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Michelino Sunseri overcomes the stones on the way to record-breaking achievement: extreme runner reaches the summit grand tetonup one of the highest mountains in the American West, and then back down in less than three hours.
National Park ServiceHowever, did not celebrate. Instead, it accused him of a crime.
In September, Sunseri, 33, was found guilty of a misdemeanor for spending just two minutes racing on a restricted track. Grand Teton National Park In Wyoming,
The remarkable solo triumph in 2024 has been tarnished by his legal saga. “Free Michelino” stickers are on posts and benches jacksonWyoming. Sunseri’s supporters, including members of Congress, are appalled by what they consider a flagrant example of excessive enforcement by the government.
Sunseri has not been sentenced yet and may now be discharged. Federal prosecutors said last week that the charges could be dismissed if he meets certain conditions within 12 months and a judge agrees. The hearing is scheduled for Tuesday.
Prosecutors have repeatedly said that prohibitions on shortcutting designated trails are also posted on the park website, on park maps, in the park newspaper and at trailheads. Despite a lack of support from officials in the new Trump administration, he went ahead with the two-day trial last May.
Joey Wilson of Salt Lake City, an ultramarathoner who designs training programs for athletes, said the significance of Sunseri’s accomplishment is sometimes lost.
“It’s an incredible thing they accomplished – world class,” Wilson said.
Boulders as big as houses
Sunseri defended himself, saying he took the same route as several previous record holders on Grand Teton, including Kilian Jornet, one of the world’s greatest mountain athletes, in 2012, without any pushback from the park service.
He set out on September 2, 2024 to share the mountain with Labor Day holiday travelers. The path is flat and wide before becoming extremely rocky as you go up.
“There are rocks in there the size of little houses,” said Wilson, whose father was a park ranger. “You have to use your hands. If your hands fly off in some places, you’re going to go down a lot.”
Sunseri also encountered a series of switchbacks as the Garnet Canyon Trail zigzagged like a maze. On the way down, without a shirt and wearing a hat backwards, he made a momentary decision that later cost him court: to avoid accidental hikers and possible injury he left a switchback, and took the path known as the Old Climber Trail for two minutes.
“I was ahead in pace,” said Sunseri, who had trained by running up the mountain more than 40 times. “I knew I was going to get the record no matter what path I took. I didn’t want to yell at people to get out of my way.”
Where they entered the path, a small sign said, “Small logging leads to erosion,” while another sign at the other end said, “Closed for redevelopment.” Sunseri said there was no vegetation to destroy on the steep, narrow, hard ground.
‘Stocked’ by your record time
Later, Sunseri fell on his knees in exhaustion at the foot of the mountain. He set the fastest known time in the running community – the “FKT” – of 2 hours, 50 minutes, 50 seconds on Grand Teton.
Sunseri ran a total of 13.3 miles (21.4 kilometres), gaining 7,000 feet (2,133 metres) of elevation while climbing the mountain. The summit is situated at 13,775 feet (4,198 m).
“I was shocked,” he recalled. “It’s one of those things where every single thing has to go right – and everything went right.”
Andy Anderson didn’t ignore the switchbacks during his record run in 2012, but Sunseri said he still had his blessing. They had a dinner in Truckee, California, and Anderson presented the prize: a handmade box containing a commemorative belt buckle and listing the names of past Grand Teton record holders.
Search warrant to get evidence
Sunseri wrote about his epic performance on social media. Those words ruined him. Federal investigators used a search warrant to gain access to the checkpoints, leading to a misdemeanor charge of shortcutting a designated route in a national park.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Stephanie Hambrick found him guilty in a 51-page opinion issued in September. He noted the testimony of Park Service ranger Michelle Altizer, who said Sunseri’s “actions were high profile” and cited his ability to deter others as “very high and an important consideration.”
Sunseri’s attorneys argued that the signs on the Old Climbers Trail do not explicitly prohibit entry.
“The trail has been in its current position for decades,” Wilson told The Associated Press. “If they really wanted to close that path they could plant seeds on it and put in a log. The path is closed. Do not cross.”
Prosecutors proceed
After the spring trial, emails obtained by the defense team revealed that Park Service officials in Washington had told prosecutors on the eve of the trial that they were withdrawing their support. A lawyer for the U.S. Department of the Interior cited President Donald Trump’s order to “fight excessive criminalization” in federal regulations.
“We are continuing the prosecution,” wrote Nicole Romaine, an assistant U.S. attorney in Wyoming.
Due to the court case, Sunseri’s performance on the Grand Teton is not being recognized by fastknowntime.com, a website for best times on routes with notable scenery or historical and cultural value around the world.
In Congress, U.S. Rep. Andy Biggs, R-Ariz., is sponsoring a bill that would make deliberate intent a requirement for prosecuting certain crimes, such as the misdemeanor of cutting Sunseri’s scars. He described the case as a “prime example of the problem of overcriminalization”.