Brandon Stapanowich finished his self-supported thru-hike of the Colorado Trail in 9 days, 14 hours, 28 minutes, one of the fastest times in the 29-year history of the 485-mile trail.
He shouted for joy as he saw his friends and the final mile marker that read "0" at trail's end.
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Though he was exhausted, he showed everyone that he had not lost his sense of humor.
"Man, that's a long ways. You guys want to see my feet? I haven't seen them in two days," he said.
There were no takers of that offer.
Stapanowich, who lives in Manitou Spings, began his adventure at the Junction Creek Trailhead in Durango at 5 a.m. on July 6 and finished in Waterton Canyon in Littleton just after sunset on Friday (July 15.)
The trail pierces several mountain ranges as it crosses the backbone of the Rocky Mountains. Stapanowich did veer off the standard Colorado Trail route to travel the newer western portion of the trail through the high Collegiate range.
"I might not ever do this 485-mile trip again, so I figured I might as well get up high and get the big views."
Scott Jaime, an ultrarunner from Highlands Ranch, has the fastest time - 8 days, 7 hours, 40 minutes - set in August of 2013. Jaime's trip was fully supported with a crew that met him at several points along the way.
Stapanowich fended for himself, "utilizing resouces available to everybody." He had mailed food and supplies to three locations in advance of his trip. He also stopped and purchased food along the way.
He slept in a "Tarptent" and used a light-weight "Quilt" sleeping bag. He traveled about 50 miles per day, power hiking and jogging slowly when the terrain allowed.
Shawn Forry has the fastest known time for an "unsupported" hiker. He carried all of his food from the onset and finished in 10 days, 19 hours, 5 minutes in August 2012.
Stapanowich is no stranger to big adventures. He has several 100-mile ultra run finishes, but he has become famous for creating his own unique challenges.
He started the "Inclinathon," 13 consecutive ascents of the Manitou Incline. He also is the only person to complete the "24 Hour Ultraclinathon" an event in which he knocked out 22 incline ascents in a day.
And in 2013 he celebrated his 29th birthday with "The Stank" a 96-mile ultra run that included four ascents of Pikes Peak via Barr Trail. He finished The Stank in about 42 hours, but admits he nearly gave up multiple times.
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