Speed Hiking

Cousins Break 46er Thru-Hike Record

By Thomas O’Grady

The saying three’s a crowd does not hold true for the trio of cousins Dan Fronhofer, Paul Fronhofer, and Mike Jaworski who together set the Fastest Known Time (fastestknowntime.com) for an unsupported thru-hike of the Adirondack 46 High Peaks in June. The trio carried all their supplies and food, taking only water from natural sources. Their trip covered 198 miles over six days, five hours, and 40 minutes to eclipse the previous record by 21 hours. 

Endurance hikers and FKT seekers tend to fall into one of two categories when approaching their adventures. The first category is thrill seekers who loosely plan their trip, approach with an intense attitude, push relentlessly, and hope for the best. The second category are the planners who approach things with precision, measure everything, balance the trip based on fitness, and keep track of all the variables at play. After speaking with Dan, Paul and Mike, this group falls decidedly into the latter category. Despite the understanding that every extra person enters a new variable into the equation, the three worked together seamlessly, and were completely in tune during the trip. There were several times that each person commented on the fact that three people means more variables but the company, camaraderie, and shared energy the group brought to the trip was an integral part of their success. 

There were plenty of details to track before and during the trip. Among them were fitness, navigation, mental strength, nutrition and gear. From a fitness standpoint, each individual brought years of endurance training to the table. Paul, 41, of Moreau, and Dan, 38, of Saratoga Springs are both runners and bikers who have competed in a variety of marathons, ultra-marathons, and triathlons over the years. Each had hiked extensively and completed approximately half the Adirondack 46ers prior to the record attempt. Mike, 29, of Greenwich, was a sub-elite level mountain biker for several years and enjoys hiking and snowshoeing. Mike also brought relevant thru-hike expertise from his record-setting winter Adirondack 46er thru-hike with Nick Glasser in 10 days, 8 hours and 58 minutes in January 2020, which earned him his first FKT.

Leading up to the FKT attempt, their training focused on long efforts that were primarily running and hiking related. A favorite place to train was Moreau Lake State Park because of its variety of terrain, from steep climbs and descents, rugged trails with roots and rocks, and runnable patches along the higher plateau and lower lands. Mount Equinox, near Manchester, Vt., offered climbing repeat opportunities. Finally, trips to the Adirondacks allowed for training on the actual terrain they would be covering.

Navigation was greatly aided by reviewing previous Adirondack 46er thru-hiker routes. With only slight modifications in a few places to facilitate bushwhacking, the group settled on a nearly 200-mile route. The trip would start in the southwestern corner of the High Peaks and finish in the northeastern corner. On the first day, they set out and covered the four-peak Seward Range, before heading towards the Santanoni Range. Like any well-planned trip, they had intermediate goals and their day one goal was to make it past Bradley Pond – just east of Panther Peak. After accomplishing this, and tacking on a few extra miles, they finished ahead of previous attempts in good spirits. 

From there, they ran into their first and probably largest issue; a cold and wet hike up Mount Marshall due to a second day snowfall. Due to these conditions, they decided to forego the bushwhack from Marshall to Iroquois, and instead descended to camp near Lake Colden – postponing the hike up to Iroquois and Algonquin until the next morning. This caused GPS pings to show them off from their predetermined route. Unfortunately, they didn’t have good cell phone service so this left them a little concerned about what their family may think. After covering the central High Peaks region, they had the advantage of finishing their trip with long stretches along NY Route 73, which allowed for quicker travel as they navigated to the remaining peaks.

Like any multivariable equation, each component impacts another. Their nutrition was tightly calibrated to allow for a 5,000-calorie-a-day diet to fuel them. Key components of their nutrition were lightweight, high-calorie foods that would take up as little space as possible. Nuts, dried fruit, and peanut butter made up a large portion of their energy. From their description, nutrition was both a high and low point of the trip. Putting peanut butter into soft water bottle flasks allowed them to squeeze it out similar to a gel-pack. As the peanut butter emptied, they discovered that adding water made a thick milkshake-like consistency, that was quite delicious! 

Unfortunately, the monotony and high salt content left their mouth with what they describe as “mouth rot,” which was a low. Any ultra-endurance athlete knows that nutrition is a huge component of an event. Consistent fuel, accurate electrolyte and calorie intake with some variety is the key to maintain energy, mood and overall performance. The group started their final day with less than 1,500 calories remaining and finished on fumes.

For gear, the trio researched other hikes and reviewed Mike’s winter hike. They settled on packs that could hold 40 pounds of gear. From there, they determined the necessities and figured out the best way to fit everything, so that it could be comfortably and efficiently carried. Packing their gear appropriately, carrying the right amount, and navigating the land with it was another key component they attribute to their success. In preparation, they started by just carrying 40 pounds of rocks. This gave them a realistic idea of what the weight would feel like, and how much better their efficiently packed gear would feel – compared to rocks!

The last important aspect of the trip was mental, and this was perhaps the most impressive component. During the trip, Dan, Mike and Paul were in great spirits and no one had any real complaints. They also seemed to recognize their good luck as everything seemed to go smoothly. These three experienced athletes knew to expect the inevitable lull, where the going gets tough. Each event has components a racer must push through mentally and physically to succeed. For the Adirondack 46er FKT attempt, this wasn’t the case as thorough preparation and good company seemed to ensure their success.

Each noted that they had high aspirations for the trip. The previous record was just over seven days, and the group wanted to finish their trip in five days, “Anything in the five-day range was what we were shooting for.”

Splitting the trip into five days provided mental checkpoints. On day one, they made it past Bradley Pond, felt good physically, knew their fitness was there, and had fun on the trail with everything clicking, which provided them motivation. On the second day, when weather conditions were challenging for the only time on the trip, they made adjustments, kept their pace, and no one complained – this gave them more confidence. For sleep, they were expecting four-to-six hours after a day of hiking to be too little, but the well-planned mileage, camp setup, and sleep schedule kept them focused and sharp. For nutrition, they had brought enough calories for five days with little extra. It turns out they had packed accordingly and the fumes were all they needed to get to the finish line.

Each agreed that the trip seemed surprisingly “easier” than previous endurance events that they had completed. They also agreed that the descents were the most painful. This was a result of the long mileage and eccentric muscle movements required to navigate down rocky, rooted, and rugged East Coast trails. They were also happy to have had few foot problems besides minor discomfort. They opted for trail running shoes instead of hiking boots to provide maximum flexibility and speed. The drawback was their shoes became saturated and their feet were constantly wet, but they managed to avoid serious blistering until after the event was over.

A good question is why this trip, and why now? The answer provides as much insight into the group as does the description of their trip. Each had been very interested in outdoor fitness and endurance events in their own right. Paul and Dan described competing in long-distance races like many experienced athletes. The sports are as much athletic as they are an endeavor in economics and diminishing returns. Paul describes breaking 10 hours in the Ironman with the view that many very fit and analytical people use: How much extra will it take to go a half hour faster or to go sub nine hours? What are the expenses in terms of training time, equipment costs, and what’s the return on investment? For many people this means increasing training load and equipment costs without the possibility of elite level sponsorship or support. 

As Dan and Paul entered their 30s, they also started families. Many can understand their sentiment when they discuss going on five-hour or longer bike rides or 20-plus-mile long runs with specific training goals. A spouse can be understanding but young children have no reference as to why you need to be out for five hours hitting specific wattage and distance goals, when they want to go easy around the neighborhood! In preparation for this trip the whole family went hiking, were outdoors together and everyone wins. For other training requirements, the group would meet before work or early on the weekends to get out and do it.

For Mike, there was less of a question as to why now. He was very fit from biking trips and was into cool adventures. His winter Adirondack 46er trip piqued his interest and he proved to be an incredibly valuable asset on their FKT attempt. The question was more why not, if the opportunity was available, than any need to justify joining.

All three note that they have incredibly understanding families and also have work arrangements that allow for these adventures. Dan and Paul co-own Grey Ghost Bicycles and are also involved with engineering at BDP Industries and Fronhofer Tool. Mike is a manufacturing engineer at BDP Industries. For Dan and Paul, owning and operating a business is a good occupation for individuals who enjoy long endurance adventures. For each, their athletic pursuits and ultra-adventures are well-received by their more traditional colleagues, who jokingly ask them frequently what crazy thing they have planned next. They also get joking remarks when they take “normal” vacations to the beach with many not believing there wasn’t some sort of long endurance adventure tacked on for good measure. 

As of now, all three seem rightfully happy with the execution and success of their trip. They managed an inspiring fastest known time that left them without any major setbacks or lingering injuries, although they all stated they have never slept as well or as much in the days immediately following the trip. They were particularly fortunate with good weather, the state’s phased reopening, and avoided the worst of mud and black-fly season. Looking ahead, they’re enjoy training and looking forward to future adventures!

Tom O’Grady, PhD, MPH (thomas.james.ogrady@gmail.com) of Slingerlands is an avid runner, hiker, and lover of the outdoors. Learn more at ogradystrategies.com.