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As an avid and competitive trail runner, Hilary has run miles and miles of trails throughout the White Mountains. Competing nationally and internationally in races that exceed 35, 50, and 70 miles, her training all begins in the White Mountain National Forest.

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In the winter, when she isn’t racing; she is backcountry skiing and hiking, with her partner, Andrew Drummond, and their dog, Squall. Together Andrew and Hilary have carved out a unique brand for their shared passions for running and skiing. They perpetuate their Ski The Whites, and Run The Whites brands, in addition to running their own respective businesses.

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For Hilary, that is her Physical Therapy and Performance Coaching practice, Hilary McCloy PT, where she treats patients and works with athletes training for individual goals. She's been working in Mt. Washington Valley as a Physical Therapist for the last eight years, and just recently opened her own practice. Having her own studio allows her focus on the aspects of training and performance training that she really loves. Already she has created a community around trail running and leads weekly runs in Jackson Village where any runner of any ability can meet and work on their skill sets.

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Communities like the one Hilary has created through her "Run Strong" program, is part of a greater collection of outdoor enthusiasts who have come together to make the Mt. Washington Valley a hub for athletes. Race organizers, and running groups such as White Mountain Endurance and White Mountain Milers, are all feeding the enthusiasm for racers and runners in Mt. Washington Valley, and a real cohesiveness can be felt throughout all those that love to run, hike, and bike in Mt. Washington Valley.

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Andrew, Hilary's partner, fits in perfectly with her work with his business, Ski the Whites. Acting as a retail space for gear and equipment rentals, as well as a creative hub for all of the Ski the Whites events, that draw in locals and visitors alike and celebrates the ski and biking culture of the White Mountains in a really unique way. Click here for more information on its event line-up! Ski the Whites also acts as a coffee roastery, where you can stop in for a fresh cup of coffee, or order bags to be sent to your home!

What makes the Mt. Washington Valley so special to Hilary and Andrew, who spend so much time in its outdoors, is how rugged the White Mountains actually are. They share a perspective of life in the White Mountains, that many locals hold true: there’s a certain point of pride that comes from being a runner or skier from New Hampshire. The terrain is so variable, as an athlete and outdoors-person one has to have a level of heartiness to take on its landscape.

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And take it on they do! Hilary and Andrew are always outside! And take it on they do! Hilary and Andrew are always outside!

• For Hilary - if there’s been a fresh snowfall - she knows exactly how she’s going to spend her day. She’ll start off with a Ski The Whites Chocolate Cortado. She’s lucky to have access to freshly roasted beans right from her house, but you can stop in at Ski the Whites retail store in Jackson, NH for your own cup or sign up for whole bean distribution through direct mail
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• From there, she’s making her way to the Maple Villa Glade in Intervale, NH. This glade is maintained by Granite Backcountry, which is a non-profit that is focused on developing ski glades, creating partnerships and collaboration with public and private landowners, and educating users on safety and ecological awareness of the outdoors.
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• In Hilary’s opinion, out of the eight glades currently open through Granite Backcountry’s network, Maple Villa Glade is one of her favorites. It has a ton of diversity amongst its network in terms of terrain and trees, and skiers can get a ton of runs in one go by skiing it.
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• Jackson Ski Touring Foundation also manages an interesting relationship with private landowners and land for public use. Much of its 100+km trail network crosses over private land that trustees of JSTF work with to offer the cross-country skiing that it does.
  
  Hilary is a stone’s throw from Jackson Ski Touring Foundation, and you can find her on the trails Nordic skiing, or working with clients as part of their physical therapy plans!

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To Hilary the beauty of living in Mt. Washington Valley and being surrounded by so many opportunities to play outside is that anyone has access to it. The White Mountains are open to all. But with that comes immense responsibility to treat the mountains, and the outdoors, in a way that ensure they will be around for years to come.

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Part of ensuring the White Mountains are available to all, includes supporting programs like the Eastern Slope Ski Club, an organization that provides access to skiing and snowboarding lessons to over 1,500 children in Mt. Washington Valley.

For complete trip planning resources and information, explore this site, visitmwv.com, or call 800-367-3364 (800-DO-SEE-NH) to talk to a Mt Washington Valley Chamber of Commerce rep.  To learn more about New Hampshire vacations, go to www.VisitNH.gov.