Adirondack Peeks Winter 2023

A time-honored tradition of the 46ers has been our Correspondent Program. For many years Grace Hudowalski, the first woman to climb all 46 peaks and the first president of the organization wrote to aspir ing climbers. She shared her expertise and love of the mountains with new climbers and encouraged them in Become a Correspondent and Help Aspiring Climbers along Their Journey Kristen Peek, #12410 Outdoor Skills Workshop Bill Lundy, #3310V I n the following, recent Outdoor Skills Workshop partici pants recount their memorable moments. If you're interested in learning the basics of safe and responsible use of the Adirondack wilderness—in particu lar, if you're looking to lead groups or wishing to expand your personal knowledge and skill—please email osw@ adk46er.org and visit our Outdoor Skills Workshop Face book page. Dear Adirondack Forty-Sixers, Please accept this “thank you!” from a recent Outdoor Skills Workshop participant. . . . Knowing that there are many of us, each with our own set of treasures gleaned from the experience. The spring 2023 OSW rallied you together again, after a COVID-19 hiatus, to put on an enjoyable and impact ful unique weekend of fellowship, teaching and learning, story-telling, shared meals (and tents and lean-tos!), and enjoyment of these precious Adirondacks! Some favorite memories: The beautiful days and nites, Heart Lake, a loon, a fire, a sunny and rocky mountaintop with such a view! Esteemed, retired Ranger, Peter Fish, unpacking his hilarious, adorable homemade rag-wool-sock stuff sacks, explaining the serious importance of not just one—but two—types of hard liquor on the trail! My dear Cook Leaders, Chrissy (Christianne Dage nais) and Angie (Angela Marra) (especially Chrissy at breakfast… How does she already look that pretty and chipper at such an early hour in the woods!?!) . . . offering up a bounty of food . . . Packed so lovingly by Sherri Mar tin and Pam Keida . . . With recipes, spice cake, carefully measured ingredients for a perfect pot of chili! My lead ers were a devoted and interestingly complementary pair who made our weekend great… as I imagine did others, including Mike Fiorentino, Dave Dresser, Francis Farge, * * *

their journey. Armed with nothing more than a typewriter and a love of the mountains, she wrote to each of those who were trying to climb all 46 peaks. The program has transformed to an online platform, in the spirit of today's electronic world. Since migrating to a web-based platform, Correspondents have mentored over 220 aspiring 46ers through their journey. Correspon dents support climbers through inspring LNT, listening to their stories, and answering questions. If you would like to continue this tradition and help new climbers, please email Kristen Peek, Cochair, Correspondent Program, at adk46ertrailswm@gmail.com.

Mary Lou Recor, Karen and Mike Hickcox. Sharp Swan’s talk on top of beautiful Mount Jo, raising images of continental collisions, glaciers, fires, logging, and other great forces that shaped the landscape before our eyes. Bill Lundy's humor, his unabashed affection for his friends and others, and his geeky delight in maps, and compasses! Dan Auwarter’s humble and powerful group medita tion on leadership . . . plus his own humble leadership col laboration with Bill. Ron Konowitz’s haunting story of his and Lauren’s and their friends' bodies carried along within an avalanche . . . ! And so many other harrowing and touching stories of life and death, and the love and devotion of the rescuers who come to the aid of their lost, sick, cold and injured fellow humans in the Adirondacks!

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