A professional runner set a speed record while ascending the Grand Teton, but now he faces charges for cutting switchbacks along the way.
32-year-old Michelino Sunseri ran up the iconic 13,775-foot mountain in 2 hours, 50 minutes and 50 seconds on Sept. 2, 2024, setting a new record. But on social media, he openly admitted to cutting switchbacks to slash his time, breaking park rules and sparking a debate in the endurance athlete community over whether that should be condoned. The company that sponsors him, The North Face, has since deleted its post celebrating Sunseri’s accomplishment.
“It was a very public violation of NPS regulations, shared in such a public way by this influencer and sponsored athlete in association with his effort to achieve the fastest known time goal,” Grand Teton National Park public information officer Emily Davis told Jackson Hole News and Guide.
Sunseri faces a fine of up to $5,000 or six months in jail.
