{"id":296221,"date":"2025-10-04T10:52:42","date_gmt":"2025-10-04T08:52:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/alpinemag.com\/kilian-jornet-boucle-son-odyssee-americaine-sur-les-72-sommets-de-states-of-elevation\/"},"modified":"2025-10-07T16:51:39","modified_gmt":"2025-10-07T14:51:39","slug":"states-elevation-kilian-jornet-completes-american-odyssey-72-fourteeners-usa","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/alpinemag.com\/states-elevation-kilian-jornet-completes-american-odyssey-72-fourteeners-usa\/","title":{"rendered":"States of Elevation : Kilian Jornet completes his American odyssey across the 72 fourteeners"},"content":{"rendered":"\n[et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ _builder_version=”4.22.1″ custom_margin=”||||false|false” custom_padding=”4px||0px||false|false” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.16″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” custom_padding=”11px|||||” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_padding=”|||” global_colors_info=”{}” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.24.2″ header_font=”|on|||” header_2_line_height=”1.2em” text_orientation=”center” module_alignment=”center” hover_enabled=”0″ header_font_size_tablet=”” header_font_size_phone=”16px” header_font_size_last_edited=”on|desktop” header_2_font_size_tablet=”” header_2_font_size_phone=”20px” header_2_font_size_last_edited=”on|phone” text_orientation_tablet=”center” text_orientation_phone=”left” text_orientation_last_edited=”on|desktop” global_colors_info=”{}” sticky_enabled=”0″]

In just one month, Kilian Jornet wrote a new chapter in the history of ultra-endurance. The Catalan athlete completed States of Elevation, an unprecedented journey that took him to the 72 peaks over 14,000 feet in the continental United States\u2014the famous fourteeners. Using only his feet and a bike, he connected the peaks over more than 5,145 kilometers, covered 123,045 meters of elevation gain, and opened up an unprecedented line of exploration, particularly in terms of continuous effort. Let’s take a look back at the major chapters of this American odyssey.<\/strong><\/h2>\n[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section][et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ _builder_version=”4.22.1″ custom_margin=”0px||||false|false” custom_margin_tablet=”0px||||false|false” custom_margin_phone=”0px||||false|false” custom_margin_last_edited=”on|phone” custom_padding=”1px||||false|false” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.22.1″ max_width=”800px” use_custom_width=”on” custom_width_px=”800px” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_padding=”|||” global_colors_info=”{}” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.24.2″ text_font_size=”18px” hover_enabled=”0″ global_colors_info=”{}” sticky_enabled=”0″]

M<\/span>ore than just a sporting challenge, States of Elevation<\/strong> was a way for Jornet to push himself even further than the long-duration, high-intensity efforts he put in during his Pyrenean adventure and, even more so, during his 82 4000s project in the Alps. This time, Jornet linked dozens of peaks and crossed endless landscapes using only the strength of his legs. The scale of the project is beyond comprehension: the equivalent of several Tours de France and dozens of marathons, all at high altitude.<\/p>\n[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.24.2″ width_tablet=”” width_phone=”” width_last_edited=”on|phone” max_width=”600px” max_width_tablet=”” max_width_phone=”300px” max_width_last_edited=”on|phone” use_custom_width=”on” custom_width_px=”800″ global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_padding=”|||” global_colors_info=”{}” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_divider color=”#000000″ _builder_version=”4.24.2″ min_height=”1px” custom_margin=”||-10px||false|false” custom_margin_tablet=”||-10px||false|false” custom_margin_phone=”||-10px||false|false” custom_margin_last_edited=”on|phone” custom_padding=”||0px|||” saved_tabs=”all” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_divider][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.24.2″ text_font=”||||||||” text_font_size=”18px” link_font=”||||||||” link_text_color=”#edb72f” custom_padding=”0px|||||” hover_enabled=”0″ saved_tabs=”all” global_colors_info=”{}” sticky_enabled=”0″]

Read also<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Kilian Jornet, State of Elevation #1<\/a><\/p>\n[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row column_structure=”1_2,1_2″ _builder_version=”4.16″ max_width=”1200px” use_custom_width=”on” custom_width_px=”800px” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”1_2″ _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_padding=”|||” global_colors_info=”{}” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/alpinemag.fr\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/kilian-jornet-Nick-Danielson-Stage-28-10-scaled.jpg” title_text=”kilian-jornet-Nick-Danielson-Stage-28-10″ show_in_lightbox=”on” show_bottom_space=”off” align=”center” _builder_version=”4.24.2″ width=”100%” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_image][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.24.2″ text_font=”Merriweather|900|||||||” text_font_size=”16″ custom_margin=”||||false|false” border_style=”solid” saved_tabs=”all” global_colors_info=”{}”]

\u00a9Nick Danielson\/State of Elevation<\/p>\n[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”1_2″ _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_padding=”|||” global_colors_info=”{}” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.24.2″ text_font_size=”18px” hover_enabled=”0″ global_colors_info=”{}” sticky_enabled=”0″]

From Colorado to the forests of Washington<\/strong><\/h2>\n

The route was mapped out from south to northwest: departure on September 3, 2025, from the slopes of Longs Peak in the heart of Colorado, arriving a month later at the summit of Mount Rainier in Washington State.<\/p>\n

In between, a spectacular diagonal route: the Rockies, the deserts of California, the peaks of the Sierra Nevada, the forests of Oregon… and 72 legendary summits, one after the other. Kilian Jornet explains: “At first, it was just an idea on a map. I didn’t even know if it was possible,\u201c says Jornet. Today, beyond the numbers, it was a total adventure, a way to discover places that have become very dear to me.\u201d<\/p>\n[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_testimonial quote_icon_color=”#000000″ quote_icon_background_color=”#ffffff” _builder_version=”4.24.2″ body_font=”Oswald|700||on|||||” body_text_align=”center” body_text_color=”#000000″ body_font_size=”30″ use_background_color=”off” custom_margin=”||||false|false” hover_enabled=”0″ saved_tabs=”all” global_colors_info=”{}” sticky_enabled=”0″]

At first, it was just an idea
on a map<\/p>\n[\/et_pb_testimonial][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.16″ max_width=”800px” custom_margin=”||||false|false” custom_padding=”0|0px||0px|false|false” use_custom_width=”on” custom_width_px=”800″ global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_padding=”|||” global_colors_info=”{}” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.24.2″ text_font_size=”18px” hover_enabled=”0″ global_colors_info=”{}” sticky_enabled=”0″]

Colorado: the density of peaks<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Jornet first tackled Colorado’s 56 public peaks, a concentration of altitude and technical difficulty. But also iconic traverses such as the LA Freeway, Elks, and Nolan’s 14, as well as peaks well known in the US such as Mount Elbert and Pikes Peak… Conditions often dictated the pace: violent storms, strong winds, changeable weather.<\/p>\n

Some of these sequences take even the best ultra-trail runners several days to complete. Jornet spent an average of more than 16 hours a day on the move. Statistics enthusiasts will love the Strava data from this adventure, which is setting the counters spinning (see end of article).<\/p>\n[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.16″ max_width=”1200px” use_custom_width=”on” custom_width_px=”800px” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_padding=”|||” global_colors_info=”{}” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/alpinemag.fr\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/kilian-jornet-\u00a9Andy-Cochrane-Stage-15-scaled.jpg” title_text=”kilian-jornet-\u00a9Andy-Cochrane-Stage-15″ show_in_lightbox=”on” show_bottom_space=”off” align=”center” _builder_version=”4.24.2″ width=”100%” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_image][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.24.2″ text_font=”Merriweather|900|||||||” text_font_size=”16″ custom_margin=”||||false|false” border_style=”solid” saved_tabs=”all” global_colors_info=”{}”]

\u00a9Andy Cochrane\/State of Elevation<\/p>\n[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row column_structure=”1_2,1_2″ use_custom_gutter=”on” gutter_width=”2″ _builder_version=”4.16″ max_width=”1200px” use_custom_width=”on” custom_width_px=”800px” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”1_2″ _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_padding=”|||” global_colors_info=”{}” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/alpinemag.fr\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/kilian-jornet-Nick-Danielson-Stage-27-8-scaled.jpg” title_text=”kilian-jornet-Nick-Danielson-Stage-27-8″ show_in_lightbox=”on” show_bottom_space=”off” align=”center” _builder_version=”4.24.2″ width=”100%” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_image][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.24.2″ text_font=”Merriweather|900|||||||” text_font_size=”16″ custom_margin=”||||false|false” border_style=”solid” saved_tabs=”all” global_colors_info=”{}”]

\u00a9Nick Danielson\/State of Elevation<\/p>\n[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”1_2″ _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_padding=”|||” global_colors_info=”{}” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.24.2″ text_font_size=”18px” hover_enabled=”0″ global_colors_info=”{}” sticky_enabled=”0″]

California: desert, granite, and isolation<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Heading due west for the next leg of the adventure, and more than 1,400 kilometers of pedaling later: California. A radical change of scenery. Desert approaches to the White Mountains, technical ridges of the Sierra Nevada, total isolation all the way to Mount Shasta. There, fresh snow and stormy winds put his nerves to the test.<\/p>\n

One of the highlights was the crossing of Norman’s 13 in the Sierra Nevada, which became his favorite section of the project. On day 23, despite his fatigue, Jornet set a new supported FKT\u2014a speed record with assistance\u2014awaiting certification.<\/p>\n[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_testimonial quote_icon_color=”#000000″ quote_icon_background_color=”#ffffff” _builder_version=”4.24.2″ body_font=”Oswald|700||on|||||” body_text_align=”center” body_text_color=”#000000″ body_font_size=”30″ use_background_color=”off” custom_margin=”||||false|false” hover_enabled=”0″ saved_tabs=”all” global_colors_info=”{}” sticky_enabled=”0″ min_height=”156px”]

Despite tiredness,
Jornet sets a new
supported FKT<\/p>\n[\/et_pb_testimonial][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.16″ max_width=”800px” custom_margin=”||||false|false” custom_padding=”0|0px||0px|false|false” use_custom_width=”on” custom_width_px=”800″ global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_padding=”|||” global_colors_info=”{}” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.24.2″ text_font_size=”18px” hover_enabled=”0″ global_colors_info=”{}” sticky_enabled=”0″]

Grand finale: Mount Rainier<\/strong><\/h2>\n

The final act in the Northwest and on the Pacific Coast: the ascent of Mount Rainier. One of the most technical sections of the entire project, made even more uncertain by the fresh snow that had fallen in the previous days. Jornet managed to reach the summit and descend safely.<\/p>\n

Over pizza, he confided, \u201cI was amazed by the wilderness, the wildlife, the changing landscapes. I enjoyed pushing forward on my own, but also sharing moments with friends who came to show me their mountain.\u201d<\/p>\n[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.24.2″ width_tablet=”” width_phone=”” width_last_edited=”on|phone” max_width=”600px” max_width_tablet=”” max_width_phone=”300px” max_width_last_edited=”on|phone” use_custom_width=”on” custom_width_px=”800″ global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_padding=”|||” global_colors_info=”{}” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_divider color=”#000000″ _builder_version=”4.24.2″ min_height=”1px” custom_margin=”||-10px||false|false” custom_margin_tablet=”||-10px||false|false” custom_margin_phone=”||-10px||false|false” custom_margin_last_edited=”on|phone” custom_padding=”||0px|||” saved_tabs=”all” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_divider][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.24.2″ text_font=”||||||||” text_font_size=”18px” link_font=”||||||||” link_text_color=”#edb72f” custom_padding=”0px|||||” hover_enabled=”0″ saved_tabs=”all” global_colors_info=”{}” sticky_enabled=”0″]

Read also<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Kilian Jornet in Paris : “The Pyrenees traverse transformed me”<\/a><\/p>\n[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.16″ max_width=”1200px” use_custom_width=”on” custom_width_px=”800px” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_padding=”|||” global_colors_info=”{}” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/alpinemag.fr\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/kilian-jornet-Nick-Danielson-Stage-28-123-scaled.jpg” title_text=”kilian-jornet-Nick-Danielson-Stage-28-123″ show_in_lightbox=”on” show_bottom_space=”off” align=”center” _builder_version=”4.24.2″ width=”100%” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_image][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.24.2″ text_font=”Merriweather|900|||||||” text_font_size=”16″ custom_margin=”||||false|false” border_style=”solid” saved_tabs=”all” global_colors_info=”{}”]

\u00a9Nick Danielson\/State of Elevation<\/p>\n[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.16″ max_width=”800px” custom_margin=”||||false|false” custom_padding=”0|0px||0px|false|false” use_custom_width=”on” custom_width_px=”800″ global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_padding=”|||” global_colors_info=”{}” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.24.2″ text_font_size=”18px” hover_enabled=”0″ global_colors_info=”{}” sticky_enabled=”0″]

A collective adventure<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Although most of the 5,145 kilometers were covered by bike (4,133 km, or 80%), nearly 60% of the total time was spent on foot, at a rate of 15 hours of movement per day. The odyssey was punctuated by moments of camaraderie, when local athletes came to share a part of the journey, transforming a solitary adventure into a collective experience.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The Kilian Jornet Foundation took advantage of States of Elevation to sow other seeds: four \u201cRunning Minds\u201d events, two days of trail restoration, and more than 500 people mobilized for the preservation of public lands.<\/p>\n[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row column_structure=”1_2,1_2″ use_custom_gutter=”on” gutter_width=”2″ _builder_version=”4.16″ max_width=”1200px” use_custom_width=”on” custom_width_px=”800px” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”1_2″ _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_padding=”|||” global_colors_info=”{}” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/alpinemag.fr\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/kilian-jornet-Nick-Danielson-Stage-26-29-scaled.jpg” title_text=”kilian-jornet-Nick-Danielson-Stage-26-29″ show_in_lightbox=”on” show_bottom_space=”off” align=”center” _builder_version=”4.24.2″ width=”100%” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_image][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.24.2″ text_font=”Merriweather|900|||||||” text_font_size=”16″ custom_margin=”||||false|false” border_style=”solid” saved_tabs=”all” global_colors_info=”{}”]

\u00a9Nick Danielson\/State of Elevation<\/p>\n[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”1_2″ _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_padding=”|||” global_colors_info=”{}” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.24.2″ text_font_size=”18px” hover_enabled=”0″ global_colors_info=”{}” sticky_enabled=”0″]

The statistics are impressive: 5,145 kilometers covered, including 4,133 by bike and 1,011 on foot, 123,045 meters of elevation gain, 72 peaks above 4,267 meters, and 488 hours and 52 minutes of movement over 31 days. But beyond the numbers, Jornet emphasizes the landscapes, the wilderness, the variety of climates, and the depth of human experiences that defined the adventure.<\/p>\n

States of Elevation was neither a race nor a record to beat. It was a line drawn between mountains, a journey through landscapes and local cultures, a total immersion in places and conditions that few humans experience at this pace and on this scale.<\/p>\n

As Kilian sets foot on Rainier and contemplates the immensity of the Pacific Northwest, he knows that each summit has left its mark: a memory, an effort, a thrill. States of Elevation is not just a sporting feat: it is a human and geographical odyssey, a lesson in the limits of the body and the beauty of the world.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Final statistics<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Total distance: 3,175 miles (3,133 miles by bike, 631 miles on foot)
Number of \u201cfourteeners\u201d (+14,000 feets): 72
Elevation gain: 403,691 feet
Time in motion: 488 hours 52 minutes
Duration: 31 days<\/p>\n[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.16″ max_width=”1200px” use_custom_width=”on” custom_width_px=”800px” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_padding=”|||” global_colors_info=”{}” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/alpinemag.fr\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/kilian-jornet-Nick-Danielson-Stage-28-140-scaled.jpg” title_text=”kilian-jornet-Nick-Danielson-Stage-28-140″ show_in_lightbox=”on” show_bottom_space=”off” align=”center” _builder_version=”4.24.2″ width=”100%” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_image][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.24.2″ text_font=”Merriweather|900|||||||” text_font_size=”16″ custom_margin=”||||false|false” border_style=”solid” saved_tabs=”all” global_colors_info=”{}”]

\u00a9Nick Danielson\/State of Elevation<\/p>\n[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section]\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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