"Sunseri's ordeal began on September 2, 2024, when he ran up and down the 13,775-foot peak in 2 hours, 50 minutes, and 10 seconds, which was fast enough to set a new fastest known time. The Grand Teton route covers about 13 miles and climbs roughly 7,000 vertical feet through rugged, exposed terrain that mountaineers usually take two or three days to complete."
"But the GPS file of Sunseri's run showed that he cut a switchback on the descent, following an old climber's trail that bypasses part of the main route. This led the Fastest Known Time (FKT) website, which tracks such records, to reject his claim. Though the bypass has long been used by local guides and previous record holders, the National Park Service charged Sunseri with violating a federal rule that prohibits leaving designated trails in restricted areas."
Michelino Sunseri ran the 13,775-foot Grand Teton on September 2, 2024, in 2:50:10, a time that would have set a new fastest known time. His GPS showed he cut a switchback on the descent by following an old climber's trail that bypasses part of the main route, leading the FKT site to reject the claim. The National Park Service charged him with leaving designated trails in restricted areas. The case attracted national attention and legal support from the Pacific Legal Foundation. The NPS withdrew support in June 2025, prosecutors continued, a judge found him guilty in September 2025, and a full pardon was issued on November 7, 2025.
#presidential-pardon #grand-teton #fastest-known-time-fkt #public-lands-regulation #overcriminalization
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