[pct-l] JMT Unsupported Speed Record?

[Reinhold Metzger]

Jeff,
Nice to hear from you and learn that you and Adam are going for the
unsupported JMT record. 2007 promises to be an exiting year for the JMT.
As far as I know there may be 2 other hikers also attempting it.
Flying Brian is also planing a JMT record attempt but it will probably be
for the supported record.
To answer your questions:
The current unofficial, but accepted record for an unsupported JMT fast pack
is
5 days 7 hrs 45 minutes set in 2004.
WHAT DOES UNSUPPORTED MEAN?......First of all from the old school of
thought there are 3 categories.
1) WITH SUPPORT TEAM....support teams supports hiker by carrying food & gear
and meeting hiker at predetermined locations.....used by trail runners.
2) SUPPORTED.....hiker has resupplies.
3) UNSUPPORTED.....hiker receives no support of any kind and lives of the
land and what is in his pack from day one....period..... no exception. That
means no handouts from other hikers or stops at Red's Mdw.  for a hamburger
or coke.
There is no difference between a waitress or another hiker handing you a
hamburger or some gorp and a support team handing you a peanut butter
sandwich. It is all or nothing.......supported or unsupported.......you
can't claim a handful of gorp or a hamburger did not make it supported.
It did make it supported otherwise where do you draw the line on how much
support  you can get without making it supported?
It's like pregnancy....you either are or are not pregnant....you can't be
just a little pregnant.
Now,  you could be gathering nuts & berries and grazing in the meadows
without being supported because you would be living off the land which is
o.k.
The Whitney summit is the southern terminus and Happy Isles, Yosemite is the
northern terminus.
Getting other hikers or rangers to sign your note book with phone number,
address and e-mail and verifying that they have met you at certain locations
on the JMT is one way  of verifying your time. Of course we expect hikers to
adhere to the honor code as well.
As far as rules are concerned, there really are no rules except adhere to
the honor code and the unsuported criteria and stay on the JMT all the
way....do not follow the PCT where they divert.

Jeff, go for it....you and Adam are hard core.....you guys can do it....a
lot of hikers could do it if they really want it. I am just amazed that it
held that long.
I have no illusions that at my age I can out hike you younger hikers.....all
I can do is hike harder and smarter.....I think that was the key.
At age 66 I am getting to old for this extreme stuff and it is time to pass
the torch to the younger generation.
If you guys need any help or advice I will be more than glad to help you any
way I can.

JMT Reinhold
Your hopelessly in love with the JMT but over the hill trail companion


> I have seen a number of posts periodically that have discussed the
> unsupported speed records for a JMT thru-hike on this list.  I have been
> considering this recently and would like to do some preliminary
> investigation and planning.  Can anyone provide some information on the
> following:
>
> What is the official record?
>
> What does unsupported mean?  Can I use a food drop or re-supply (either at
> Muir TR or Reds Meadow)  or do I need to pack all food from start to
finish?
>
> If I start from the south, do I start at the summit of Mt. Whitney or
> Whitney Portal?  I presume this would be the summit but I wanted to check
to
> be certain.
>
> How does one certify the start and end time?
>
> Are there any official "rules" for such a stunt?  I know Reinhold has held
> the record several times, but I have never seen any official rules of any
> sort.
>
> Really just exploring this at this point so any info the trail community
> would be willing to share would be appreciated.
>
> Elevator
>
>