The Short:
- An attempt at a longer Trip Report to come
- A video trip report to come soon with some of the video I took during the effort
- This was a surreal experience on another AMAZING route. THIS is Oregon's PREMIER ultraneering experience! I can't think of another, exclusive to this state, that is competitive in scale or skill. I liken it unto the "Rainer Infinity Loop" in that it is a worthy ultraneering expedition regardless of whether you are going for the FKT or not. Every Section of this experience is worthy of your time. Shoot me a message on Insta or FB if you are wanting some beta to plan your own experience on this
- YES, I did literally have to leave to get back to teach my first day of school with only 17.58 miles to go, losing 26 hours of time to drive across the state, teach a day, realize I couldn't live without finishing, book a sub, write sub plans, drive back, and resume the route...I see this as an OKT, more than a true FKT, to put this route into the "completed" category for myself and others to now scheme on how to tinker with efficiency on the route.
- Jefferson was a HEINOUS solo this time of year...and I thoroughly enjoy a great many chossy things (guess its a product of growing up in the cascades)
- Photos are embedded in my STRAVA evidencing making true summit of each mountain.
- I will absolutely be attempting this route again, in Spring/Early Summer...anybody know a film crew or some photographers as this would be a cool route to capture, with the mountains still dressed in white.
Basic Elapsed Time Splits:
Start at DEVILS LAKE CAMPGROUND (as Christof did, not across the street, from the camp): 3:00AM on August 31st, 2019
Top of South Sister: 2:16:30
Top of Middle Sister: 4:44:30
Top of North Sister: ~6:40:00
Santiam Hwy/three finger jack Trailhead: 15:42:53 (sleep)
Top of Jefferson: 35:47:47
Jefferson Park: 40:04:45 (sleep at breitenbush)
Hwy 26/Frog Lake TH: 64:21:00
(Drove across the state to teach the first day of school ~26 hours to that)
Resume from hwy 26/Frog lake TH: ~90:33:40
Barlow Pass: ~91:40:30
Timberline Climbers lot: ~93:09:30 (sleep)
Top of Hood: ~100:53:36
Back at Timberline Climbers Lot at 9:14:55pm on September 4th, 2019 (Total Time 4 days, 6 hours, 15 minutes)
...getting through to the bottom of Jefferson is the Crux (mentally and physically)