How about a little bit about yourself

[firethrower]

hello my brother scott informed me of this site and since we have similar interests i thought i would check it out.i will add more about myself at a later date because typing with one finger gets sore!(i can't type and very good with computers

[Dave K]

Hi All...

I'm Dave, a 36 year old Project Engineer living in the Finger Lakes. My family has been outdoors types my whole life, and for several generations we've been connected to the Adirondaks through the Ranger School in Wanakena. (Grandfather class of 27 or so, Father class of 48 or so, Aunt was first woman to graduate, uncle is a teacher there, and so on...). Some of the fondest memories of my youth were summer vacations on Cranberry Lake. I went to school at Clarkson up in Potsdam, and worked one college summer in Saranac Lake (fun place for a stupid kid to hang out for a summer).

As far as hiking goes, I'd not done much distance hiking in my youth and no climbing, then about 15 years ago a buddy of mine and I climbed Giant, my first high peak. I don't recall ANYTHING about the hike except for the fact that I spent a lot of it swearing at my buddy and cursing him and all his progeny for 10 generations.

Then after about a four year hiatus I decided to give it another try, but this time I'd been a competition mountain biker for several years... so my fitness level was in a different realm. A buddy and I hiked Elk lake into the Panther Gorge shelter full pack (not at all fun). Then the next day we climbed Haystack, Marcy, Skylight, and Gray. That day was an absolute blast, the climb up Haystack was as memorable as it gets... and we raced up skylight (ahhh to be 24 and 160 lbs again ). Last day hiking out (even less fun than hiking in... feet were killing me, mountain biking doesn't prepare your feet for hiking very well!). Even though I really enjoyed the trip, I somehow didn't get around to hitting the high peaks again until this year.

Two weeks ago I went up to Elk Lake again with some friends from Syracuse and Rome, we climbed Macomb, South Dix, and East Dix. It was a great day, even after spending 3 hours bushwhacking down Lillian Brook. I did the math and realized that I had 8 of the 46 down.

Last weekend was my 10th wedding anniversary, I had plans to take my wife out to the House of Blues in Chicago for some good times and great music (a great hotel in our favorite city). I talked to Jen and she said "Why don't we go spend the weekend in a cabin in the Adirondacks instead. That was a good reminder of why I'm so crazy about her, and so Thursday we drove up to my Aunt's place at Lake Ozonia. Also, she'd listened to us yapping about how great the hike up Macomb was and she wanted to try it out... so last Friday we blew a wad of money getting her outfitted at the EMS in Placid and Saturday we hit Cascade and Porter. Needless to say, all it took was the view from the knob about 2/3's up Cascade and she was hooked, that and the abundance of plant life... out of about 70 pictures she took, probably 40 were of Mushrooms and Fungi, and I think she's identified over a dozen unique species so far from the images.

So then there's this weekend, my extended family (aunts, uncles, cousins, a whole crowd of us) are heading up to Wanakena for an annual camping trip, so Jen and I are going to take our two boys up Bear mountain (just outside Cranberry) on Saturday, then on Sunday the two of us are going to climb Street and Nye (looks like a good next step from Cascade/Porter for Jen, longer but not much more climbing wise... plus "trailless" so she can say she's done one of those).

Anyway... now that I've got a couple of hiking partners hopefully I can put a serious dent in the 46 over the next year or so.

[jcmpt]

I was scanning the web for advice on high peak trails, and I came across you nutty bunch! A sense of humor is always welcome... I'm Janice, a physical therapist (ortho and sports) from the hudson valley area. I'm a competitive runner by nature, and an avid hiker for fun(?). I usually seek out the major altitude stuff (without having to use climbing equipment), generally out west.
I am also new to the snowshoe racing scene (if you haven't tried, it's to die for - literally!)
I try and work as little as possible (usually a per diem schedule) so I can do any kind of outdoor fun stuff.

[Waylaid Wanderer]

Hello, and what a pleasure it is to be here!

I wasn't registered as a member to this forum for more than a day before I was welcomed, and I do appreciate that.

Be forewarned. This post is a bit lengthy, not by design but by an unintended willingness to divulge more of myself than I probably should have, probably due to the late hour.

Well now, a little about myself, eh? Hi, my name is John. I am a 31 year old DME (Durable Medical Equipment, that's wheelchairs and hospital beds and the like) Technician, and just moved into the Capital Region from Hollywood, Florida(East Coast, north of Miami). I followed Hurricane Charlie up. Witnessing the destruction to the rural towns and suburbs along the Fla Turnpike just south of Orlando simply reinforced my decision to leave. Steel overhanging roadsigns tossed about like some toddler's playthings, bill boards snapped like matchsticks, open roofs and fallen walls, it was awesome and humbling. Nature, in it's fury or beauty, tends to be, but I don't have to tell you all that. I do not envy those people I left behind.

I grew up in New York, at the southwestern tip of Albany County. Though I did some fishing with my father now and again, I never really got the hiking "bug". All through high school, I only embarked on one camping trip, and it was a bushwhack with a couple of friends thinking ourselves adventurous. Obviously, we were unprepared, got lost, emerged from the woods a day later on a road only a few miles away from where we had departed, and hitched a ride home. Not very impressive, I know. And that would have been the extent of my hiking days, if not for a strange turn of events.

I spent a year at SUNY Cobleskill as a BioTech Major, and then had the sudden realization that splitting genes wasn't for me. No, I wanted to be a writer. I needed a change of atmosphere, something new, something different(reality had taken a little vacation at this point). So it was then that I agreed to move down to South Florida for a time, get my feet under me, experience life, get an English degree, and start writing. This turned out to be the overwhelming blunder of my simple nondescript life, made so by a remarkable series of non-decisions and choices based on personal security designed to avoid any manifestation of change. I ended up spending a year at a Community College, failing to achieve a degree(6 Credits Short), and the better part of 10 years working for my parents in their DME(Durable Medical Equipment) business as a Technician/Driver, and eventually Operations Manager. I don't resent the work. It is good, meaningful work. But it wasn't my life, it wasn't my goal. It was biding time, and keeping desperate hold of the status quo.

Luckily, I was forced to make a decision. The business was being sold. August 2003, and I was suddenly unemployed. South Florida had become a concrete wasteland to me, built upon an immense sweltering rancid bog. In my mind it was an analogy of my life, an illusion of structure and order built upon a great emptiness. And then I felt the call(dramatic, isn't it). Memories of old deciduous forests, and the rolling hills they stood upon, came to the forefront of my thoughts. I remembered standing on the shelves of rock above the swiftly flowing streams with my father, fishing for trout. It was the time I was most happy, and that's all the urging I needed. I was free to go where I would, but I only wanted to go one place. My older sister had moved back to upstate New York, and started a family there. She had placed an open invitation, and I took her up on it. When I made that decision, my desire to be in the wilderness grew tenfold. I needed to make a little money before the move, so it was not happening immediately. I went to the Everglades(that immense sweltering rancid bog I spoke of earlier) and walked a few trails through some hammoks(small islands in the river of grass which have stable enough ground for trees to root). It was a poor substitute for the mountains, but not nearly half as bad as I imagined. I did some kayaking in the Keys, meandering through mangrove caves, the canopies of which were so dense as to cast everything in deep brown and green. A sense of solitude was strong in those places, but merely shadow of the peace I had felt in an earlier life.

And so, a year later, and here I am. Unemployed, yet again, I arrived at my sister's on the 25th of August, perhaps a new birthday for me. First thing, after unpacking, and getting my younger brother settled in the College of St. Rose, I went to my local bookstore, a small independent shop I will likely be frequenting a lot, and happened upon Barbara McMartin's "Discover the Adirondacks" series. I didn't have the money to buy a lot of gear, so, instead, I decided to make a quick trip to Kane Mountain last Saturday. I called my brother, he agreed, being the naturalist he is, and off we went. I don't have to tell you, or perhaps I do, but the view from that firetower, well, it was enough to become inspired, and that is not an easy thing for me. So, we went down 29A the 10 miles to the Powley-Piseco Road, drove up and back, making note of the campsites and pull-offs, and then got lost(purposefully) for a few hours. It ended with us agreeing that every other Saturday we would go out to explore the Adirondacks a bit more, alternating the planning of the trips between us. The off weekends I will be going solo, and finding more than the hidden valleys and rolling peaks in the Southern Adirondacks(until I'm comfortable, and in shape, I will be keeping to the southern reaches, those closest to where I am).

Reading the previous posts in this thread, I have to admit, you all have admirable qualities, to the last. I'm coming to this a bit late in the game, and am barely an amateur, and that's being kind. But I have the desire and the will, so, in time, may our paths cross and our meeting be a good one.

Take Care and Be Well,
John

[whcobbs]

Introducing myself:
Retired physician age 58, grew up on the Niagara Frontier, now living in the Philadelphia area. Lifelong hiker, but discovered the DAKS only five years ago, hiking the Northville-Placid Trail. In recent years attracted to light weight backpacking and winter camping. I plan to do a winter snowshoe/ski thru-hike of the N-P Trail.

Walt

[kingof14ers]

This seems to be a fairly long and old thread. My response may be long overdue, but here it is.

My name is Tim. I'm 33 and I grew up in Rockland County NY. Hiked alot near Stony Point near West Point. The only other hiking I've ever done east of the Mississippi is hiking the confederate troops route at Gettysburg.

My hiking and climbing carrier really began 10 years ago when I left NY and moved out to Colorado trying to advance my carrier as a network administrator as well as my love for the outdoors. My first mountain hike was a foothill near the town of Evergreen called Bergen Peak (9708'). I went on to several 12000' peaks near the South Park region within the Lost Creek Wilderness. Later that summer I went up my first 2 14000' peaks (14ers) called Grays and Torreys.

10 years have come and gone. I've done many of the 14ers, a bunch of 13ers, 12ers, 11ers, many in the winter, and many repeated times. 2 years ago I coauthored the naming of Columbia Point (13980') to honor the crew of the Shuttle Columbia and the STS-107 mission. I met most of the families and many of the astronauts and members of the recovery effort. I also have a proposal for the naming of the 13er American Peak that should be voted on in December.

My wife Lisa and I have been married for 2 years with 12 year old step-daughter Breanna and a little boy on his way. They love camping more then bagging peaks. I guess you could say that the motto of my home state gives some loose reasoning why I love the peaks.... Ever Upward!

[zac]

I'm Zac (looks like I'm Zac #2). I'm 24 and work as a web designer/developer for a small company in Utica, NY. I like it, but the hours spent in front of a keyboard have a way of making the mountains seem irresistible (moreso than they already are). Since everyone seems to be telling their version of "how I came to love the Adirondacks," here's mine:

When I was growing up, my parents had a camp in the Southern Adirondacks (on 5th Lake in the village of Inlet). We spent most of our summers there, so I was out in the woods a lot - hiking, camping, canoeing. It was a lot of fun - but when high school rolled around, I suddenly lost interest in anything remotely related to the outdoors (what 16-year-old wants to spend their summers in the woods with their parents?).

So I didn't have much to do with the mountains for about 6 years. Then during my third year of college, my girlfriend and I went on a random camping trip with two of our friends (on Racquette Lake). They wanted to sit around and relax, so the two of us decided to take a drive up to Lake Placid to check out something called "Algonquin Mountain" that a friend had recently told me about. As it turned out, we ended up arriving at the Adirondak Loj around 3:00 pm. The ranger politely discouraged us from starting up Algonquin that late in the day (no, we didn't know any better!), so we took his recommendation and climbed Mt. Jo instead.

The views were amazing - especially for such a small mountain - and we were instantly hooked. We went back again a few weeks later to climb Algonquin for real. The next two years were spent making the 5-hour drive from Rochester whenever our weekends would allow it (not often enough!). And even though we broke up somewhere along the way, we remained good friends and hiking partners.

So that's that. The more time I spend in the Adirondacks, the more I enjoy it. I try to get up there whenever I manage to round up some hiking partners...once or twice a month if I'm lucky. Still working on my 46...hope to see some of you out there!

[Adirondack Bill]

Howdy Folks,

I work in Manhattan, live on the south shore of Long Island. I started going to the Adirondacks about 25 years ago, finally buying a place in Warren County about 6 years ago. I hope to leave here and live there in the not to distant future.

[Missionsman]

Name, rank, and serial number please...

Hello All,

OK, i've 'lurked' enough here and need to provide some life/personality detail.... Sorry for the lengthly report following, you asked for it - consider yourself warned!!!!

I got into hiking seriously on my own by the time i was 16 and started ocassional winter camping at 17. I really pursued it after 3 years as a paratrooper at Ft.Bragg, NC - an infantryman/marksman with the 82nd Airborne Division (having had survival-type training through various TRADOC schools). I pursued, through my late teens and twenty's, martial arts in combination with my life long zealous pursuit of marksmanship. However, the outdoors was where i always went to re-compose.

Due mostly to scheduling conflicts with my friends over the years, I've now solo winter hiked/camped for some 20 years. It is the favored setting for my primary refreshment - time alone with God - experiencing Him though His awesome creation. Along lifes journey, i have also developed an interest in climbing - vertical rock, ice and snow. Put winter camping and climbing together and now you're in the ZONE!!! Hence, my interest in the ADK's (as well as the Presidentials). I am planning a January visit to climb Mt. Marcy.

I became a dedicated Christian, after several false starts with going to church, at age 28. This is different from prior simple, infatuational, short-lived, uncommitted emotional responses that had a propensity to fizzle out after two weeks. My faith in God and position in Christ, defines me.

I also enjoy reading philosophy as well as theology and consume copious amounts of coffee in the joyful discussions of both.

There you have it, in one not-so-nice package, but remember - you asked for it and have been warned....

Mm

[soco7tyx7]

it seems this thread was created almost a year ago, but i just joined so its new to me!! and people still seem to be replying so here i go. my name is Jonathan and i grew up in the Rochester area. i'm 18 and in college on Long Island(not too much wilderness ) and am studying architecture. i've been camping for as long as i can remember and probably before that with my family. i started on Lake George in the dacks when i was like 5 or so and have been going back at least once a year since then. i did Blue mountain on the same trip to LG and started backpacking in 2002. first trip was up Crane mountain and that was enough to keep me going since. since then i've only done weekend trips in the Siamese wilderness but they've all been so sweet. did one back to puffer pond with a couple people from my youth group back home and had one of the best times of my life, hiked puffer mountain, humphrey and chimney which was truely amazing. one of my best friends and i are planning to do the Northville-PLacid trail and if all works out and goes as planned, we'll hit it by mid july. i've been in love with the outdoors ever since i could walk and always will be. i love making an adventure out of everything i do and i hope that i can always look at it that way. i've got a long life ahead of me and plenty of hiking left in my blood. i'll be asking around next time i'm on the trail for you guys. see ya around.

[Alpinista]

This is my very first post! I'm 40-something (though some people I met on the trail this summer thought I looked 30! ), and I'm relatively new to hiking. I have to laugh when I think of growing up in Connecticut and commiserating with friends that there was absolutely "nothing" to do -- if only I'd discovered the outdoors way back when! I finished the NH48 this summer and am now working on the NE67. The drive to the daks intimidates and depresses me, but since I've started lurking here, I guess it's destiny that I'll end up doing the ADK's!

I'm a journalist, single and live in the Boston area.

[nippletop]

Yes, just turned 50. That means I've been Backpacking, Climbing, Snowshoeing and Winter adventuring for 35 years. Done mountains in B. C. , Colorado, Wyoming, Utah, California, Oregon, Washington, Georgia, N. Carolina, Tennesee, Virginia, Nova Scotia, Quebec, Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont and finally New York. We used to cut through N.Y. to go farther east. I finally planned a trip to the High Peaks in 1994 and I was hooked. I come back every year to get my butt kicked on some of the best rock in the country. My knees are shot from mountains and bicycles but I will never quit. It's the only "sport" I do. We've been doing "trailless" peaks for the last few years. Always a great adventure. Always great people kicking about. Thanks for letting me feel the Adirondacks all the way back here in Michigan.

[hekki6]

a bit about me.....

Hi All,
My name is Bernie, and except for 4 years riding a nuclear submarine for our Uncle Sam, I have always lived in the Adirondacks.I always have been an outdoor type. The other guys were playing baseball, I was in the woods or fishing.In 2001, I decided to take a walk in the woods at ADK LOJ, and found myself at the shores of Avalanche Lake.Of all the time I had spent in the woods, these mountains were a whole new experience.From there on , it was Cascade, Giant, Wright, Marcy, Phelps,Colden, Marshall, Seymour,...get the picture? My wife stated that I turned 50 , and went nuts.Well, if this is nuts, I love it.So far I have climbed 26 and am raring to finish the rest of the 46. I just wish I had started this 20 years ago. Sometimes, at 54, it really hurts the next day.When not climbing, I do a lot of flyfishing, motorcycling, and competition pistol shooting.I also take long backpacking trips every spring. This year I spent nearly a week in the Cold River country, where I explored the hermitage of Noah John Rondeau, and found the remnants of several old logging camps. When I really must, I spend the remainder of my time as Supervising Engineer at the power plant at Sunmount DDSO here in Tupper Lake.I can retire in July, and if the mountians call loudly enough, I just might.
Well, that,s about it for now. Hope to meet some of you on this site, or on the trail.
Bernie "hekki th' gator" Trombley

[doug]

Hi, everyone. I just discovered this wonderful forum the other day. I'm 48, and a newly tenured music (French horn) professor at Rutgers University in New Jersey and also play in orchestras and on Broadway. My folks have a summer place off Rt. 22 in Putnam Station. I started camping on the islands in Lake George with my school-teacher parents in the late 50's, back when you could camp all summer and St. Sacrament island might fill up on a weekend or two. Did quite a bit of high peaks backpacking in the late 60's early 70's, first with my dad and then with hockey-buddies (I'm still playing) and then my girlfriend. She was used to taking cruise ships to Europe with her parents and then staying in 5-star hotels and being chauffered around in a Mercedes. Well, she loved backpacking, (Flowed Lands and Algonquin from Tahawus) even after the mud and mosquitos and then she sat on her glasses and had to tape them together with adhesive tape.

My 9-yr. old daughter Eva has been island camping every summer since she was 9 mos., including canoe-camping on Saranac when she wasn't quite two. She loves the outdoors and especially hiking (did Cascade twice in a week when she was six.) Anyway, seemed like she might be ready for a hike this past spring. I bought new gear (it sure is a lot better than what I had in the 70's) and soloed Giant Mtn from 9N on May 28th this year (it was about 30 at the lean-to and snowed all the way to the summit the next day.) Eva joined me for the same trip on June 26th and loved it. Good thing she was with me the second time, there were chest-high maples after Owl Head lookout and she was under them and saw a newly-shed copperhead before we stepped on it. I shooed it off the trail before realizing I'd missed an incredible photo-op, it's head was as bright as a new penny!

Since then, I've hiked a few weekends. Camped on middle Saranac (after fording the creek) and then hiked Ampersand Mtn. the next day. My 86-year-old dad and I canoed to Weller pond in early October and last weekend I hiked in to the Ward Brook lean-to to reconnoiter for a spring hike to the Sewards with my daughter in May. It was so beautifully cold and quiet and my winter wear and sleeping bag performed great. My wife, Donna, loves camping and hiking too, but unfortunately has rheumatoid arthritis. She now has two surgically repaired feet and might be able to do the hike into Ward Brook and do some birding while Eva and I do some climbing, I sure hope so.

Quiet, natural sounds, the spirit of rock and earth, water and tree, the potential for solitude, I'm never happier than when I'm hiking in the Adirondacks.

Thanks for reading this and thanks for the forum!

[Judgeh]

You should talk to Dick. He's a music prof at Skidmore.