Guest Post by: DFF Comms Team (some outside help to track and report progress, since things are gonna be a little busy)
It's hard to believe we're about a week out from GO TIME. Team Francis has been busy scouting, path planning, and coordinating all the moving parts that go into this year's 14er Speed Record Attempt. A huge thanks and tons of gratitude goes out to our crew of volunteers, partners, family and friends who are contributing resources, support, and time and helping us turn aspiration into reality.
And a very special shout out to Bare Performance Nutrition @bpnsupps for the support (and the fuel), as well as Kyla Tyler of RE/MAX, Bemas Construction and Josh Martin with Insurance Advisors - none of this happens without your tremendous support and generous contributions.
Now let's cover some of the basics, and if you want to get really up close and personal, make sure to follow Drew on the Garmin Tracker (will go live as soon as the attempt begins).
What exactly is the 14er Speed Record Attempt?
Drew plans to break what has been called an “almost impossible to better” endurance record: the fastest time to summit all 58 of Colorado’s 14,000 foot peaks. This attempt will require him to ascend over 150,000 vertical feet and hike or trail run over 300 miles, all in less than 9 days and 20 hours. The current speed record holder is endurance athlete Andrew Hamilton - he's held the top spot since 2015 and has been an incredible supporter and friend to Drew in his journey, helping to prepare, plan and offer tips and tricks along the way. Andrew and his partner and fellow record-holding mountaineer Andrea Sansone will be going for the mixed-gender 14er attempt this year, so we'll all be cheering for them!
When does Drew's 2024 14er Speed Record Attempt officially begin?
The attempt officially gets underway on July 3, 2024, when crew vehicles and teams will head out on their journey to Durango. On July 4, a small crew will take the train from Durango into Needleton for the 7-mile hike to the base of the Chicago Basin. Drew will be starting the summit on July 5, covering The Chicago Basin Group (Windom, Sunlight, North Eolus and Eolus) where he'll need to hit the timing sweet spot - catching the scheduled train back into Silverton while minimizing down time. Then, he'll meet back up with the full crew, move to the next trailhead and hit the next set of mountains. So much technical coordination and planning is going into the first leg of the journey, because every minute matters!
What goes into making it happen?
The list is long when it comes to prep - training, logistics, transportation, tech and communications, meal prep, route planning, and of course, scouting. Because practice makes perfect. According to the crew, during scouting, they make it about halfway up the mountains while Drew runs ahead and summits. On a recent scouting mission this past weekend, the crew's POV was that it was very cold, pretty windy, and certainly not for the faint of heart. But from Drew's perspective, these were the best 14er conditions you could ever hope to get! During last year’s attempt, Drew successfully conquered 37 mountains and learned a lot in the process. This year, he’s hoping for the full 58. For a deeper dive on some history and what it takes to succeed, Andrew Hamilton shared some of his pro thoughts here.
However difficult the attempt might be be, it's without a doubt a breathtaking journey. Check out the photo gallery below for some scouting pics from some of our most recent escapades across Mt. Sherman, Mt. Elbert and Mt. Massive, Redcloud Peak, Sunshine Peak and Handies Peak over the past few days.
If you're interested in status updates and some behind the scenes action as the journey unfolds, we'll be posting updates here on this blog and sharing on socials.
Remember, we love it when you follow along, ask questions, share and send your thoughts our way! During the last attempt, reading your posts and well wishes online and seeing the community of friendly faces that dropped by along the trail was what gave Drew the inspiration and motivation he needed to keep pushing forward.
Thanks for everything and see you soon!
Thanks for the great posts! We are following along on our way to Mongolia, so our good wishes will be staying 14 hours ahead of the team! You’ve got this DA!!
Good Luck Drew and team!! Go Get It!!!!
With you every step of the climb😋
Team Drew & Jan,
So happy to see you back again. Eat tons, drink when thirsty, care with the weather. God speed. You 2 & your team are special people.
This is gonna be epic!!!!!