Oct 02, 2024

Alpine Connections: the untold story of Kilian Jornet's extreme adventure.

Back at sea level, in Åndalsnes, Norway, Kilian gave us a visit to debrief on his incredible achievement where Moonlight product has been playing a key role in the 19 days and nights long Alpine connexions.

Kilian: Before, we worked on short, single-push projects lasting one to three days. That approach already makes a big difference, saying we can just keep going.

I’ve done pushes without sleep, moving day and night, but they were always for a limited time. On longer projects, it was more of a classic approach: do an ascent for two days, then go down, then push again. It’s a repeated cycle. The key difference here is combining the two approaches. Now, it’s a single push that lasts over 2 weeks.

This changes everything in terms of how we plan the route. For 19 days straight, you’re constantly on the move, always on the ridges, night and day. You can't really calculate when you'll arrive somewhere; you just have to manage through the nights, over ice and difficult terrain. The idea of doing a continuous push, night and day, reduces the overall project time. Before, we’d spend 60 days going up and down repeatedly. Now, it’s three or four days condensed ascents in 24 hours—essentially, the day never ends. This creates a very special feeling.

But for this to work, you have to be capable of doing every part of the route at night. Normally, you'd approach some sections in daylight, but now we have to rethink everything. Going through tough sections in the dark creates a unique atmosphere. You don't have the same visual landmarks; during the day, you rely on distant peaks, but at night, you're navigating based on what’s immediately around you. If there’s no moon, you're left with just a few meters in front of you. It’s a different way of moving through the mountains.

Moonlight: How do you navigate at night? Do you follow your GPX track?

Kilian: I have a track on my watch and offline maps on my phone, so I followed it a bit, yes, but it's not very precise. On the ridges, the watch or phone helps with direction, but it's not accurate enough, so you have to constantly adapt to the terrain. You’re always making decisions on the spot. When a ridge has two exits, it’s not always clear which one to take, so I’d check the GPX during the night in this case yes.

But really, you trust what you see at the moment. For example, you decide whether to go over or around a gendarme based on the immediate vision from your headlamp.

Moonlight: You say you “Trust what you see” How did the 2000-lumen headlamp impact your project? Would you have been significantly slower with a smaller lamp? How did the lamp help with navigation, visual comfort, and overall performance?

Kilian: Absolutely. There are two main benefits. First, for orientation, the 2000-lumen lamp was crucial. Often, when arriving at a 30m high gendarme or challenging section, being able to see the entire wall made a big difference. With only a standard lamp, you might only see a few meters ahead and struggle to assess the route. There I could see very far and that was a key factor in choosing the fastest and safest itinerary. When you are at the foot of the face and you only see a few meters you don't know how much you need to climb, there I could see the full faces and decide to climb it or to go around it.

Second, in terms of visual comfort and reducing cognitive fatigue, the lamp was a game-changer. I spent many nights outside, 19 to be precise, and the clarity of the 2000 lumens helped minimize eye strain and cognitive fatigue. Despite long days of 20, 30, or even 40 hours, the reduced visual strain allowed me to recover quickly with just a few hours of sleep. We measured the cognitive fatigue and it was huge but I was able to recover fast. Only with a few hours or sleep.

The lamp also provided a broad field of vision, which was especially useful on projects that stretched over several nights. I was more comfortable when navigating difficult routes or dealing with unmarked paths, the high lumen output made it easier to spot obstacles like crevasses and plan the best route forward. Overall, the 2000-lumen headlamp made a significant difference in both navigation and overall comfort.

Moonlight: This is interesting because in the Alps, climbers often prefer the smallest and lightest lamps, with even 800 lumens being considered too much for some, where here in Norway people are more used to the darkest and want a 2000 lumens too. It’s cool to see how you’ve found this balance between minimalism and using gear that makes a real impact on safety and comfort.

Kilian: Yes, that's a common belief, and I used to think that way too. However, on a project like this, having a larger lamp makes a huge difference. It’s a calculated trade-off. For instance, crossing the Jorasses, where you’re following crampon marks on well-trodden paths, 200 lumens suffice, there is no navigation as I had to do with this project. But after a few days, visual fatigue sets in, and you're not always on a standard route. I could see the difference with my rope buddies who had lighter lamps, I was always the one who would go first where we had to make route choices.

On more challenging routes, like the descent of Fiescherhorn at night, it was bad weather, and the glacier navigation is critical to avoid crevasses having such a bright lamp was valuable. These routes aren't frequently travelled, so the extra light significantly improved safety and navigation. It was a real game-changer for me. Also in finding the access of La verte, at the ârrete du Brouillard etc. It was a game changer yes.

Moonlight: Did you get lost or face difficult moments during the night?

Kilian: I didn’t really get lost, but I did have to change my route due to conditions. For example, at Oberland, heavy rain forced me to alter my planned route, which added a lot of time. Instead of heading straight to Lagginhorn, I had to navigate a longer path that cost me a day.

Later, while descending to Brouillard and then crossing to the Col d’Eccles, I encountered massive crevasses and bergschrunds that blocked the way. Using the lamp at its full power I tried to find a passage on the glacier to see if there was a viable route. When that didn’t work, I considered retracing my steps and taking a different route entirely where a significant rockfall occurred, with large stones falling nearby. I first heard the noise, then saw the sparks in front of me. I cranked up the lamp to its maximum to spot the falling blocks and quickly sought shelter. There I saw stones the size of basketballs falling around me.

Moonlight: (...)Were you alone?

Kilian: Yes, I was alone. Being solo means there's less risk of others being caught in the rockfall. After the rockfall, a thick dust cloud settled, making visibility and navigation challenging. I decided not to stay on the glacier and instead sought a passage across the ridge. I eventually found a bridge-like spot that helped me cross. With my equipment—ice axe and ice screws—I managed to climb the vertical ice wall and continue to the bivouac. Once there, I rested for a few hours, as I was emotionally drained.

Moonlight: It’s interesting because historically, you’ve focused on minimalism and lightweight gear. You've often chosen to go with less equipment, like when skiing or making passages with minimal gear. But here, you opted for a heavier 2,000-lumen lamp instead of a lighter option like the Moonlight 800. It seems counterintuitive given your usual approach.

Kilian: Yes it is. I decided that spending a lot of time at night meant I needed a powerful lamp. Nighttime shouldn’t be a limitation; it should be as effective as daylight. For this project, I needed to be able to climb continuously through the night. Not only the transport or easy section but passing the cruxes too. The choice of equipment is crucial for that.

It’s about optimizing what you need for progress. I chose specific gear —running shoes with crampons, only one ice axe, and also only one ice brush—to handle various conditions but I need to keep moving since I do not have equipment for sleeping.

With a smaller lamp, finding a safe passage through a crevasse in the dark would have been extremely difficult. The visibility provided by the 2,000 lumens allowed me to make critical decisions and avoid hazards. For me, continuous movement and safety were paramount, so I needed gear that wouldn’t slow me down or compromise security. This approach is similar to how I would tackle a day climb, but extended into the night. If I wasn’t comfortable navigating at night, I would have to stop, which isn’t an option for this kind of project and with the equipment in my backpack.

I had planned to cross at night the sections exposed to rockfalls but after seeing the state of the permafrost and rocks falling even during the coldest hours I decided to try to cross them during daylight. But for the glaciers it has been much better during the night, the snow and the ice were perfect amd I could see the crevasses with the lamp and navigate around them.

Moonlight: You mentioned the mental aspect a lot. Can you elaborate on how you managed both physical and mental fatigue?

Kilian: Physically, I managed recovery very well. I didn’t lose weight, and towards the end, during the last two days at Gran Paradiso and Ecrin, I felt strong. We were running and outpacing the others, which showed that my physical recovery was on track. Sleep, food, and general physical care all played a role in that.

The tougher part was dealing with cognitive and emotional fatigue. There were many days filled with exposure and tension. While some summits like Bernina, Gran Paradiso, and Ecrins were relatively straightforward, the central sections, including Oberland, Valais, and Mont Blanc, were more challenging. These areas had complicated links with significant exposure. I did several pushes of over 30 hours in these three massifs with only a few hours of sleep in between, and of course a lot of exposure which added to the physical fatigue.

Navigating complicated passages both technically and in terms of movement took its toll. For example, in Valais, finding crevasses was difficult and escending the northern ridge of Weisshorn at night after a 30-hour stretch without sleep was emotionally taxing. The view at sunset was one of the most powerful experiences, but the descent itself was technically demanding with a lot od rotten rocks and emotionally draining.

Mont Blanc presented similar challenges. The first day was relatively easy with the Jorasses, but the second day was extremely tough emotionally, particularly on Droites. It was a vertical send. Everything was unstable. That was very demanding. The second part of the project, including Brouillard and Blanche, offered some relief, but it still involved finding routes and dealing with technical sections, which added to the emotional strain.

Managing cognitive stress was crucial. I had to stay calm and react quickly in high-pressure situations, like when faced with a fall or other critical moments. Maintaining a level of relaxation and managing the accumulation of cognitive stress from day to day was key. The challenge wasn’t just in orientation but in navigating the terrain safely, which is the most difficult aspect of such crossings.

Moonlight: How do you manage moments of solitude? Do you think about anything else during those times?

Kilian: Most of the time, it's all about focus. When you're dealing with difficult or technical sections, you concentrate on the present moment and the next movements. You can lose track of time, spending six or seven hours without realizing it because you're so immersed in what you're doing. Even during the day, it can feel like night, as your focus narrows to the task at hand.

There are times when you're walking more steadily, and you have space to think, but solitude is something I actually enjoy. It allows you to be in your flow. There are moments of intense concentration due to difficulty and risk, and there are also moments of pure joy when you're on good rock and everything feels seamless.

You’re deeply engaged with your surroundings, and your focus is always on the task at hand. Unlike in an ultra or other endurance events where you might experience boredom, here, there's rarely a chance to let your mind wander. For instance, even during the descent of the Oberland Glacier, navigating was crucial, and there were long stretches like the 10 km trail in the Oberland or the descent from Bischorn to Zinal but that’s it.

But throughout the crossing, you stay constantly concentrated. When you finally reach the end, like at the Ecrins, it’s a moment of relief and accomplishment.

Moonlight: How did you feel once you finished? Were you happy it was over, or did you wish it could have continued? Was there satisfaction, or were you still striving for more?

Kilian: There was definitely a sense of satisfaction, but also a recognition that the project was coming to an end. When I reached the valley, having completed the Mont-Blanc massif, I felt a shift. The remaining tasks, like the big Paradise and Ecrins, were more about physical endurance and less about intense concentration. The hardest parts were behind me, so the final days felt more relaxed and I could appreciate more.

I enjoyed those last two days, reflecting on everything that had happened and appreciating the experience. But even after finishing, there’s always a drive to keep moving forward. The routine of waking up and thinking about the next challenge is ingrained in me. So, while I was happy to have completed the project, it was more about a gradual satisfaction that settled in over time. It wasn’t an immediate burst of triumph as after a race but a deeper sense of accomplishment that unfolded as I took time to reflect on the journey.

Moonlight: How do you think the general public perceives your project compared to the Pyrenees last year? Is there more enthusiasm?

Kilian: The Pyrenees were already quite impactful and drew a lot of interest. This project, however, seems to have sparked even more enthusiasm. It’s interesting because many people focus on the numbers—the distance, elevation, and summits—whereas for me, those figures weren’t the primary concern.

I didn’t even keep track of how many summits I climbed or the total distance. The real focus for me was on technical management, mental endurance, and the overall journey. But I think people are drawn to this project because it involves well-known summits and regions. Many climbers have tackled parts of these areas, so there's a greater sense of familiarity and excitement. It resonates more deeply with people, perhaps because they can relate to the places and challenges involved.

Moonlight: So, I have one last question about electricity. How did you manage it?

Kilian: I had a few things to keep charged: my phone, camera, lamp, and watch. I used a tracker for the team to track my location, and I had a power bank for backup. The power bank was intended to charge everything, but I only ended up using it to charge my phone. The lamp never had any issues; I just replaced the batteries every 30 hours or so. Sometimes I’d bring an extra battery with me. Even though I didn’t use the phone much, it drains the battery quickly. My phone had all the topos and offline maps, so I checked those occasionally.

Moonlight (laughing): And you didn’t lose it this time?

Kilian (laughing): No, I didn’t lose it. I had a little rope to keep it secure at any time, so it stayed with me the whole time.

Moonlight: What about the bike parts? Did you enjoy that?

Kilian (laughing): Yes yes it was not that bad. I took the bike sections quite casually. It was the easiest part of the traverse for sure. Eating and drinking on the bike was a breeze compared to climbing.

Moonlight: Thank you very much for sharing your experiences. It’s great to hear that despite the enormity of the challenge, you found moments of flow and even enjoyment amidst all that intensity. It speaks to your ability to stay calm and composed under pressure, which is undoubtedly a huge asset in these high-risk situations. We are deeply grateful you want to share your experiences with us and our community. We learn a lot from you, even about our product.