September 2014 to June 2025
Back in September 2014, I came up with a project to run up and down each of New Hampshire's 48 4,000-foot mountains individually. Over the previous year, I had started transitioning from hiking to more trail running, and this was a great goal to push myself physically, mentally, and see how much I would improve over the 48 runs. Additionally, this would be another way to keep outings on the trail interesting while picking off peaks for my Grid.
Originally, the goal was to complete this before turning 40 in July of 2019. Well, that goal flew by, next it was to complete it in ten years, nope, missed that goal too! I didn't miss the goal from lack of motivation, I was still out and about doing big mile and elevation days, completing two Grids, and starting and finishing another project I called the Tri 48.
Finally, almost eleven years later, in June of 2025, I completed the RUN NH48 on Mount Lafayette. Below is a breakdown.
By the Numbers:
From four different GPS watches over the 10+ years (Garmin 910XT, 920XT, Suunto Ambit3 Peak, Suunto 9 Peak Pro)
- 390 total miles / 8.12 average miles per run
- 144,696' total elevation gained / 3,015' average elevation gained per run
- 52 hours ascending / 30 hours descending / 82 hours total time (3.4 days)
- 1 hour 5 minutes 40 seconds average ascent time / 37 minutes 20 seconds average descent time / 1 hour 43 minutes average total time
It is a bittersweet feeling now that this has finally concluded. When I started up the Mount Tecumseh Trail in September of 2014 in La Sportiva Bumble Bee Raptors, my goal for that day was to keep the legs turning in a running motion for the first mile, mission accomplished, then I quick hiked the rest and ran the descent. By the end of RUN NH48, I was able to keep the legs turning the whole way up to the summit, followed by bombing the descent.
I am very proud of my ascent times, no excuses or second-guesses for any of them, it was a pure grind and I loved it. I take pride in knowing that after reaching the summit and getting the bag beaten out of me, I still had the legs and power to hammer the descents, all out, flying down rock hopping and tap dancing my way to the trailhead. Getting up and getting down safely while enjoying every moment has left many unforgettable memories to look back upon fondly.
Favorite Personal Accomplishments
- Sneaking in a sub two-hour Carrigain (1:59:37) on a steamy late afternoon in June 2015
- Racing daylight on Moosilauke's Carriage Road in September of 2015 in under two hours (1:50:50)
- Sub three-hour Owl's Head in August of 2019 (2:44:42)
- Sub two-hour South Twin in the middle of winter in February 2023 (1:58:55)
- Bombing down Monroe in eighteen minutes in February of 2024 (18:31)
- Mount Washington in under two hours in September 2024 (1:49:41)
Gear Used
- La Sportiva; Raptors, Mutants, Vertical K, Bushido, Helio for snow-free trails, Crossover GTX, Blizzard GTX, Cyklon Cross GTX for snow-packed trails.
- Running vests/packs: Camel Back Octane 18, Osprey Rev 6, Nathan Fireball (personal favorite, discontinued), Nathan Vapor Air 4L, Nathan Vapor Air 2.0 7L, Nathan Quickstart 3.0.
Run Overviews
#1 Tecumseh: 4.6 miles / 2,241' elevation gained
42:53 up 28:50 down 1:11:23 on 9/8/14 (Strava)
40:34 up 26:53 down 1:07:26 on 11/10/15 (Strava)
- Mount Tecumseh Trail, gradual grades with decent footing until the water crossing at 1.0 miles, then a moderately steep rock staircase until gaining the ridge, and the last 0.5 miles has moderate grades. All I remember from this run was I was thrilled to keep the legs turning in a running motion until the water crossing, then I quick hiked to the summit and trail ran down. I reran Tecumseh in November of 2015 and shaved four minutes off, but I remember absolutely nothing from that run.
- Will I rerun it? Yes, in winter on packed trails to try and join the sub one-hour club!
Mount Tecumseh Trail. The rock staricase!
#2 Jefferson: 4.56 miles / 2,700' elevation gained
54:35 up 31:33 down 1:26:08 on 9/8/14 (Strava)
49:47 up 37:32 down 1:17:19 on 8/1/17 (Strava)
- Caps Ridge Trail, did this one a few hours after #1, what was I thinking??!! The first mile isn't too bad with moderate grades and ok footing, but once reaching the "Caps," it's a steep grind of scrambling around and up the three Caps, followed by rock hopping over odd-shaped boulders of all sizes. I came back years later to give this one a proper go and shaved almost nine minutes off on fresh legs, who knew!
- Will I rerun it? No way, I'm happy with my rerun time, and this is one of the few trails which does not see foot traffic in the winter.
The rugged Caps Ridge Trail. Your feet will get beaten up, but you can't beat those views!
#3 Cannon: 4.8 miles / 2,375' elevation gained
46:48 up 21:22 down 1:08:10 on 9/9/2014 (Strava)
42:00 up 18:44 down 1:00:44 on 11/8/18 (Strava)
- Mittersill-Cannon Trail, I took advantage of the newly blazed Mittersill-Cannon Trail (now closed) to run the ski trails up to Cannon Mountain instead of the eroded and steep mess that is the Kinsman Ridge Trail. It's a ski trail, so steep grades from bottom to top, but generally good footing and great views. I nailed the rerun on fresh legs four years later, shaving off almost eight minutes.
- Will I rerun it? 50/50, the idea of gunning for a sub one hour was tempting at one point, but now not so much.
The now closed Mittersill-Cannon Trail. It was a great alternative to the eroded Kinsman Ridge Trail
#4 Hale: 4 miles / 2,350' elevation gained
39:51 up 21:12 down 1:01:03 on 9/23/14 (Strava)
38:39 up 18:04 down 56:43 on 9/1/16 (Strava)
37:50 up 18:15 down 56:05 on 7/11/18 (Strava)
- Hale Brook Trail, easy to moderate grades with good footing for the first mile, followed by rockier terrain with more exposed roots for the second mile. After my first run, I definitely knew I'd be coming back to shoot for a sub one-hour, not sure why I came back a third time though!
- Will I rerun it? No, even though running it in the winter could shave another five minutes off, no interest in the two-mile road walk to and from the trailhead since Zealand Road is closed in the winter.
Hale Brook Trail. The shortest distance of the 48 4K runs
#5 Jackson: 4.85 miles / 2285' elevation gained
47:01 up 28:44 down 1:15:45 on 9/26/14 (Strava)
46:44 up 24:00 down 1:10:44 on 11/19/18 (Strava)
- Webster Jackson Trail: Moderate to steep grades over awful footing for the majority of it. Not sure why I didn't do the rerun in winter when it's much safer to run. If you're looking to work on foot placement and balance on a gnarly trail, this one is perfect. Added bonus, a great view from the summit cairn.
- Will I rerun it? I would like to go back in winter on a packed trail to see how close I can get to the one-hour mark, pretty confident I can get to around 1:02ish (44 up and 18 down)
Webster-Jackson Trail. It's an eroded grind, but the views make it worth it!
#6 East Osceola: 5 miles / 2.383' elevation gained
46:13 up 27:36 down 1:13:49 on 10/10/14 (Strava)
- Greeley Ponds Trail and Mount Osceola Trail. Great footing over an easy grade for the first mile along the Greeley Ponds Trail. Mount Osceola trail starts off with good footing and moderate grades before one of the steepest 0.75 miles in the White Mountains over horrible footing until gaining the ridge. The last 0.2 miles to the summit is over moderate grades and decent footing.
- Will I rerun it? 50/50, in winter I'd be able to fly down most of it, but it's not a priority.
Greeley Ponds Trail has a great flow to it, Mount Osceola Trail is the complete opposite. Not pictured is the steep and rough mile straight shot to the summit
#7 Tom: 5.1 miles / 2250' elevation gained
45:56 up 24:09 down 1:10:05 on 10/10/14 (Strava)
43:30 up 17:17 down 1:00:47 on 2/7/23 (Strava)
- Avalon Trail and A-Z Trail, Mount Tom Spur. Moderate grades with decent footing, with a steep burst from around 1.5 mile to 2.0 mile. Ran this one after running East Osceola earlier in the day in October of 2014 and put down a solid time, all things considered. I came back several years later in the winter on packed trails and zoomed down, shaving off almost ten minutes.
- Will I rerun it? No way, thrilled with my 2023 time!
Peak foliage run in Crawford Notch over rocks, roots, and fallen leaves along the Avalon, A-Z, and Mount Tom Spur trails
#8 Waumbek: 6.73 miles / 2,762' elevation gained
54:42 up 29:40 down 1:24:22 on 6/12/25 (Strava)
- Starr King Trail. One of the easier 4K's to run, easy to moderate grades with good footing, a trail runner's dream. First RUNNH48 that had a sub-peak mixed in, Starr King, so there's a small PUD mixed into the push to the summit of Waumbek.
- Will I rerun it? Yes, it's within a half hour from home, so one winter I'll give it a go and see how close I can get to 1:15:00
Starr King Trail to Mount Waumbek, one of the easier 4Ks to run
#9 Carrigain: 9.55 miles / 3,373' elevation gained
1:16:27 up 43:10 down 1:59:37 on 6/18/15 (Strava)
- Signal Ridge Trail: First two miles are over easy grades with great footing, footing gets rougher, and grades steepen, especially around 2.5 miles to 3.0 miles before moderating again through a series of never-ending switchbacks before gaining Signal Ridge.
- Will I rerun it? No interest, I was ecstatic to run a sub-two-hour in the late afternoon twilight hours on a muggy June day.
Signal Ridge Trail, a little on the long side, but worth it for the long views
#10 Field: 5.2 miles / 2400' elevation gained
48:30 up 25:17 down 1:13:47 on 8/28/2015 (Strava)
- Avalon Trail and Willey Range Trail. Avalon Trail has moderate grades with decent footing until the AZ junction, then becomes a steep, eroded hell hole until the Avalon Spur junction. Above the junction, it is still steep, and the footing is subpar to okay until gaining the ridge. Ran this one in slick conditions and in LASportiva Mutants, the one and only run in them, shoes were skating around on rocks in places, only Sportiva trail runner I would not recommend. Short run but not fun, I should have ran it in winter on packed trails, as it would have been faster and safer.
- Will I rerun it? Not a priority, but it is short, so maybe one of these winters on a mild day
The rugged mess that is the bottom section of the Avalon Trail. Dear lord it sucks!
#11 Moosilauke: 9.75 miles / 3,975' elevation gained
1:11:38 up 39:02 down 1:50:50 on 9/3/15 (Strava)
- Moosilauke Carriage Road. What a gem of a mountain to run via the carriage road, excellent footing with consistent easy to moderate grades. I raced daylight on this one and was pumped to run a sub two-hour!
- Will I rerun it? Maybe, but it would not be via Carriage Road, it would be in winter and up Gorge Brook Trail, which shaves off about two miles.
Moosilauke Carriage Road, a beautiful and steady approach to the summit
#12 Cabot: 7.3 miles / 2,600' elevation gained
59:56 up 33:57 down 1:33:54 on 9/17/15 (Strava)
- Mount Cabot Trail (closed/abandoned in the 1990's) and Kilkenny Ridge Trail. There was a point in time where access to the closed/abandoned Mount Cabot Trail was allowed by the local landowner. Over ten years, between 2009 and 2019, I hiked and ran the old trail about once a year, but have not been back since the pandemic, as access is no longer allowed. Anywho, the closed trail was the shortest way to the summit, had decent footing, and moderate grades. The start from "Heath's Gate" was over old logging roads for the first mile before it dipped into the woods, for a trail that had been closed for over twenty years it was in great shape, usually free of blowdowns, and only one stretch of sloppy mud that lasted a few hundred feet. The Mount Cabot Trail joined the Kilkenny Ridge Trail about a mile from the summit where grades steepened for a few tenths of a mile before becoming moderate again over to the summit plateau. I'm glad I got to run the old trail and am sad that I'll most likely never step foot on it again.
- Will I rerun it? I did run it again, via Bunnel Notch and Kilkenny Ridge Trail in winter. 9.2 miles / 2,840' elevation gained, 1:12 up 39:17 down 1:51:17 on 1/12/21. (Strava). Figured it would be smart to run on an open trail in the winter over mostly good conditions. The Bunnell Notch approach is longer but the grades are the same. The trail is eroded and has running water in a few spots, so running it in the dead of winter when everything is buried under snow is best.
The closed Mount Cabot Trail. Really wish access was still allowed, lucky to have ran this old trail
#13 South Kinsman: 9.0 miles / 3,878' elevation gained
1:18:42 up 48:29 down 2:07:11 on 9/20/15 (Strava)
- Mount Kinsman Trail, Kinsman Ridge Trail. The first mile is built for speed over an easy grade with tremendous footing. Footing and grades stay mostly easy until the Bald Mountain junction, from here until the Kinsman Ridge, the trail becomes moderately steep with more rugged footing. Once gaining the ridge, it's a quick but steep half mile up to North Kinsman, then a quick drop down into and out of the col for a mile to South Kinsman over rugged footing. First run where I had to go over a summit that I would later have to revisit for this project, North Kinsman, as my rule was no combining peaks on the 48 4K list. I don't remember much about the run other than I ran it as I was driving back from the Catskills in New York, not sure why I did that!
- Will I rerun it? No, while it would be great to shoot for a sub two-hour on fresh legs or in the snow, having to run over North Kinsman twice has no appeal to me.
Mount Kinsman Trail, a delightful approach to Kinsman Ridge
#14 Wildcat D Peak: 5.5 miles / 2136' elevation gained
41:50 up 17:09 down 58:59 on 10/2/15 (Strava)
40:00 up 16:26 down 56:26 on 7/7/17 (Strava)
- Polecat Ski Trail. It's a ski trail, so steady and steep is the name of the game as this route follows the access road from the bottom to the chairlift to the top before a short burst to the summit. Footing all depends on how recently Wildcat Ski Area has graded the access road. After grading, you can expect crushed rocks/gravel/and dirt, making the descent much quicker, but after a few winters and summer storms, erosion quickly makes the footing subpar. In 2017 conditions were pretty much perfect!
- Will I rerun it? No, I'm content with doing a sub one!
Polecat Ski trail, built for speed after a re-grade!
#15 South Carter: 8.82 miles / 3,255' elevation gained
1:19:34 up 41:27 down 2:02:01 on 12/20/25 (Strava)
- Nineteen-Mile Brook Trail, Carter Dome Trail, Carter Moriah Trail. Grades are easy to moderate for 99% of the route while footing is generally on the plus side with a few eroded spots mixed in. Pace can be pushed in places, especially on Nineteen-Mile Brook Trail. Unfortunately, I ran this under subpar shoulder season conditions, not my smartest move by far.
- Will I rerun it? Yes, considering I live five miles from the trailhead, I can cherry-pick a mild winter or early spring day and hammer this and drop it down to around 1 hour 45 minutes.
#16 Flume: 10.54 miles / 3,228' elevation gained
1:21:34 up 44:44 down 2:06:18 (Strava)
- Lincoln Woods Trail, Osseo Trail. The first 1.2 miles is over an old railroad grade which is built for speed, the lower part of Osseo continues this pattern over great footing and easy grades, higher up the grades steepen, the worst of which is over a series of wooden steps. Grades ease above the steps as it passes near a sub summit before one last steep burst over the final 0.25 miles to the rugged summit.
- Will I rerun it? 50/50. While it is tempting to go back and try for a sub two-hour, it's towards the bottom of the rerun list at the moment.
#17 Isolation: 12.20 miles / 3,547' Elevation gained & 10.56 miles / 3,180' elevation gain
1:47:18 up 1:08:53 down 2:56:11 on 1/30/16 (Strava)
1:15:45 up 44:55 down 2:00:44 on 3/25/23 (Strava)
- Rocky Branch Trail, Engine Hill Bushwhack, (Iso Express Bushwhack) Isolation East, Davis Path. A tale of two winter routes! In 2016, the Iso Express route had fallen out of favor for the past few years, adding two miles to the run. Luckily, by 2023, Iso Express was back in play, and I picked a perfect morning to aggressively run this isolated peak. This route is all about how the Engine Hill and Iso Express bushwhacks have been broken out, if broken out "correctly," this makes for a mostly easy and enjoyable run. Grades to the height of land from the start are sneakily steep for the first two miles before mellowing out for the rest of the run. If you plan on running this in snow free conditions for speed, you'll be very disappointed, as it has sections of mud and erosion, plus running the two bushwhacks lacks a consistent herd path, so route finding is an issue.
- Will I rerun it? Probably not, although being so close to a sub two is tempting, I highly doubt I would get a day with better conditions and bushwhack routes than I had in March of 2023.
#18 North Hancock: 8.09 miles / 2,507' elevation gained
1:02:41 up 39:27 down 1:42:41 on 5/19/16 (Strava)
- Hanock Notch Trail, Cedar Brook Trail, Hancock Loop Trail. Hanock Notch and Cedar Book trails are over easy grades with good footing for the majority. Hanock Loop Trail has moderate grades with decent to rough footing to the north and south link junction. The 0.7 miles from the junction to the summit is a steep, eroded mess with no reprieve in footing or grades until the last 0.1 miles. This one is much easier and safer in packed snow conditions, not really sure what I was thinking running this in a snow free month!
- Will I rerun it? Probably, pretty confident I could go under 1:30 in snow if I start to pick away at Grid 3 peaks. North Hancock is one that I'll have to do several times for G3, so a rerun would be a way of keeping it fun.
#19 Passaconaway: 8.47 miles / 2,904' elevation gained
1:09:27 up 38:31 down 1:47:48 on 5/20/16 (Strava)
- Dicey's Mill Trail. This route, except for the last half mile, is built for major speed. Easy to moderate grades with good to great footing until passing by the Rollins Trail junction, then it becomes rough and steep.
- Will I rerun it? 50/50, in winter, this one would be crazy fast. The biggest holdup is the long and cold drive in the winter months from Gorham to Ferncroft!
#20 South Hancock: 7.50 miles / 2,199' elevation gained
53:34 up 33:36 down 1:27:10 on 5/23/16 (Strava)
- Hanock Notch Trail, Cedar Brook Trail, Hancock Loop Trail. Basically the same as North Hancok but the south link of the Hancock Loop is almost 0.2 miles shorter, it is just as steep as the north link of the loop but it's not as eroded.
- Will I rerun it? No, I am happy with running a sub 1:30 in a snow free month.
#21 Whiteface: 7.54 miles / 2,946' elevation gained
1:09:23 up 40:56 down 1:50:19 on 5/26/16 (Strava)
- Blueberry Ledge Trail. This one is sneaky hard, there is a brutal last mile plus climb that is consistently steep and rugged, can't make up too much time on the descent because of the scrambles. The first and last 1.5 miles are runnable, but the rest is over mostly steep grades and rough footing underneath. This run was definitely a humbling experience as it was one of the rare times I didn't hit my time goal of 1:45, not even close!
- Will I rerun it? No, even though I had a subpar showing, I have no desire to push myself for this one.
#22 Galehead: 9.26 miles / 2,500' elevation gained
1:06:30 up 45:35 down 1:52:05 on 7/6/16 (Strava)
- Gale River Trail, Garfield Ridge Trail, Frost Trail. Definitely on the easier side, where a sustained flow can be achieved for almost the entire length. Easy grades for the first two miles over good footing, becoming more moderate with a 0.5 mile steep push to the Garfield Ridge Trail Junction. Garfield Ridge Trail and Frost Trail have a few punchy sections with some rugged footing, but they are short lived. I really enjoyed running Galehead in the summer of 2016, it might have been the first run where I was able to keep turning my legs in a running motion for a whole ascent.
- Will I rerun it? No, even though it would be easier in winter, I'm happy with my snow free time
#23 Moriah: 9.33 miles / 3,133' elevation gained
1:12:56 up 45:29 down 1:58:25 on 8/2/16 (Strava)
- Mount Carter Drive, abandoned Stony Brook Trail, Stony Brook Trail, Carter Moriah Trail. Walked out my door, crossed NH16, and ran up a mountain. Living across the street came in handy for this run. Stony Brook Trail has easy to moderate grades with great footing for the first few miles before becoming moderately steep before a final steep and rugged 0.5 mile push to Carter Moriah Trail. Carter Moriah Trail to the summit is over moderate grades with a few steep bursts over decent footing. I do not remember much from this run other than I felt really strong on the descent.
- Will I rerun it? Probably, I live across the street, so why not!
#24 Adams: 9.0 miles / 4,500' elevation gained
1:30:00 up 51:42 down 2:21:42 on 8/4/16 (Strava)
- Via Airline, lower 1.5 miles is built for speed, the rest, not so much! There is a rugged and steep burst from around the two-mile mark to a few tenths of a mile before breaking out onto treeline on Durand Ridge that is a heart-pumper on the ascent and a snapped ankle/busted knee waiting to happen on the descent. Above treeline Airline is a mix of odd sized boulders over moderate to steep grades, Adams has the most vert of any of the 48 and is one of the hardest to run, a total grind, I was very pleased to go under 2 hours 30 minutes.
- Will I rerun it? Maybe, it is tempting to run in the snow over packed trails on a rare winter/spring day with light winds and mild temps.
#25 North Kinsman: 7.36 miles / 3,281' elevation gained
1:08:06 up 33:52 down 1:41:58 on 2/28/17 (Strava)
- Mount Kinsman Trail, Kinsman Ridge Trail: Another relatively easy 4K to run, the first couple of miles are over easy grades with excellent footing, followed by moderate grades with decent footing. There are a few steep bursts with rough footing approaching Kinsman Ridge, and along the last half mile to the summit, but nothing too bad.
- Will I rerun it? No, I'm confident I could get this one down to around 1:30 in perfect snow conditions, but now that the trailhead has been relocated and there is a $10 or $20 fee, use will plummet, so it's not going to happen.
#26 Garfield: 9.33 miles / 3,155' elevation gained
1:08:15 up 39:22 down 1:47:37 (Strava)
- Mount Garfield Trail, Garfield Ridge Trail. Easy to moderate grades with excellent to decent footing until Garfield Ridge Trail. The last few tenths of a mile are steep and rough, but this one is a trail runner's dream!
- Will I rerun it? 50/50, it would be nice to cruise along this route in packed snow conditions, the descent could be bombed down!
#27 Pierce: 5.51 miles / 2306' elevation gained
47:45 up 25:11 down 1:12:56 on 6/29/17 (Strava)
- Crawford Path, Webster-Cliff Trail. Moderate grades the whole way, the footing is good to decent to subpar. Crawford Path is one of the heaviest used trails in the White Mountains, so erosion issues plague it in sections. Although I am very satisfied with my time, I really should have done this one during the winter/spring over snow packed trails.
- Will I rerun it? Yes, I'd love to bomb down this one in the winter!
#28 Madison: 7.64 miles / 3,917' elevation gained
1:18:15 up 38:57 down 1:57:12 on 9/13/17 (Strava)
- Valley Way, Osgood Trail. Easy grades with decent footing for the first couple of miles, then grades become moderate to steep as it climbs while footing becomes rough. Valley Way is another heavily used trail, so erosion has really beaten up the trail in a few sections. From Madison Spring Hut to the summit on the Osgood Trail is a steep boulder field that can slow pace down significantly. One of my proudest runs to date as I snuck in a sub two-hour over gnarly terrain.
- Will I rerun it? No, it would be faster in packed snow, but I am 100% satisfied with my time.
#29 Liberty: 5.96 miles / 3,140' elevation gained
59:50 up 23:31 down 1:23:21 on 4/13/18 (Strava)
- Pemi Bike Path, Basin Bushwhack, Liberty Spring Trail, Franconia Ridge Trail. Easy to moderate grades for 1.5 miles over good to decent footing until the river crossing, then a steep grind over rough footing for the next 1.5 miles. Made a smart decision to run this in the dead of winter over packed snow, making for a pleasant run. I was thrilled to do a sub one-hour up and hammered the down for a speedy descent.
- Will I rerun it? No!
#30 Bondcliff: 17.45 miles / 3,228' elevation gained
1:39:50 up 1:16:40 down 2:56:30 on 7/16/18 (Strava)
- Lincoln Woods Trail, Bondcliff Trail. First five miles along Lincoln Woods Trail is over an old railroad, so the grade is easy and the footing is tremendous. Bondcliff Trail has moderate grades with one steep burst halfway up with good to ok footing. This route is another one that falls into the trail runner dream category. At 17.45 miles according to my Garmin 920XT (19 miles White Mountain Guide) it is the longest 4K to run. Another run I thoroughly enjoyed, and I was ecstatic to run a sub three-hour. This is also one of the last runs where I snapped a few pictures along the way, figured this shaved off around a whole thirty seconds during future runs, kind of silly looking back on it.
- Will I rerun it? No!
#31 Eisenhower: 6.60 miles / 3,731' elevation gained
50:20 up 26:29 down 1:16:49 on 6/19/19 on (Strava)
- Edmands Path, Mount Eisenhower Loop. Mellow grade at the start with good footing before grades become moderate to steep over rougher footing to the summit. I was thrilled to go under 1 hour 20 minutes.
- Will I rerun it? No!
Edmands Path to Eisenhower, after a good warmup down low it gets a rougher and punchy
#32 Willey: 4.85 miles / 2,833' elevation gained
50:10 up 24:22 down 1:14:32 on 6/24/19 (Strava)
- Ethan Pond Trail, Willey Range Trail. Ethan Pond Trail starts off with a short steep burst followed by moderate grades over good footing until the Willey Range Trail junction, where conditions go straight to hell with super steep grades and erosion underfoot. I grinded the ascent, more like a speed crawl than anything else. The descent was tricky, but I was able to open it up over the last mile and a half and finish with a worthy round trip time.
- Will I rerun it? Probably not, I would consider it if it were broken out and super packed down in winter, but that is often not the case.
Avalon Trail, first mile is not too bad, after that it's awful!
#33 Zealand: 10.66 miles / 2,949' elevation gained
1:06:56 up 47:20 down 1:54:16 on 6/27/19 (Strava)
-Zealand Trail, Twinway, Zealand Spur. Zealand Trail is built for speed, three miles of relatively flat terrain over great footing. Twinway is steep and rough until Zeacliff, where the grades level out, becoming more moderate with better footing until reaching the summit. Another one I really enjoyed running, and very happy to go under two hours. I'd recommend running this one either early or late in the day, as this route sees heavy foot traffic.
- Will I rerun it? No!
The journey to Zealand Mountain
#34 Carter Dome: 9.38 miles / 3,432' elevation gained
1:10:45 up 43:35 down 1:54:20 on 8/15/19 (Strava)
- Nineteen-Mile Brook Trail, Carter Dome Trail. Easy/moderate grades along Nineteen-Mile Brook and Carter Dome trails. Rocky and rooty in places makes for non all-out descent. Thrilled to do a sub two hour. Fun fact, Carter Dome Trail has the most switchbacks, six, of any of the trails on the list.
- Will I rerun it? Probably not, although it could be run much faster in winter, I'm satisfied with my sub two-hour run
Carter Dome, easy to moderate grades with good footing becoming a little rougher up top but never too bad
#35 Owl's Head: 15.44 miles / 3,346' elevation gained
1:33:45 up 1:10:57 down 2:44:42 on 8/20/19 (Strava)
- Lincoln Woods Trail, Black Pond Trail, Black Pond Bushwhack, Lincoln Brook Trail, Brutus Bushwhack, Owl's Head Path. Long in miles, but everything except for the 1.25 miles up Brutus bushwhack and Owl's Head Path is super runnable.
- Will I run it again? No!
On and off trail run to Owl's Head
#36 Wildcat A Peak: 8.17 miles / 3,209' elevation gained
1:02:00 up 29:27 down 1:31:27 on 2/16/22 (Strava)
- Nineteen-Mile Brook Trail, Wildcat Ridge Trail. After a few years off from adding to this list, it felt great to get back at it. Nineteen-Mile Brook Trail has easy to moderate grades over good to decent footing, Wildcat Ridge Trail is super steep, gaining 1000' + in 0.7 miles over horrible footing. I wisely decided to run this in the dead of winter on super packed trails.
- Will I rerun it? No!
Nineteen-Mile Brook and Wildcat Ridge Trail, buried in snow and built for speed!
#37 North Twin: 8.31 miles / 3,212' elevation gained
1:06:45 up 32:53 down 1:39:38 on 2/22/22 (Strava)
-North Twin Trail. The first two miles are relatively flat over good footing, all that changes as grades steepen and footing becomes rough until about 0.25 miles from the summit. I chose to run this one in the winter, which made for a much easier run.
- Will I rerun it? No!
North Twin Mountain on packed out snowy trails
#38 Middle Carter: 7.72 miles / 3,195' elevation gained
1:07:20 up 30:20 down 1:37:40 on 3/31/22 (Strava)
- Camp Dodge Cutoff, Imp Trail, North Carter Trail, Carter Moriah Trail. This route is a sneaky grind with steep and rough footing along a few parts of the Imp Trail and North Carter Trail. Major erosion in spots does not help with the flow, I wisely ran this one in winter.
- Will I rerun it? No!
Middle Carter in deep snow in early Spring
#39 Osceola: 5.58 miles / 2.051' elevation gained
44:20 up 24:50 down 1:09:10 on 9/1/22 (Strava)
- Mount Osceola Trail. Moderate grades the whole length, the footing however is a mixed bag, rough footing until about halfway up, then it gets dramatically better over the second half, minus a few slab sections here and there. For some reason I was really looking forward to running this one, most likely because of its short length and sneaky challenging footing down low, also running in September at first light meant cool and crisp temps, which is always a plus.
- Will I rerun it? No, this approach to the summit from Tripoli Road in the winter does not get broken out regularly. Also, I am thrilled with my time.
Mout Osceola Trail, packs a sneaky punch!
#40 North Tripyramid: 7.45 miles / 3,143' elevation gained
1:07:30 up 31:08 down 1:38:38 on 2/2/23 (Strava)
- Pine Bend Brook Trail. A tale of four segments. Pine Bend Brook Trail starts off with easy to moderate grades over great footing for the first two miles, then becomes super steep over rugged footing until plateauing out for a half mile over great footing before one last steep burst over gnarly footing for the last half mile. I wisely ran this one in winter and grinded the ascent, followed by a super speedy descent over packed trails.
- Will I run it again? No!
Pine Bend Brook Trail, not the most thrilling trail to run, I did it in winter, which made it a little easier
#41 South Twin: 10.25 miles / 3,566' elevation gained
1:19:05 up 39:50 down 1:58:55 on 2/20/23 (Strava)
- Gale River Trail, Garfield Ridge Trail, Twinway. Easy grades for the first two miles over good footing, becoming more moderate with a half-mile steep push to the Garfield Ridge Trail Junction. Garfield Ridge Trail has a few punchy sections with some rugged footing, but they are short lived. Twinway, is 0.8 miles and over 1200' of elevation gained over super steep and extremely rugged terrain. Ran this one in the dead of winter over super packed trails, grinded the up as fast as I could and let it all hang out on the descent. Easily one of my favorite memories from this running project.
- Will I rerun it? No!
South Twin, I wisely ran this one in the snow.
#42 Middle Tripyramid: 9.80 miles / 3,054' elevation gained
1:10:35 up 43:11 down 1:53:46 on 9/26/23 (Strava)
- Sabbaday Brook Trail, Mount Tripyramid Trail. Easy to moderate grades over the first four miles, before a killer last mile of steep grades and rugged footing, resembling more of a speed crawl until gaining the ridge. Another run where I started early to avoid the crowds that take over the first half mile to the touristy Sabbaday Falls. Unlike Middle Tripyramid, I really looked forward to running this one, because I enjoy the Sabbaday Falls Trail much more than Pine Bend Brook Trail.
- Will I rerun it? No!
Sabbaday Brook Trail, it's fantastic until it's not!
#43 West Bond: 15.70 miles / 4,225' elevation gained
1:50:00 up 1:25:48 down 3:15:48 on 10/27/23 (Strava)
Zealand Trail, Twinway, Bondcliff Trail, West Bond Spur. Zealand Trail is built for speed, three miles of relatively flat terrain over great footing. Twinway is steep and rough until Zeacliff, where the grades level out, becoming more moderate with better footing until passing by the Zealand Spur, from here the trail drops steeply down and up to Guyot over rough footing. Guyot to West Bond Spur is another down and up over moderate grades and ok footing, West Bond Spur is yet another down and up over moderate grades and ok footing. Definitely one of the toughest runs of the 48 because of the fourteen elevation changes throughout the sixteen miles! I loved everything about this one, it was a long grind with many trail twists and turns, which "levels the playing field," right in my wheelhouse. Also, I snuck this one in at the end of October in great weather, a rarity in the White Mountains.
- Will I rerun it? No, super thrilled with the effort!
Running Deep into the Pemi and rewarded with great views!
#44 Lincoln: 7.35 miles / 3,622' elevation gained
1:05:20 up 27:19 down 1:32:39 on 2/6/24 (Strava)
- Falling Waters Trail, Franconia Ridge Trail. First 0.75 miles is over easy grades with good footing, once past the river crossing the trail becomes a relentless climb most of the way over rough footing, there is a small reprieve in the steepness above the last water crossing but then becomes steep again past Shining Rock to treeline. The last half mile runs the gambit with easy-moderate-steep grades with great to rough footing. Saved this one for the dead of winter, and it paid off, grinded the ascent and sprinted the descent.
- Will I rerun it? No!
Lincoln in the winter, packed trails are built for speed, and the views over the last half mile are some of the finest!
#45 Monroe: 5.23 Miles / 2,675' elevation gained
52:00 up 18:31 down 1:10:31 on 2/9/24 (Strava)
- Ammonoosuc Ravine Trail, Mount Monroe Loop. The first 1.5 miles to the Gem Pool is over easy to moderate grades with good footing, this is immediately followed by a super steep 1.0 mile and 1,500' elevation gained over rough footing until reaching Lakes of the Clouds Hut, the last 0.4 miles is moderate to steep over a good treadway. I patiently waited to vulture this one after I knew it had been broken out and built for speed. One of my favorite memories was the wild and fast descent down the Amoonoosuc Ravine Trail.
- Will I rerun it? No, this one I'm very proud of!
Mount Monroe in the winter on broken out trails. Temps above twenty with no wind is the best time to run this one
#46 Bond: 15.98 miles / 4,259' elevation gained
1:48:15 up 1:24:00 down 3:12:15 on 7/2/24 (Strava)
Zealand Trail, Twinway, Bondcliff Trail. Zealand Trail is built for speed, three miles of relatively flat terrain over great footing. Twinway is steep and rough until Zeacliff, where the grades level out, becoming more moderate with better footing until passing by the Zealand Spur, from here the trail drops steeply down and up to Guyot over rough footing. Guyot to Bond has a quick down then a steady up to the summit. I really looked forward to this one to see how it compared to my West Bond Run, it was basically the same experience, awesome, and I ran it a few minutes faster than West Bond. Started at 5am and finished before 8:15am, helluva way to start the day!
- Will I rerun it? No, I loved everything about this run!
Mount Bond, on the longer side for mileage but phenomenal views crossing over Guyot and at the summit
#47 Washington: 8.4 miles / 4,200' elevation gained
1:14:52 up, 34:49 down 1:49:41 on 9/24/24 (Strava)
-Tuckerman Ravine Trail. Moderate grades over ok to rough for the first 2.6 miles to HoJo's, the remaining 1.8 miles is a steep and rugged, rock hopping bouler field at its finest. When I started this project in 2014, my top goal was a sub two-hour Washington. Surprised myself on the ascent and went old school rock hop running on the descent and flew down Tucks! This was part of Run the Whites Tuckerman Ravine Throwdown (Run Report)
- Will I rerun it? No, this was a perfect culmination!
Tuckerman Ravine, the birthplace of rock hopping!
#48 Lafayette: 7.40 miles / 3,600' elevation gained
1:08:45 Up 36:15 down 1:45:00 on 6/5/25 (Strava)
- Hut Croo Shortcut, Old Bridle Path, Greenleaf Trail. Hut Croo Sortcut saves a half mile overall, it's a little grown in, but has decent footing over moderate grades, Old Bridle Path has moderate to steep grades, especially through the "Agonies." Old Bridle Path is likely the heaviest used trail in the White Mountains and has seen major erosion over the years. The trail is currently being updated, so some spots are in great shape, but other areas are an eroded mess. Greenleaf Trail is a mile of above treeline rock hoping with a sustained moderate to steep grade. The finale, it was bittersweet to finish, but I was thrilled to finish on such a spectacular peak.
- Will I rerun it? 50/50, would be nice to give it a proper go in packed snow!
Mount Lafayette, great views for a finish to this project!
