Nolan's Attempt - 8/27/15 9:05pm Start

[Phill the Thrill]

Wow, incredible. Congratulations, Dave!

Wait a minute: No party on the summit on Shavano???

[TallGrass]

Wait a minute: No party on the summit on Shavano???

Nope, nor tweets nor fb selfies, for Dave, you see, doesn't suffer from premature e-jubilation.

[Timberlinejohn]

Nicely done. Grats!

John Robinson

[Sean Nunn]

Congratulations on an amazing accomplished! I cannot begin to understand how this is possible. Incredible!

+1. It would take me weeks.


Sean Nunn
Raytown MO

[Chicago Transplant]

Way to go Dave! I work with one of your crew teammates, I am looking forward to hearing about the trip. She had said you were aiming for the FKT, I am happy to hear that you were able to meet your goal

[ekviatnie]

Thanks everyone for their support and encouragement.

Nolan's has been a goal of mine for four years. Last year I attempted the last weekend in August and completed five peaks before stopping for bad visibility. I completed the route the next weekend, albeit in 63h because I was tired from the previous weekend. This year I experienced white-out, horizontal blowing snow on Massive and Elbert. Consequently I was two hours behind my goal time at Echo Canyon TH. I thought about quitting, but I saw the clouds clear and the full moon energised me. I am glad I did not stop.

As for errors, I got lost crossing Brown's creek going up to Tabeguache. That cost me two hours, but taught me how important it is to navigate and move-on. I could have quit there too, but refocused my mind and moved-on.

For me, the true Nolan's experience is travelling solo. I think travelling as a team takes away the self reliance factor that makes Nolan's so mentally way-out-there. Had I been with someone else, I might not have gotten lost and set a faster time, but it would have been at the expense of personal growth.

My personal feelings are not intended as a put-down to Nolan's team attempts. Team attempts are just different than solo attempts. By the way, I am super impressed with Andrew Hamilton's self supported completion. I loved seeing my wife and friends at various points and needed their emotional support. AH is one tough dude! Also, Miss Gosney is right-on. Last year, I would never have traded hiking down from Massive with my friends for finishing faster.

[Timberlinejohn]

Good job! Navigating at night with no trail is really difficult and I think you're right on about Nolans being a mental challenge more than anything else. Bad things are Guaranteed to happen in a run like Nolans and you have to hold it together.

John Robinson

[mtnhigh358]

Congratulations Dave! It was a very impressive effort.

Would you mind telling us why you chose to start at 9:05 pm? It seemed like a good strategy because I have heard people like Eric Lee talk about how difficult Mt. Princeton can be in the night, and you were able to do Mt. Princeton in the light. However then you did mention getting lost near Brown's Creek, probably due in no small part to being tired and in the darkness.

If you were to do it again would you still choose the 9:05 pm start?

[Timberlinejohn]

I think almost any off-trail section you do in the dark will be hard. I lost time going up Bull Hill (on Elbert) in the dark the 2nd year I did nolans even though I knew it well.

[ekviatnie]

My evening departure choice was dictated by work. I had to return to work Monday morning. Secondarily, it did allow me to sleep and then climb Yale and Princeton in the light. Those two peaks are hard to climb at night.

[Broken Knee]

My evening departure choice was dictated by work. I had to return to work Monday morning.

(...thinking of going to work soon after ~60 hours of ass-busting...)

[TallGrass]

(...thinking of going to work soon after ~60 hours of ass-busting...)

The train station is where trains stop.
The bus station is where buses stop.
Ekviatnie's work station is where ... zzzzzzzzzz