It all started because Kevin Reilly needed something to do. He was reading about the exploits of endurance athletes and researching difficult mountain linkups that combine multiple peaks into epic hiking feats. And he decided to pursue one of his own.

　　Just 2 years after he and his wife moved to Colorado from Massachusetts, Reilly was in a lot of pain. In 2023, he was diagnosed with psoriatic arthritis, forcing him to take a break from his longtime career as an electrician.

　　He experienced intense pain if he tried to work — but it also hurt if he just sat around for too long. Reilly needed a project, so he started looking at Colorados biggest mountains and dreaming about something that would push him to his limits. Though hed only hiked two of the states 14ers (a local moniker for mountains over 14,000 feet), Reilly felt attracted to the grandeur of the Rockies.

　　Thats how he came up with a linkup of Mount La Plata, Mount Massive, and Mount Elbert, three of the highest mountains in the state. With over 14,000 feet of elevation gain across nearly 31 miles, he realized his pet project could be a worthy addition to Colorados endless supply of outdoor challenges.

　　After months of intense training and planning, the 35-year-old set out on Sept. 14 and crushed the linkup in less than 24 hours. It wasnt until later that he spoke with Fastest Known Time. It turned out that hed accidentally recorded the feat sufficiently for inclusion with the record-keeping organization.

　　So say hello to the Cloud City Highline. It might sound daunting, but Reilly is sure of one thing: If an asthmatic, arthritis-ridden, former smoker can do it, what’s your excuse?

　　Kevin Reilly: Planning, Training for Pain and Gain

　　Kevin Reilly with mountains La Plata and Elbert in the background; (photo/Kevin Reilly) When Reilly started planning the logistics for his 14er linkup, he told GearJunkie that he had very little experience with high mountains —or endurance sports in general.

　　Before he began daily training that would last for many months, the longest race hed completed was a 5K. His diagnosis in 2023 came shortly after he hiked his first 14ers: Mount Bierstadt and Mount Huron, the latter of which was his first solo ascent up a Colorado peak. But as Reilly became enamored of hiking in the mountains, he also had to confront the realities of his arthritis and its impact on his life.

　　It was a really humbling thing at age 33 to ask guys to move a ladder for me, Reilly said. I wasn’t handling it well.

　　Ultimately, Reilly said he had to take a break from his electrician job with the support of his wife, Alayna. He needed to pursue something different — find a new project. So, he began researching Colorados toughest mountain hikes, looking for a goal that was intense but doable.

　　He considered known linkups like the popular Decalibron Loop, which includes the summits of four 14ers along its 7-mile trail. But with only 3,700 feet of elevation gain, that still seemed too easy to Reilly.

　　(Photos/Kevin Reilly) Reilly said he was seeking something that didn’t have a lot of records attached to it.

　　I just wanted something void of competition. I know what competition can get out of me, and it’s not always great, he said. This was born out of a desire to push myself, not stack myself up against other people. These specific mountains allowed me to do that.

　　The specific mountains — La Plata, Mount Massive, and Elbert — are three peaks that dominate Colorados Sawatch range. He designed a route that would summit all three of the mountains, involving 14,414 feet of vertical gain. He didnt know if he could pull that off in less than 24 hours like he wanted, so Reilly started traininghard.

　　In the months leading up to his Sept. 14 attempt, he walked, ran, or hiked over 1,200 miles. In 2023, he ran his first half-marathon. Then, he finished a full marathon. When September finally arrived, it was time to see if all that training had paid off.

　　Cloud City Highline FKT: 19 Hours, 53 Minutes, and 5 Seconds Reillys wife woke him up at midnight on the morning of Sept. 14 and drove him to the base of Mount La Plata from their home in Superior, Colo. By 2:15 a.m., Reilly was on the trail. There were no signs of life anywhere in the darkness.

　　It was pretty spooky, he said. No matter how many times you do this, there’s still a boogeyman on the other side of the trees.

　　The route of the Cloud City Highline linkup, starting with La Plata and ending with Mt. Massive. Then he emerged from the treeline, greeted by a warm breeze and a glittering Milky Way overhead. Feeling happy to have the mountain to himself, Reilly motored up La Plata in the black, and quickly descended the back down.

　　At this point, his wife picked him for a short, 3-mile ride to the Mount Elbert trailhead. Reilly used a car for this short portion of the trip because of concerns about the roads lack of rails, sidewalks, and streetlights. He acknowledges, though, that another hiker may choose to take the risk.

　　Once at the Mount Elbert trailhead, he started cruising up the south side — his favorite part of the linkup. The states highest mountain, Elberts primary route is forgiving, with a gentle slope meandering up a big, open plain beneath an otherworldly sky, Reilly said.

　　After summiting, he descended the northern side, eventually arriving at his first tent and cache of supplies. It was much needed, as hed run out of water miles earlier.

　　From there, he followed the Colorado Trail until the Mount Massive trailhead. It was there when Reilly started to feel the toll on his body. After 12 hours, hed already covered 20 miles with about 10,000 feet of elevation change.

　　His joints were on fire from the exertion. So Reilly said he took off his Brooks Cascadia trail runners and spent a few minutes icing down his legs in Half Moon Creek. He smeared some Dawn dish soap on his blistered feet as a lubricant, which he called an old family trick, and threw on some knee braces.

　　The third one was a really rough one, he said. I was having a hard time getting my water down or eating.

　　On the summit of Mount Elbert; (photo/Kevin Reilly) As he arrived on the mountain saddle, Reilly found it difficult to enjoy the panoramic view of the Continental Divide. He puked all over the place as soon as he took off his Nathan 12L running pack. That wasnt a good sign, he said, but he knew he only needed an hour to make the final summit.

　　When he finally reached it, he had the peak to himself. He broke down in tears as he texted his wife and mother to let them know he was safe.

　　Hed pulled it off. His Garmin Enduro 2 watch recorded a time of 19 hours, 53 minutes, and 5 seconds.

　　Capable of Anything The next morning was pretty cool, Reilly said, with the wheels already turning in his head, about the next thing. Hed accomplished exactly what he wanted, which was finding his limit.

　　I walked away from this feeling like I am absolutely capable of doing whatever I want to, Reilly said.

　　He said hed love to find a way to do this all the time. But with the coming winter bringing the hiking season to an end, he hopped on Indeed last month to start looking for work.

　　This time, however, hes not even considering jobs that will bring more pain to his arthritic hands. And he may have found something: teaching special education at a local public school.

　　Im really excited to try something new, he said. There’s very little we’re not capable of.

　　Queen of the Fourteeners: The Woman Who Made CO's Most Famous TrailsLoretta McEllhiney is largely responsible for creating the standardized trails people use to summit Colorado's iconic fourteeners. We met with her days after her retirement to discuss her work and legacy. Read more