Fastest Recorded Thru-hikes for men and women?

[Cavebaby]

I was wondering if anyone knows who holds the current records for fastest thru-hike for men and women...and any details of how it was done, re: support, food, mileage, etc.??

Thanks!

N - Cavebaby

[Lone Wolf]

Mens record is 47 days by Andy Thompson. supported. Mens unsupported is 60 days by Ward Leonard. don't know the womens records.

[jersey joe]

Andy did it in 2005. Here is a link to his "failed" attempt in 2001. I found this to be an awesome read! Gives you an idea of just how hard it really is. http://www.extremeultrarunning.com/at_at_2001/index.htm

[Lone Wolf]

i was supporting him on his 98 attempt when he quit in vermont

[jersey joe]

must have been a hell of an experience wolf...he's gotta be one mentally tough dude.

[whitefoot_hp]

i did mine in a few hours by looking through the photo galleries of each state.

basically the same thing as hiking it all!

[jersey joe]

i was supporting him on his 98 attempt when he quit in vermont

Andrew Thompson's 1998 thru hike record attempt: http://www.extremeultrarunning.com/thompson.htm

"David saw Andrew several times over the weekend and despite the soreness in his left quad Andrew is excited about Maineak and Lone Wolf joining the group for the next week or so. (Lone Wolf helped crew Maineak in 1991 and also helped crew David on the Trans-Am)"

[STEVEM]

I was wondering if anyone knows who holds the current records for fastest thru-hike for men and women...and any details of how it was done, re: support, food, mileage, etc.??

Thanks!

N - Cavebaby

Here's some records claimed by Cavedog.

http://www.thedogteam.com/

Cavebaby......Cavedog. Any connection?

[Strategic]

Mens record is 47 days by Andy Thompson. supported. Mens unsupported is 60 days by Ward Leonard. don't know the womens records.

I thought it was 61 days for Leonard, I guess it depends on how you calculate it. I'd come up with this same answer from another source when this question was asked a while ago over on TJ. What I turned up in the process were several people who had know the man on the trail. Let's just say that his trailname was "Spooky Boy" and leave it at that.

[Wilson]

I wonder how fast Ward could have done it, supported?

That is if he would have even allowed someone to help him.

[lobster]

Speed records:

2005 Andrew Thompson 47 days 13 hours 31 minutes supported

1999 Pete Palmer 48 days 20 hours 11 minutes supported

1991 David Horton 52 days 9 hours 42 minutes and Scott Grierson in just under 56 days both supported

1990 Ward Leonard 60.5 days unsupported

? Warren Doyle 66 days unsupported ( Warren, please supply year and a more accurate time.)

Amazing endurance effort: I believe, Ward Leonard did 3 thru-hikes( 2 northbound and 1 southbound) in 1991 and part of a 4th. One took barely longer than his 1990 record since I saw a log book in southern Maine that said that he was on his 58 and 1/3 day. Was he trying to beat that 1990 record or was he just so consistent that his thru-hikes were usually under 70 days?

[Newb]

I did it east to west in under a second.

[Captain Slider]

Where is the Ward Leonard person today..??? After all the hiking has he moved on to another adventure..?? Who knows something about this person...

[Lone Wolf]

last i knew he was with family in connecticut.

[dessertrat]

Does anyone know if Ward Leonard was a trail name or a real name? There is a Ward Leonard Electric Co., so I am wondering if he just adopted it as a trail alias.

[tazie]

I was wondering if anyone knows who holds the current records for fastest thru-hike for men and women...and any details of how it was done, re: support, food, mileage, etc.??
Thanks!
N - Cavebaby

Interesting stuff. I can't find any info on fastest women-thru hikers, if anyone has that I'm curious, too. I did find a site on Ellen Wolfe (trail name, Wolf Women, yeah it's plural) who hiked it in 4mos22days. Sounds kinda "speedy" to me. Personally I'd like to take my time and enjoy the journey...plus I'd be in no hurry to get home.

[Lone Wolf]

Does anyone know if Ward Leonard was a trail name or a real name? There is a Ward Leonard Electric Co., so I am wondering if he just adopted it as a trail alias.

it's his real name but he was never able to hold down a job so it's not his company.

[A-Train]

Interesting stuff. I can't find any info on fastest women-thru hikers, if anyone has that I'm curious, too. I did find a site on Ellen Wolfe (trail name, Wolf Women, yeah it's plural) who hiked it in 4mos22days. Sounds kinda "speedy" to me. Personally I'd like to take my time and enjoy the journey...plus I'd be in no hurry to get home.

Although that is faster, I've met several women who claim to have hiked it in 4 months or so. 522 from 2002 I believe hiked it in something like 3.5 months.

A women was trying to set the women's speed record on the PCT this yr but got off trail in Oregon.

I believe women set records on the LT and JMT this summer?

I think woman are as competitive as men, but probably don't brag as much. Maybe this is why we don't know their records?

[A-Train]

Now that I think about it, the womens "record" would probably be Ray Jardine's wife, Jenny. I believe they hiked the AT in ~3 months unsupported, which would probably be the fastest.

[tazie]

Although that is faster, I've met several women who claim to have hiked it in 4 months or so. 522 from 2002 I believe hiked it in something like 3.5 months.
A women was trying to set the women's speed record on the PCT this yr but got off trail in Oregon.
I believe women set records on the LT and JMT this summer?
I think woman are as competitive as men, but probably don't brag as much. Maybe this is why we don't know their records?

I believe the woman you mentioned on the PCT was "Dirt Diva"..she's a regular on runnersworld trail forums and has an awesome blog site. She's an ultra-marathoner and runs 100-mile races for fun. Right.
Still, hiking any trail for months at a time is a major feat in itself.