November 6, 2025, by Seward Folly Staff
Most people in Seward know Kris Peck as the City Clerk, a steady, modest presence who grew up right at the foot of Mount Marathon and still calls it home. What few realize is that Kris quietly holds a unique record: the most consecutive monthly climbs of Mount Marathon to Race Point, a personal streak he’s been keeping, without any fuss, for over 91 months, or seven and a half years.
Each month, without fail, Kris makes his way up the mountain. Usually, he chooses the race trail to the top and often continues down Skyline Ridge and into Mount Marathon Bowl before heading back home. He started out hiking for the challenge and the habit, but after hearing about Fred Moore’s long-held record of 90 consecutive months, Kris decided to track his own progress more deliberately.
Now, every time he summits, he takes a photo, sometimes setting up the camera himself, sometimes with help from a friend or fellow hiker, and saves each image in a dedicated photo album that marks his steady progress.
2022 and 2024 Album
Those photos tell a story beyond just the changing view at Race Point. They capture Kris alongside his dogs, who are frequent companions, and, in the summer, surrounded by friends or other Seward locals who join on the way up. Sometimes the group changes from month to month; one photo from this past summer shows Kris with Seward’s visiting Japanese student delegation, who summited with him during their exchange program.
Winter climbing on Mount Marathon takes a different kind of preparation. Kris is careful in picking his route, preferring the race trail for its wind-swept, avalanche-resistant profile. He gears up accordingly with steel-toed Extra Tough boots rigged with microspikes, a helmet, snowshoes tied to his backpack, and a climbing axe for the ice. When the trail turns rocky, he removes the spikes for safety.
Going up the race trail in the winter can be daunting. Traction is one of the most important factors. Sections of hard-packed glazed snow can be scary. There are several things I check to make sure the climb is as low-risk as possible. A sunny day with no wind is ideal, an early start to maximize daylight, a temperature of at least in the mid-20s, and a little bit of fresh snow is nice. Leaving footprints in the snow = traction.
-Kris Peck
Winter descents are always down the gradual skyline ridge and with snowshoes. After basking in the sun, going up the race trail, it’s kind of a bummer to head into the cold shade of the bowl. The bench trail can be a chore with deep snow. Usually, a complete winter hike takes 4-6 hours, depending on snow conditions.
Despite his long streak on the mountain, Kris has never raced up Marathon on the Fourth of July. He’s tempted to give it a try and plans to enter the lottery this year. If his name isn’t drawn, he says he’ll volunteer as a race sweep and cheer everybody else along.
Balancing work as the City Clerk and life with twins, Kris still manages to carve out time for his climbs and his photo documentation. For him, it’s about keeping up with a favorite hobby that’s as much a part of his routine as anything else. As he puts it, “With Seward being such a seasonal weather place, it’s nice to know I can continue to do my favorite hobby of mountain hiking every month.”
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