FKT: Abby Hall, Cordis Hall - Telescope Peak from Shorty's Well (CA) - 2019-10-19

Route variation
round trip from Shortys Well
Gender category
Mixed-gender team
Style
Unsupported
Finish date
Total time
11h 32m 58s
Photos
Report

This is an absolutely incredible route and we encourage others to go visit this special corner of the world! The route-finding is very straightforward for those accustomed to being off-trail (up!!!), but be mindful on the way down - it'd be easy to bomb down the wrong gully in the forests. The true challenge of this route was water and managing thirst.

https://www.instagram.com/p/B34n04_HWHB/

This weekend, @cordisimo and I completed a pretty unique objective, which was connecting the lowest and highest points in death valley. starting at shorty’s well (the west edge of badwater basin) at -190 feet below sea level, we climbed ~11,250 continuous feet, mainly off-trail to the summit of telescope peak (through four ecosystems!) pretty early on, I realized water would be my primary challenge of the day. you forget about that soul-sucking desert thirst until you’re 4 or 5 hours in, climbing up a sun-baked ridge, silent with stillness, begging for a breeze, mouth swollen (no joke). accepting that was the main wrestle of the 11h32min day. got back to the car, guzzled a lukewarm bottle of apple cider, set a new fastest known women’s time in the process. (for the route, not the cider. but maybe that too.)

More photos on Cordis' Strava.