Speaking of Enchainments

[Norman_Clyde]

I was idly perusing an old National Geographic (August 1994) tonight, reading about England's Lake District, when I came across an unexpected gem of mountain trivia. The article describes Lake District farmer Joss Naylor, the acknowledged champion of the sport of Fell running, or racing up and down the small mountains of the area.

 

"...Joss Naylor stands apart. He not only sprints up the most formidable slopes but keeps on going. In 1976, in a feat still spoken of with awe, he ran 108 miles through the Lake District in just under 24 hours, covering 38,000 feet of ascent and descent and scaling 72 summits, all over 2,000 feet in elevation. He was 40 years old at the time."

Mr. Naylor is pictured in the article-- not running, but shearing a sheep.

 

to you, Joss Naylor.

[Gary_Yngve]

This is an amazing achievement regardless, but I wonder if that's 38000 up, or 19000 up?

 

Backpacker magazine describes the Enchantments loop as having 11000 vert.

[Dru]

"I'm not shearing this sheep with anyone mate!"

[Norman_Clyde]

I wonder if that's 38000 up, or 19000 up?

 

Good point. I interpreted the above as 38K each way. However, I would assume that the majority of these summits were connected by ridges and did not involve descending back to sea level. If each summit had a net 500 feet of gain and loss, this would yield 36K up and down for 72 summits. The Lake District topography is one of long ridges possessing several high points (at least that's what the map suggests), indicating that one could reach several summits with little gain or loss in between. If I look at the map and make a guess, I'd say that 19K up and 19K down is the more likely figure. But as you said, Gary, an amazing achievement regardless.

 

The same article quotes Chris Bonington, who settled in the Lake District in the 70's. In his words, the relatively diminutive mountain topography "May not be as dramatic as the Alps or Himalaya, but that is in fact what appeals to me. You feel you can be part of it." Interesting viewpoint on what draws people to dramatic landscapes.

[klenke]

It's probably 38k of non-level terrain. And if he did it as a loop with the same starting and end point, then that would obviously work out to 19k up and 19k down.

 

I've hiked in the Lake District (climbed Scafell Pike by way of Bow Fell). The way the English are, every damn bump has a name. (And so does every swale and hollow and dale and borrow.) I don't know his connecting path but there are several ridges and dales and trails to contend with. It would be interesting to see the route he took. I would say the majority of peaks can be connected without descending more than 500 vertical feet. But to get from one disconnected ridge to another would require a lot more loss and regain than simply 500 ft.

 

All in all, I am impressed.

 

Now what about that guy who did the Tetons loop in something like 6 hours? I think it's Teewinot to Owen to Grand to Middle to South Teton and back to the starting point (Jenny Lake?).

[Norman_Clyde]

That was the late Alex Lowe, and he did it in 8 hours. I think the next closest time was about 24 hours.

[Dru]

Rolo Garibotti did it in 6 and change a few years after Alex did it in 8. After Alex was dead IIRC.

[Stuart]

About Joss Naylor, it was 38,000ft up and 38,000ft down. The route he took is loosely based on the Bob Graham round (28,500ft ascent and 70 something miles). 24 hours is the target time for that baby.

Klenke, check out this link. It has a crappy map there of the Bob Graham round, and lists the route and splits Mark Hartell took in 97. http://www.bobgrahamround.co.uk