Durango, CO, Man Sets Stunning New Speed Record on 562-Mile Long Colorado Trail

The Colorado Trail (CT) is one of the most beautiful long-distance hiking trails in the U.S. The trail starts in Denver, ends in Durango, and spans over 562 miles in its longest variant and covers 80,000 vertical feet. Normal hikers usually take four to six weeks to complete the trail. Durango native Kyle Curtin finished the trail in under a week.

Kyle Curtin completed the Collegiate West Variant of the trail in 6 days, 15 hours, and 8 minutes. This is the fastest known time (FKT) on any variation of the trail and two days faster than the previous record. He did this with the support of pacers and five cars, which carried his equipment and supplies. One of the pacers was Tara Dower, who had broken the female record the previous year. Curtin left the start of the trail in Denver on June 24 at 8:14 a.m. When he arrived in Durango at the end of the trail, he was greeted by his team of supporters.

During the trail, he faced numerous challenges, like trail closures because of fires, which caused him to reroute eleven miles to the east onto a pavement route that rejoins the Colorado Trail later on. This was not an easy decision: “If I could run the OG CT route, I would, but that’s not an option. Unfortunately, forest fires are a part of life in CO and have forced a difficult decision(…),” he said in an Instagram post, explaining the struggles of making the right decision while still qualifying for the FKT record.

Fortunately, the FKT was approved and is now visible on the official Fastest Known Time website.

Curtin also had severe ankle pain on the last 100 miles of the trail, which caused him to go to the hospital shortly after he finished his challenge. There he was diagnosed with tendinitis and a small case of rhabdomyolysis (muscle deterioration).

He used this accomplishment to raise money for Big City Mountaineers, an organization from Denver that helps kids from disadvantaged families enjoy outdoor activities. He raised more than $11,000.

The Collegiate West Variant covers 491 miles of hiking and is one of the two main routes hikers usually take on the Colorado Trail. It follows the Continental Divide for 80 miles.

Kyle Curtin is an extreme endurance runner from Durango and a U.S. Army veteran. He has completed various long-distance challenges throughout recent years.