As a kid growing up in Massachusetts, I'd often go to the White Mountains with my family to climb the so-called 4000 footers. I aspired to summit them all but moved out of state before completing the 48. Now as an adult and seasoned trail runner, I realized that perhaps I could polish off the list by running the remaining ones at my own pace, alone. Of course, still living far away, I'd have to do it during infrequent vacations back east. August 2024 was my big chance to polish off the 4000 footers, and Mt Zealand was to be #45 for me!
There had been a fair amount of rain lately, but I saw an optimal weather window and decided to have a go of it. I made the 4-hour drive from my parents' home, arriving at the Zealand trailhead just after 1pm on the seventh. I donned a vest with 1.5 liters of hydration fluid and fired up the gps watch. It was somewhat warm (around 70F) but not quite as humid as it had been earlier in the week. The shade was welcome. Once the gps signal was acquired, I marched across the parking lot to the start of the Zealand trail, snapped a selfie with the sign, and pressed GO!
With the recent rain, things were pretty muddy and of course there were the usual rocks to contend with, now made slippery. I settled into a comfortable pace up to the Zealand hut, politely passing a number of hikers along the way. After a couple miles, the trail steepened, which was the signal that the hut was coming up. Having plenty of water, I just cruised by it, continuing onward and upward. The rocks weren't too challenging on the steep uphill section, and I continued passing hikers, most of whom were descending. A few trail junctions later, I arrived at the ledges area and things flattened out a bit. The mud continued though, and by this point my legs were filthy.
At around 1:20, I arrived at the rather anticlimactic Zealand summit, pausing briefly to take another selfie. A couple was sitting under the sign, and they looked at me with a giggle, saying "This is it, haha" as if to agree that the lack of view was funny. Oh well, I now had a descent to do!
The return to the parking lot was fairly straightforward, although I now had to pass many of the hikers that I had gone by on the uphill portion. A large group of ladies looked at me in shock when they found out that I had already gone to the summit and come back. "You're crushing it! PR today!" they shouted with glee. A lone male hiker farther down exclaimed, "You're back! I've been expecting you!" It was nice to know that I was on a popular route with people seemingly looking out for me. The steep section of trail surrounding the hut was a bit challenging as I slid out on wet rock several times. Fortunately I caught myself and prevented any injury. I imagine this route would be a bit safer under dry conditions.
The bottom part of the Zealand trail had runnable parts, although some sections were covered in muddy roots and I had to jog with care there. Finally, I sensed that the parking lot was coming and I popped out to stop my watch at the same sign where I had started my journey. Mission accomplished! Now all that stood between me and entry into the 4000 footers club were three more peaks (to be summited the following day...).