Kilian Jornet, a self-described “(semi)nomadic” mountain runner, has set yet another speed record, this time on 20,320-foot Denali. Although few details have emerged about his climb, preliminary reports list Jornet’s roundtrip time at 11 hours and 40 minutes. The new record is an impressive 5 hours and 6 minutes faster than the previous record, set in 2013 by US Air Force veteran Ed Warren.
Jornet summited via the West Buttress, which sees more than 90% of the mountain’s ascents, according to the NPS. Prior to his Denali trip, Jornet told desnivel.com that Denali’s year-round extreme cold would be one of the ascent’s biggest difficulties, a challenge that had been far less formidable during his other speed ascents. The runner planned to spend about month on the mountain before attempting to break the record and intended to climb in as light a style as possible. Jornet reportedly used only crampons and skis during his ascent. In total, Jornet covered about 33 miles roundtrip and was back in camp nearly 30 minutes before the previous record holder had even reached Denali’s summit.