan's goal was to impress you.

 

[iceNsnow]

#3, #8, #24

Do their success records fail to impress you because there is no change of elevation? or because they have an incredible support team?

PS - I am also impressed by your accomplishments on the AT.

 

[BlackSpruce]

For example, some hikers climb each mountain in the Great Range (LWJ, UPW, A, G, S, S, B, H & A) one at a time from various trailheads and others all in the same day (less than 24 hours), is one method more valued than the other?

No matter what we accomplish we get some kind of support from others who built the car we drive for a start, grew and processed the food we eat on the trails, makee our equipement, etc. On the planet earth "alone" is a state of mind not much else. ....even bushwhacking in the Sawtooth Range civilization isn't as far away as it seems...

As David said, Jan wasn't trying to impress anyone, not even himself!


Christine

 

[Tom Rankin]

And I think what others are saying is "Hike your own hike."

And this leaves room for people to be impressed or not impressed. Personally, I'm closer to astounded!

 

[RoySwkr]

Setting a speed record to climb all 46 in the shortest amount of time is merely a stunt.

Non-hikers may consider hiking the 46 at all to be a stunt

It seems to me if somebody really wants to set a record in climbing the high peaks they would do it on their own. When somebody climbs all 46 using approaches that are accessible to all and does it on their own, without help then I'll be impressed. The key here is do it without help. Anybody know if that has been done?

We are looking at 2 different styles here. Cave Dog probably used about as much support as is feasible at one extreme and hiking entirely alone would be at the other. It sounds like Jan was much closer to the solo end and managed to do it slightly faster by Cave Dog's standards. That's plenty to impress me.

I'm not sure how to define "on their own", if you meet somebody on the trail and they yell "go for it!" as you zoom by, is that illegal encouragement? If you carry all your food & gear from the start and use no mechanical transport that would make it a lot tougher, but if you pick up a cache you left before the start why is that any tougher than if somebody else left it for you?

 

[Rik]

What I am saying is simply do it on your own, carry your own stuff and don't stop the clock before you get off the mountain.

Why do you care?

I, and I'm sure Jan and others, would surely be impressed should you, or someone else, go out and put up a time using your rules. I hope when you do you are willing to share your story with us knowing full well that someone will likely not be impressed and criticize your use of trails and bridges.

 

[BlackSpruce]

"use of trails and bridges"

You will be happy to know that in that regard we are heading into the right direction: a bridge over the Opalescent has been replaced by a cairn in the middle of the river, one 15-foot ladder on the Orebed Trail has no more rungs, a whole bunch of trail signs are missing a fair number of letters and numbers, a whole bunch of summits signs are invisible, cairns appear and disappear at random, etc.

At least mud and bugs are a permanent fixture!

 

[Neil]

How come there are so many negative posts on this thread?

The guy went out and kicked some very serious ass. Dug as deep as any Olympic athlete except he did it for several consecutive days.

AFAIK he is the record holder. Period.

Today I posted a TR for doing the East Seymour-Scooter slide traverse. Me and Grasshopper hold the record. We really do.

 

[Tim Seaver]

How come there are so many negative posts on this thread?

I think it pretty much follows the "Speed Hiker Sets New Record" template.

1. Person, after many days and hours of training and countless hours spent poring over maps, sets a new speed hiking record.

2. 99% of the people who hear about the feat are congratulatory.

3. A handful of Purity Police and Method Inspectors come trundling in to gravely survey the situation, and without fail, go on claim the record to be either a stunt, or illegitimate, or the downfall of the Great Wilderness itself.
Or possibly all three.

It's been this way ever since people started speeding around the peaks, and probably always will be.

Back to the purpose of this thread:

CONGRATS to Jan and his team!!!!

 

[BlackSpruce]

"How come there are so many negative posts on this thread?"

Personnally I view all comments as democracy in motion and constructive freedom of speech, a little honesty goes a long way and thanksfully widens debates. It's a privilege to be able to agree to disagree on a public forum.