Matthew Dickinson

52Peaks

52Peaks

The original 52 Peaks Challenge.

A film and blog, documenting a personal challenge of growth by running up 52 mountains across New Zealand, all within a calendar year (2013).

Watch the Feature Film

Join the 35,000+ community who have watched this grassroots adventure. Available on Vimeo or Youtube.

Watch on Vimeo
Watch on YouTube

More videos from the challenge are on the 52Peaks YouTube channel.

See others inspired by 52Peaks

52 of 52Peaks completedWatchThe feature filmReadThe blog for each peak

Read the blog and adventure from 2013

The Project is GO!Peak 1: Devil’s RampartPeak 2: Mt ThomasPeak 3: Roy’s PeakPeak 4: Mt AlfordTwo peaks with a twist…Peak 5: Rocky Tor, Old Ghost RoadPeak 6: Croesus KnobPeaks 7 & 8: Hamilton Peak, (Nervous Knob) & Sunny PeakPeak 9: DumblaneA Week of RestPeak 10: Rabbit HillPeak 11: KapakapanuiPeak 12: Big BenPeak 13: Mt CloudsleyNo Peaks, Just Orienteering NationalsPeaks 14 & 15: Mt Lyndon and Cloudy HillPeak 16: Mt BovisPeaks 17A, B & C – The Dunedin 3 PeaksPeak 18: Mt SinclairA Rest: Hanmer Half Marathon and MTB CircuitPeak 19 (Attempt): Mt Armstrong – a peak too far?Peak 19 (Complete): Foggy PeakPeak 20: Mt IsobelPeak 21: Mt RobertsonPeak 22: Ben MorePeak 23 (Attempt): Mt SomersPeak 23 (Completed): Black HillA week of earth, wind, rest and rainPeak 24 (Attempt): Mt RichardsonPeaks 24, 25 and 26: Hogs Back, Bridge Hill and Helicopter HillPeak 27: ManakauPeak 28: Peak HillPeak 29: Ben LomondPeak 30: Nervous Knob (Yes Really!)Peaks 31 & 32: Mt Cheeseman & Mt CockaynePeak 33: Mt Richardson – Finally!Peak 34: Mt MurchisonPeak 35: Mt Somers (Completed!)Peak 36: Mt CharonPeak 37: Mt RoyalPeak 38: Mt FishtailPeak 39: Mt OxfordPeaks 40 & 41: Huatekerekere & Mt PeelPeaks 42 & 43: Mt Barossa & Mt GuyPeak 44: Mt AickenPeak 45: Mt JohnPeak 46: Breast HillPeak 47: Red HillPeaks 48 & 49: Mt Ngauruhoe & Mt TongariroPeak 50: Woolshed HillPeak 51: Mt BrucePeak 52: Avalanche Peak

Quick answers

What was the 52 Peaks Challenge?

In 2013 I ran up 52 mountains across New Zealand in 52 weeks and filmed it. More than 35,000 people have watched the film, and it was selected for trail running festivals across several continents.

Every week got a blog post, from Peak 1 at Devil's Rampart to Peak 52 on Avalanche Peak.

What were the rules?

The rules were simple. Every peak had to be over 1,000m above sea level, a named peak on a topo map, and a different one every time. I didn't want to repeat myself.

Can I watch the film?

The 52Peaks feature film has been watched by more than 35,000 people. I entered it in the Banff Film Festival, and it was selected for trail running festivals across multiple continents. You can watch it on Vimeo or YouTube.

Has anyone else done their own version?

Quite a few people have run their own version. There was the 52 Hikes Challenge in the USA in 2014, Ben Gibbins in New Zealand in 2015, a global version in 2016, Cameron Hill in 2021, a commercial version in Australia in 2022 and Sarah Morrison's Mountains for Mental Health in 2023.

It's a nice feeling that something I did in 2013 keeps travelling.