Unsupported double Presi starting and ending at Appalachia.
My goal going into the day was an unsupported triple Presi – the first of its kind. Prioritizing the previous night’s sleep, I chose to start around noon in the Northern Presi in hopes of finishing on the more merciful Southern section some 20-24 hours later. I was about a mile up Valley Way before realizing I forgot to pack electrolytes. Not ideal for any effort, never mind one of this scale. I considered turning around then and there but figured I’d keep crankin ‘til the wheels fell off. I reached Madison summit in 1 hour 20 minutes and was on top of Adams 34 minutes later. I had the blinders on as I maneuvered through Edmands Col and blew past the Jefferson loop trail, instead continuing on Gulfside. Realizing my mistake, I retreated back to my intended route, ultimately costing me 13 frustratingly arduous minutes. I reached Jefferson summit with an elapsed time of 2 hours 50 minutes and somewhere around then I made the mental shift of going for the double.
I knew all too well the current unsupported record stood at 11 hours 28 minutes. In theory, I needed to finish the first traverse in 5 hours 44 minutes if I wanted a shot at lowering that time. I reached Crawford Notch in 5 hours 46 minutes, two minutes over my target time. This meant I needed to do the second traverse partially through the night on the most technical section with spastic muscles in 5 hours 41 minutes just to shave 1 minute off the record.
Spoiler: I did it in 5 hours and 40 minutes.
While my first traverse was more so catered to socializing and summit cookies, I knew that I’d have to lock in for the return. From Crawford Notch, I reached my second Washington summit for golden hour in 2 hours 39 minutes. At 8:58pm, I turned my headlamp on (full blast) as I approached Jefferson’s summit cone. At its summit, I effectively had 2 hours 25 minutes to reach my car. For the first time, the record began to feel out of reach, but I didn’t have time to feel. Just move. Said movement up and down Adams felt slow and ugly. Phalanges involuntarily curling and clenching and muscles pulsating out of my skin. Using my poles to rub out my calves and quads. I could feel the record slipping away. I was falling apart. I made it to Madison Hut with an elapsed time of 10 hours 25 minutes.
62 minutes. I had 62 minutes to dart up and down Madison and book it down Valley Way to the trailhead. The self-doubt crept deeper with every waking second. I bombed up and down Madison, returning to the hut in 20 minutes.
42 minutes and a 3,500-foot descent stood colossal between me and what was seemingly unthinkable when I woke up that morning. Not far from the hut on my way down, I was convinced I could hear vehicles on the road miles below. My mind tricking me into anything it wanted to believe. I’ve never before ran down to the wire like that on any sort of race and don’t know if I ever will again. 41 minutes later, I was at Appalachia weeping into the abyss.
The huts were closed so I had no choice but to collect my water from natural sources along the way. Ever drink unfiltered water from Lakes of the Clouds? Along the route, I crossed paths and chatted with Captain Chris and Chris Dailey. Always a pleasure gentlemen. When someone does go out and lowers the time on this, here are my recommendations: Start with the sun so you don’t finish with the moon. Don’t carry 3 traverses worth of gear and food. Pack salt. Don’t miss turns. Don’t entertain Oklahoman tourists on the rock pile.