After retiring from biathlon following the Olympic season, Haldan Borglum completed the last of the 58 peaks over 11,000 feet in his home range, the Canadian Rockies, setting a new fastest known completion time for the list while also becoming the youngest person to finish it. The project began on 8 June 2024, and was completed on 14 June 2026, in just over two years—significantly surpassing the previous fastest completion of roughly 5.5 years.

Borglum initially approached the challenge not with speed in mind but as a way to progress as a mountaineer and alpinist. "I went into the 11,000ers not going for the speed record but to just try to do these harder peaks and progress as a mountaineer and an alpinist. Finishing the list is a big step towards that," he told the Rocky Mountain Outlook online magazine.

Much of the project was undertaken alongside his biathlon career, which he found gave him unique training adaptations and benefits for both sports.

The climbs spanned the Canadian Rockies in Alberta and British Columbia, including iconic peaks like Mount Robson, Mount Assiniboine, Mount Columbia, and Mount Alberta. Several were linked in efficient multi-summit pushes, such as a seldom-done multi-day linkup of Mount Robson, The Helmet, and Resplendent Mountain.

Reflecting on the experience, Borglum shared:

The record culminated in a five-day expedition to Mount Clemenceau and Tusk Peak, two of the most remote and infrequently climbed 11,000ers. After his climbing partners withdrew from the trip one day in, Borglum continued alone to the remote Clemenceau Icefield and summited both peaks solo, bringing the project to a close after 2 years and 6 days.

Borglum also emphasised the adaptability required for speed:

With rest days ahead this summer, Borglum is already dreaming of new mountain objectives, taking the skills he refined on the 11,000ers into new Canadian ranges and abroad.

A trip to Peru is already on the drawing board.

Photo: Haldan Borglum