In the world of mountain endurance, few names resonate like Kilian Jornet. Known for redefining the limits of human potential, Kilian's latest personal project: States of Elevation is a human-powered journey discovering the American West.

Aiming to connect 14,000-foot peaks across three states. The route will test endurance, navigation, and recovery in ways no project before it has.

What are the States of Elevation?

The towering summits, known as “14ers”, challenge mind and body, demanding patience, efficiency, and an intimate relationship with altitude.

In the lower 48 states, only three regions reach this height: the Rockies of Colorado, the Sierras of California, and the Cascades in Washington. Together, they form a sacred high-altitude corridor, which is set to be Kilian's States of Elevation.

Kilian's States of Elevation Route

Beginning in Longs Peak, Colorado, the project will take Kilian across three states, Colorado, California and Washington.

For the States of Elevation, just like his previous projects, Kilian will rely entirely on human-powered travel. Using his COROS DURA and COROS APEX, and NNormal essentials, he'll cycle between regions and ascend or connect each peak by foot. In doing so, he'll navigate a mix of paved roads, dirt passes, alpine ridgelines, and glaciated terrain.

As with any great adventure, memories will matter as much as the miles. From quiet mountain mornings to the grind of steep switchbacks, this adventure will create a journal worth documenting.

Kilian's Preparation for States of Elevation

Kilian is no stranger to long traverses, having connected the Pyrenees in 2023 and the Alps in 2024. Those experiences, have helped shape his mindset for States of Elevation.

"My experiences in the Pyrenees and the Alps motivated me to continue exploring this dimension of long traverses. I like that they have strong physical, cognitive, and creative components to them."

After a captivating run in his return the Western States, where he improved his time by over 80 minutes. Kilian's training throughout 2025 has been focused on building his aerobic base.

His recent win at the Kia Fjällmaraton Vertical KpM highlights the readiness of mind, body and technical ability.

This project demands more than fitness, though. It requires pacing, navigation, and precise decision-making at altitude. Throughout his journey, Kilian will rely on COROS tools like Effort Pace, Navigation, Recovery Time, and Altitude Performance to guide real-time decisions. All features that have been pivotal in his explorations before.

"In critical situations navigation is key, features like the Back to Start have been saving my life, such as going down the Hornbein in Everest, or navigating crevasses in the dark during Alpine Connections."

With dozens of consecutive summits ahead, managing strain on his body becomes as important as route choice.

Why This Project Matters

States of Elevation is not a race or record attempt, but the sheer size makes it an entirely different category of achievement. It’s a test of resiliency and sustainability across three of America’s most iconic mountain ranges. The project spotlights what’s possible when endurance, planning, and environmental respect converge.

"It’s about exploring the American West, the vastness of the terrain and the cultures that have lived and continue to live there, as well as a nature that is often wild and incredibly diverse, ranging from alpine areas to dense forests and deserts. I am excited to explore these new places."

Colorado: Where Elevation Meets Endurance

Photos by Nick Danielson

For Kilian, Colorado is more than just the starting point; it’s the steepest learning curve of the project. His COROS data shows the toll: an average daily Training Load of 544 for the first three days of his project, compared to his baseline of 141, throughout 2025. Even Kilian, with all his experience, found the first few days particularly taxing, showing that even the best in the world rely on accurate data and their intuition to succeed.

"It was hard, but knowing my body and checking the data reminded me that I had to take better care of myself, hydrate, fuel, and rest. With this, I slowly managed to feel better and it has been going super well ever since."

With the greatest concentration of 14ers in the United States, efficiency is everything. Having covered over 1,200 miles under his own human power, these long days have already tested his mental and physical limits, navigating technical ridgelines by headlamp and climbing high into thin air.

Already, Kilian has spent 261 hours, 29 minutes, and 29 seconds in motion, summiting 56 peaks along the way, performing at the highest level day after day often on less than 5 hours of sleep. Each ascent adds to the cumulative strain, forcing him to manage his recovery, which has averaged an exhausting 13.5% since he began.

Even as fatigue sets in, there are the moments that remind him why he climbs: the sun hitting Longs Peak at dawn, the wildlife accompanying him along the route, and the community that celebrates his every step. These human experiences, just like his performance metrics, are captured right from his watch. The beginnings of a journal of an expedition defined by endurance, precision, and reverence for the mountains.

California: Peaks Testing Perseverance

Expectedly, his COROS DURA, and perhaps more surprisingly, Kilian himself, arrived seemingly recharged by the five-day ride under the desert sun, reaching the Sierra Nevada range, which rises sharp and remote. Here, Kilian set out on the Norman’s 13, a cluster of 14ers including Mount Whitney, the highest peak in the lower 48 states.

Kilian’s push across the Norman’s 13 set a new supported FKT (pending official approval), surpassing the previous record by over 18 hours. The data speaks for itself: an epic effort across long, technical ascents that demanded efficiency in climbing, recovery, and sheer perseverance.

Kilian's Data on Norman's 13 FKT (Supported)

• Distance - 163.69km
• Total Time - 56:11:05
• Effort Pace - 15'41"/km
• Average HR - 107bpm
• Elevation Gain - 11,708m
• Training Load - 397

After conquering the Norman’s 13, Kilian continued with efforts on White Mountain and Mount Shasta, bringing his total to 71 peaks as California was complete.

Washington: The Last Push on the Lone Giant

Kilian’s journey culminated on the glaciated slopes of Mount Rainier, the iconic giant of the Cascades Range. Alone, the mountain didn't feature anything Kilian wasn't experienced in. But arriving after weeks of strain, fatigue, and decision-making under pressure, the context is everything.

With over 2,300 miles and 71 peaks already behind him, Rainier represented both a summit and a closing chapter. The ascent demands glacier navigation, has notoriously unpredictable weather, and even standard routes can change conditions on short notice. In this final climb, as in every one before it, the margin for error was slim.

And yet, it’s in these margins - in the quiet tension of early morning ice, the crunch of crampons, the rhythm of breath at 14,000 feet - that Kilian found what he came for. This last peak is the ultimate finish line. It’s an understanding of our limits, and sometimes, how to move past them.

Kilian's States of Elevation Data

• Distance - 5,145.05km (3,197 miles)
• Total Time - 488:52:07
• Elevation Gain - 123,045m (403,690ft)
• 14ers Completed - 72
• Training Load - 9,559TL
• Average Hours Sleep - 6 hours 10 minutes. With 5 days of no sleep during the project.
• Average Recovery Score - 7%. With 17 days in a row with a real-time recovery score of 0%.

Redefining Endurance in the American West

States of Elevation is a journey that measures distance and peaks, but also resilience, care, and connection. Over 31 days, Kilian has covered over 5,145.05km (3197 miles), summiting seventy-two +14,000ft peaks. No doubt enduring extreme fatigue, yet each sunrise, each quiet ridge, and each carefully chosen step reminds us why these mountains are here.

Through every summit and every decision along the route, his COROS watch captured all the data. It captured the story of effort and endurance, helping him move with precision and document every moment along the way.

Undertaken with respect for the land and echoing the work of his foundation to protect the natural world, States of Elevation is a journal of what’s possible when human determination meets careful planning and reverence for the environment.