Editorial

X ProtoLab Rainmac

Read now

SOAR: Essentials for the Active Lifestyle

Read Now

36 Miles | 20,000 feet | 14:07:33

The WURL – FKT

On Wednesday 2nd October at 6am, SOAR Race Team athlete David Hedges set off from the Ferguson Canyon Trailhead with a mind to break the WURL FKT.

A classic line that encompasses the entire ridge above Little Cottonwood Canyon, Utah. With 36 miles and over 20k feet of climbing plus significant stretches of 4th and 5th class terrain, the route is a notorious challenge.

Helped along the way by a crew made up of alpine legends, David’s ensemble included Anna Demonte, Blaine Benitez, Griffin Bailey, Jack Kuenzle, Jack Levitt and Josh Oblad.

David ran 14:07 to lower Jason Dorais’ 4 year old record by 33 minutes, a significant margin for one of the most competitive FKTs in the country.

"I set off at 6am on the dot from the Ferguson Canyon Trailhead with my friend Jack Levitt who would lead the way for the morning. My head was clear. It had been another long season of chasing my fix in the mountains.

I had gone from Asheville (my heart goes out to all of the people and trails there right now) to the White Mountains, driven across Canada to run in the Rockies, revisited my favorite trails in Idaho, came down to Utah, flew to Italy to camp under the Kima course for nearly a month, then pitched my tent in Montana for a couple of weeks, and finally back to UT. I spent a hundred nights in the tent last year as well.

What differed about this year was the frequency of days spent out in the mountains with friends, always highly enjoyable and oftentimes profound. I had linked up with Mike Wirth up in Canada for some unbelievable outings, scrambling and running. Nick Waggoner for a loop in Nelson. Nick, Alex, and Jakub in the Sawtooths. I stayed with Jack Levitt and Blaine Benitez in Salt Lake City for a week, the Kings of the Wasatch and consummate Dharma Bums.

I ended up projecting Trofeo Kima with Jack Kuenzle and Anna Demonte for most of August. Zach Garner even showed up for a day to get a taste of the sky running experience.

Back stateside, I had an incredible couple of days scrambling in the Bitteroots with Jackson Cole in mid-September, autumn on full display. It was on that trip that I decided to go after the WURL. I was fit and maximally stoked.

Back to the race report. Jack and I ran up the Ferguson Canyon trail at a decent clip, switching to a hiking gait after a mile or so. Free real estate in my mind, the WURL is not a trail run.

A glorious sunrise greeted us as we gained the ridge and made our way to Twin Peaks. We summited at around 8:15, right on pace with Jason Dorais whose masterful 2020 record I was racing all day. Griffin Briley was up there with some bottles and much sanguinity. We continued on to the Cottonwood Traverse. The morning was still and we moved fluidly. Jack has all the lines perfected and I could just enjoy. We made quick work of the Monte Cristo crux and really ran down the east side of Superior to Cardiff Pass where Levitt would head down. Beneath the powerline, Jack Kuenzle stuffed some bottles in my belt as I took my bearings to Flagstaff.

I felt unbelievably good, it was ridiculous. I went with it and flew across the horseshoe, gaining 11 minutes on Dorais' time between Cardiff and Catherine's Pass alone. I picked up Joshua Oblad at Twin Lakes Pass and we straight cruised all the way to Hidden Peak.

Another quick bottle swap courtesy of Kuenzle and Anna Demonte at Hidden and I was off. I crushed the Bullion Divide, well the first half anyways. The day finally caught up to me on the White Baldy Ridge. Oof. By then the sun was once again in my face and you can't really avoid the fatigue of nearly 10hrs up on that ridge. But Blaine Benitez was waiting for me below Pfeifferhorn and although my movements became progressively less efficient and I got pretty loopy, my legs were solid and my mind was fully focused on the terrain in front of me.

Image with text

We didn't run any crazy splits for the Beat Out, but it was so good to spend another spectacular albeit grindy afternoon up in the Wasatch with Blaine. I had a semblance of legs coming down Bell's Canyon and finished pretty strong.

We were greeted by Jason Dorais himself at the finish which was moving and somewhat surreal. Spencer Harkins and most of my crew was there as well.

It was the greatest day I've ever had in the mountains. I feel incredibly grateful for that experience and deeply indebted to everyone who paced and crewed and everyone who was supporting me from afar."

Film & Photography: Blake Bekken

Words: David Hedges