Pacific Crest Trail (CA, OR, WA)
Nov 3, 2009 19:59:30 GMT -5
Ras Jason Vaughan, tommy13, and 1 more like this
Post by Peter Bakwin on Nov 3, 2009 19:59:30 GMT -5
Karel Sabbe did the PCT supported, NoBo in 52d8h25m (taking several fire detours), finishing August 13, 2016.
Joe McConaughy did the PCT supported, northbound in 53d6h37m (also taking detours), finishing August 10, 2014.
Heather Anderson (Anish) set the women's PCT record at 60d17h12m (thru hiker style, S to N), June 8 - August 7, 2013.
Scott Williamson set the men's PCT record at 64d11h19m (thru hiker style, N to S), August 8 - October 11, 2011.
Scott Williamson & an anonymous hiker hold the men's self-supported (thru hiker style) S to N record at 65d9h58m, June 8 - August 12, 2009
The PCT is usually done in typical thru-hiker style, which we would classify as "self-supported" -- rather than having a dedicated support crew, the hiker may use mail drops, facillities in towns along the way, and the kindness of strangers. Technically, any pre-arranged support such as friends meeting you along the trail with supplies would be considered "supported". Scott Williamson and Joe Kisner previously held the record for the fastest thru-hiker-style (which they call "unassisted") trip on the PCT at 71d2h41m, set June 8 - August 18, 2008. Here is a brief write-up on their trip. They beat Kisner's record of 79d21h42m, set in 2007.
In a break-through feat of speed backpacking to that date, Scott Williamson & a hiker who wishes not to be named here surpassed not only the thru-hiker PCT record, but also Horton's fully supported record, by hiking the trail in 65d9h58m from June 8 to August 12, 2009. The pair did not use a vehicle at any time during the trip (backpackers typically hitch hike from the trail to some of the resupply points), adding about 20 miles to the trip. Williamson, who has now hiked the PCT a staggering 13 times, posted a brief summary on the Team Inov8 website, which reads as follows:
On 8/12 at 9:58 PM ___________ and I arrived at the northern terminus of the Pacific Crest Trail, 65 days, 9 hours, and 58 minutes after leaving the Mexican border having averaged 40.5 miles a day. We have broken David Horton's record by about 21 hours, the old record being 66 days, 7 hours, 16 minutes. This was the culmination of a dream that we started on June 8Th at 12 PM. We broke this record as backpackers without any outside assistance, doing the trail as backpackers picking up prepacked boxes of food in towns along the tail. In addition we did not use any vehicles at all during our journey, but instead chose to walk into and out of all of our resupply towns which added over 20 miles of walking to the already difficult 2655.4 mile distance we were trying to cover. In the course of going after and breaking David's record I have gained even more respect for him as an athlete setting the record he did in 2005 which was a much higher snow year and thus more difficult year for a speed record than what we had. My feet held up well and the flyrocks performed well. I ended up losing about 25 pounds during the course of the trip and although I do feel somewhat run down overall feel happy to have made it to the finish after battling the flu and non stop 45 degree rain during the last six days of the hike. I will post more once settled back into the off trail life. For now I am happy to report that we met our goal and now hold the all out overall Pacific Crest Trail speed record. -- Scott Williamson, 15 August 2009.
Williamson's anonymous hiking partner provided some additional information, stressing the importance of staying on the true PCT in any speed record attempt. Further discussion of "style" is further down this thread:
One thing I would like to stress as well for anyone that hopes to challenge the record is that they need to be on the PCT every step of the way. In 2005 when Horton ran the PCT he took the detour around Glacier Peak where Scott and I didn't. This is significant as it takes a road out of the equation (no resupply for runners) and adds 10 miles of old growth blow down to crawl over. In addition about 5-6 glacial melt streams that must be forded. There is no doubt in my mind this adds significant difficulty over the reroute road option. Also in the past some of the PCT speed records have taken alternates to avoid fires etc. I would stress that Scott and I walked the entire PCT and I think if anyone wants to claim a PCT speed record in the future they would need to be on the PCT for the duration of the trip.
The pair's state times were also reported as follows, which are believed to have been records for these segments, as well as the midpoint time. Note that in 2012 the Midpoint & California times were beaten by Ryan Weidert, and in 2013 the Oregon time was beaten by Brian Donnelly (see below):
- Mexico to midpoint: 34d18h47m2s
- midpoint to Canada: 30d15h11m45s
- California: 42d18h27m
- Oregon: 10d14h14m
- Washington: 12d1h17m
An extensive interview with is on Patagonia's employee blog.
Perhaps even more amazingly, in 2011 Williamson beat his own record by less than one day by hiking north to south in 64d11h19m, August 8 - October 11. This was Williamson's 13th thru-hike of the PCT!
And, in an astonishing turn, Heather Anderson ("Anish") crushed Williamson's record by nearly 4 days, doing the PCT south to north and in traditional thru hiker style in 60d17h12m, June 8 - August 7, 2013. Anderson recorded her exploits on her Facebook page. Some beautiful words from Anish:
I imagine people may think I am a natural athlete, the girl who played sports all through school. The exact opposite is true. I was an overweight child, a bookworm who sat with her nose in an adventure book and daydreamed. I never exercised and couldn't make it around the track without walking. When I graduated high school I weighed 200lbs. I daydreamed of adventure, but the thing I daydreamed the most was that I would someday set a record. Not just any record though, an athletic record. I wanted so desperately to not be what I was. I hated my body and myself. I consoled myself by eating a bowls full of oreos and milk as though they were cereal. But somewhere deep inside I knew I was capable of doing something more. When I was 20 I met something that would forever change my life. A Trail. Though my first few hikes were miserable as I forced my body to work, I was enthralled. Trails took me on the adventures I craved and to beautiful, wondrous, wild places. I lost my heart and soul...and eventually 70 lbs...to the trails. Now, I am a few short days away from fulfilling my oldest daydream: setting an athletic record. I cry when I think about all the things I have overcome to get here, both on this hike and off. It makes me ever so grateful to that chubby girl who dared to dream big, audacious dreams. I am even more thankful that she grew up to be a woman courageous enough to make those dreams reality.
And some words about what it takes to hike record pace:
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.
Here's a beautiful piece on Anish's hike from Backpacker Magazine.
In 2004, Williamson became the first person to complete the PCT "yo-yo", hiking from Mexico to Canada and back in a single season. He repeated the feat in 2006, for a record time of 191d1h20m.
Justin “Trauma” Lichter and Shawn “Pepper” Forry completed the first ever "winter" thru-hike of the PCT during October 21, 2014, through March 1, 2015, for a total of 132 days. The pair took "a few days" off around Christmas. While they actually started 2 months before the start of calendar "winter", and finished about 3 weeks before the end of calendar winter, the feasibility of anyone actually completing the full PCT within the 3 months of calendar winter is suspect. A brief video of the pair at the finish of their hike is here. "Are we yo-yoing? I don't think we're yo-yoing." - Lichter and Forry at the US/Mexico border.
PCT California:
Ryan ("Tuna Helper") Weidert went after the PCT speed record (see below) in the summer of 2012. Heading NoBo, he was ahead of record pace until about Crater Lake "when the snow hadn't melted out and made progress slow and awful", so he was unable to complete the whole trail. However Weidert did manage to set new Midpoint (30d9h55m) and full length CA (38d10h00m) speed marks. Weidert used Scott Williamson's self-supported style (no vehicles of any kind), and carried a GPS to verify times and locations. His blog has detailed information, with some additional info added here. More recently, Joey Campanelli reports (below) new FKTs for the PCT midpoint (28d5h35m) and for Califorinia (36d17h36m), May-June 2015.
PCT Oregon:
In August, 2013, Brian Donnelly and Yassine Diboun set out to specifically capture the speed record for 456-mile Oregon section of the PCT. The pair were self-supported, with resupply every 1-2 days at locations that are typically used for this purpose by thru-hikers. Diboun stopped after a couple of days, but Donnelly soldiered on to complete the traverse in 7d22h37m (August 9-17, 2013), well under previous times that were set by PCT thru-hikers, and faster than subsequent supported times. Donnelly posted a detailed report of the run on irunfar.com, and a breakdown of his gear for the trip on his blog.
PCT Washington:
No one has claimed an overall FKT for the PCT through Washington, but Jason Vaughan has done this section as an unsupported thru-hike in 13d14h58m, as reported below. Trail Runner Magazine did an on-line article about Vaughan's trip.
Steven's Pass to Snoqualmie Pass (WA) Section:
Will Thomas provided information on a short section of the PCT that is an excellent route worthy of its own FKT. This is a 75 mile segment from in Washington, from Steven's Pass to Snoqualmie Pass. "Next to the Wonderland Trail around Rainier, it is probably the 2nd most popular week-long backpacking excursion in Washington", says Thomas. "These two passes ... are the two main (and closest) passes for driving over the Cascade mountains from the Seattle area. The only access to the PCT between these points would require a good 8-10 mile hike from the end of a Forest Service road." Thomas did the hike on September 12-13, 2008, in a time of 37h17m. His blog gives a detailed report with many stunning photos and some video clips as well. The FKT for this segment of the PCT appears to be have been held for nearly 20 years by Eugene Trahern, Mark Hartinger and Ike Hesler, who ran it in 18h05m on July 21, 1995 (according to an email I received from Trahern on June 7, 2010.) Below, Anthony Skierkiewicz reports running this segment in 17h25m on August 2, 2014, a new FKT. Finally, Gabe Wishnie set a new FKT time of 15h58m57s on August 5, 2016. The GPS track with Wishne's run is here.
PCT panorama by Will Thomas
Joe McConaughy did the PCT supported, northbound in 53d6h37m (also taking detours), finishing August 10, 2014.
Heather Anderson (Anish) set the women's PCT record at 60d17h12m (thru hiker style, S to N), June 8 - August 7, 2013.
Scott Williamson set the men's PCT record at 64d11h19m (thru hiker style, N to S), August 8 - October 11, 2011.
Scott Williamson & an anonymous hiker hold the men's self-supported (thru hiker style) S to N record at 65d9h58m, June 8 - August 12, 2009
Along with the Continental Divide Trail and the Appalachian Trail, the Pacific Crest Trail is one of the "Big 3" National Scenic Trails. It runs 2655 miles from Mexico to Canada, through the Sonoran & Mojave deserts, and then over the Sierra Nevada and Cascade mountain ranges. The PCT crosses California, Oregon and Washington, and passes through 24 national forests, 7 national parks and 33 wilderness areas. Here we report FKTs for trips of various style on the entire PCT, and for particular segments. Anyone wishing to attempt an FKT on the full PCT (in particular) should pay special attention to the style of previous trips as the standards for the PCT are slightly different from some other routes. One should also carefully consider whether "alternate routes" are to be used for sections closed for fire or other reasons. This is a highly controversial topic, and different positions are eludicated in the discussion below. These days it seems that there are always "required" detours, where you can be liable for a big fine if you violate the closures. Most people have taken detours, though Scott Williamson, at least, was adamant about walking every step on the "official" PCT (no detours). As always the most important thing is to report exactly what you did in terms of style and route. We strongly recommend that anyone who is considering an FKT attempt on the PCT should carefully read through this entire thread to understand the nuances and controversies. David Horton was the first person to "run" the entire PCT in fully-supported ultrarunner style, which he did in 66d7h16m, from June 4 to August 9, 2005. Horton's massive effort is beautifully documented in a high-quality film called "The Runner". Some excerpts are available on YouTube. Here is what Sports Illustrated on-line wrote about Horton's trip: On Aug. 9 -- 66 days, 7 hours and 16 minutes after he started at the U.S.- Mexico border--Horton, 55, crossed into Canada, smashing the 2003 PCT record by 17 days. Averaging 40 miles a day, the kinesiology professor from Virginia suffered just two blisters, both on his left foot. His strangest encounter? "I was buzzed and hit by a goshawk," he says. Toughest stretch? "Going out of Yosemite. We ran out of food for 26 1/2 hours. Our crew couldn't find us. I felt like quitting." Most surreal moment? Finishing the trail in the Cascades: "It was a blur. It doesn't seem like it was that long or that hard or that I even did it." Josh Garrett completed the PCT from south to north in 59d8h14m (June 10 - August 8, 2013). Garrett's trip was supported by people meeting him at road crossings, so that he was able to carry the minimum amount of gear and food (still a lot on the many long sections between roads). Garrett's trip was also a fundraiser for animal welfare. Many articles about Garrett's remarkable trip are available online. Here's one that discusses both Garrett's supported trip and Heather Anderson's self-supported PCT thru-hike FKT (see below) from ESPN Endurance Sports. Competition for the PCT record has certainly heated up in recent years, and 2014 saw several attempts. On August 10, 2014, Joe McConaughy set a remarkable new standard at 53d6h37m (supported, northbound), annihilating the Garrett's FKT by 6 full days! A brief early report on McConaughy's trip is here, and a detailed report and interview is on irunfar.com. Belgian dentist Karel Sabbe lowered the mark by about 22 hours, completing the route in 52d8h25m supported, northbound, completed on August 13, 2016. Sabbe's trip has generated some controversy since he took several alternate routes due to fire, as discussed in trailrunnermag.com. However, Joe McConaughy (previous FKT holder) also official detours. He said: "I did take the official PCT reroutes of all sections that were closed. I ran all these sections (meaning if it was a road reroute, I would run all of it). ... I believe I ended up running a few extra miles for the reroutes!" |  |
The PCT is usually done in typical thru-hiker style, which we would classify as "self-supported" -- rather than having a dedicated support crew, the hiker may use mail drops, facillities in towns along the way, and the kindness of strangers. Technically, any pre-arranged support such as friends meeting you along the trail with supplies would be considered "supported". Scott Williamson and Joe Kisner previously held the record for the fastest thru-hiker-style (which they call "unassisted") trip on the PCT at 71d2h41m, set June 8 - August 18, 2008. Here is a brief write-up on their trip. They beat Kisner's record of 79d21h42m, set in 2007.
In a break-through feat of speed backpacking to that date, Scott Williamson & a hiker who wishes not to be named here surpassed not only the thru-hiker PCT record, but also Horton's fully supported record, by hiking the trail in 65d9h58m from June 8 to August 12, 2009. The pair did not use a vehicle at any time during the trip (backpackers typically hitch hike from the trail to some of the resupply points), adding about 20 miles to the trip. Williamson, who has now hiked the PCT a staggering 13 times, posted a brief summary on the Team Inov8 website, which reads as follows:
On 8/12 at 9:58 PM ___________ and I arrived at the northern terminus of the Pacific Crest Trail, 65 days, 9 hours, and 58 minutes after leaving the Mexican border having averaged 40.5 miles a day. We have broken David Horton's record by about 21 hours, the old record being 66 days, 7 hours, 16 minutes. This was the culmination of a dream that we started on June 8Th at 12 PM. We broke this record as backpackers without any outside assistance, doing the trail as backpackers picking up prepacked boxes of food in towns along the tail. In addition we did not use any vehicles at all during our journey, but instead chose to walk into and out of all of our resupply towns which added over 20 miles of walking to the already difficult 2655.4 mile distance we were trying to cover. In the course of going after and breaking David's record I have gained even more respect for him as an athlete setting the record he did in 2005 which was a much higher snow year and thus more difficult year for a speed record than what we had. My feet held up well and the flyrocks performed well. I ended up losing about 25 pounds during the course of the trip and although I do feel somewhat run down overall feel happy to have made it to the finish after battling the flu and non stop 45 degree rain during the last six days of the hike. I will post more once settled back into the off trail life. For now I am happy to report that we met our goal and now hold the all out overall Pacific Crest Trail speed record. -- Scott Williamson, 15 August 2009.
Williamson's anonymous hiking partner provided some additional information, stressing the importance of staying on the true PCT in any speed record attempt. Further discussion of "style" is further down this thread:
One thing I would like to stress as well for anyone that hopes to challenge the record is that they need to be on the PCT every step of the way. In 2005 when Horton ran the PCT he took the detour around Glacier Peak where Scott and I didn't. This is significant as it takes a road out of the equation (no resupply for runners) and adds 10 miles of old growth blow down to crawl over. In addition about 5-6 glacial melt streams that must be forded. There is no doubt in my mind this adds significant difficulty over the reroute road option. Also in the past some of the PCT speed records have taken alternates to avoid fires etc. I would stress that Scott and I walked the entire PCT and I think if anyone wants to claim a PCT speed record in the future they would need to be on the PCT for the duration of the trip.
The pair's state times were also reported as follows, which are believed to have been records for these segments, as well as the midpoint time. Note that in 2012 the Midpoint & California times were beaten by Ryan Weidert, and in 2013 the Oregon time was beaten by Brian Donnelly (see below):
- Mexico to midpoint: 34d18h47m2s
- midpoint to Canada: 30d15h11m45s
- California: 42d18h27m
- Oregon: 10d14h14m
- Washington: 12d1h17m
An extensive interview with is on Patagonia's employee blog.
Perhaps even more amazingly, in 2011 Williamson beat his own record by less than one day by hiking north to south in 64d11h19m, August 8 - October 11. This was Williamson's 13th thru-hike of the PCT!
And, in an astonishing turn, Heather Anderson ("Anish") crushed Williamson's record by nearly 4 days, doing the PCT south to north and in traditional thru hiker style in 60d17h12m, June 8 - August 7, 2013. Anderson recorded her exploits on her Facebook page. Some beautiful words from Anish:
I imagine people may think I am a natural athlete, the girl who played sports all through school. The exact opposite is true. I was an overweight child, a bookworm who sat with her nose in an adventure book and daydreamed. I never exercised and couldn't make it around the track without walking. When I graduated high school I weighed 200lbs. I daydreamed of adventure, but the thing I daydreamed the most was that I would someday set a record. Not just any record though, an athletic record. I wanted so desperately to not be what I was. I hated my body and myself. I consoled myself by eating a bowls full of oreos and milk as though they were cereal. But somewhere deep inside I knew I was capable of doing something more. When I was 20 I met something that would forever change my life. A Trail. Though my first few hikes were miserable as I forced my body to work, I was enthralled. Trails took me on the adventures I craved and to beautiful, wondrous, wild places. I lost my heart and soul...and eventually 70 lbs...to the trails. Now, I am a few short days away from fulfilling my oldest daydream: setting an athletic record. I cry when I think about all the things I have overcome to get here, both on this hike and off. It makes me ever so grateful to that chubby girl who dared to dream big, audacious dreams. I am even more thankful that she grew up to be a woman courageous enough to make those dreams reality.
And some words about what it takes to hike record pace:
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.
Here's a beautiful piece on Anish's hike from Backpacker Magazine.
In 2004, Williamson became the first person to complete the PCT "yo-yo", hiking from Mexico to Canada and back in a single season. He repeated the feat in 2006, for a record time of 191d1h20m.
Justin “Trauma” Lichter and Shawn “Pepper” Forry completed the first ever "winter" thru-hike of the PCT during October 21, 2014, through March 1, 2015, for a total of 132 days. The pair took "a few days" off around Christmas. While they actually started 2 months before the start of calendar "winter", and finished about 3 weeks before the end of calendar winter, the feasibility of anyone actually completing the full PCT within the 3 months of calendar winter is suspect. A brief video of the pair at the finish of their hike is here. "Are we yo-yoing? I don't think we're yo-yoing." - Lichter and Forry at the US/Mexico border.
PCT California:
Ryan ("Tuna Helper") Weidert went after the PCT speed record (see below) in the summer of 2012. Heading NoBo, he was ahead of record pace until about Crater Lake "when the snow hadn't melted out and made progress slow and awful", so he was unable to complete the whole trail. However Weidert did manage to set new Midpoint (30d9h55m) and full length CA (38d10h00m) speed marks. Weidert used Scott Williamson's self-supported style (no vehicles of any kind), and carried a GPS to verify times and locations. His blog has detailed information, with some additional info added here. More recently, Joey Campanelli reports (below) new FKTs for the PCT midpoint (28d5h35m) and for Califorinia (36d17h36m), May-June 2015.
PCT Oregon:
In August, 2013, Brian Donnelly and Yassine Diboun set out to specifically capture the speed record for 456-mile Oregon section of the PCT. The pair were self-supported, with resupply every 1-2 days at locations that are typically used for this purpose by thru-hikers. Diboun stopped after a couple of days, but Donnelly soldiered on to complete the traverse in 7d22h37m (August 9-17, 2013), well under previous times that were set by PCT thru-hikers, and faster than subsequent supported times. Donnelly posted a detailed report of the run on irunfar.com, and a breakdown of his gear for the trip on his blog.
PCT Washington:
No one has claimed an overall FKT for the PCT through Washington, but Jason Vaughan has done this section as an unsupported thru-hike in 13d14h58m, as reported below. Trail Runner Magazine did an on-line article about Vaughan's trip.
Steven's Pass to Snoqualmie Pass (WA) Section:
Will Thomas provided information on a short section of the PCT that is an excellent route worthy of its own FKT. This is a 75 mile segment from in Washington, from Steven's Pass to Snoqualmie Pass. "Next to the Wonderland Trail around Rainier, it is probably the 2nd most popular week-long backpacking excursion in Washington", says Thomas. "These two passes ... are the two main (and closest) passes for driving over the Cascade mountains from the Seattle area. The only access to the PCT between these points would require a good 8-10 mile hike from the end of a Forest Service road." Thomas did the hike on September 12-13, 2008, in a time of 37h17m. His blog gives a detailed report with many stunning photos and some video clips as well. The FKT for this segment of the PCT appears to be have been held for nearly 20 years by Eugene Trahern, Mark Hartinger and Ike Hesler, who ran it in 18h05m on July 21, 1995 (according to an email I received from Trahern on June 7, 2010.) Below, Anthony Skierkiewicz reports running this segment in 17h25m on August 2, 2014, a new FKT. Finally, Gabe Wishnie set a new FKT time of 15h58m57s on August 5, 2016. The GPS track with Wishne's run is here.
PCT panorama by Will Thomas
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