On Sunday, September 1, 2024, Kilian Jornet completed climbing all 82 of the 4,000-meter peaks within the European Alps. And he did all of it below his personal energy, which means that after he completed working and climbing a peak, or set of peaks, he traveled by bike to the subsequent one.
The route, which he known as Alpine Connections, was 1,207 kilometers (750 miles) lengthy and had 75,344 meters (247,000 toes) of elevation acquire. It took him 19 days, and almost 268 hours of shifting time with 87% of the time spent on his toes and the rest on his bike. The Spaniard, who lives in Norway, stated on his Instagram, “This was, with none doubt, essentially the most difficult factor I’ve ever executed in my life, mentally, bodily, and technically, but additionally perhaps essentially the most stunning.”
Kilian Jornet working on the primary stage of Alpine Connections. Picture: Nick Madelson
That’s saying so much for somebody who has seemingly gained each massive path race on this planet, together with UTMB 4 instances, the Hardrock 100 5 instances, and the Zegama-Marathon 11 instances. And that’s saying nothing of the numerous non-race extremely adventures that he’s undertaken around the globe.
For this 16-stage traverse of the Alps, he began at Piz Bernina and completed on Dôme and Barre des Écrins. He traveled roughly east to west, climbing peaks and driving his bike between them alongside the best way. Getting up the excessive peaks of the Alps includes not solely path working and scrambling, but additionally mountaineering, and Jornet’s aim was to hyperlink up as lots of the peaks through ridges and traditional traces as doable. Jornet was joined by many pals for varied peaks and supported by a small crew who assisted with the logistics.
The times had been crammed to the brim with motion of some kind, with a number of pushes over 24 hours, and Jornet solely took one full relaxation day 11 days into the challenge.
Jornet climbing a peak within the Valais space of Switzerland throughout Stage 8 of the challenge. Picture: Nick Madelson
Whereas Jornet began the challenge stating that he needed to attempt to summit as lots of the 4,000-meter peaks as doable, it was clear that if situations allowed, he would try all of them. Beginning the challenge simply three days after a dramatic win at Sierre-Zinal, he headed up Piz Bernina within the Swiss Engadine valley on the japanese fringe of the vary. After working and climbing 29 kilometers with 2,573 meters of elevation acquire, he bought on his bike and pedaled 210 kilometers with 4,000 meters of elevation acquire to the bottom of his subsequent peak. The next day, even with dangerous climate, he summited Lauteraarhorn (4,042 meters), Schreckhorn (4,078 meters), and Finsteraarhorn (4,274 meters) within the Bernese Alps space.
And that was simply the primary two days. On the finish of the third day, after posting a video of him solo and scrambling within the fog on a precarious-looking ridge, he wrote, “It was a tough day, however that’s a part of what makes these mountains so particular — they maintain you in your toes and make you recognize each step.”
Jornet tackling Mont Blanc throughout Stage 14. Picture: Noa Barrau
Day after day, peak after peak, he accomplished traditional alpine traverses in a single push that almost all teams take days or per week to do. He summited Mont Blanc, Europe’s highest peak, throughout Stage 14 of the challenge, a 30-hour push the place he ticked off 16 peaks within the space. From there, it was only a few extra much less demanding peaks over the course of two days earlier than he completed and was greeted by his crew with a well-earned pizza.
Afterward, he wrote, “It’s troublesome to course of all my feelings simply now, however this can be a journey that I’ll always remember.”
Kilian Jornet on the best way to summitting Grand Combin throughout Stage 10 of Alpine Connections. Picture: Nick Danielson
