Since 1972, Alaska to Patagonia has been a classic cycling route of 30,000km or more. At any given time, several ambitious cyclists are attempting it. But no one is doing it quite like Tobias Renggli of Lucerne, Switzerland.
The 23-year-old endurance athlete is not only pedaling the distance but also climbing the highest peak in each of the 35 countries he passes through. And although it’s part of the marketing rather than the adventure, the imagery so far — shot both by Renggli and by a film production group he belongs to called the Black Forest Collective — is stunning for such a difficult journey.
Northern lights. Photo: Tobias Renggli
Despite his age, this is not Renggli’s first adventure. In 2022, at the age of 18, he cycled all 44 European countries within seven months, climbing the highest peak of each and camping every night. In 2024, he climbed the highest mountains of all 26 Swiss cantons in about three weeks.
Subzero cycling. Photo: Tobias Renggli
Renggli began in April from Deadhorse, Alaska, on the shores of the Beaufort Sea — still deep winter at that latitude, though the long Arctic days had returned. Pedaling 1,200km in temperatures as low as -30˚C, he made his way to Talkeetna, then skied in for eight days while pulling a sled.
Photo: Tobias Renggli
First to the summit
He then summited 6,190m McKinley with his occasional partner, Heli Hofmann — the first party atop the peak this year, which meant they had to break trail through the deep snow. It took them 36 days.
Photo: Tobias Renggli
Next, it was onto 5,959m Mount Logan, Canada’s highest peak. Again with Heli Hofmann but no guide, they summited in late June. This time, they were the last party of the year to summit Logan.
Photo: Tobias Renggli
Renggli then cycled with another friend to Vancouver, took a two-week break after covering 3,000km and summiting two of the hardest peaks he would encounter, then continued alone through the U.S. Typically, he cycles 100 to 160km per day, with some shorter days.
Photo: Tobias Renggli
In Seattle. Photo: Tobias Renggli
Unlike most Trans-America cyclists, he chose to take Baja California rather than mainland Mexico. Crossing Baja was more difficult than expected. He described temperatures exceeding 40°C and a 120km stretch toward Loreto that he began with only two liters of water.
In Death Valley. Photo: Tobias Renggli
Later, near Ciudad Insurgentes, thunderstorms flooded the roads. At night, he carried his bicycle through a fast-moving, thigh-deep flood while vehicles turned back.
Photo: Tobias Renggli
Renggli had intended to take no motorized transportation, only sailboats when confronted with water — he also wants to climb 12 high points in the Caribbean. However, this is such a massive undertaking that he’s not being too strict on himself. Although he skied into Denali, for example, he flew back out to Talkeetna. And from La Paz in Baja, he caught the ferry to Mazatlan on the mainland and continued from there.
Details have been sparse since Baja, but Renggli recently crossed into Guatemala. Presumably, he climbed 5,636m Pico de Orizaba before leaving Mexico and is now headed to 4,220m Volcán Tajumulco, Guatemala’s highest peak. He has been on the road for 202 days.
Reggli’s route and current location.
