Moving through the mountains, Grand Teton watching.

A few months ago I paused, and sat for a moment on the summit and tried to simply be present. I had run up the mountain, and would certainly run down, but for just a minute or two I paused, quieted my thoughts. I felt the breeze on my cheek, listened to my breathing settle, and enjoyed the sensation of the sun warming my skin. I looked across the canyon to peaks that have defined much of my life in the mountains. The tallest, the Grand Teton held my gaze. A flood of memories, thoughts, feelings, and dreams burst in to my mind as I stared at the peak. It was the first major climb of my life as a 13 year old aspiring alpinist. I revisited it many times over the years, sometimes it granted passage to the summit, sometimes it did not. I ascended as a climber, as a runner, and for a time I ascended and descended trying to refine the route enough to try and expand the edge of possible and move faster up and down the mountain than other humans (at least as much as had been documented on the peak). Dozens of days spent on the mountain, and my efforts were not enough. In midst of my attempts to go fast on the Grand, a young Spaniard named Kilian came to town and after one recon trip, broke the 29 year old record.

Me running down through the Meadows in 2011- formal attempt at the FKT, 3:33. It was the first of several attempts, the closest I would get before it was Bryce Thatcher’s record was broken by Kilian as 3:11, 5 minutes too slow.

In the days that followed Kilian’s effort on the Grand there was a flurry of commentary about how he had run the route, particular emphasis was placed on him cutting the upper switchbacks on the trail section that defines the lower part of the route. The shortcut, which at the time was closed by the Park Service, had previously been a common route up the mountain. I believe it had even been called the mountaineers route. This route was not closed during the time that Creighton King and Bryce Thatcher had gone back and forth, with Bryce setting the record that held in 1983 and Byrce mentioned in an article that they did not cut the switchbacks (link to article below). I think it is also important to note that two weeks before the Grand Teton Run, there was controversy at the Speedgoat 50k. There was a large prize purse being offered for braking the course record and it brought a world class field together. Kilian was the first to cross the finish line in 5:14, Ricky Gates second in 5:18, but Kilian cut multiple switchbacks. In the end he was not disqualified, but the credit for the new course record and the prize money was given to Ricky Gates. When Kilian was asked about cutting the switchbacks he explained a cultural difference between European and US mountain running and did acknowledge he did not consider it a problem until it was brought up after the record. His FKT was upheld but with an Asterix for having cut the route. As I sat on the front row watching this all unfold it seemed, to me, that very different styles and ethics of mountain running were smashing in to each other. In North America switchback cutting was, at a minimum, frowned upon, and in Europe it seemed to be the standard. When that collision of style and ethics was mixed in with the ego associated with records and racing, and comparison of athletic performance, the amalgamation felt nothing short of explosive.

Enter Andy Anderson. Andy, a climbing ranger in Rocky Mountain National Park, who had spent time in the Tetons, came to town 10 days after Kilian broke the record and ran the Grand Teton, trailhead to summit to trailhead, 1 minute faster than Kilian. Andy stayed on the switchbacks. He said in an interview with iRunFar that, for him, staying on the switchbacks was faster. In the interview it also comes out that Andy had broken the record setting time many years before (3:04), but had heard the Rolando Garibotti had run it even faster (2:58). He wasn’t aware that the record was 3:06 until 7 years later, so he chose not to share publicly what he had done. Andy’s run, at least for a time, seemed to quiet the discord about previous records on the Grand.

In September 2024, a few days before my run to the aforementioned nondescript summit, the Grand Teton had once again stepped in to the spotlight. On Labor Day, September 2nd, 2024, a very talented athlete, Michelino Sunseri, put months of training and years of preparation to work when he left the Lupine Meadows Trailhead at 7:45 am. Ironically, I started a hike with my family the same morning on the opposite side of the range at nearly the same time. By the time my family and I had hiked to the top of Table Rock, and were soaking in a beautiful fall day on the high point, eyes full of wonder as we admired the beauty of the Grand Teton, Michelino had completed the full round trip from Lupine Meadows to the Summit and back down. His time was two hours and fifty minutes! The fastest time recorded for the Grand. From reading his reports, it was his 44th summit. He put in a tremendous amount of work and preparation. He also cut the switchbacks, a lot of them. In the end this turned out to be problematic. I am not sure how it all when down, but not long after his FKT run, an article ran in the Jackson Hole paper announcing that the FKT had not been accepted because of the route choices he made on the descent, specifically to cut the Lupine Meadows trail switchbacks. What followed was a firestorm of media sharing the rejection of the FKT, possibly even more coverage than the actual FKT received. Social media was also a hotbed of discussion and debate. All while, Michelino loudly proclaimed achievement with seemingly no consideration of how choosing to take shortcuts reflected on his character.

I have spent a lot of time thinking about this particular run and how it, at least to me, represents an inflection point for the sport of mountain and trail running. This year, 2024, has been a year of spectacular running performances. Course records are being set at races with a frenzied frequency. Times are being run that are truly mind expanding. There seems to be an accelerated rate of improvement that is nothing short of awe inspiring. Michelino’s run is amongst these amazing performances. I am truly amazed at the talent and hard work so many athletes are putting out in the world as the bar of possibility is collectively raised. I also wonder if the performance at all costs, be the fastest, better than others attitude, is coercing us to lower our standards on ethics and style to be faster. Racing, whether it be a super competitive organized events or individual efforts as FKTs, has margins that define competitive success or failure that are so razor thin that even the slightest mistake or blunder are catastrophic. It seems to me that these margins become so tight that compromising behavior is considered for gain.

As a human who came to running from outside of running, my view points and opinions about ethics and style in the mountains have often been informed by the world of climbing and alpinism. Tomes have been written on what defines proper style and ethics in regard to climbing mountains. The opinions shared are passionate and heated and, as humans often due, place their views in a binary framework: Alpine Style verses Expedition (Siege) Style, By Fair Means verses By Any Means, Good Style vs Bad Style. Take for example the discussion of climbing the high mountains, like Everest, with or without oxygen. Initially it was thought that the only way to physiologically survive at the highest of altitudes was with bottled oxygen, and that is how the history was written. That is, until Reinhold Meissner and Peter Habler did the impossible and stood on the highest point on earth with nothing between their lungs and the sky. Is one way “better” than the other? I have my opinion and well, you probably have yours. The binary scale is not what I prefer, understanding that there are shades all throughout the discussion and I will say that I find it more impressive when that climb is done without oxygen and it is not the same when someone successfully arrives at the summit by any means.

For a moment I want you to consider another very controversial trip to the mountains, this time when Hayden Kennedy and Jason Kurk chopped the bolts on Cerro Torre. There has been a lot written on this topic, and not my intention to deep dive the event here. The long story short is that in 1970 Cesare Maestri bolted the compressor route on Cerro Torre, and in 2012 Hayden and Jason were the first to climb the route using only the route’s natural features — ignoring Maestri’s extensive bolt ladders. Afterward, they chopped the bolts. By chopping the bolt ladders the route would no longer be accessible to those lacking the skills to climb it by “fair means,” and it returned the route to the form that nature had crafted it. Arguments of style and ethics exploded.

Prolific Alpinist, Master Wordsmith, Mentor and my friend, Mark Twight wrote the following regarding the event:

“They get angry when bolts are placed

They get angry when bolts are chopped

They are angry from the comfort of their keyboards, offices, homes ...from comfort

They are angry because they don't have the skill or courage to do something that will cause others to be angry

Hayden and Jason took out the trash. They may have tripped on their dicks afterward but such mistakes of youth always follow on the heels of great, brash achievement. I think this statement sums up the philosophy manifested in the act of chopping:

"As long as the hardware remained it was justification for the unreasonable use of bolts by others"

And this philosophy is relevant to so much of life. The (bad) acts of others give us permission to also compromise our own values and ideals and we won't confront this slip in belief until someone comes along to expose us, to throw our own misbehavior or acceptance back into our faces. When they do, instead of honestly looking at ourselves, we attack them for exposing our failings ...”

I think here is where we really get to the point. Style and ethics matter. They mattered deeply to Hayden and Jason, so much that they were willing to take bold action to correct the errors of the past. And they were demonized and heralded for their actions. I have seen bold actions and bold statements about the importance of style in climbing and alpinism. I haven’t seen this as much in mountain running, at least not publicly.

A few years ago, on a running trip to Nepal, I sat at the table with David Goettler. David is an incredibly accomplished alpinist, and talented endurance athlete. We were about to embark on a multi day running expedition in the Khumbu valley. I brought up the question of medications for acclimatization and altitude sickness and was decidedly taught a critical lesson on style. David looked me directly in the eyes and asked, “why are you here?” and without allowing space for answer continued to explain that the purest experience in the high mountains can only come when there is no outside assistance, no chemicals, no gases. Another question followed “are you truly interested in seeing what you are capable of, and if so why would you cheat and compromise that experience?” Initially the lesson stung. I felt as though I had been called out for considering cheating. I had recently finished a Diploma in Mountain Medicine and was eager to apply the modern medical knowledge that I had gained, but David was right. I had gone to Nepal curious to test my body and brain in a new and challenging environment. Of course we could use the medications and medical knowledge in the case of illness or injury, but no cheats or shortcuts would be used. No comprise of the deepest experience would be permitted.

In the mountains there are no written rules. It is up to the individual to determine where they stand and up to the community of mountain people to uphold values and what we collectively see as important. Are we willing to cut corners, switchbacks, take the pills? Or is that as unpalatable as David pointed out? I feel it is a pivotal time in sport and community to collectively contemplate on the importance of style and ethics and to hold each other accountable to be better. At the end of the day it won't matter if you were the fastest or bestest, but it will matter if you moved thoughtfully and in a fashion that inspired other humans to do similarly. Will we choose to be remembered for having tried hard, and come up short in good style or for being the fastest asshole?

As I considered my thoughts for writing this piece I read many articles on style and ethics in the mountains and I reached out to friends and mentors for their thoughts. I think that the great writer and alpinist, and my friend, Kelly Cordes summarized it very well:

“It’s wild and weird, and yet somewhat similar to many things with humans and human nature, factoring in modern connectivity and elements of commodification of niche activities that nobody used to care about, alongside traits that have been beside us since we left our caves in search of fire. I’m a fan of our inherent drive and competitiveness — it can lead to beautiful things — but there’s also a fine line between those traits manifesting in a healthy and inspiring way, and letting our egos run away with themselves. I’ve long viewed many of these activities along a continuum of moving in the mountains. In that regard, trail running into scrambling into climbing isn’t so different from alpinism. The things people do in these places can be incredibly inspiring. And yet, sometimes I wonder how our values can be so different. I’ve long thought that the way we treat the things we profess to love is an expression of who we are. In that regard, it doesn’t matter how meaningless a silly run or climb or ski or whatever is — and, sure, it’s all silly in the grand scheme — but how we do these things can be a reflection of our deeper selves. It may sound lofty, but to me it’s true.”

Now is the time to look in the mirror and see what our individual and community actions are truly reflecting. Are we, as a community of humans who love to push our physical selves in the mountains, expressing the version of our selves we would be truly be proud of? I think we can, and need to, do better. I would challenge anyone who reads this, to take some time to consider what style and ethics means to them, to discuss with their friends, mentors, and fellow mountain travelers. Please share with each other, and me, what you value you see in style and ethics. Maybe this can be a spark that lights a fire for change, for better, in the mountain communities we all love. Or maybe it will burn it all down, and we can take solace in knowing we tried….