Climbing
Industry News
A year-long legal saga that drew national attention to overcriminalization and public land use has come to an end. On November 7, 2025, President Donald J. Trump issued a full pardon for the Idaho mountain runner, Michelino Sunseri, who was convicted for taking a shortcut while setting a speed record on Wyoming’s Grand Teton.
Sunseri’s ordeal began on September 2, 2024, when he ran up and down the 13,775-foot peak in 2 hours, 50 minutes, and 10 seconds, which was fast enough to set a new fastest known time. The Grand Teton route covers about 13 miles and climbs roughly 7,000 vertical feet through rugged, exposed terrain that mountaineers usually take two or three days to complete.
But the GPS file of Sunseri’s run showed that he cut a switchback on the descent, following an old climber’s trail that bypasses part of the main route. This led the Fastest Known Time (FKT) website, which tracks such records, to reject his claim. Though the bypass has long been used by local guides and previous record holders, the National Park Service charged Sunseri with violating a federal rule that prohibits leaving designated trails in restricted areas.
The case quickly gained national attention, sparking debate over how federal agencies interpret and enforce obscure regulations. Sunseri became something of a folk hero in the mountain running community, with supporters rallying around the hashtag “Free Michelino.” His legal team, which eventually included the Pacific Legal Foundation, argued that the case exemplified government overreach and the criminalization of harmless conduct on public lands.
In June 2025, The National Park Service withdrew its support for prosecuting Sunseri. However, despite the agency’s reversal, the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Wyoming continued the case, with Sunseri facing potential fines or jail time.
After months of legal back-and-forth, a federal judge found Sunseri guilty in September 2025, ruling that he had left the Garnet Canyon Trail in violation of park rules. He faced up to a $5,000 fine and a possible lifetime ban from Grand Teton National Park. Prosecutors later offered a plea deal of community service and a wilderness stewardship course, but Sunseri continued to fight the charges.
Behind the scenes, the defense team worked to elevate the case to Washington, D.C., as lawmakers cited it in discussions of reforming federal misdemeanor laws. The controversy also inspired a forthcoming documentary, Racing Grand Teton, which will chronicle the events leading up to the pardon.
Trump’s decision to pardon Sunseri closes the chapter on a case that highlighted tensions between outdoor recreation, public land management, and federal enforcement. For Sunseri, it ends a 14-month battle that began with a record-setting run and turned into a national story about freedom, risk, and the spirit of the mountains.
