Published January 23, 2017 09:22PM
VIDEO: Kilian Jornet Tackles Romsdalen's Seven Summits
Kilian Jornet is one of the world’s best mountain runners and ski mountaineers—some say the best of all time. The 29-year-old Spaniard has won six Skyrunning World Cup Championships and four Ultra Running World Cup Championships. He has won the Ultra Trail du Mont-Blanc twice and the Hardrock Hundred Mile Endurance Run three times (he tied with Jason Schlarb for first place at Hardrock in 2016).
“Most people think about me as a runner,” he says. “But I have never considered myself as a runner […] I grew up skiing, I grew up climbing, and running was just a thing to do in summer when it’s dry.”
Last May 2016, Jornet’s passion for technical endurance feats took him to the seven summits of Romsdalen, Norway,—1712m Juratind, 1852m Vengetind, 1744m Kvanndalstind, 1552m Romsdalshorn, 1788m Store Trolltind, 1544m Dronninga and 1614m Kongen. For most people, summiting just one of these peaks is a full day’s excursion. Those who attempt all seven in a single day typically drive between trailheads. The total journey covers 49 miles with nearly 30,000 feet of elevation gain. Jornet set out to link them all on foot.