For an epic test of endurance across Colorado’s 14,000-foot peaks and all others of the Lower 48 states, mission accomplished.

“States of Elevation: finished,” read the recent post on Kilian Jornet’s social media. “72 fourteeners in 31 days, linked only by running and riding.”

More numbers boggled the minds of fans following from afar since September, when the illustrious ultrarunning Spaniard started the multi-state pursuit on Longs Peak: 3,198 miles traveled and 403,638 feet of elevation gain by foot and bike.

“This was never about the numbers,” the post on Jornet’s social media continued. “The point was the country between them: the quiet miles, the shared ridges, the storms that make you small, and the simple goal to get there under his own power, running and riding the spaces in between.”

All starting in Colorado, where Jornet recorded 56 summits “stitched together by legendary routes, iconic peaks, and a vibrant local community showing up all along the way.” From Longs Peak, Jornet went on to all but two of the state’s fourteeners — a privately owned pair — via fearsome link-ups across the Elks and Crestones and lines known as LA Freeway and Nolan’s 14.

Jornet reportedly covered Colorado’s fourteeners in 16 days, allowing 4.5 hours of sleep per night. The self-powered push via foot and bike was similar to Joe Grant’s reported accomplishment in 2018.

But no one has reported doing what Jornet did next.

From Chicago Basin’s fourteener cluster, Jornet’s team chronicled “the Desert Ride” — a cycling journey across four states and nearly 900 miles to the base of California’s Sierra Nevada. After five days of pedaling, Jornet set out for Norman’s 13, the iconic line tagging the range’s fourteeners. 

His team reported “scrambling on ridges where every move counts.” He logged a fastest known time across the 13 peaks, taking 56 hours, 11 minutes to cover 101 miles and about 38,400 feet of vertical gain. 

After “a rare night of true rest” consisting of a hot shower, pizza and a hotel bed, Jornet set off for his 70th fourteener: White Mountain Peak. He then pedaled north for two days to Mount Shasta, where he was said to be met by fierce winds and summit temperatures that felt like minus 20.

On Oct. 1, Jornet returned to his bike for a reported 242 miles and 14 hours “rolling past green hills and into Oregon’s cool, rain-fresh air.” The next day he rode almost 16 more hours to reach the foot of Mount Rainier, his final summit. 

“States of Elevation” followed two similar self-powered feats by Jornet that stunned the mountaineering world: one across the Pyrenees in 2023 and another traversing the Alps in 2024.

Contemplating North Slope

Colorado Springs Utilities has scheduled a meeting to discuss the future of beloved waters on Pikes Peak. 

Off the Pikes Peak Highway, North Slope Recreation Area encompasses North and South Catamount and Crystal Creek reservoirs – what Utilities calls “essential to the city’s water supply system.” Protecting these drinking water sources while serving anglers, paddlers, hikers and mountain bikers has been the subject of a review, which Utilities launched with an online survey and meeting earlier this summer. 

Set for 5:30 p.m. Tuesday at the agency’s Conservation and Environmental Center (2855 Mesa Road), the follow-up meeting aims to gather more feedback while presenting concepts for realigned trails. That’s according to a project webpage, which also outlines concerns that prompted the review. 

Atop the list is “infrastructure protections, security and public safety.” At the meeting earlier this summer, Utilities officials spoke on moving trails away from service roads.

Also discussed was a policy regarding commercial guides – what officials say has been missing over the years. Proper recreation management and funding has been another talking point.

City enterprise Pikes Peak-America’s Mountain has overseen management along with all other needs up and down Pikes Peak Highway. Skyler Rorabaugh, the enterprise’s manager, said he foresaw North Slope Recreation Area as “the rec hub of the future that branches out to other areas along the Pikes Peak Highway.” 

But realizing that potential while balancing watershed protection is the question of advocates, including Becky Leinweber. She’s the executive director of Pikes Peak Outdoor Recreation Alliance. 

“How can we leverage the strengths of one another?” she said. “I’m optimistic, but there are still challenges for sure.” Along with the in-person meeting Tuesday, Utilities has scheduled an online meeting for 6 p.m. Oct. 23. For more information and to register for the meetings, go to: tinyurl.com/2rp56rku

Resort closer to major upgrades

Breckenridge Ski Resort is one step closer to revamping one of its busiest base areas. 

After about a year of analysis, the U.S. Forest Service this offseason approved upgrades envisioned at Peak 9. That includes a new gondola rising out of the Maggie base area, a new learning zone to be reached from that gondola and a new, bigger and faster C-Chair.

Reads the Forest Service’s decision memo: “Implementation of the proposed action would provide a more efficient and reliable lift experience, combat existing circulation and congestion issues, and create a learning progression for beginner and low-intermediate skiers and riders, enhancing the overall guest experience.”

The new Peak 9 gondola, to coincide with A-Chair’s removal, aims to take pressure off the nearby Quicksilver SuperChair — “allowing beginners not yet comfortable riding the Quicksilver SuperChair to access and better utilize the new teaching terrain proposed on the Frontier trail,” the decision memo reads. 

The gondola “would ascend to an angled mid-station” home to the Frontier Learning Area. Two short conveyors, a ski and ride school warming hut and snowmaking would be added to the site. 

Meanwhile, the current two-seat C-Chair would be replaced with a six-person, high-speed detachable lift. The new C-Chair would be able to carry 3,000 people per hour. 

Reads the decision memo: “The replacement lift would promote repeat skiing on the north side of Peak 9 and alleviate pressure on other lifts in the area, such as the Beaver Run SuperChair, improving skier circulation and reducing congestion at the Peak 9 portal.”

The decision states the Peak 9 projects would require five acres of vegetation removal, six acres of grading and 2.5 acres of utility trenching. 

In a statement, a Breckenridge Ski Resort spokesperson indicated the project was still pending final approvals.

The spokesperson added: “This step reflects our ongoing commitment to enhancing the guest experience across our five peaks, as demonstrated by the resort’s investment in three new chairlifts over the last four years: Freedom SuperChair on Peak 7 in 2021, the upgraded Rip’s Ride chair on Peak 8 in 2022, and the upgraded Five SuperChair on Peak 8 in 2023.”