New Zealander Matheson Brown has set a new fastest-known time (FKT) for climbing the highest peak in each of the 50 U.S. states. Brown completed the challenge in 20 days and 14 hours.
According to Wilderness Magazine, the 28-year-old surpassed the previous record of 21 days and nine hours held by American endurance athlete Colin O’Brady, who achieved the feat in 2018. O’Brady used a private jet to travel between states, which Brown described as “like someone had come in and paid to win.” In comparison, Brown traveled using economy flights and a rental car driven by his father.
Matheson Brown at Mount Borah, the highest mountain in Idaho. Photo: Matheson Brown/Wilderness Magazine
On a shoestring
Brown, a former outdoor leadership student, funded the attempt through a series of manual jobs in New Zealand, including painting, scaffolding, fruit picking, construction, and forestry work. For training, he regularly ran half-marathons and completed core workouts.
The project took shape during New Zealand’s COVID-19 lockdowns in 2020, when Brown planned an efficient route across the United States. He summited peaks ranging from Alaska’s Denali (6,190m) to Florida’s Britton Hill (105m), and averaged around four hours of sleep per night.
Brown summited 50 U.S. peaks in 20 days. Photo: Matheson Brown/Wilderness Magazine
One of Brown’s goals was to show that individuals without professional sponsorship or significant financial backing can still pursue major endurance records.
“Truthfully, it wasn’t about breaking the record; it was about making a statement,” Brown wrote on social media.
Photo: Matheson Brown/Wilderness Magazine
