This route was created with one goal: to see whether I could summit 20 Catskill High Peaks within 24 hours with an all-women team. The challenge combined four demanding mountain routes into one continuous effort, with the clock running through all hiking, transitions, aid stops, and driving between trailheads.
Block 1 – Catskill 9:
Denning → Table → Peekamoose → Lone → Rocky → Balsam Cap → Friday → Cornell → Wittenberg → Cornell → Slide → Slide Mountain Trailhead
Block 2 – Eastern Devil’s Path:
Prediger Road → Indian Head → Twin → Sugarloaf → Plateau → Mink Hollow
Block 3 – Big Indian Wilderness:
McKinley Hollow → Fir → Big Indian → Eagle → Balsam → Biscuit Brook
Block 4 – Blackhead Range:
Big Hollow Road → Blackhead → Black Dome → Thomas Cole → Barnum Road/East Jewett
Cornell is crossed twice during Block 1, resulting in 20 distinct Catskill High Peaks across 21 summit visits, not including smaller rises such as Dink.
The on-foot portions totaled approximately 50+ miles with roughly 20,000 feet of elevation gain. Vehicle mileage between the four blocks is excluded from the foot mileage; however, driving time remained part of the continuously running clock.
The project grew out of months of scouting, route planning, training, and transition testing. It was also designed to represent women taking on ambitious objectives together. Eight women supported the effort as pacers, drivers, navigators, and crew.
The original goal was 20 high peaks within 24 hours.
Final time: 19 hours, 46 minutes, and 18 seconds
I believe I could have completed the project much faster. I didn't push myself too hard since this was my first attempt at a Fastest Known Time (FKT), and I wanted to avoid risking injury or failure. I ran most of the attempt, except for block 3, which I hiked because of the darkness and overgrown herd paths that were difficult to navigate.
Comments
Actual time is 19:46:18