Dog Mountain in southwest Washington state is a classic route: 2,800 feet of climb on a 6.3 mile round trip route with incredible views and an explosion of wildflowers in May. A popular training route with a solid Strava history, the women’s FKT was claimed last year by Hannah Ryder in a solid 1:09:29 – a time that will be tough to beat.
Where things get interesting is beyond a single loop of this trail. Fastest Known Time only lists a single trailhead to trailhead variation, but like many popular routes, local athletes keep their own records for accomplishments on this trail.
Christof Teuscher, a local ultrarunner who excels in designing challenges, maintains a list of FKTs for 24 Hours of Dog Mountain – which can be taken on as how many laps you can do in 24 hours or a set number of laps you can complete in less than 24. He recently pointed out on an Instagram post that there are many opportunities for women to post some records there.
As of May 2023, the only posted women’s record was by Kaytlin Roberson for her 3 summits in 8:24:31.
Beyond the 24 hour challenge, Teuscher records the greatest number of summits in a week, a month, and a year. There are no women’s records listed for any of these accomplishments.
Perhaps the most interesting aspect of this story, however, is the idea that FKTs don’t just exist on one website. It is possible for you to create your own challenges and records that you can track and promote. We can create the meaning for what we do, and you do not need to be limited by what already exists. Part of claiming our space on the trails is to be here creatively, making the challenges and accomplishments that mean something to us. So let your mind run, and let us know what you dream up!