I'm thinking there must be some incredible stories out there. Obviously a huge vertical climb is going to be on a non-technical route. The most awe-inspiring example I can think of is the Hard Rock 100 Trail Run in Colorado's San Juans. It's roughly 33,000 feet up, and of course 33,000 feet back down, over 100 miles. The course record is somewhere around 24 hours. So that's 33K feet or about 10K meters in a day.

Not to say I'm anywhere near that class. I think my best effort was up and down the Barr Trail on Pikes Peak. That's 7800 ft. (6.3K to 14.1K) over 26 miles RT. That was enough for me!

Stories?

I had 20,930 on my 5'er of Mount Olympus in 2010. I've had a number of 10,000+ days, and I always feel like hell afterwards.

Joseph Bullough wrote:I had 20,930 on my 5'er of Mount Olympus in 2010.

Jinkes, that's a lot of E in one day.

This cannot begin to compare with 33,000 or even with Joe's 5er of Mt. Olympus in SLC, but this one is a fun one for those in the SLC Wasatch area or those visiting. I call it the Triple Play. It consists of Mt. Wire (2,200' elevation gain), followed by Grandeur Peak west route (3,300' e.g.) and topped off (excuse the pun) with the Mt. Olympus South route (4200'+). Total is a little under 10K, but one has the luxury of driving times of 10 or so minutes between peaks. I've done this twice and have yet to persuade friends to do the entire thing with me. BTW, all of the THs are in the neighborhood of 5,000' plus or minus.

My Mount Rainier ascent in a single day I believe is my greatest vertical gain in a day. (over 9,000 feet)
http://www.summitpost.org/rainier-in-a-day-a-challenging-escapade/761654

But I've certainly been though much worse.

Never done more than about 7500'. Done that several times in several places (Pikes, Brewer, ...) Never measured total gain, just difference from start to summit.

BTW, the Barr Trail trailhead is at about 6600', making trailhead to summit right at 7500'.

Reminds me of this story from Mt. Shasta: 37,572 in less than 24 hours.

http://pweb.jps.net/~prichins/shastarw.htm

"Even though it's a big mountain and you have to give it a lot of respect, it's very soft and friendly,'' he said. "Sometimes, if you don't take risks, you don't get the adventures.''

Cactus to Clouds in California, San Jacinto summit from Palm Springs in 9 hrs. Total gain was just over 10,000ft.

The Pemi-Loop through the Pemigewasset wilderness, over 11 peaks in 33 miles, 9,800ft elevation gain with over 19,000ft of elevation change. My friend and I completed it in 15 hours and I will NEVER do it again:)

mconnell wrote:BTW, the Barr Trail trailhead is at about 6600', making trailhead to summit right at 7500'.

Thanks for the clarification. My experience was in the marathon, which starts about a mile below the trailhead in town. They list the starting elevation as 6300 ft.

Although it doesn't compare to some of these huge totals here, I think my biggest day was just close to 12k when we did Mt. Hood and Mt. Adams within 24 hours. Later in the week we also did 9k on the Three Sisters Marathon, and 9k again by doing Rainier in a day.
http://www.splattski.com/2002/peak_week/index.html

Mount Baldy (ski hut trail), to San Gorgonio (vivan creek trail), San Jacinto (from the tram) in 24 hours or less. It is called the 8,000 meter challenge. It happens evry year in September for socal outdoor industry employees.

Denjem wrote:Mount Baldy (ski hut trail), to San Gorgonio (vivan creek trail), San Jacinto (from the tram) in 24 hours or less. It is called the 8,000 meter challenge. It happens evry year in September for socal outdoor industry employees.

Note that the total elevation gain is about 4000 meters, if that.

I did the MR on Whitney in a Day last February 6. I did 15 miles? RT with 7400'. I killed a toenail and my legs were shredded for about a 5 days after. It wasn't the up, it was the down, and it was while coming down the North Fork that I really started to feel the pain. In June, I did Catalina SP to Mt Lemmon. That is 15 miles one way, with 7600' gained, and about 1000' descent. I felt fine, and went out the next day for a modest hike. I want to do Shorty's Well to Telescope this year, either camping on descent or at Mahogany Flats. That is over 11,000'

Observation/Shakspear and Table were somewhere in the vicinity of 13K, I think. <shrugs>

West Ridge of White Mountain Peak, 11K or thereabouts. Best day of my hiking life, bar none.