"Just over a year ago, on September 2, 2024, Michelino Sunseri, now a 33-year-old professional trail runner, tagged the summit of Wyoming's Grand Teton and returned to the trailhead in 2 hours, 50 minutes, and 8 seconds, faster than the long-standing fastest known time (FKT) held by Andy Anderson since 2012. But while the clock said Sunseri was faster, a controversy kicked in almost immediately, landing him in federal court."
"The shortcut, though historically used by mountaineers, was explicitly marked as closed for revegetation. Sunseri stepped past signage intended to protect sensitive terrain that would later become a critical flashpoint in the trial. A few days later, the National Park Service (NPS), the government agency that administers the U.S.'s national parks, including Grand Teton National Park, where this took place, issued him a mandatory citation under 36 CFR 2.1(b), which prohibits shortcutting on federal trails."
A runner recorded a faster time to summit and descend Grand Teton on September 2, 2024, but used a closed shortcut that cut a major switchback. The shortcut was marked closed for revegetation and was historically used by climbers; the runner passed signage intended to protect sensitive terrain. The National Park Service issued a mandatory citation under 36 CFR 2.1(b) prohibiting shortcutting on federal trails, charging a Class B misdemeanor punishable by up to six months in jail and a $5,000 fine. The runner was found guilty on September 2, 2025, prompting debates about trail ethics, enforcement, and broader implications.
Read at iRunFar
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