Benegas' FKT stood for nearly 8 years and was finally bested by stand-out distance runner Uli Steidl, as reported below. On July 26, 2016, Steidl ran the DC route, knocking over 16 minutes off the FKT, taking it down to 4h24m30s.
I got a new FKT for climbing Rainier on foot today, July 26 2016. 4:24:30
details and a link to the GPS track is in my FB post.
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Mt. Rainier record 4:24:30 Round-Trip, Disappointment Cleaver Route, Parking Lot to Summit to Parking Lot.
FOX television
Man breaks new Mt. Rainier speed climb record
July 29, 2016, by Q13 FOX News Staff
q13fox.com/2016/07/29/man-breaks-new-mt-rainier-speed-climb-record/
A Seattle man set a new Mt. Rainier speed climb record this week.
Uli Steidl posted to his Facebook page on Tuesday– and said he climbed the mountain, and back down, all in 4:24:30. He said the old record set in 2008 was 4:40:59.
We asked Uli if there were official records. He said there is no entity that keeps tracks of these kind of records–but a GPS did track his time. There were also other climbers who saw him and can vouch for him.
Check out these stats recorded by his Garmin GPS:
connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/1274056835
tribkcpq.files.wordpress.com/2016/07/garminstats.jpg?quality=85&strip=all&w=770
He even took out a few seconds to take some pictures at the top.
tribkcpq.files.wordpress.com/2016/07/uli2.jpg?quality=85&strip=all&w=300
Uli does want to warn others that this is a mountaineering route-- and that it is necessary to obtain a solo climbing permit from the national park before attempting this climb. He doesn't want others to get themselves in danger.
Congratulations to Uli!
Q13 FOX News Staff