Tom Hart, a 64-year-old skier from North Ogden, Utah, has shattered the Guinness World Record for the most vertical feet skied in a single year. Hart logged an astonishing 8,513,340 vertical feet between November 30, 2023, and November 30, 2024, surpassing his own previous record. But he is not stopping there-Hart aims to reach 10 million vertical feet by the end of this season, a goal that would push his achievement even further.
Known as “Racer Tom” at his home resort of Snowbasin, Hart credits the short lift lines and excellent snow conditions for helping him cover such vast terrain. He typically skis about 57,000 vertical feet per day, starting early to join a group called the “First in Liners” who wait for lifts to open. After Snowbasin closed for the season, Hart moved on to ski at Snowbird in Utah, with plans to continue at Mammoth Mountain in California and Arapahoe Basin in Colorado.
Hart’s goal of 10 million vertical feet means he would have skied the equivalent of 1,894 miles-about 345 times the height of Mount Everest stacked end to base or over 5,600 One World Trade Centers laid end to end. His relentless dedication to skiing large vertical distances has made him a local legend and an inspiration to skiers worldwide.
While Hart is currently leading the race to 10 million vertical feet, another skier, Michael Donnay, has also surpassed this mark at Whitefish, Montana, though it remains unclear if he will seek Guinness certification.
Hart’s extraordinary feat highlights the limits of human endurance and the spirit of skiing, as he continues to carve his path toward an unprecedented milestone in the sport.