Faces $5,000 Fine And Park Ban After Trying To Smash A Record

On September 2, 2024, skilled endurance athlete Michelino Sunseri determined to chop a switchback through the quickest recognized time (FKT) try at a Grand Teton path at Wyoming’s Grand Teton Nationwide Park. Utilizing the shortcut, he broke the velocity report for ascending and descending the 13,775-foot peak, however the report was shortly revoked after his GPS observe confirmed he reduce a switchback whereas descending.

Dealing with prison time and the possibility of a fine of up to $5,000 for the shortcut, the athlete found some support in the National Park Service, calling it “overcriminalization,” after it determined to retract its help for the prosecutors.

Nevertheless, one yr after his controversial run, on Tuesday, September 2, 2025, federal Justice of the Peace Decide Stephanie A. Hambrick dominated that Sunseri was responsible of leaving the designated path. Though there is not going to be any jail time, the endurance athlete might face a possible ban from the park and a nice of as much as $5,000. Sunseri’s authorized staff at Pacific Authorized Basis is prone to enchantment the choice.

“The Defendant Is Adjudged GUILTY” Of Slicing A Switchback

Final yr, the present quickest recognized time (FKT) for the Grand Teton path at Grand Teton Nationwide Park, of roughly two hours and 52 minutes, set by Andy Anderson in 2012, was claimed to have been overwhelmed by Michelino Sunseri’s obvious velocity report by simply two minutes. Sunseri claimed to have accomplished the path in two hours, 50 minutes, and 50 seconds on the demanding 13.2-mile, 7,000-foot vertical route.

Michelino Sunseri, a North Face-sponsored athlete and resident of Driggs, Idaho, initially seemed to be the brand new report holder, and his try was a triumph; nevertheless, the official chronicler, Fastest Known Time, rejected Sunseri’s report after his GPS observe confirmed that he reduce a switchback whereas descending. In consequence, Andy Anderson’s 2012 effort stays the official quickest recognized time on the Grand Teton.

Dreamstime

Responsible

Decide Stephanie A. Hambrick issued the responsible verdict precisely a yr after the incident, after the Nationwide Park Service had charged Sunseri with a Class B misdemeanor. Although the NPS later determined to retract its help for the prosecution, citing overcriminalization, the Division of Justice requested prosecutors to proceed. Finally, Sunseri was placed on trial in Jackson, Wyoming.

“The Defendant is adjudged GUILTY,” wrote federal Justice of the Peace choose Stephanie A. Hambrick of Wyoming in her September 2 verdict. Sunseri left “the Garnet Canyon Path to make use of the shortcut of the Outdated Climber’s Path” violating a code proscribing hikers’ use on designated trails and prohibiting shortcuts in sure areas, in response to the decision.

“Leaving a path or walkway to shortcut between parts of the identical path or walkway, or to shortcut to an adjoining path or walkway in violation of designated restrictions is prohibited.” – 36 CFR 21(b)

After ultra-runner Kilian Jornet cut switchbacks in his own record attempts in 2012, lawmakers up to date the authorized code in 2022 to criminalize reducing switchbacks. The code violated by Sunseri clearly states {that a} park superintendent “could prohibit mountain climbing or pedestrian use to a chosen path or walkway system.” It specifies that “leaving a path or walkway to shortcut between parts of the identical path or walkway, or to shortcut to an adjoining path or walkway” is illegitimate.

No machine-readable writer offered. Tdsharkey~commonswiki assumed (based mostly on copyright claims) Wikimedia Commons

Apparently, Sunseri took the route of Outdated Climber’s Path, an off-the-cuff shortcut on the Grand Teton that cuts the 13.1-mile out-and-back route by a couple of half-mile. For many years, climbers had generally used the casual cut-through whereas descending from the height. “Closed for regrowth,” indicators have been positioned on the backside and the highest of the shortcut since as early because the Nineteen Eighties, in response to testimony from former climbers and report holders.

Quickest Recognized Time on the Garnet Canyon Path in Wyoming’s Grand Teton Nationwide Park

Whereas Sunseri’s authorized counsel argued that the park hadn’t correctly closed the Outdated Climber’s Path, Decide Hambrick didn’t chew. In her ruling, she argued that the posted signage made the closure enforceable. She wrote that reducing a switchback is substantively completely different from basic off-trail journey and that “The comparability is unhelpful,” as a response to Sunseri’s protection claiming he was being singled out due to his visibility as a sponsored athlete, whereas hundreds of holiday makers wander off-trail to close by lakes with out repercussion.

Response To The Garnet Canyon Path Case & Judgment

Sunseri’s spherical journey from car parking zone to mountaintop and again once more final yr drew criticism from different long-distance runners — after which prison costs for violating federal rules meant to guard pure, cultural, and archaeological sources in parks. The incident evoked a pointy divide inside the endurance group. For some, the prosecution of Michelino Sunseri is about respecting delicate alpine terrain and park rules. In distinction, others view it as an over-the-top response to criminalize an error typically dismissed in on a regular basis recreation.

Sunseri instructed SFGATE earlier this yr, “might theoretically destroy my complete skilled profession as a path runner.”

Overcriminalization or Accountability?

The response among the many on-line group appears divided between condemnation of the act and never contemplating it a severe offense. On a well-liked Reddit post concerning the DOJ’s (Division of Justice) stance on the incident and its ‘unprecedented’ step within the case of Michelino Sunseri, some customers help the decision for a ban, arguing that brazenly utilizing the shortcut quantities to dishonest, which is unacceptable. Another claimed to argue that dishonest would indicate that he hid the truth that he selected to chop the switchback. Nevertheless, probably the most related remark got here from a user who pointed in direction of the larger problem at hand –

“At nationwide parks, YOU STAY ON TRAIL except explicitly acknowledged.” He went on to say, “Folks saying 5 years is simply too robust are on one other finish of a spectrum bc I’m shocked he didn’t get a lifetime ban and hefty restoration nice.” (this was earlier than the decision)

Whereas North Face, Sunseri’s sponsor, hasn’t dropped him from their roster, they did, nevertheless, take away a celebratory publish about his “not possible dream” final fall when the controversy first broke. After the judgment, in an e mail reply to Outside, Sunseri’s authorized staff at Pacific Authorized Basis mentioned it would enchantment the choice. “We respectfully disagree with the Justice of the Peace choose’s ruling. It reifies the large claims of energy by park superintendents to put in writing federal prison regulation. That is nicely past any energy the Structure contemplates for inferior officers—these not confirmed by the Senate—to have. We’ll enchantment,” mentioned Michael Poon, an lawyer at Pacific Authorized Basis.