In August 2019, Jason Hardrath took on what would become a life-changing endeavor – to get the Fastest Known Time on the Rainier Infinity Loop. What he didn’t realize at the time is that this one audacious goal would end up sculpting his life in unexpected ways.

The Infinity Loop Concept

An infinity loop on a mountain requires an athlete to not only summit the peak, but to summit twice, descend twice, and also circumnavigate the mountain (see map below). The wild idea was the brainchild of the late Chad Kellogg, a well-known Washington climber. Unfortunately, Kellogg passed away before he was able to attempt his creation, but his legacy remains.

Hardrath has taken the idea of the infinity loop and has applied it to most of the Cascade volcanoes, including Mount Hood, Mount Shasta, and Mount Adams. But he wasn’t about to stop there. After his record-breaking Bulgers FKT on the 100 tallest peaks in Washington State, Hardrath set his sights on Pico de Orizaba, a volcano in Mexico boasting an impressive 18,491 feet of elevation at the summit. He was eager to take the infinity loop concept outside of the United States.

Journey To Infinity

In December 2022, Hardrath flew down to Mexico on a mission to establish the infinity loop on Orizaba. However, his time on the mountain revealed one of his worst fears – he was susceptible to High Altitude Pulmonary Edema (HAPE), a potentially fatal form of altitude sickness where fluid builds up in the lungs. When he started coughing up pink foam, he knew he had to leave, but he wasn’t about to give up.

Hardrath gathered a support crew and brought on a friend, Nathan Longhurst, as well as photographers and videographers, to return to Orizaba just a few months later to attempt the audacious goal once again. Are they ready for 40+ miles and over 20,000 feet of gain at high elevation? Or will the team come apart at the seams?