Follow Kilian Jornet on his latest wild adventure in the Alps
Jornet is tackling as many Alpine 4,000m-plus peaks as he can, and you don't want to miss a thing
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COROS
Spain’s Kilian Jornet is well-known for pushing the limits of what’s possible, and as a four-time UTMB champion and experienced mountaineer, he’s earned a reputation for his incredible endurance and relentless pursuit of human potential. In his latest challenge, “Alpine Connections,” Jornet aims to summit as many 4,000-metre peaks in the Alps as possible, while relying solely on human-powered methods.
In 2023, Jornet took on one of his toughest challenges yet, summiting all 177 peaks over 3,000 metres in the Pyrenees in just eight days. Reflecting on the feat, he called it “one of the most difficult things I’ve ever done.” Now, with his “Alpine Connections” project, Jornet is pushing his limits even further as he continues to use only running or cycling between mountains, all while being careful to leave no trace that he was there.
Jornet started his journey in the Bernina range of eastern Switzerland. In just a few days, he conquered 10 peaks, covering 423 km with a staggering 19,831m of elevation gain. The early stages tested both his physical and mental endurance, with the third day standing out as particularly gruelling. On that day alone, Jornet summited six peaks, all while facing rough weather and extreme conditions.
Documenting physical and mental strain
Jornet’s drive to tackle big projects is about more than just endurance—it’s also about discovery. He’s always been transparent about his training data and will be working closely with scientists to track the physical and mental demands of this new Alpine adventure. Dr. Jesús Álvarez, a biologist on his team, highlights his extraordinary metabolic resilience, noting his body has an exceptional ability to handle stress. But even with all of his experience, this project will push Jornet into new territory as the physical and mental challenges increase. His team will meticulously measure the toll this trek takes on him, while Jornet shares his emotional and mental journey through blog posts and videos.
What’s next?
With 16 summits already under his belt, Jornet says he is eager to see what the next stages of this challenge bring. For those who want to track his progress, Jornet shares both detailed recaps and daily stats on the Nnormal blog, Strava and @nnormal_official.
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