Grand Teton mountain-runner pardoned; Fior documentary slated for 2026

JACKSON, Wyo. and LOS ANGELES, Nov. 10, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The year-long legal saga over a Grand Teton speed record, which drew national attention to overcriminalization, concluded after President Donald J. Trump pardoned the mountain runner.

On Sep. 2, 2024, USA Track & Field runner Michelino Sunseri set a new 2h-50m-50s speed record ascending and descending Grand Teton, the iconic 13,775-foot summit in Wyoming's Grand Teton National Park (GTNP). The route is 13 miles and 7,000 feet of vertical gain with boulders, loose rock and exposed climbing.

The upper mountain is often covered in ice and snow, even in summer months. In many places, a slip leads to a thousand-foot fall. Guided parties use harnesses, ropes, helmets and puffer jackets to summit in two to three days. Wearing short shorts and a runner's belt, and powered by a Red Bull and Snickers, Michelino returned to his truck in less than three hours.

The North Face-athlete raced in classic mountain-running style: moving freely through the terrain to find his most-efficient path. Historically, there was no defined route for this informal challenge, merely trailhead to summit and back. But, some locals advocated for a new approach: using only maintained trails where available. In GTNP, unmaintained trails exceed maintained trails.

On descent, Michelino followed the footsteps of six out of seven prior record holders—including world-famous Kílian Jornet and a women's record in 2022—down the old climber's trail: a quarter-mile unmaintained trail that bypasses a longer maintained switchback. It passes through pines and sagebrush near the valley floor, an area where off-trail travel is generally legal and poses no safety and resource-damage risks.

In the 1980s, the NPS installed two small signs to encourage casual hikers to take the less technical, maintained switchback. Through at least the 2010s, rangers and guides continued to openly use the bypass trail. Guides and mountaineers still use it today.

But, in Oct. 2024, following a high-profile congratulatory post from Michelino's sponsor The North Face, local NPS climbing rangers filed misdemeanor charges. Amid record visitation and conflicting recreation uses, local rangers reinterpreted the 1980s signage as a legal closure. On the news, Outside Inc.'s FastestKnownTime.com rejected Michelino's record.

Separately, and without explanation, local NPS staff denied film permit applications from Fior Productions filmmakers Connor Burkesmith and Alex Rienzie under a law twice invalidated in U.S. District Courts. Following the record's publicity, local NPS rangers threatened Connor and Alex with criminal charges.

On Dec. 18, 2024, the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression's Bob Corn-Revere filed a first-amendment lawsuit on behalf of Alex, Connor and the National Press Photographers Association. In a stroke of fortune, the Senate unanimously passed the EXPLORE Act later that week, modernizing a law that predated the iPod to exempt low-impact crews.

Meanwhile, Michelino's criminal case proceeded to the Yellowstone Justice Center: one U.S. Magistrate Judge and one Assistant U.S. Attorney working and residing in Yellowstone National Park's Mammoth Hot Springs, WY, and focused on public lands regulatory infractions.

After Michelino's first plea offer included a five-year ban from GTNP—which would effectively drive the local runner and bartender out of town—filmmaker Alex Rienzie joined his defense pro bono, alongside local counsel Ed Bushnell. Away from the camera, Alex is a New York-barred attorney, investor at DKS Capital Partners and Harvard Law grad. Beyond the courtroom, Alex led months of advocacy efforts escalating the case to D.C.

Despite four offers by Michelino and his defense team of a civil resolution with community service, the case proceeded to a two-day trial on May 20, 2025. Weeks later, through Freedom of Information Act requests, defense revealed that the NPS withdrew support for the prosecution before trial, citing Executive Order 14294: Fighting Overcriminalization in Federal Regulations.

In Jun. 2025, Rep. Biggs (AZ) cited Michelino's case to advance the Mens Rea Reform Act of 2025 (H.R.59). Then, in Jul. 2025, Rep. Biggs and Rep. Hageman (WY) initiated a House Judiciary Crime Subcommittee investigation into the prosecution. Pacific Legal Foundation joined Michelino's defense to assist with a potential appeal.

Court ruling and potential GTNP banishment delayed, Michelino coached his partner and Arc'teryx-runner Jazmine Lowther to break the women's Grand Teton speed record in Aug. 2025: 3h 51m 12s. Jazmine also set the first GPX-verified record on the newly coined modern route, using only maintained trails where available. Then, within a week, Sportiva-runner Jane Maus lowered the bar again to 3h 45m 34s.

On Sep. 2, 2025, a year to the date of Michelino's record, the Yellowstone Justice Center found him guilty of violating 36 CFR § 2.1(b). But, on the eve of Michelino's sentencing hearing, DOJ reversed course, offering to dismiss the case after 60 hours of community service and a wilderness stewardship course.

Then, on Nov. 10, 2025, Michelino received a pardon from President Donald J. Trump, following months of advocacy efforts by Alex Rienzie and the defense team.

Filmmakers Connor Burkesmith and Alex Rienzie now begin post-production on a feature-length documentary going behind-the-scenes of the year's events: Racing Grand Teton, slated for 2026 release. The film will offer inside access to the world of mountain running, the halls of federal power and their unlikely collision.

A selection of photos covering the saga's key events may be licensed from Connor Burkesmith.

Contact:
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SOURCE Fior Productions