ODT: Abort because of injury

Christof Teuscher

I’m very sad to report that I had to abort the 800-mile Oregon Desert Trail (ODT) speed record attempt after 9 days and about 371 miles because of a debilitating Achilles inflammation.

The problems started on day 6. On day 7 I could only run downhill. I tried everything (well, except icing and resting, haha) to mitigate the swelling and the irritation, but nothing seemed to help.

On day 8 I could not run at all and I had to cut open the left shoe on the back so that I would still fit in with the swelling. Instead of running I power-hiked the entire day and still reached my next cache. Today (day 9) I was supposed to reach Frenchglen, but it became very clear before the sun even rose that I was not going to make that 49-mile stretch until my next daily food cache. After hours of struggling with my stubborn mind, I saw no other solution than to call for help by sending off a SPOT rescue message. From that point on I still needed to move 26 miles to my next water cache and point where someone could drive to. I barely made it there and in a lot of pain. In the meantime, Ursina drove about 8 hours to come and rescue me in the middle of nowhere. I was only able to hobble to the car. 

Injuries suck. Failing sucks. They really do.

Now I need to rest and recover before I can tell the many stories. Thanks for all your support and encouragement, it means a lot!

Support and Acknowledgments

This speed record attempt is supported by La Sportiva and Tailwind Nutrition. Trackleaders is providing the real-time tracking.

sponsoring_logos#LaSportivaNA #ForYourMountain #LaSportiva #TailwindNutrition #GoTailwind

ODT: Gear Preview

Christof Teuscher

The video clip below shows a gear preview for the Oregon Desert Trail (ODT) speed record attempt. My goal was to go as light and minimal as possible, while still guaranteeing some safety and comfort. Without decent nights of sleep, I won’t last for long.

It is unlikely that I will have to deal with prolonged periods of rain, yet rain itself is not unlikely. To minimize the risk of hypothermia, I’m carrying waterproof rain gear. The bivy bag is also waterproof and breathable. It’s definitely on the heavier side, but allows me to keep all my gear, including the pack, dry inside because it’s slightly bigger.  Many of the lighter bivy’s are either only water-resistant or not breathable.

I will not carry a stove. That means no hot meals and drinks to warm up. Staying warm and dry during wet periods and at night will be a major challenge, even though my route leads through high deserts. Over the last couple of years, I’ve experienced several times surprisingly bad weather in the Steens and the Pueblo’s, ranging from torrential rains to thunderstorms, hail, and snow.

Protection from the sun is another challenge. There are long stretches that are very exposed without any shade or shelter. With the bivy bag and the poles, I can build a minimal shade structure in case I have to.

The nights can get very cold, but temps are unlikely to drop below freezing point at this time of the year.

Direct YouTube link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ura5rAp-RYc

Leave-no-Trace

The challenge will be completed by following strict leave-no-trace ethics. In order to reduce landfill waste, all trash will be recycled. In particular, gel and energy bar wrappers will be recycled by TerraCycle.The buried cache bins will serve as temporary trash bins during the adventure. They will all be retrieved after the adventure.

Support and Acknowledgments

This speed record attempt is supported by La Sportiva and Tailwind Nutrition. Trackleaders is providing the real-time tracking.

sponsoring_logos#LaSportivaNA #ForYourMountain #LaSportiva #TailwindNutrition #GoTailwind