Kilian Jornet embarks on his toughest challenge in the United States.
The Catalan has started States of Elevation, in which he will attempt to climb the highest peaks in the United States in the shortest time possible.
BarcelonaKilian Jornet is already underway with his latest challenge. The Catalan has embarked on the States of Elevation, a journey in which he will use only human means to connect peaks of over 14,000 feet (approximately 4,267 meters) in the United States, on foot and by bicycle. An exceptionally demanding challenge, in which Jornet will complete each day the equivalent of a stage of the Tour de France and a marathon.
On the first day, he enjoyed the iconic LA Freeway, where he has reached 24 minor peaks and some higher ones, such as Longs Peak, the highest peak in Rocky Mountain National Park in Colorado. And the first of many summits over 14,000 feet he will climb in the coming days. Accompanied by Kyle Richardson during the ascent to the 14,250-foot peak, Jornet rode at such a fast pace that his companion was somewhat behind. He then climbed back onto his bike for a 79-km route, accompanied by local cyclist Lael Wilcox.
Jornet has been able to enjoy the landscapes of the LA Freeway, which does not refer to the city of Los Angeles. It's a 58-km traverse with 5,700 m of elevation gain that connects Longs Peak and Arapahoe Peaks and climbs 24 peaks over 4,200 m. Between Longs and South Arapaho, you rarely descend below 3,650 m, never cross a road, and only traverse two trails, making it a very technical and challenging route.
A new challenge
This project is part of Kilian's previous challenges, such as Alpine Connections and Pyrenees 3000, in which he linked high mountain peaks in the Alps and the Pyrenees, respectively. In 2023, Jornet embarked on the first of these challenges, which combines sport, nature, and identity. He then wanted to reconnect with the scenes of his first summits. the Pyrenees, making an eight-day tour climbing 177 peaks of more than 3,000 metersCombining cycling and climbing, he crossed the Pyrenees on an emotional journey through places from his life. Jornet, who climbed the 3,404-meter Aneto peak at the age of five, grew up in these landscapes because his father worked at the Cap del Rec refuge and his mother was a mountain sports instructor. The 2023 goal led him to think about a new one, this time in 2024 in the Alps. So he decided to climb all the peaks over 4,000 meters in that mountain range, moving from one to the next on foot or by bicycle, which he accomplished in 19 days.
And now it's the United States, in a challenge with which he hopes to "inspire people to adopt values of adventure, responsibility, and respect for the environment," as he himself explained.
