Intro: The local legend
Everything started from a conversation with my childhood neighbor, Sylvain Mazimann.
Sylvain ran New York marathon back a couple of decades ago, in two hours and forty-six minutes. Sylvain is the type of neighbor everyone loves to have, very friendly, hard worker and always down to help you on any projects. I mentioned to him my participation to Chicago Marathon in October, (this was back in May 2024), and Sylvain, avid runner, gave me great tips: “Go to the mountain and train in altitude”… Here I am, four months later, already 2 months in my marathon training plan, at the summit of King’s Peak, highest mountain in Utah, 13528 feet, or 4109 meters for my fellow metric system comrades.. Merci Sylvain for this incredible advice.
Chapter 1: Acclimation
I spent 5 days and half in Salt Lake City, flew out of Chicago on Friday morning to arrive at noon in the beautiful city of Salt Lake City, of course I made sure I had a window seat before booking the flight, the view is wonderful, I am getting lost in my thoughts and the grandeur of the space.. There are mountains and desert everywhere.
Few hours after landing, car picked-up, lodging situated (airBnB), I was already craving for adventures, I decided to start with a mountain located just about 20 minutes out of SLC, at a ski resort called Alta Base, and hiked all the way up to Sugarloaf peak, 5.4 miles, 2,336 ft. gain, altitude of 11,203 ft. / 3415 meters. A great mise-en-jambe. Not too easy but not too technical at the same time. Nature is already putting on a great show: First time of may life I see a Moose! Majestic.. Followed by his calf, I didn’t want to stay around for too long. A marmot was also present at the top of the chairlift.
Chapter 2: Finding “Nebo”
It’s Saturday, I feel great, and I decide to go for a more challenging hike, this one will be Mount Nebo. Located one hour forty-five minutes south of SLC. The sun is high and very shiny. Not one cloud in the sky. I’ll lose the t-shirt for the 1st part, which will get me a beautiful sunburn souvenir when I will be back in Chicago. The trail start pretty steep, the ratio elevation/length is pretty high on that one. It will give me a great mise-en-bouche for the next peak, as it’s steep and rocky. A mountain goat will be waiting for me all the way up there. Pretty technical, but we made it: Mount Nebo, 8.4 miles, 3,570 ft. gain, altitude of 12,107 ft. / 3690 meters. On the back I quickly realize that I under-packed, and should have brought more water/electrolyte. It will be a long 4 miles with dry mouth and legs starting to feel sore, which will make me take the next 48 hours at rest, or easy activities. I decided to visit the Mormon churches and salt lakes. While resting, my craving for heights is getting bigger and bigger.. which ultimately will conduct me to start looking for King’s Peak, highest point in Utah, I will spend the two days studying the terrain, collecting feedbacks from other hikers and getting myself ready and equipped.
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Chapter 3: En-route in the Kingdom
There are two ways to approach the ascent of Kings Peak, either you camp at dollar’s lake (about 9 miles in) so you wake up the next day and start the ascent at Gunsight Pass all the way to the top if the weather allows you so. Or you one-shot the hike, meaning you start no later 6am as it takes roughly a good twelve hours, breaks included, well, you may or may not know me, but I like the challenge, and I know I have an amazing shape right now, preparing Chicago marathon in a month.
Tuesday 2:30am, the trail is located two hours and forty-five minutes east of Salt Lake City, at the border of Wyoming. Short night, backpack ready, coffee machine brewing, podcasts downloaded, 3am I leave SLC, headed east. It’s an easy ride up to the last 20 miles, where it is absolutely lost in the countryside. Let me tell you this: 20 miles riding in the dark, on mud roads, in the middle of a huge country I barely know, gives you a great idea of what will come next. I started to question each of my decision at this very moment « Why the hell do I do this?! », the answer will come shortly after I start the hike.
KM 0-10 – Miles 0-6: The first 6 miles, or 10k was a an absolute piece of cake, beautiful scenery in the woods, I only had to use my headlamp for about thirty minutes before the sun came out to bring light and warmth (forty-one Fahrenheit /Five celsius on the parking lot). Not too much elevation (1000ft. Over 6 miles). In the woods it smells amazing.. I saw a numerous amount of animals (birds, deers, stag..). My pace is great, 4-5km/h with a 35 lbs. backpack, I feel great but I force myself to stop every hour to eat and drink.
The next five kilometers/three miles are out of the woods, less green more rocks, all the way up to gunsight pass which is the beginning of the troubles 😂
KM15 – Miles 9.5: I quite enjoyed those 5ks, passed by Dollar’s Lake where most of the hikers set up their camp base. Many many tents around and I start to see the first overnight hikers going back down to the parking lot. It’s about 9.30am. Not tired, feels amazing, but the backpack starts to feel a bit heavy on the shoulders (as I still have a lot of water and food, I decided to overpack this time).
I take my last break to gunsight pass before starting the serious part. Elevation is now coming to a point where I have to slow things down, in other words: it took me the exact same amount of time to do these last 5k than the previous 15 ones. And it wasn’t me being slow, 2000 feet / 600 meters elevation in three miles.
KM 17 – Miles 10.5: I make friend with a squirrel, it was standing on a pile of rocks, almost like he was waiting for me, I called him and he came to me! So we shared a bit of my trail mix, it was cool to make a friend up there.
KM 18 – Miles 11.5: The path disappears, only rocks from landslide were there, big pieces of rock reaching the height of my knees and my hips for the biggest. Which makes it challenging to progress through. I was watching also for the unstable rocks, I had to check them before trusting and putting my body weight on it.
Now I start questioning myself many times about whether or not I was on the right path, but universe gave me the answer pretty fast after I asked, I see 3 hikers on my left. The head one told me: “I tried not to scare you”, and I simply responded with a smile: “Well, it did not work, although I appreciate it”. Quick laugh from us both to break the ice, I was reassured to be not the only one in this “never-ending” Rock desert. It’s slow, and the sun is about to reach his peak (yes, him as well), forcing me to remove 2 layers and drink more regularly.
KM 19 I finally see the King’s Peak.. hidden so far by many other thirteeners around (Gilbert’s peak for instance, 13436feet). King’s Peak is beautiful, but very steep and rocky.
Now that’s the part where it gets… “interesting”?
Absolute bad news shortly after I see the peak: the sky turns grey, and even darker clouds are coming my way. I was expecting thunderstorms later in the afternoon according to the forecast,but it is mountain environment, Iam not in charge of what’s going on up there, only decision I can take now is: “Should I finish the last 2k to the top or not?…”
The three hikers I was walking with for the last half hour decided to turn back. Now is a big dilemma: can I analyze the situation without making an ego call?
Ok let’s think quick: how do I feel? Amazing,
my legs aren’t heavy at all, my breathing is okay, I have less oxygen but my marathon preparation drove me to a 57 VO2max, Iam good physically speaking. Can I beat the storm? Am I able to go up there and come back here in less than 30minutes?…
..Answer is Yes.
I accelerate the pace as the storm is coming louder and windier. I cross the path of the last person I’ll see in this peak, going back down, looked like he was a US soldier according to his gear. He asked me if I was alone and I said yes.
That will be it, I take a 2mn break to get my poncho out of the bag and keep on climbing. Heart rate around 165bpm, heavy breathing, but I’m literally flying in those rocks. I see it as a game of finding the quicker path possible.
Km20, progression in the rocks is fast and efficient, however something strange is happening to me. I hear multiple clicks on repeat, and feels something funny on my head, my hair starts to lift by themselves.. I’ve read in the reviews of those who hiked kings peak, that there might be some static electricity if stormy conditions. It is so weird!! I see the peak, it is right there… few more rocks.
Km21: I made it… I’m the highest man in Utah right now. Wow, it is snowing! 🌨️ incredible.. I see the signs 🪧, decide to take a picture and suddenly the air is fully charged of electricity again.. up to a point that it’s almost hurting me. The electricity is going straight to my head and my phone as I’m recording, I look like a man early 2000´s punk rock fan, same hairstyle as guy fiery. It’s loud and I have the feeling there will be some lightning very soon. No way I’m staying here, I get my backpack, check on my shoes, my legs, and let’s go, it took me exactly 10mn to descend what took me 45mn to hike. I’m approximately 150feet below the peak, and the sky is bright blue, windy, cold and now the grêle turned into snow. I can finally take my lunch break. I stayed and enjoyed the view for a good 20mn, and I have a long way to go so I decided to pack up and leave.
Km 22, wait.. my legs now are heavy.. the last effort to reach the peak definitely took a lot out of me, as I had to accelerate on a very steep climb. Anyways, reaching now the bottom of the peak, I am again in the Rocky desert, not my fav part. It’s hot again, and my legs feel heavy, I have to jump on those rocks and I’m slow.
Hesitating between two directions, I get my phone to see the offline gps, and what a surprise: 5% battery left, of course Nico does Nico: I prepared a fully charged external battery but I left the cable in the car. Loyal to myself. Oh well, I think I remember most of it. It wasn’t that long ago after all.
Km25: Back on the trail, I’m catching up on two hikers that hiked the peak earlier.. I guess my pace isn’t bad at all 😊
I shared the next 5k with Ryan from US and Wassim from Pakistan. It was amazing to get my mind off the heaviness of my legs. Thank you guys I’m blessed I met you, then they stopped at dollar’s lake to pack up their tents 🏕️ I decided to take a quick break and keep on going.
Km 32: Here we are: the last 10 kilometers.. if you want my honest opinion: this was the hardest. Easy trail, downhill all along, but dang those legs are heavier than the mountain itself. I try to be grateful however, observe the beautiful scenery that is offered to me.
Km 37 finally back at the first stop I took: this means there is 5k left! What is 5k? I ran it once in 17mn 😂 unfortunately this isn’t how it works. 2minutes in the break, and the storm is now catching up on me. I remember saying this out loud: bro you didn’t get me when I was up there, you’re not going to get me here. And I laughed..
Not even 10 seconds after that, heavy rain until the end of the hike. It was difficult to remain positive but I had the choice, either that, or I decide to see the glass half full. I took the second option and actually was grateful for the rain, it was amazing to feel it on the poncho while being dry and covered (for the most part), it was breaking the monotony. For these last 5k, I kept talking to myself, I even threw a couple of jokes and cracked myself up.. I was probably high from the altitude and tired, but it got me walking and focusing on finishing the hike.
Last 200 meters: Another joke coming in my mind, couple help but tell it out loud: Ok, 200meters, it’s 19seconds at the Olympics.
But the reality was it took my 5 minutes. Rather 20seconds😂 the sky, one more time, was absolutely rewarding to me and offered me a finish with a beautiful rainbow 🌈 couldn’t shoot it as my phone died a while ago already.
There it is.. I see the color of the rental car from afar.. oh boy I’m ready for this 😊 but there will be another 2h45 drive before I even get to take a shower and lay down. Haha!
This is it: it’s 6:30pm. 12.5 hours. 1500m elevation, 4109 meters altitude, 5500 calories burned, and a mind full of incredible images. This was by far the hardest (mentally) but lots beautiful sport challenge I have ever done. I could have not done this without two things: an important physical preparation, and the rewards that nature put out there every inches of the hike. This, was what kept me going.
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