Trump Issues First Pardon for Cutting a Switchback: Michelino Sunseri Saga Reaches Surprise End
After more than a year of controversy and court battles, the Michelino Sunseri saga has taken a surprising turn. On Nov. 10, President Donald J. Trump pardoned the ultra-athlete, who in September 2024 was charged with cutting a switchback in Grand Teton National Park (GTNP) during a Fastest Known Time (FKT) attempt.
Sunseri was subsequently found guilty in September 2025 for “leaving the Garnet Canyon Trail to use the shortcut of the Old Climber’s Trail.”
This is the first time that a presidential pardon has been issued to someone who violated national park trail signage. In a case that has been precedent-setting from the start, this unusual turn of events seems par for the course.
GearJunkie reached out directly to Sunseri for comment on the news of his pardon, and has yet to hear back. We will update this story when we do.
Cutting a Switchback, Becoming a ‘Criminal,’ Getting a Presidential Pardon
GearJunkie has been covering this case from the start. We interviewed Sunseri a week after he ran his infamous Grand Teton FKT. The runner sprinted the 13.5 miles from the Lupine Meadows parking lot to the summit and back in just 2 hours, 50 minutes, and 50 seconds. He beat Andy Anderson’s previous FKT by 3 minutes and 12 seconds.
“It was definitely a doozy,” Sunseri told GearJunkie at the time. However, just days after fastestknowntime.com verified Sunseri’s record, the FKT was revoked. Then, National Park Service (NPS) rangers filed misdemeanor charges against the athlete. Strava data showed that Sunseri had used a shortcut known as the “Old Climber’s Trail.” That route bypasses a large switchback en route to the summit of Grand Teton.
Rangers claimed the trail was clearly closed and marked with signs. Sunseri and his lawyers argued that there was inadequate signage indicating the closure and that the shortcut was often used by other hikers. It was even used during a 2012 FKT by Kilian Jornet, who was not pursued or charged by NPS as a result.
Sunseri was given a plea that included a $5,000 fine and a 5-year ban from GTNP. His legal team argued that “would effectively drive the local runner and bartender out of town.”
Following that plea offer, in May, NPS withdrew its support for the case. The agency cited concerns about overcriminalization. In an email accessed by Sunseri’s lawyers through a FOIA request, NPS referenced Trump’s “Executive Order 14294: Fighting Overcriminalization in Federal Regulations.”
Nevertheless, on Sept. 2, 2025, Judge Stephanie A. Hambrick found Sunseri guilty.
What Happens Now?
With this pardon, the charges against Sunseri have effectively been nullified. Sunseri is off the hook. He faces no fines, and, most importantly, no ban from GTNP — where the athlete frequently trains and pursues records, such as his Grand Teton FKT.
Going forward, filmmakers Connor Burkesmith (who also acted as one of Sunseri’s lawyers) and Alex Rienzie are beginning post-production on a feature-length documentary about this FKT and the subsequent legal saga that led to Sunseri’s pardon. You can watch the film’s trailer above.
Fior Productions describes the film as a behind-the-scenes look at “the world of mountain running, the halls of federal power and their unlikely collision.” The documentary is scheduled for release in 2026.
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