Kilian sits down for a 20‑minute conversation about States of Elevation, the project to link all 72 fourteeners in the US lower 48 by foot and bike in just 31 days. He breaks down how the line was drawn, why Norman’s 13 became a turning point, how weather and risk shaped every decision, what he ate and how he slept, and what Rainier in October felt like. This is the story behind the numbers: the quiet miles, the hard calls, the people who showed up, and the reason he keeps returning to wild places. Chapters: 00:00 Mapping the dream 00:29 No expectations, only distance 01:04 Rough start and adaptation 02:57 Low mornings, keep moving 03:52 Diversity of the West 04:53 Drawing the line (routes + ridges) 06:37 Adapt to weather, don’t wait 07:49 Learning the bike 08:58 Empty miles = beauty 09:59 Rainier doubts 10:46 A day in the life (mountain vs. bike) 11:59 What worked (sleep, gear, systems) 16:48 Carrying what mattered 17:48 Access, wild places, and why it matters 19:49 A hope for preservation and access