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Zach McCarthy

@zmccart

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I find a lot of joy in outdoor recreation and creating opportunities for others to join, founder @inclusiveskitouring

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Fast-packing the Arctic Circle Trail. A hundred miles of open sky, vast landscapes, caribou, and a big push through one of the quietest places on Earth.

Immensely grateful for the opportunity to have this experience, for sharing it with Brent and Collin, and for all the work Brent did to plan and coordinate it all. I always enjoy adventures with friends, but what stood out most this time was the introspective conversations about life and happiness we shared throughout the trip.

Huge thank you to @hyperlite_mountain_gear for partnering with us on this project — this fast-packing adventure wouldn’t have been possible without the HMG gear.

#arcticcircletrail #greenland #fastpacking taken in Greenland by @zmccart

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a month ago

From August 20th to the 22nd I fastpacked the Arctic Circle Trail in Greenland with @brentdoscher and @seahuston, starting just west of Kangerlussuaq and going all the way to the sea at Sisimiut.

The history nerd side of me loved this one. A large part of it runs through Aasivissuit-Nipisat, a UNESCO World Heritage Site with evidence of people here going back 4,200 years. They came up these same lakes by umiaq and kayak, spent a few weeks each summer taking caribou as the herds funneled through, and left. A few of the stone cairns still marking the trail are actually left over from those times.

The adventure side of me loved it just as much. This is some of the most remote terrain I have ever been in, and that was the appeal, a trail less traveled and a country I had never seen, with landscapes that are just enormous. We paddled ten miles of Amitsorsuaq in the free communal canoes without seeing another person all afternoon, saw caribou the first two days, and heard common loons on the lakes I had no idea were even there (a beautiful reminder of home).

On top of the last climb at Qerrortusup Majoriaa we got our first bit of cell service since starting the trail and used it to call ahead and book a room before running the last descent into town with feelings of pure elation. As we got closer, hundreds of sled dogs started howling seemingly to cheer us in. It felt truly magical.

Overall we completed 100.07 miles with 27 hours 32 minutes of movement and two nights on trail with a total time of 61 hours and 6 minutes from start to finish. The original plan was to fly back to Nuuk from Sisimiut, but Collin discovered an overnight ferry covering the same journey that lined up with our timing, allowing us to see more of the country and continue with another sort of adventure.

I’m incredibly grateful to have shared this with Brent and Collin, for all of the work that Brent put into planning this, the time on trail together, the deeply meaningful conversations we had throughout, and so much more.

#arcticcircletrail #greenland #fastpacking taken in Arctic Circle Trail Greenland by @zmccart

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2 months ago

I recently got back from two consecutive weeks spent on two different lakes. The first was on Mooselookmeguntic with my mom’s whole side of the family and the second was the annual week at Spofford, which I’ve been going to every summer since I was born.

In Rangeley we stayed at a camp right on the water, a few houses sitting directly under Height of the Land. We’re incredibly lucky to have opportunities like this to get the full family together, and that we all want to be together. Time with my brother, cousins, aunts, uncles, grandmother, and all the family dogs was cherished.

Spofford is an old cottage about five feet off the shore that’s been in the same family for over 100 years. We go there with some chosen family. The house belongs to the family of one of my mom’s closest friends, Kate. Her oldest son Nick is about a month younger than me and her daughter Steph is right around Ben’s age, so the four of us have grown up sharing this place together every summer for as long as any of us can remember.

Both weeks were spent with people I love, getting outside every day and getting in the water every day.

The first 7 photos + video are mine shot with a SonyA7C or DJI Mavic 3 and are from the time on Spofford. The remaining photos are by @abbystrickland23 and @brynepecora from our time on Mooselookmeguntic. taken in New England by @zmccart

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2 months ago

I was lucky enough to take my first ever packrafting adventure this past spring, out in the Debsconeag Lakes Wilderness near Baxter State Park with @ibexwool and @packraftmaine.

Pictured is Rainbow Lake, still partially frozen. It made for a surreal setting, paddling open water with Katahdin in the distance and a large section of ice sitting right at the edge of everything.

On our way out, the ice broke free from the adjacent shoreline and started drifting north, slowly threatening to block the only way into the cove we needed to reach. We managed to sneak through, but by the time we had the packrafts rolled up and packed away, the ice had closed off the cove completely.

Grateful for the crew, for the gear that kept us warm and moving, and for a place like this to experience packrafting for my first time.

@astrong__ @nelson__brown @smilexjensyn @andrewpepebridgers @hyperlite_mountain_gear @alpacka_raft

#packrafting #baxterstatepark #debsconeaglakes #maine #rainbowlake taken in Debsconeag Lakes Wilderness Area by @zmccart

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3 months ago

Three weeks in CO visiting @b_mccarthy11 and @isaacsinclair7

While we had incredible weekend adventures (conundrum hot springs backpacking, camping at homestake reservoir, camping off half moon road outside of Leadville, getting to adventure and hang with @jaysonmartens for the first time in far too long, live music by @lettucefunk and much more) the honest highlight was simply being able to share that much time with each of them, especially with my brother Ben. Sharing the mundane day to day, cooking meals, working in the same house, etc, was a true gift and I’m deeply grateful this. Additionally, both Ben and Isaac’s partner Caroline just got golden retriever puppies (Ziggy and Angus, they’re brothers) so it was an even more ideal time to visit!

Lastly I’m grateful for all the folks I met who made me feel so welcomed and included through each and every day. taken in Colorado by @zmccart

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3 months ago

In the fall of 2024, @brentdoscher, @bunderkoffler_, and I went to Lofoten on a trail running trip. We had an incredible time, but all three of us left with the same thought: we absolutely needed to come back with skis. This spring, we made it happen, and were lucky enough to have @patricklalondept and Maxx Parys join us.

10 days in northern Norway, skiing every full day we had.

The first two days were building, working through refrozen crust and a soaking wet approach on day one for Varden, and gradually better conditions on day two for Pilan. By day three on Rundfjellet the trip completely opened up, and from there the running joke became that every single day just kept getting better. Perfect weather, incredible snow, and a full day skiing every aspect of the mountain that gave us a deep read on the snowpack and set us up for everything that followed.

From there we summited Geitgallien, one of the most prominent peaks in the region and the coolest summit I have ever stood on, and skied two of its major couloirs (photo 6).

The next day we made our way into Snytindhytta, a backcountry hut just outside of Møysalen National Park, where on our first night there Brent, Brent, and I skinned out at midnight and skied under the northern lights. It is one of those experiences that is genuinely hard to put into words. @brentdoscher had his camera out and I couldn’t be more excited to see his photos from that night. The following day we all shared what I can genuinely say was one of the best ski days of my life lapping the north face of Løbergdalstindan.

I came back to a place I already loved and found something even better than I imagined. Grateful for this crew, for the conditions that came together, and for trips like this that remind me why I do it.

All photos here are mine except the group selfie. However, the real gems will come from @brentdoscher in the coming weeks who was shooting throughout the trip. An additional thank you to Brent D for all the work planning and organizing the trip as well.

@blizzard_tecnica @hyperlite_mountain_gear @pictureorganicclothing @revo @contour_skins

#lofoten #backcountryskiing #skitouring #northernlights #norway taken in Lofoten Islands, Norway by @zmccart

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6 months ago

I’m not sure if this line has a specific name, it’s linking together the section of the ridge between Left Gully and Chute Variation South. I had never seen it skied until @blakekeogh did it during our first lap Thursday 3/5 after eyeing it walking into the ravine that morning. He calls it “Ode to Gaffney”. I was inspired by his descent, and figured I had to ski it while conditions allowed!

Lucky for me, @nevinsphoto was shooting photos from the base and snagged this first shot! Thanks Brian! The second imagine is my best go at explaining the line.

#mtwashington #tuckermanravine #skitheeast #backcountryskiing taken in Tuckerman Ravine by @zmccart

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7 months ago

This past weekend I took on @lastskierstanding to raise funds and awareness for IST.

I timed out on hour 21 at 21 laps. It wasn’t as far as I had hoped to go, but I’m proud of what I put out there, and even more proud of this community for showing up in a big way to support IST. If I’d made it to my goal of 40 laps, with so many folks pledging per lap, we would have raised $3,700. With 21 laps, we’ll land closer to $3,000, which still makes a substantial impact.

Additionally, @z.dig.elevate was also fundraising for IST, with a specific goal: helping us bring Deaf-specific tours to life in the future through interpreter partnerships that create a truly accessible, supportive experience. Z raised $2,000 toward making that happen, and we’re beyond excited to turn this into a real program.

Thank you to everyone who donated, pledged, shared the fundraiser, and helped amplify IST’s mission of community, access, belonging, and more people finding their place in the mountains. I’m also immensely grateful for all the laps and conversations I got to share with so many incredible individuals throughout the event.

Big thank you to @whitemountainskico, the full team at @blackmountainofmaine, all of the volunteers, event organizers and directors, the event sponsors, and everyone who helped crew.

A particular thank you to Maxx Parys and his family for sharing this experience with me and giving me the entry, and a huge congratulations to Maxx for pushing through a second night in truly heinous conditions to finish with an incredible 46 laps.

Final recognition and congratulations to @lukasj.11, the Last Skier Standing, and to @briannakarboski, the event assist and Last Woman Standing, for two outstanding performances. Brianna shattered the previous women’s record by 26 hours/laps and showed what was possible out there. She called it at 64 laps, making Lukas the only event finisher and the Last Skier Standing with 65 laps, 75,000 feet of climbing, and over 195 miles skied.

Photos 1 & 3 by @chrismshane at the top of my last lap during first light Saturday morning.
Photo 2 by @joevigerphoto mid day on Friday when vibes were high and the conversations were flowing. taken in Black Mountain of Maine by @zmccart

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8 months ago

Got to experience the Aurora Borealis last night. I had no idea they were out, my partner and I just stepped outside before bed to look at the stars over the lake, and we were instead met with this beautiful show in the sky.

They’ve dodged me for years in all the places you’re “supposed” to see them, Iceland, Norway, Alaska, and then they showed up over our own house. Getting to watch them with my partner, at home, was a truly magical experience.

@visitnh #northernlights taken in Silver Lake, New Hampshire by @zmccart

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a year ago

I started IST in 2021 after seeing a need for low barrier, community centered touring opportunities, so I began offering group uphill days through my own social media. What began as a simple idea has grown into a vibrant organization, with a full season of programs, committed partners, and a beautiful community. I never imagined it would become what it is today, and I feel incredibly lucky that I get to do this work.

The part of it that stands out most to me is seeing the friendships that form. It is running into a group on Mt. Washington on my day off and hearing that they all met through IST and were getting into the backcountry together for the first time because of a program we ran. It is about a group of friends who met through our women’s programs and got so close that when one of them got married this summer, all her bridesmaids were the friends she met through IST. Touring is powerful, learning a new skill is powerful, but that kind of community and connection is the part that feels most meaningful.

On a personal level, skiing is my deepest passion. I was lucky enough to grow up going to Sunday River every weekend and school vacation with my family, and some of my best childhood memories are skiing there with my brother. As I got older I started getting into the backcountry, looking for more unique terrain, more adventure, and a different kind of challenge. Today I spend most of my personal ski time on Mt. Washington and am lucky to get to do one or two bigger trips most years.

That love for the backcountry turned into a broader passion for the mountains, endurance sports, and the outdoors overall. In the summer I spend most of my free time trail running, with a good amount of biking mixed in, and I am almost always up for any kind of outdoor adventure. Outside of recreation, I am incredibly close with my family. I have an amazing husky, Bane, who is the center of my world, and I live in Madison, NH with my lovely partner.

Thanks for being part of this community and for helping us keep touring accessible, welcoming, and fun. I am looking forward to skiing and riding with you soon!

#InclusiveSkiTouring by @zmccart

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a year ago

On Sunday, August 31st, I completed my summer goal of an at-home Ironman-distance triathlon with a final time of 14:27:49, and I couldn’t be happier with the effort.

Back in high school, I had a teacher who did Ironmans, and I was blown away by this. For years I considered it completely inconceivable until I began exploring my own endurance efforts. From then on, I understood how people managed it, but I was personally terrified of the swim portion. The impetus for this effort was conquering my fear of swimming at the start of summer, when on July 8th I took my first-ever distance swim. From that week on, I got it in my head that this was what I wanted to spend my summer training for, and that’s what I set my mind to.

In addition to learning a new discipline, my other intention was to approach this with a healthier mindset than I’ve had in the past regarding performance and how it ties into my self-worth. That relationship hasn’t always been positive for me, so it was really important to move through this effort differently. With that in mind, I set aside any time goals. The idea was simply to keep pushing myself in a way that I knew I’d be proud of afterwards, without comparing myself to others. I knew my swim would be incredibly slow compared to real triathletes, that I didn’t have much bike training, and that while running is my strength, road running certainly isn’t. None of the disciplines played to my strengths—which was part of the appeal and I accepted from the start that it wasn’t going to be a “fast” Ironman.

Overall, I got what I wanted and more from this endeavor. I trained across multiple disciplines, dove headfirst into areas I had little confidence in, and let go of arbitrary time goals. I feel great about the time I finished in, and I had an experience I won’t soon forget, doing my best to appreciate every moment as it came.

Final thoughts and appreciations in comments.

📸 @smilexjensyn

#IronMan #Triathlon by @zmccart

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a year ago

I took my first ever open water swims this past week — and I’m damn proud of it.

For years, I’ve carried a fear of swimming in lakes and oceans — that uneasy feeling of not knowing what’s beneath me. But during an annual week at Spofford Lake, the time was right to face it.

Over the course of the week, I did two 1000-yard swims and one one-mile swim that was shared with my brother. I’m not a swimmer, and none of it came easy, but I kept doing it. However, what previously felt impossible now feels like a new challenge I can push myself with and I’ve now spent far too much time thinking about an Ironman. I’m excited and inspired to keep at it!

Spofford has always been someplace special to me. We’ve been lucky enough to spend a week there every summer since I was born — invited by chosen family who’ve made us feel like part of their own. The lake house belongs to the family of one of my mom’s closest friends, Kate, and has been in their family for over 100 years. Her oldest son Nick is about month younger than me, and her daughter Steph is right around my brother Ben’s age. So, we’ve all grown up sharing this place together each year.

This week included more than just swimming — there were daily group paddle board rides, a fantastic Sunfish sail with my brother, blueberry picking on Pierce island, a brother Monadnock hike, a few solo runs, tons of delicious food, and even better company.

Grateful doesn’t even begin to cover it.

#SpoffordLake #Swimming #OpenWaterSwimming taken in Spofford Lake by @zmccart

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a year ago