In August, Jamey Mossengren, better known as the Unicycling Unicorn, completed one of the most challenging adventures on earth: the 3,100-mile Continental Divide Trail (CDT) — and he did half of it on one wheel.
In 2023, Mossengren hiked half of the CDT. This summer, he returned to finish the journey in a way no one ever has before — “uni-packing,” his twist on bikepacking where you carry all your gear on a mountain unicycle.
“It’s just like bikepacking,” he said, “except you only get half a bike to strap everything to.”
Starting in Grants, N.M., in June, he pedaled and hiked north to finish near Yellowstone National Park. In doing so, Mossengren became the first person in the world to hike half and unicycle half of the CDT — not to be confused with the Great Divide Mountain Bike Route, which follows easier dirt and paved roads.
This year’s journey carried a deeply personal purpose.
Earlier in 2025, Mossengren’s beloved sister died by suicide.
“I needed to spend time in nature to help let the mountains heal my broken heart,” he said.
While he didn’t set out to make the ride a fundraiser, by the time he finished, he decided to donate $1,000 to the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (afsp.org) and encourages others to make a donation of any amount.
“Please call 988 or even send me a [direct message] if you need help,” he added.
To navigate the complicated logistics, Mossengren employed a creative seven-wheel strategy: his Sprinter van, a moped and his trusty unicycle.
He would park the van at a trailhead, scooter north with the unicycle strapped to the moped, ride the unicycle south back to the van, then leapfrog ahead — all while making sure he covered every mile.
This is far from Mossengren’s first epic feat.
He has thru-hiked the 2,200-mile Appalachian Trail, 300-mile Superior Hiking Trail and most of the 2,600-mile Pacific Crest Trail, in addition to uni-packing the 500-mile Colorado Trail, 800-mile Arizona Trail and 700-mile Oregon Timber Trail.
Last year, he even set a Guinness World Record by riding a 44-foot-tall unicycle.
Despite a couple of flat tires, worn-out bearings, and plenty of “UPDs” (unplanned dismounts), Mossengren completed the journey without serious injury.
Along the way, he shared daily video updates on YouTube, Instagram and Facebook — always giving a trigger warning before discussing sensitive topics like mental health and suicide, ensuring his followers can engage at their own comfort level.
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