The Teton Crest Trail out-and-back was an incredible mission—just over 80 miles with nearly 20,000 feet of elevation gain. I set out solo with the goal of pushing myself and seeing how fast I could cover the entire route.
I went out a little too fast during the first half, which definitely caught up with me later and made for some tired legs on the back half. Even so, I was able to keep moving, passing a few backpackers along the way and staying focused on the goal.
One of the great things about this route is the abundance of water throughout the entire trail. There are plenty of opportunities to filter water along the way, which made it much easier to stay hydrated without having to carry an excessive amount from the start.
Overall, I felt really good about the effort and am stoked to have completed the Teton Crest Trail out-and-back with the fastest known time. It was a challenging and rewarding day, and I'm already looking forward to coming back next year to see if I can improve on the time.
I'm grateful for the opportunity to run such an incredible route and excited to see how much faster I can go with another year of experience and preparation.