Podcast: Episode 207: Jack Kuenzle Dishes on Denali

Buckle up, fan favorite and FKT legend Jack Kuenzle returns to the pod to bring you behind the scenes on his recent Denali FKT. Kuenzle went on a skiing record tear this year, taking down FKTs on the volcanic 14ers Mount Shasta and Mount Rainier in America’s lower 48 before making the trek out to Alaska. And he’s here to dish about it all in his characteristically humorous fashion. 

On June 5, 2023, Kuenzle skied up and down 20,310-foot Denali in 10 hours, 14 minutes, and 57 seconds, shaving 90 minutes off of Karl Egloff’s overall record from 2019, and 94 minutes off of Kilian Jornet’s ski record from 2014.

While the progression looks nearly inevitable on paper, Kuenzle dedicated his life this year to giving his best effort on North America’s highest peak. He refused to sleep under 10,000 feet of elevation, sleeping in his truck on frigid mountain passes in California and Colorado all winter and spring. He skied laps in the trees to avoid California’s dangerous snowpack, and put in monster workouts on the Stairmaster in the gym.  

Things didn’t get any easier once Kuenzle touched down in Alaska. Tune into this episode of the FKT Podcast to find out what happened to Kuenzle’s partner Zach McCarthy (don’t worry, he’s fine!), and how the most epic portion of the expedition arguably occurred after Kuenzle set the record. (And of course, he gives the blow-by-blow of the actual record, too.)

Read all about Kuenzle’s Denali FKT (as well as his 22 other FKTs) on fastestknowntime.com. After setting the record on Denali, Kuenzle also worked hard to clean up the Denali page on the site, it is worth checking out. Follow along with Kuenzle’s adventures on Instagram. And if you missed our first two interviews with Kuenzle, you’re going to want to go back to episodes 165 and 193.

Thank you so much, Merrell, for supporting the show and fastestknowntime.com! If you’re looking for a new shoe in which to test yourself on the trails, check out the MTL Skyfire 2, the ultra-lightweight, award-winning trail shoe from our friends at Merrell Test Lab. See what all the buzz is about at www.merrell.com.