September 26, 2025 • 64 mins
This week's Summit Session with Isabelle Carpenter is sure to inspire you. Grit is the only word to describe this woman's journey to 46. From 9 trips to the Dix Range before summiting all 5, to 6 trips to the Seward Range, and many more stories like that. This woman refused to give up. It took her 55 trips to the Adirondacks from Buffalo later, but she is now an Adirondack 46'er.
Enjoy this story of perseverance and finding your true joy in the mountains!
Looking for help to improve your your fitness for hiking, nutrition, discipline, and daily habits?
Apply to work with James 1-on-1 in his Seek To Do More coaching program at www.seektodomore.com
Join the next GREAT RANGE ATHLETE Team and get in mountain-hiking shape alongside a likeminded group in just 6 weeks from your local gym or house.
Join the team at www.greatrangeathlete.com
Follow on Instagram & Facebook:
@46of46podcast
@jamesappleton46
Get my books:
1.) The Adirondack 46 in 18 Hikes: The Complete Guide to Hiking the High Peaks
2.) Adirondack Campfire Stories: Tales and Folklore from Inside the Blue Line
Visit my other websites:
www.46OUTDOORS.com
www.46OF46.com
Enjoy this story of perseverance and finding your true joy in the mountains!
Looking for help to improve your your fitness for hiking, nutrition, discipline, and daily habits?
Apply to work with James 1-on-1 in his Seek To Do More coaching program at www.seektodomore.com
Join the next GREAT RANGE ATHLETE Team and get in mountain-hiking shape alongside a likeminded group in just 6 weeks from your local gym or house.
Join the team at www.greatrangeathlete.com
Follow on Instagram & Facebook:
@46of46podcast
@jamesappleton46
Get my books:
1.) The Adirondack 46 in 18 Hikes: The Complete Guide to Hiking the High Peaks
2.) Adirondack Campfire Stories: Tales and Folklore from Inside the Blue Line
Visit my other websites:
www.46OUTDOORS.com
www.46OF46.com
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
This is the forty six of forty six podcast Summit Sessions,
where we'll talk all things Adirondack back country and beyond.
From high peaks stories and adventures to trail tips and tricks.
We'll dive deep into the heart of these mountains and
the people who passionately climb them. Adirondack maps and spruce
traps to bushwacks and backpacks. It's all here, the forty
(00:21):
six of forty six Summit Sessions. Hello everyone, and welcome
back to the forty six of forty six podcast. Fall
(00:42):
is in full swing up here in the Adirondacks. The
leaves are changing, and they're changing quickly. So if you
don't have plans to get up to the Adk or
you're waiting a few weeks, it's time to change those
plans and get up here. Because, my God, does it
look really nice outside my my front door. Here and
out in the mountains. The leaves are changing. Fall is here.
(01:04):
It's nice and cool in the morning, warm in the afternoon.
September is a fantastic time of year. Speaking of September,
this week on the forty six to forty six podcast,
I'm here with a summit session to talk about a
recent Adirondack forty six finish, and my god, this woman's
story getting to forty six. If you need some inspiration,
(01:26):
this is going to be it. Most people would have
given up years ago, far long ago, but Isabelle kept
going despite unbelievably large amounts of failed attempts up mountains,
cold weather, winter hiking, solo, taking up this sport of
hiking by herself even in the winter, and just not
(01:47):
giving up. It is a story of perseverance, all because
she just fell in love with the Adirondack high peaks,
and tonight we're going to talk all about it with
her to hear how how the journey went ups the
down and she just finished her forty six this past week,
so what a perfect time to hear the story of
Isabelle from Buffalo. Isabelle, Welcome to the forty six to
(02:09):
forty six podcast.
Speaker 2 (02:11):
Thank you, James, I'm glad to be here. Thanks for
having me.
Speaker 1 (02:14):
Yes, so, Isabelle, you and I worked together and seek
to do more, And I told you during our time
there when you finally finished the forty six, we are
going to do a podcast because this story is so good.
First off, my god, congratulations for finishing the Thanks.
Speaker 2 (02:32):
I can't I still can't believe it happened.
Speaker 1 (02:34):
I'm telling you, I have never seen somebody finish the
forty six. That got me as excited as I was
when I saw that you finally got there. Ollia, congratulations
to you. So many trips from Buffalo all the way here,
heartbreaking trips up the mountains that you had to turn
around on you weren't feeling it. I mean, how many
(02:56):
times were you in the seward range this summer? Know?
And He's like, there were, just there's so many. We're
going to get into all of that because it is
just a story worth telling. I don't think there's anybody
who will finish the Adirondack forty six and twenty twenty
five more deserving of that title than you. So kudos
to you for the perseverance that you have shown. So
(03:18):
we're going to get into that story. But before we
get into it, tell us a little bit about yourself.
How did you get into hiking? How did you get
into the Adirondack forty six thing? Give us a little
background on yourself, and this the entry point here.
Speaker 2 (03:31):
Yeah, about three years ago I started hiking with Mike
the Buffalo, the Western New York. What is it called the.
Speaker 1 (03:43):
Outside Outside Chronicles Mike Rodonsky shout out to Mike.
Speaker 2 (03:46):
Yes, yes, yes, he's amazing. So I just started with
very easy local hikes. A mile here, a mile there.
I remember one time I did seven miles and I
came home and I was like, oh my gosh, I
I seven miles. It was seven miles on flat and
it was like nothing to it, you know, I mean
there was it was nice, but I thought that was
(04:07):
a huge accomplishment, you know. So that's how I started.
I was overweight. I was a couch potato all I
did after work. I'm a school secretary, so I'm very sedentary.
I would just come home knit, read, you know, just
really the only exercise I had was walking my dog.
But anyway, so I started doing that the challenge in
(04:29):
twenty twenty three and the spring of twenty twenty three,
and I loved it. And I did all of it
by myself, and I just loved the solitude. It was
like therapy for me. And the more I did it,
the more I became addicted, and I enjoyed the really,
(04:51):
the really, you know, when it was far from everything,
Like I don't. I didn't enjoy the ones that were
like in city parks or anything. I went into Allegheny,
Letchworth and those far trails and I just fell in love.
Speaker 1 (05:04):
That's great, that's great. So at some point in that journey,
you must have learned about the Adirondacks. How'd that come about?
Speaker 2 (05:11):
Well, what happened is that after a while I was like, oh,
I could get into backpacking. That sounds fun. So I
actually booked a class about, you know, on how to
learn how to set up camp and you know, the
everything you need to know really, and I did that
and the gentleman who did the class gave me tips
(05:35):
on where to go next, because I asked him, I said,
you know, around here, I wouldn't know where to camp.
You know, I don't want to really do it close
to home. So he said, why don't you go to
Cranberry Lake in the added on Backs. And I'll be
honest with you, I'm I'm ashamed. But I didn't even
really know where the added on backs. I mean, I
knew it was in New York, but I just didn't,
you know, like, I had no idea. I didn't know
(05:56):
anything about the Adirondacks.
Speaker 1 (05:58):
Hey, that's okay. We're not to hold that against you, Isabelle.
We're not going to hold that against you.
Speaker 2 (06:03):
Well, thank you.
Speaker 1 (06:04):
I know you're not a New York native. Where were
you grew up in France? Correct?
Speaker 2 (06:07):
Yes, I spent the first twenty four years of my
life in France.
Speaker 1 (06:11):
Yeah, so well, we won't hold that against you for
not knowing about the park. It it grabbed you by
the heart strings anyway, so continue.
Speaker 2 (06:18):
Yes, So he said, why don't you go to Cranberry Lake?
And he gave me not the fifty you know, not
the whole loop there, just a twenty mile loop over
three days. And I went into that hike. I was terrified,
but I you know, I was also very much evated.
I wanted to do it. I loved it. The first
night I didn't sleep at all. You know, it was
(06:40):
my first night outside in my tent, and I was
I was so scared. But even though I was scared,
I loved it. I don't know, it's kind of hard
to explain. And I came out of that forest a
changed person. I I it was, you know, because it
was hard. It was a lot of miles all by myself,
(07:02):
I had never done that much and I have definitely
not slept outside before. So I came out of that
of that hike as like a new I can't even
I don't even know how to I did things that
I never thought I would I would be able to do.
I did things that made me think that maybe I'm
not such a worss. I'm still a little bit woozy,
but you know, like I was brave that time. I
(07:24):
didn't know I had it in me, and I wanted more.
And I also fell in love with the Adurumbacks. Even
though it wasn't you know, in the same area, completely
different than the High Peaks, it was still you know
that the nature is the forest there, you know, so
dance and so remote, and I just like I felt
(07:46):
at home like I couldn't I can't really explain it.
Speaker 1 (07:49):
It just.
Speaker 2 (07:50):
It was a wonderful feeling. And so after that, I
remember that I had read about people who had done
the High Peaks and what's up with that? So I
looked into and I was like, oh, okay, well I'll
do Cascade and see what it's all about. And James,
there is no I know, you know, the feeling and
maybe it's different for everyone. But like, I got to
(08:12):
the top of Cascade and I felt literally high. I've
never done drugs. I don't know what it feels like
to be high, but I felt high, Like I can't
even describe the feeling. I was so elated. I don't
even know. I can't and I was hooked right away.
I could not believe I had done that by myself.
(08:35):
I could not believe I had climbed a whole mountain
with my own two legs.
Speaker 1 (08:42):
You know, that's absolutely incredible. So this whole journey began
because you very much stepped outside your comfort zone and
decided to try something new and wild and different. And
look at what it has brought you. Other than lots
of bumps and bruises, but it has brought you. It
is usher in a new version of yourself. As you said,
(09:02):
because this is this is something that you had never
done before. So when you growing up, should I assume
that the outdoors and any sort of outdoor thing was
not really part of your your repertoire.
Speaker 2 (09:14):
Actually no, my parents took me and my brother and
sister to the Elks the French Alps every single summer
to hike. I hated it. I hated it because I
had no friend. You know, it was just to me,
it was boring. It was my parents forcing me to
follow them to place. Of course. Now I mean I
(09:35):
regret it, like I took it for granted. Now, you know,
like if I could just go in and hike in
the Elks, I would, you know, that would be amazing.
But anyway, that's that's my background is you know the
French Elks. You know I was there every single summer. Hm.
Speaker 1 (09:52):
Okay, well I can. I can relate because you know,
I grew up in Lake Classett and I didn't want
to hike mountains. I didn't want to be in the mountains.
It was hard, it was not fun. So I can
I can relate to that. And then all of a
sudden something changes. So very cool. So talk to me
more about that first trip in cred around in the
Cranberry Lake fifty, that trail area. So you went up there,
(10:16):
you did this trip, what did so like, what did
your family say to you when you were going like, hey,
I'm driving what six hours to this place called the Adirondacks.
I'm going to do some backpacking, some camping. They were
probably like what where what are you doing? Like it
kind of take us through how that went, because again,
this is you. You you just did something very different
(10:40):
that you had not done and you were this this
hobby was elevating. So kind of how did that? How
did that go?
Speaker 2 (10:46):
Well? I think that my family probably saw because you know,
I was hiking around here a lot, like every single weekend,
so they probably saw how happy I was. Like I
I was a little depressed. I mean I've always and
kind of you know, depressed, but I was a different
person even before going there because I hiking every weekend.
(11:06):
That really really helped me. And I was just so
happy all the time because I had that to look
forward to, and you know, being out in nature, I
would come back I would be happy at home, so
you know it. So I think that they saw how
changed I was already and and they probably didn't think
that it was so crazy because it was just taking
(11:28):
what I was enjoying a step further, I guess. But
you know, my husband has he he was in the
Coast Guard and search and rescue is his things, so
he has been he was making sure that I was prepared,
you know, so that was really the most important thing
to him, is that I went out knowing what I
(11:51):
was doing, you know how, what I would need to
do if I needed if I were in a situation
that was not good or you know, so as long
as he knew that I was being safe, he didn't.
He just said, I remember when I started hiking. I
offered for him to come along, and he said, I've
(12:12):
done my time roughing it. You go have fun.
Speaker 1 (12:15):
Like all right, all right, very cool. And there you went.
There you were deep in the Adirondack for solo, in
your tent, wide awake because you were so scared yet
excited at the same time, lots of emotions happening. And
then you eventually learned about Cascade, the high peaks, this
whole thing. You went. You climbed Cascade and you were hooked.
You felt like you were high. Something new has happened,
(12:38):
You've experienced something new. Did you go to Porter on
that first hike?
Speaker 2 (12:42):
Yes, I didn't. I got Look, I don't know how
I got lost, but I did remember telling you a
pass like there was another hiker at some point. I
was sitting on the rock and he was below me,
and I was like hi, and he was like, hey,
how's it going. I'm like, I'm okay, but I think
I lost the trail. I mean, I wasn't really concern because,
you know, I thought I could find the trail again
(13:03):
and I had navigation. But I'll always remember that I
managed to get lost on the way to port her
for Jesscake.
Speaker 1 (13:10):
Sure, there's a couple of little like little you know,
scenic step offs where I could see, yeah, you can
walk on it.
Speaker 2 (13:18):
Sure, And I wasn't used to hiking those trails, you know,
like a lot of the trails I hiked around here
are well marked, and the trails in the Adirondacks, even
the ones that are marked by the GC, they still
yeah sometimes it's you.
Speaker 1 (13:31):
Know, yeah, they're not like trail markers every fifteen feet.
It's you know, you might get one every one hundred
yards or six from there. There's a lot of space
to get lost. It's actually why I always tell people too,
you know, like the leave no trace thought process is
to go always go like two hundred yards off trail
(13:52):
or two hundred feet excuse me, off trail, like to
pee tell you go two hundred feet off of an
adironic trail. She could very easily never find the trail again,
I know, well that far away you might be in
you might be in trouble. Okay, So also, how long
did it take you to hike Cascade? I know, you know,
we'll dive into your your rapid fire speed hiking that
(14:13):
you hike at So how long did how long did
Cascade take you that day? Do you remember?
Speaker 2 (14:19):
I think it took me seven hours or something like that,
an insane amount of time. I mean I was going
really slow, and not just not just because I was
taking pictures and stuff, but because I was struggling physically.
Speaker 1 (14:36):
Sure, and that's why, Yeah, that's why, that's why we
first started working together, because you were struggling physically. You
just couldn't move faster. Your your typical days in the
high peaks, if I recall, were like like everything was
like fourteen fifteen hours.
Speaker 2 (14:49):
Oh yeah, absolutely, yes, Like take the normal speed of
a of a regular hiker double it, and that's how
long it takes me to do a high peak.
Speaker 1 (14:58):
Yeah, which again is getting right, but yeah, of course,
well of course you've been putting in the work right
to get yourself more more prepared for the trips over
the last over a year. You know, it's like, that's
another reason why I said to you, like, we are
going to tell your story, because most people would have
given up. Most people would have quit, most people wouldn't
(15:21):
put themselves out there for that long. But you just
kept going like the little engine that could. And that's
why it's exciting to watch. Okay, so you hit Cascade
and Porter seven hours you said what was next? And
when was next? How long after that were And at
that point too, did you say like, okay, this is
this this forty six thing, like this is something I'm
(15:41):
curious about, or was it like did you know at
that moment like this forty I knew in.
Speaker 2 (15:46):
That moment, like standing on the summit, I knew I
was not going to be able to stop there, and
so I was kind of I knew I wasn't physically ready,
but at the same time, I knew I was not
going to be able to wait months or you know,
like to condition myself better to do the next one.
(16:06):
Because the feeling I had when I was up there,
I wanted it again soon, not you know, not in
three months, not in six months. I wanted it like
in the next few weeks. So I did I went.
So I did giant.
Speaker 1 (16:19):
Next and it jumped from Cascade to go right to Johnny.
Speaker 2 (16:23):
Okay, yes, it was tough because I mean, it's all
I mean, it's all very scheap. It's not a lot
of miles compared to most high peaks, but it's up, up,
up all the way.
Speaker 1 (16:35):
Three ausion beta gain in three miles. It's it's right
up there.
Speaker 2 (16:39):
Yeah, it was brutal, but I I did it, and
I got to the top, and I had that same feeling.
And you know, I started my spreads. I love spreadsheets.
I have spreads sheets for everything. But anyways, yeah, I
and I looked at my calendar and I, you know,
(17:00):
thankfully my family they were very supportive, so I was
able to go basically whenever I wanted. I would leave
Friday after work and get there Friday evening. I would
do my hikes on Saturday and drive back home Sunday
and be back at work on Monday. So it worked out.
Speaker 1 (17:20):
Great, very good. And when you come up here, you're
you're you're doing a lot of camping, because I I've
seen you out there camping, so yes, okay in the summer,
so you're doing a lot of camping and you're really
taking to this Adirondack Woods experience in all facets, because
you're not just you know, like coming up staying in
(17:41):
a hotel or necessarily camping in your car maybe maybe sometimes,
but you were also actually out there camping often really
taking in the whole, the whole experience.
Speaker 2 (17:51):
Yeah, and part of camping is cutting the miles, you know,
making the the hikes a little shorter. But I also
really like of sleeping out there, you know the I
love falling asleep listening to the nature sounds. It's so stoothing.
And I sleeped so good in my hammock I can't
(18:12):
even describe. Like one time after I did a hike
in the in the Dicks Range, I slept twelve hours
in my handing. I'm sure I was tired, but it's
just it just shows you how, you know, how well
I sleep out there. And then it's sally. I can't
do that every night, but I would if I could.
Speaker 1 (18:33):
If only young Isabelle in the French Alps could see you. Now, right, Yeah,
all right, very cool? So you hide giant next, So
how did that? How did that height go? Do you
remember how Giant went? Given like the steep elevation and like, yeah,
the whole shebang, that is that mountain? How'd that go?
Speaker 2 (18:51):
It was exhausting. I had to stop every ten minutes
I have. I had to not just stop and take
a small break. I had to like it down and
catch my breath. My heart beat was going crazy, and
oh gosh, I wish I had my spreadsheet. I can't
tell you how many hours it took me, but it
was a long long time, just because I had to
(19:14):
stop so often. I was not in any in any
way ready for that kind of hike physically, But what
I had was grit. You know, I was determined. I
was not going to give up because I knew it
wasn't I was not in danger. I was not you know,
I was just struggling physically. So all I had to
do is just take breaks and keep on going.
Speaker 1 (19:36):
Mm hmm. That is exactly at the grit, the determination,
the perseverance. So what do you think it like, what
was it that had you keep going? You know, you're
out there all day, all the time, you're struggling, Like
you said, every ten minutes, you got to take a break.
What do you think it was that allowed you to
keep going?
Speaker 2 (19:57):
So the feeling I had when I was on the summit.
But so just because I had discovered that I was
actually braved and brave and I actually could do hard things,
I pushed myself because I knew I could do it.
You know, the easy thing would have to just stopped,
because like I said, I wasn't physically fit for that.
(20:21):
It would have been reasonable to stop for like you know,
like my prior self would have stopped. But because I
knew I could get to the top safely, I could
not find a reason to just to not do it.
I was determined I was going to get to the top,
even if it took me fifteen hours, sixteen hours, I
(20:43):
didn't care. I had headlamps, I had food, water, I
was I had my satellite community care. I had everything
I needed.
Speaker 1 (20:52):
I just yeah, and the will to get to the summit. Ultimately,
did you do Rocky Peak Ridge on that second hike?
Speaker 2 (21:00):
No, I was going to That was my plan. But
there's no way I.
Speaker 1 (21:05):
Got too long, right, Yeah, it was.
Speaker 2 (21:08):
It was just too too hard, and it was you know,
it was getting late. Not that I I don't really care,
like I know that it's the safe thing to do
to have a turnaround time. Personally, I don't do that
because I carry light for days. You know, I have
enough light for days, power banks, you name it, layers, bankets.
You know I could. I could probably spend any night outside,
(21:30):
even if I'm just doing a day hike, just because
of you know, because I'm doing it solo. I have
to be more prepared than groups because if something happens,
I'm on my own. So I never worry about what
time it is. If I'm going to end a hike
at ten pm, so be it. You know that never Yeah,
(21:52):
that never was a problem.
Speaker 1 (21:54):
So after after Giant, what came next? Do you remember? Also?
I love it, I love on your spreadsheet that you
also tracked how long the hike took, very spreadsheety of
you to do that.
Speaker 2 (22:07):
Yes, I tracked you know who if I hiked with someone,
who I did it with, if I slept outside, know
where I slept, the number of miles it took me
to drive to that trailhead, I mean, the elevation gain.
I tracked everything. So anyway, al Gonquin and Iroquois came next,
and that was that was a shit show. That was
(22:30):
absolutely how so. So, first of all, I did not
I did not eat enough or drink enough water before
and even during the hike. So I after about an hour,
you know, actually more than after about two or three hours,
(22:50):
I felt like I was going to pass out and
I started coming So I lowered myself to the ground
and I didn't lose consciousness or anything, but I could
tell I was very weak. So I ended up eating something,
you know, I sat up, I ate something, I drank
the water and electrolytes, and I got up and I
(23:14):
kept on going. I just, you know, to me, that
was just at it all pick up, I guess, and
I don't that was a mistake. I should not have
kept on going. I mean I was not even half
way up Algonquin, and I think, you know, I know
I should have turned around. You No, I don't want
to sound like, oh I did that and you know
(23:34):
that's great. No, that was a mistake, you know, And
I've made plenty of mistakes, and I was very fortunate
and so I don't, you know, I yeah, So I anyway,
I got up, I kept on going. I felt better,
you know, I made sure to eat and everything. But
the wind was instane on Algonquin, and as a matter
(23:54):
of fact, the closer I I was getting to the summit,
the more people I start turning around and saying, oh no, no,
when it is crazy, we don't we don't want to
be there. And I was like, I came all the
way here, I don't want to turn around. So I thought, okay,
well I'll just keep on going a little bit and
(24:16):
if I feel like it's not safe anymore, I'll turn around.
So I got to the summit of Algonquin, and I
honestly didn't think it was crazy there.
Speaker 1 (24:26):
It was very.
Speaker 2 (24:27):
Windy, yes, absolutely, but I wasn't getting thrown around, you know.
So I so I started descending Algonquin. I went over
boundary and then I got to Aroquois. I mean it
was a struggle because you know, it's not easy, but
I got to Aroquois and I will never forget. It
(24:49):
was so windy. You know, there's this little ladder right
before you get to the summit. So I got up
the ladder, I stood up, I took a few steps,
and I I felt like my body, you know, the
wind was so strong. My body was, you know, going
like this, and I was like, no, but I got
to get to the summit, you know. So anyway, I
(25:09):
got to the very last boulder, and I could see
the cairn that marks the summit, and the wind was
so crazy that I actually crawled to it because I
was like standing up, you know, I did first stand up,
but I realized that wasn't safe, so I bolted the
summit and then it started hailing. So there I was
(25:33):
crawling towards the cairn, with the wind howling like crazy,
the hail pelting my face. I mean, it was ridiculous,
absolutely ridiculous, unsafe. I am very ashamed, but I I
did that, and I was crawling because it was safe
(25:54):
to crawl. Okay, it was fine, sure, but again I
don't I don't want your listener to think that it's
okay to do. Okay, I realize now that I shouldn't have,
but I did.
Speaker 1 (26:07):
Sure. So I'm all those sorts of things, those sorts
of times where we look back and say that wasn't
a really smart decision. I mean, I have I think,
I think to this day, my most downloaded podcast episode
is my Marci Skylight, Gray, Cliff and Redfield episode, which,
looking back on it now, was the stupidest decision to
(26:28):
add Cliff and Redfield to Marcy Skylight and Gray given
my lack of everything from food, experience, time, actual like
you know, physically, obviously I made it. But I look
back at that hike and I say, I would never
have done that again. So yeah, you know, we always
we always make the joke that that we can we
(26:50):
can look back on it and laugh when everything goes okay, right,
Like if something went wrong, we wouldn't be looking back
on it and joking and laughing. So we got lucky.
You know, the Mountains show does mercy that day?
Speaker 2 (27:01):
You Oh, absolutely, I mean I learned less I learned
so many lessons in those mountains, but I also did
a few things happened to me that were really bad
that didn't come from a bad decision. It was just
bad luck. But it's definitely sobering. I mean, it's scary,
especially when you're by yourself out there.
Speaker 1 (27:23):
Hey, everyone, if you're like Isabelle and you're struggling with
your ability out on the trail, there's two ways that
I can help you. You can work with me one
on one in my seek to Do More program, just
like Isabelle did. Or we're going to make sure you're
strong and fit, not just for the mountains, but you
show up as a stronger, fitter human being in your
everyday life as well. We're going to dial in your nutrition,
(27:44):
your habits, and make sure that you show up as
the strongest version of yourself on and off the trail.
And you can learn more about that program at seek
to Do More dot com, or you could join the
next Great Range Athlete group training program. It kicks off
October nineteenth for six weeks. It's a fun, impactful experience.
(28:04):
You'll end with lifelong friends and we'll get you strong
and fit for climbing mountains in the process. Head over
to Great Rangeathlete dot com to sign up today once again,
we start October nineteenth for six weeks. All right, let's
get back to the episode. So you know, you're hiking
these mountains by yourself. You're you're hooked right like, and
these these hikes are taking you. I feel like I
(28:27):
feel like you told me your typical what was your
typical pace? Was it half a mile an hour?
Speaker 2 (28:33):
Yes, yeah, exactly, not on flat but you know, like
at the end of the day it was less way
less than a mile an hour. So on the ascent,
it's about it was about half a mile an hour.
Speaker 1 (28:44):
Yeah, that just gives you know, it just gives the
listeners an idea as to how long these hikes took you.
If the average at the end of the day, you know,
if it was a ten mile hike, it was taking
you twenty hours.
Speaker 2 (28:57):
Now the most not gone with eighteen hours.
Speaker 1 (28:59):
I oh, geez, that's a daughted big day. That is
a long day out there. Yeah, you know, it's fun.
I always joke to people that no matter what you
like doing, nothing's fun for twelve hours. Nothing's I'd even
argue nothing's fun for ten hours hours. That is it.
That is a day. And that wasn't just like a
fluke you had that, I mean a lot of the
(29:22):
hikes took you that longh.
Speaker 2 (29:24):
Yeah, absolutely, like fifteen sixteen hours was normal, normal day,
and that.
Speaker 1 (29:29):
A normal day in the high peaks. So was there
ever a hike you where you thought, maybe this isn't
for me, maybe this isn't going to be something I finished,
or did you know, no, I'm going to finish. How
did that come across for you? Oh?
Speaker 2 (29:44):
James stuck feeling that those thoughts came to me on
every single hike. Every time I struggled, I thought, why
am I doing this to myself. Why I could be
home with my cac on my lap and my knitting
in my hands. Why am I doing this to myself?
On every single hike. There's always a point where I
(30:06):
reach my low and I think that and I still do.
To be honest, I didn't on my last one. No,
but before that a few weeks ago, I was still
getting there. But it never lasts long. That's just when
I hit my low, and after that it's you know,
(30:27):
it's usually shortly before I or you know, on the
last push of the extent, you know, or when there's
like lots of scrambles and it's really hard physically, But
then I get to the summit and I that doesn't
even occur to me anymore, to not continue. It's just
part of the cycle of the misery.
Speaker 1 (30:50):
I'm saying, part of the literary recycle. That's it. You know.
It's funny how it's funny you brought up something really
interesting there. It's funny how when we get to the
summits we almost immediately forget the pain that it took
to get there, whether physical or mental, right, Like you
just forget And is there not a massive life lesson
(31:12):
to be learned again thanks to the mountains. In that
whole concept, when you get to the goal that you had,
you forget. You suddenly the work that it took to
get there isn't such a problem anymore, and if anything,
it becomes a badge of honor what it took for
you to get there. And you are a prime example
every time you got up to these summits. Are there
(31:33):
any mountains in particular that or hikes in general, that
were maybe exceptionally close to having you quit altogether?
Speaker 2 (31:49):
So something that happened to me that was probably one
of the scariest things that happened to me that made
me really question things is so I did people Top
in the dead of winter by myself and Tabletop. The
hike itself went great, I you know, actually I thought
(32:09):
it was pretty easy compared to the two otherwise. But
on the way back from table Talk, when I had
to cross Phelps Brook, I felt So what happened is
that it was like, I don't know, fifteen twenty degrees
that day, Phelps Brook was not frozen. I mean I
had spots that were frozen, but it was still flowing
(32:31):
and there were there was ice on all the rocks.
That I had to used to get across. And I
went on the first rock, I planted my spikes right
on it the fine and I have my my pull
my trekking polls to you know, help myself keep my balance.
And then I went to pant my spikes on the
(32:54):
next rock, and the ice that was on the rock
detached from it and I went face first in the water.
And it was only about I don't know, one or
two feet of water at most, but because I went
face first and I had my backpack attached, I actually
(33:16):
was completely submerged. And I remember opening my eyes in
the water and it was so clear. I could see everything.
I could see branches, sediment, rocks, and I I remember
thinking and I said the very bad word, and then
(33:41):
I said, that's not how I'm going to in my head,
That's not how I'm going to die. And I found
something to grab and pull myself out, and then I
just walked in the water, you know, across to the
other side. But I had what three and a half
miles to go to get to the lodge. I was
(34:02):
completely drenched, completely from head to toe. My my shoes
were full of water. I mean, there was not anything
that was dry, and like I said, it was like
fifteen twenty degrees outside, right, And that was really scary
because you know, I learned about hypothermia. I think you
(34:23):
have an episode of your podcast on it or even two, right,
and I remember listening to it, and I remember thinking
about that as I was emerging. You know, Oh, James Appleton,
you know he tell this and that, I don't know
if I can make it to the lodge. So I
started walking as fast as I ever have in my life.
(34:45):
And I couldn't run because I knew, first of all,
I'm not a runner. Second of all, there was no way,
like my everything was heavy because I was wet, you know,
like it was horrible. So I just walked as fast
as I could. After a while, I couldn't fiel my
hands anymore. My fingers were red. It was it was painful.
(35:07):
I couldn't you know. I well, they were not painful
because I couldn't feel them, but like the rest of
my body, I mean, I can't even describe. But it
was running on an anale adrenaline at that point, you know. Anyway,
I finally made it back and I was actually staying
at the campground at the lodge that weekend, even though
(35:27):
it was winter, and so I went in the showers,
and that shower was the most one of the most
painful experiences in my life. It felt like thousands of
needles stabbing me for you know, I don't know, ten
fifteen minutes that I was in there, I didn't even
(35:52):
know that it was possible, like the way it was
just horrible, Like I was probably in the I mean,
I was hypothermic for sure, but you know, I don't
know what stage I was at, but it was bad.
It was really bad. And had that happened a mile
further and I, you know, I don't know, maybe if
I had found someone on the trail whatever, you know,
(36:13):
it would have been okay. But the mistake I did
make a mistake. I don't think the way I crossed
it was a mistake. I think that was really bad luck.
You know, I made sure to plant my spikes right,
you know, like straight down, and you know, that was
just a freak accident. But I did make a huge mistake,
and that was not having a dry bag in my
(36:35):
pack with a change of clothes and you know, like
a towel, like a light towel or something, because had
I had that, I would have been able to change
completely dry myself and put dry clothes on, and sure,
you know my shoes would have been wet still, but
I wouldn't have gone through what I what I had
to go through, or risked my life literally. So I
(36:56):
learned a lesson from that, for sure. But that was
to answer your question that after that, I did, you know,
I did wonder if I should keep on going, because
I when I was in the water before I like
my senses came back, you know, I really thought I
was going to die that way, like drowning there in
(37:17):
like a foot and a half of water, you know.
Speaker 1 (37:20):
Hm, in the middle of the winter, deep in the
around that back country. It shows that a great day,
especially in the winter, can change in one second. It
can change that quickly out there.
Speaker 2 (37:34):
Yeah, everything was going so well until that that I
had a wonderful hike.
Speaker 1 (37:38):
Mm hmm. That's a that's that's quite a story. So
let me ask you what are what are some of
the hikes in particular that you that you were that
took you many attempts. I know there's different hikes on
different ranges. Talk to me about talking about some of
the some of those ranges in particular, because this is
(37:59):
a big part of your story, is the is the
driving from Buffalo going hike this didn't make it for
this reason, didn't make it for that reason, coming back
the next week and coming back like you just kept
doing it. So talk talk to us a little about that.
What are some ranges that took you and how many
times did they take you to get it?
Speaker 2 (38:18):
So the dicks Strange took me eight eight times, I
think eight times.
Speaker 1 (38:23):
Remember everyone, that's eight trips from Buffalo for the Dick's Range.
So if you get there on a nice day and
you make it, count your blessings.
Speaker 2 (38:31):
Yes, and also those of for those who don't know,
most people that will do the whole Dick's Range in
in one day, in one hike. So that was really ridiculous.
But I mean a few of those attempts where and
so one of them was in the winter and I
(38:52):
actually was with a friend that day, but there was
just so much snow we had to break trail. We
got to the first lean to and we're like, no,
there's no way, you know. Plus we had to hike
all the way from the first parking lot. Sure, ye,
well you know there was a long anyway, so we
were like, there's no way, you know, so we we
turn around, and I was I mean, that was a
(39:12):
good decision. Obviously, it would have been a really bad
day if we had pushed much further. Another time I
camped and it was just a torrential rain, like for
hours and hours and hours, and you know, it's it's
not fun to hike in the rain. I do it,
but I think that it would have been unsafe because
(39:33):
all the rocks would have been, you know, wet and slippery,
and so I didn't. And then another time it's just
every you know, other times where I was going to
do two or three summits and the Dix Range, I
only ended up doing one because I was too tired,
or the conditions weren't great, and you know, just many
many reasons. But then on the thwards the first time
(39:55):
I went, no, not the first time I did. The
first time I did Emmins and Donald, but I think
it was the second time when I was going to
do Seamer, I actually broke my wrist. And it wasn't
just a little break, it was a displace fracture. I
tripped over a stupid route, you know, it wasn't again.
That was a freak accident. I didn't I didn't do
(40:17):
you know, I just didn't lift my foot high enough.
Speaker 1 (40:20):
That's it.
Speaker 2 (40:21):
But it was bad, you know. I had to hike
back to to the to the trailhead with a displaced
fracture and then drive myself to the Saranac hospital and
it was bad enough that I ended up having to
have surgery. I'm bionick now, so that's pretty cool. But
you know that that took me out for a couple
of months because even though it was my wrist, it
(40:42):
was it was bad, like I couldn't you know, I
couldn't use my tracking polls. I couldn't. So I didn't
hike for almost two months because of it. Ike a
seword itself. I tried a couple of times before I
got it. It was just really hard. And then Lady
the Centenonis that that was that was hard because I
(41:02):
had done Centenoni and Panther in the spring last year
and it was raining all day and I was like,
you know, I can't do couch. It's just it's gonna
slow me down because of the bog and all that,
and I'm already cold because of the rain. Still I
didn't want to risk it. I went back down. Well
that was that was the right decision. But when I
(41:23):
went back recently, I got sick on the trail, so
I couldn't do it. That hike and then the one
after that was the most devastating because I went almost
halfway up panther to you know, to do couch And
I don't know if that's the silliest thing to say,
(41:44):
but I you know, I have like my mind grimlins
telling me you can't do this, it's too hard. And
usually usually i'm I'm able to say, you know, shut up,
I'm doing this. But that day, I just it was
really human and I just didn't. I didn't have it
in me that day. And I turned around, you know,
(42:05):
and there was nothing wrong with me.
Speaker 1 (42:07):
I was fine.
Speaker 2 (42:08):
I just I don't know, Yeah, the whole trip in
Buffalo and I just couldn't bring myself to get there.
Speaker 1 (42:16):
I think there's a lot to be said about that.
I think there's a moment, and a lot of people
have experienced it. I'm I have included. I included there's
a moment. There's times where you're going out there and
for some reason you can't put your finger on it,
but your gut just says, today's not the day. And
it's hard to describe why. It's hard to understand what's
(42:38):
actually happening in that moment. But I've experienced it as well.
I remember when I was doing the Northfield Placid Trail,
I was getting driven out to the section that I
was going to do for a couple of days. I
remember telling them, like, turn around. I just I don't
know why. I feel I'm fine, there's just something that's
just like not right, and I don't couldn't. I still
to this day, I can't tell you why. And I've
had the same thing happen in the mountains. Interesting when
(43:01):
that when that occurs, But it's it's also you talk
about too, like there's little gremlins in your head telling
you you can't do this, but there's also you're like
differentiating is this just the voice telling you that you
can't do something you can do or is there something
not right? And you know, it's like the mountain's telling
you something that it's that you need to hear. You know,
(43:21):
I want to hear from you too. I want to
hear from you too. You know that whole idea of
turning around is something a lot of people won't do.
They just will not do. So I think it. I
think it. It should be discussed about that moment when
you do abandon a hike, you orphan amount and you say,
(43:44):
you know what, I don't have it today. I want
you to talk about that, like how do you how
did you decipher those times and what went through your
head all these different times when you, you know, drove
up again from Buffalo to hike the same mountain again
and again you're going to turn around, Like there's got
to be something that's going through your mind and a
battle in your brain. I'd love to hear a little
(44:05):
more about that in whenever those things kind of came up.
Speaker 2 (44:09):
Yeah, Actually, it took me a while to come to
terms with the idea of turning around. The first time
I did it, it was a real struggle. But after
that I think that it was easier because I had
already done it once. But I hiked for over a
(44:29):
year without turning around. The first time I turned around
was when I tried to do grace on the Bouquet
Forks trail, you know, from seventy three, and I got
lost so many times that trail. The first mile of
it is really tough to follow, and I was really frustrated.
And then I got to a water crossing that I
(44:51):
couldn't find a safe spot to cross on. You know,
I was like, it was one thing after another that
delayed me. I lost more than an hour between getting
lost and looking for a spot to cross that. After
a while, I was like, you know what, that's it.
That's it. I can't I'm not. I can't do this today.
This is I lost too much time and I don't
(45:13):
have it in me. I wasn't excited about the hike
anymore because I was so frustrated that had never happened
to me. I ended up hiking, you know. I went
to Mount van Hovenberg, which I love that little mountain,
you know, I it's a great it's a great view
for a very little effort. So I, you know, I
hid something that day. But I I turn around, and
after that it was a lot easier. I think that
(45:37):
there were many times I should have turned around before that,
but I didn't because I was stubborn. But the struggle
of you know, first of all, I said, driving all
the way from Buffalo and having to go back without
having dummited the mountain that I was planning on summing
(45:57):
it that that is a huge discipline, meant and and
you know it's it also mean it costs money, you know,
gas and you know, if I'm staying somewhere, you know,
So it was hard for me to decide. But ultimately
I think that all of the times I turned around,
(46:18):
it was the right decision. You know, either I didn't
feel safe anymore, or I didn't feel well enough, or
I think that I just there was always a good reason.
I never turned around just because I didn't feel like it.
You know, there was always a good reason. Well, I
mean when I and when I did couch, I don't know,
like you know, I was talking about the griments in
(46:40):
my head. I yeah, it was something like maybe the
mountains were telling me. I had just decided to learn
to decided to listen to it that time.
Speaker 1 (46:50):
Mm hmm. Yeah. No, I think it's I think it's
worth talking about because it's, like you said, like it
takes a lot that very first time for you to
say Okay, today's not the day and to actually just
turn around. And then as you've done it, it does
become an easier thing to do it the next time,
to do it the next time, and you can again,
(47:10):
you can decipher when it's you know, the voice lying
inside your head, or if it's you know, maybe something
more from the mountains that are telling you, Hey, dude,
it's time to make a chage here. This might not
be the day. Do you know how many trips it
took you to get to the how many trips to
the Adirondacks it took you to complete the forty six?
(47:31):
Do you have that on your spreadsheet?
Speaker 2 (47:33):
Oh? I do. Shoot, I think it's about sixty something
sixty Oh wait, no, that's no, wait, hold on, that's
not it, because I would have to look. No, so
forty six, but I did a few. I did a
few mountains together, and not a whole lot. I'll be
on that plate.
Speaker 1 (47:52):
Oh I know, I'm own that was part of your journey,
A lot of just single day mountains.
Speaker 2 (47:57):
Yeah, so I think it's more like fifty five or
something like that. I'll have to look, but yeah, I
think it's like fifty five, which is crazy when I
think of.
Speaker 1 (48:05):
Fifty five trips from Buffalo to Lake Placid, Keene, et
cetera to finish the forty six high beats. So again,
this is why I said, I don't know if anybody
has earned it more than you have earned that title
of Adirondack forty six or because that is absolutely incredible.
And yeah, we didn't even talk about that, I think
because I knew that just for some reason didn't even
(48:26):
mention that. A lot of your hikes were you hike
the one mountain in the range and then that was
it coming back the next time like there again, this
is this, and this was because of the time it
took you. This was because this is what you were
able and felt comfortable doing, which again just shows the
perseverance in your Adirondack forty six er journey from start
(48:48):
to finish, despite that day in the mountains in the
winter on tabletop, and you fightd a lot in the
winter too, solo, it's my favorite season.
Speaker 2 (48:56):
Yeah, I love hiking in the winter and all the
trail are still nice. When there's a nice snowpack, you know,
you don't have to worry about.
Speaker 1 (49:04):
Roots rocks, absolutely, you know.
Speaker 2 (49:06):
You put your spikes on or your your snowshoes and
you're good to go as long as you know how
to manage your layers. It really all that it comes
down to.
Speaker 1 (49:14):
Yeah, I always say, I always say a perfect winter
day is far better than a perfect summer day in
the mountains in terms of condition wise. I'll take that
every day. Those perfect winter days. They're fast, they're easier
on the body, the hikes are shorter, you know, all
all the things just they just they just work very good.
What's your favorite? What would so you know, when you
(49:34):
fill out the forty six or form you put your
I assume you still put your least favorite and your
favorite right on that, right.
Speaker 2 (49:42):
Yah, yeah, you still have to do that, Okay, So what.
Speaker 1 (49:43):
What was your favorite and your least favorite?
Speaker 2 (49:46):
My so, my least favorite was couch Im I was
going to flee it out there. I'm sorry, but yeah
I did not, you know, I did it, but I
don't know, I didn't really enjoy it, you know.
Speaker 1 (49:58):
Sure, But that's not all on that.
Speaker 2 (50:02):
My favorite, and I know that it's not a popular
choice at all. And before I say that it's not
my favorite, it's not necessarily my favorite mountain. It's my
favorite experience. My favorite, Yeah, experience in the high peaks
was Alan and Seemer as well. But I did put
Alan there because you know, it's Yeah, I don't know
(50:25):
it was either Seemer or Alan. But I just had
a wonderful time doing Alan. Most people hate Hal Alan,
they say, you know, it's too long, you know, the
ascent is brutal and sure, but I went in with
a very positive mindset. You know. I went in knowing
(50:47):
that it was going to be a very long, hard day,
and I chose to enjoy it, and I managed to like.
And not only did I enjoy it, but I love
I loved every minute of it, even even the red slign,
even the slide at the end where I was like
holding onto the trees for g alife.
Speaker 1 (51:09):
Yeah, you know.
Speaker 2 (51:12):
The summit, the three different viewpoints. I mean, it was
just all an amazing experience for me. So whenever people,
you know, I hear people talk bad about Alan, I
wish they would. I wish they would see a different
you know, like see it as an adventure rather than
you know, getting it, you know, check a little check
(51:33):
in the box. Okay, I did Alan. It was horrible,
you know, Like I don't know, I went in with
a completely different mindset.
Speaker 1 (51:40):
Yeah. I think Alan is the most underrated, underappreciated mountain
in the high peaks. And I've hiked it in the rain,
and yeah, in the rain like it, that's kind of
what you expect it to be. And I've also hiked
it on a perfect summer day and it's obviously a
very different experience, but it brings it's a very unique
(52:01):
experience to the high peaks that is unique and unlike
any of the other mountains. Which is why I think
when there's something that brings something new to the collective experience,
it's it's more so worth celebrating just the fact that
it's longer whatever, you know, you're out there like. I'm
also a big believer in the whole idea of yeah
(52:22):
is there a people are upset it's eight miles to
get to the just to start hiking is to start
climbing up it. But in that moment, think about it,
you are eight miles deep from a road in the mountains,
like you're out there. That's cool in and of itself
right alone. The very rugged climb up the mountain for
(52:43):
a mountain that you have to earn, you have got
to earn that peak like any like any other, but
that one especially is going to make you work for
And that's the whole point the whole beauty of this
experience is you are going to earn every freaking step
that you take.
Speaker 2 (52:56):
Yeah, and I feel like you get a lot more
satisfaction when you get to this summit from doings. That's
your hard hike. And that's how I felt, you know,
I felt like I worked hard for it and it
was it was an amazing feeling when I got to
the top, you know. So yeah, I loved it.
Speaker 1 (53:14):
Awesome, awesome. Any other stories in particular that come to
mind that were maybe particularly impactful. So actually, before I mean, yeah,
let me answer that question first. I do want to
know the numbers of times you went to the Sewards
and the Santinons.
Speaker 2 (53:29):
I do.
Speaker 1 (53:29):
I do want to know because I know there were
a lot of a lot of attempts in those ranges.
Speaker 2 (53:34):
I think the Sewards was one, two, three, four, five
sicks I think sticks or maybe seven times for the Stewards,
because I had a couple of times. One time I
was going to do Stewart itself. I got to all
(53:56):
the way up Colkins so on the ridge, Yeah, and
I didn't have it in me. I went back down.
I had done the hardest part, sure, and I couldn't
go on so anyway, six or seven time, and then
Santanoni's total one two, six times, I.
Speaker 1 (54:21):
Think has a lot of times. That is a lot
of trips from Buffalo. That is a lot of trips
from Buffalo. See that's again, well done, Isabelle, well done
seeing the journey through all seasons of the year. Most
of these hikes by yourself. I'm sure you hiked with
people sometimes, but counted.
Speaker 2 (54:41):
Actually, on my spreadsheet, I have thirty two solo.
Speaker 1 (54:45):
Yeah, way over half of them by yourself. How do
you feel about that? How do you feel about the
fact that you set out to do something different to
show yourself you can do hard things, and damn it,
you've done it. How do you feel it feels amazing?
Speaker 2 (55:02):
I feel like I mean, I never thought I was
capable of anything like that. Like I said, I always
thought myself as it was, and I still haven't and
I still have in some ways, you know, like I
ladders freak me out because of a very bad experience
that happened to me going down the Beaver Meadow Trail.
(55:24):
I mean, it was traumatizing. So now anytime I see
a ladder, even if it's an easy one. I literally
have a panic attack. It's not I can't. I feel
like I can't do anything about it. But I still
do it. I still go up and down the ladder.
You know. It's just really hard. But yeah, I'm doing
(55:45):
things that that I never thought I would be able
to do. I'm I'm being brave.
Speaker 1 (55:50):
You know.
Speaker 2 (55:51):
It's it's it's weird for someone who spent her all
the whole life on a couch.
Speaker 1 (55:55):
You know, no, you know what I mean, like, absolutely no,
I get it. That's why this that's why this story
is so great and for the you know, obviously the
podcast listeners can't see you, but you've had just the
biggest smile on your face the whole podcast as you're
talking about this, because I know that this Adirondack Park
has become your your happy place. You helping in the
(56:16):
car to drive here from Buffalo is nothing for you
at this point, because you're you're so giddy to get
in the car and drive the six hours to get here,
six seven hours whatever. It actually thanks well, I.
Speaker 2 (56:28):
Mean without stops, it's five and a half. You know,
I always have to stop a couple of times, So yeah,
it takes me six hours.
Speaker 1 (56:34):
Yeah, So it's absolutely it's been an absolute pleasure watching
your journey unfold. It was awesome working with you, helping
you to get a little stronger, a little fitter so
that you can hike a little faster and make it
up those mountains like It's been absolutely a privilege watching
your journey unfold and be completed. So thanks for letting
me watch it and be a part of it in
(56:55):
the smallest of way and inspiring me as well, because
you are just the perfect example of do not quit,
do not give up, keep going, keep pushing, even though
when everything's pushing back, you keep pushing harder. And then
look at you have finished the Adirondack forty six. You
are a forty six er again, a title that is
well earned, Isabelle well earned? Thank you.
Speaker 2 (57:17):
I'll never stop hiking those trails, so I just want
to put this out there. I will never stop by
I cannot stay away from that place. So I have
other goals, so I will keep on working at them now.
Speaker 1 (57:28):
Absolutely, I said in the last podcast episode, I did,
and I say it often. Finishing the forty six isn't
finishing anything. It actually opens you up to really start
having the adventures because you no longer feel tied down
to a list. Yeah, where it's like, oh, I've hiked that,
I can't go hike this when I get no, Now
everything's free game. You know, you can go just hike
(57:51):
this one mountain here, or just go do that there,
like or it's like if you don't summit something, I mean,
you obviously have experienced this turning around, but if you
don't summ it, it just it doesn't really phase you
nearly the same.
Speaker 2 (58:04):
Just enjoy the journey.
Speaker 1 (58:05):
Yeah, absolutely, so good stuff. All right, So as I
start to wrap up this episode, there's three questions I
always ask people. First question is, what's something that's in
your backpack that's unique to you that you always have
to carry with you out there? What's a what's a
fun little thing that you always have in your pack?
Speaker 2 (58:20):
Oh my goodness, I have so many snacks. I'm trying
to think of like an item.
Speaker 1 (58:29):
And there's no wrong answer. You can say whatever you want.
Speaker 2 (58:31):
I know, I'm trying to think.
Speaker 1 (58:36):
Crap.
Speaker 2 (58:37):
I always listen to a to a story, like a
book an audiobook when I'm by myself, and you know,
it helps me do the struggles.
Speaker 1 (58:45):
Sure, But like.
Speaker 2 (58:46):
An item, yeah, it have I'm gonna have to say
audiobook is not really know.
Speaker 1 (58:52):
Let's use that. Let's go with that, because I've never
had that answer here on the podcast. What what type
of books are we listening to out there?
Speaker 2 (58:58):
Things that keep you on, like on the edge of
your seat, like you know, like mystery, like thriller, things
that I that are not going to be boring, because
when I'm really struggling out there and I'm listening to
one of those books, it really takes my focus off
of my pain and misery and and you know, it
helps me keep on going. It's a good it's it's
(59:22):
a good way to distract myself from from the from
the hard stuff. And I don't listen to it like
the whole hike, you know, I'll just take break and
sometimes I'll put it on when I'm really struggling and
then I'll stop, and you know, but it really helps
me on those hard days.
Speaker 1 (59:37):
Yeah, and there are a lot of hard days. I
didn't ask it, what was your what what summit? What
summit was like the easiest for you? Or what summit
did you get to the top feeling the best? I
should have asked that earlier, so We've talked a lot
about the heart, but what were some what was like
the best, what was the good one?
Speaker 2 (59:56):
Oh, my gosh, so many Marcie. I guess, you know,
like Marcie may be the highest, but it's definitely not
the hardest. It's long, sure, but it's easy, I think,
And you know, you get there and you're on you're
on top of the whole state of New York and
and the views are amazing and it's a great feeling.
(01:00:17):
So yeah, Marcie's got to be one of those.
Speaker 1 (01:00:20):
Yeah, very good. Next question, in your opinion, what makes
this Adirondack Park such a unique place that's got you
coming back fifty five trips to get to just the
high peaks, but you know, more than that, what what
makes it so unique? In your opinion?
Speaker 2 (01:00:37):
You know, the is it called the modo, you know,
forever wild? That is what I love about the Adirondacks.
I know that I can hike any trail, you know,
I'm not going to find I don't know how to
say that. It's That's what I like about it. The remoteness,
(01:00:59):
the so the fact that those trails are not real trails,
like most of the time you're hiking up a drainage,
or you know, it's it's tough, but it's so rewarding
because of that reason. I love the fact that it's
it's it's away from people, not people, like away from everything.
(01:01:22):
You know, it's it's not it's it's not like I've been.
I've hiked out west. I went to Colorado this summer,
and even at twelve thousand feet, those trails are manicured.
It's like somebody came with their shears and you know,
it's like ridiculous. I mean, sorry, I don't want to
sound like ambashing those trails, but I did not enjoy that.
(01:01:44):
I didn't feel any satisfaction from hiking that. But the
satisfaction I get from hiking those crazy, insane trails where
you know some of them there are hert paths, there's
you don't even know where the trail is, especially in winter.
It takes a lot of practice and a lot of
dedication to stay on the trail and keep on going
(01:02:07):
and not turn around because you you know, you don't
know where the trail is. No, it's it's hard work,
but what you get in return is is I can't
even describe it.
Speaker 1 (01:02:18):
No, I love that answer, I couldn't agree more as well.
And my final question for you Isabelle, why do you hike?
Why do you keep Why did you keep coming back
fifty five times or whatever it ended up being to
finish what you started here? No one's making you do it,
no one's making you be out there. You went out
to do this thing. Why do you do it?
Speaker 2 (01:02:41):
It brings me more than any other hobby could ever bring.
It's when I'm hiking in the aud around bocks, I
feel whole, I feel grounded, I feel at home. I
feel like everything is right in the world. You know,
those mountains, They've changed me as a person, and the
(01:03:08):
way I feel when I'm there is just pure joy.
I just can't. Even while I'm struggling, even while I'm
feeling misery from the hike, i am still so thankful
to be there and be able to do that, and
just it's such a hard feeling to describe, but yeah,
it just brings me so much happiness, and it makes
(01:03:30):
me feel I can be myself, you know, like you know,
my everyday life, I have to extrovert all day because
I'm a school secretary, but I'm really an introvert and
you know when I'm out there, I can be myself
and it's this a.
Speaker 1 (01:03:47):
Beautiful feeling, beautiful, beautiful answer as well, Isabeut where can
people find you online if they want to send you
a congratulations or see your pictures from the trail?
Speaker 2 (01:03:58):
I'm on Instagram. Isabelle is a B E L L E.
Underscore Hikes. Isabel Underscore Hikes.
Speaker 1 (01:04:07):
Right, very good, And that's going to wrap up this
episode of the forty six of forty six podcast. I
hope you are as inspired as I am. Head over
to forty six outdoors dot com to check how you
can work with me to get in better shape for hiking,
just like Isabelle did. You can join the next Great
Range Athlete team that kicks off in October on October nineteenth,
So if you want to take six weeks of your
(01:04:29):
time to get in better shape, specifically to climb mountains,
head over to Great Range Athlete dot com and join
the next team. I guarantee you'll enjoy the experience and
beyond that, check back on Fridays for new mountains, new stories,
new guests, and new episodes right here on the forty
six of forty six podcast. Remember to always leave no trace,
Do the rock walk and if you carry it in,
(01:04:49):
carry it out. See you on the trails. Everybody
This is the forty six of forty six podcast Summit Sessions,
where we'll talk all things Adirondack back country and beyond.
From high peaks stories and adventures to trail tips and tricks.
We'll dive deep into the heart of these mountains and
the people who passionately climb them. Adirondack maps and spruce
traps to bushwacks and backpacks. It's all here, the forty
(00:21):
six of forty six Summit Sessions. Hello everyone, and welcome
back to the forty six of forty six podcast. Fall
(00:42):
is in full swing up here in the Adirondacks. The
leaves are changing, and they're changing quickly. So if you
don't have plans to get up to the Adk or
you're waiting a few weeks, it's time to change those
plans and get up here. Because, my God, does it
look really nice outside my my front door. Here and
out in the mountains. The leaves are changing. Fall is here.
(01:04):
It's nice and cool in the morning, warm in the afternoon.
September is a fantastic time of year. Speaking of September,
this week on the forty six to forty six podcast,
I'm here with a summit session to talk about a
recent Adirondack forty six finish, and my god, this woman's
story getting to forty six. If you need some inspiration,
(01:26):
this is going to be it. Most people would have
given up years ago, far long ago, but Isabelle kept
going despite unbelievably large amounts of failed attempts up mountains,
cold weather, winter hiking, solo, taking up this sport of
hiking by herself even in the winter, and just not
(01:47):
giving up. It is a story of perseverance, all because
she just fell in love with the Adirondack high peaks,
and tonight we're going to talk all about it with
her to hear how how the journey went ups the
down and she just finished her forty six this past week,
so what a perfect time to hear the story of
Isabelle from Buffalo. Isabelle, Welcome to the forty six to
(02:09):
forty six podcast.
Speaker 2 (02:11):
Thank you, James, I'm glad to be here. Thanks for
having me.
Speaker 1 (02:14):
Yes, so, Isabelle, you and I worked together and seek
to do more, And I told you during our time
there when you finally finished the forty six, we are
going to do a podcast because this story is so good.
First off, my god, congratulations for finishing the Thanks.
Speaker 2 (02:32):
I can't I still can't believe it happened.
Speaker 1 (02:34):
I'm telling you, I have never seen somebody finish the
forty six. That got me as excited as I was
when I saw that you finally got there. Ollia, congratulations
to you. So many trips from Buffalo all the way here,
heartbreaking trips up the mountains that you had to turn
around on you weren't feeling it. I mean, how many
(02:56):
times were you in the seward range this summer? Know?
And He's like, there were, just there's so many. We're
going to get into all of that because it is
just a story worth telling. I don't think there's anybody
who will finish the Adirondack forty six and twenty twenty
five more deserving of that title than you. So kudos
to you for the perseverance that you have shown. So
(03:18):
we're going to get into that story. But before we
get into it, tell us a little bit about yourself.
How did you get into hiking? How did you get
into the Adirondack forty six thing? Give us a little
background on yourself, and this the entry point here.
Speaker 2 (03:31):
Yeah, about three years ago I started hiking with Mike
the Buffalo, the Western New York. What is it called the.
Speaker 1 (03:43):
Outside Outside Chronicles Mike Rodonsky shout out to Mike.
Speaker 2 (03:46):
Yes, yes, yes, he's amazing. So I just started with
very easy local hikes. A mile here, a mile there.
I remember one time I did seven miles and I
came home and I was like, oh my gosh, I
I seven miles. It was seven miles on flat and
it was like nothing to it, you know, I mean
there was it was nice, but I thought that was
(04:07):
a huge accomplishment, you know. So that's how I started.
I was overweight. I was a couch potato all I
did after work. I'm a school secretary, so I'm very sedentary.
I would just come home knit, read, you know, just
really the only exercise I had was walking my dog.
But anyway, so I started doing that the challenge in
(04:29):
twenty twenty three and the spring of twenty twenty three,
and I loved it. And I did all of it
by myself, and I just loved the solitude. It was
like therapy for me. And the more I did it,
the more I became addicted, and I enjoyed the really,
(04:51):
the really, you know, when it was far from everything,
Like I don't. I didn't enjoy the ones that were
like in city parks or anything. I went into Allegheny,
Letchworth and those far trails and I just fell in love.
Speaker 1 (05:04):
That's great, that's great. So at some point in that journey,
you must have learned about the Adirondacks. How'd that come about?
Speaker 2 (05:11):
Well, what happened is that after a while I was like, oh,
I could get into backpacking. That sounds fun. So I
actually booked a class about, you know, on how to
learn how to set up camp and you know, the
everything you need to know really, and I did that
and the gentleman who did the class gave me tips
(05:35):
on where to go next, because I asked him, I said,
you know, around here, I wouldn't know where to camp.
You know, I don't want to really do it close
to home. So he said, why don't you go to
Cranberry Lake in the added on Backs. And I'll be
honest with you, I'm I'm ashamed. But I didn't even
really know where the added on backs. I mean, I
knew it was in New York, but I just didn't,
you know, like, I had no idea. I didn't know
(05:56):
anything about the Adirondacks.
Speaker 1 (05:58):
Hey, that's okay. We're not to hold that against you, Isabelle.
We're not going to hold that against you.
Speaker 2 (06:03):
Well, thank you.
Speaker 1 (06:04):
I know you're not a New York native. Where were
you grew up in France? Correct?
Speaker 2 (06:07):
Yes, I spent the first twenty four years of my
life in France.
Speaker 1 (06:11):
Yeah, so well, we won't hold that against you for
not knowing about the park. It it grabbed you by
the heart strings anyway, so continue.
Speaker 2 (06:18):
Yes, So he said, why don't you go to Cranberry Lake?
And he gave me not the fifty you know, not
the whole loop there, just a twenty mile loop over
three days. And I went into that hike. I was terrified,
but I you know, I was also very much evated.
I wanted to do it. I loved it. The first
night I didn't sleep at all. You know, it was
(06:40):
my first night outside in my tent, and I was
I was so scared. But even though I was scared,
I loved it. I don't know, it's kind of hard
to explain. And I came out of that forest a
changed person. I I it was, you know, because it
was hard. It was a lot of miles all by myself,
(07:02):
I had never done that much and I have definitely
not slept outside before. So I came out of that
of that hike as like a new I can't even
I don't even know how to I did things that
I never thought I would I would be able to do.
I did things that made me think that maybe I'm
not such a worss. I'm still a little bit woozy,
but you know, like I was brave that time. I
(07:24):
didn't know I had it in me, and I wanted more.
And I also fell in love with the Adurumbacks. Even
though it wasn't you know, in the same area, completely
different than the High Peaks, it was still you know
that the nature is the forest there, you know, so
dance and so remote, and I just like I felt
(07:46):
at home like I couldn't I can't really explain it.
Speaker 1 (07:49):
It just.
Speaker 2 (07:50):
It was a wonderful feeling. And so after that, I
remember that I had read about people who had done
the High Peaks and what's up with that? So I
looked into and I was like, oh, okay, well I'll
do Cascade and see what it's all about. And James,
there is no I know, you know, the feeling and
maybe it's different for everyone. But like, I got to
(08:12):
the top of Cascade and I felt literally high. I've
never done drugs. I don't know what it feels like
to be high, but I felt high, Like I can't
even describe the feeling. I was so elated. I don't
even know. I can't and I was hooked right away.
I could not believe I had done that by myself.
(08:35):
I could not believe I had climbed a whole mountain
with my own two legs.
Speaker 1 (08:42):
You know, that's absolutely incredible. So this whole journey began
because you very much stepped outside your comfort zone and
decided to try something new and wild and different. And
look at what it has brought you. Other than lots
of bumps and bruises, but it has brought you. It
is usher in a new version of yourself. As you said,
(09:02):
because this is this is something that you had never
done before. So when you growing up, should I assume
that the outdoors and any sort of outdoor thing was
not really part of your your repertoire.
Speaker 2 (09:14):
Actually no, my parents took me and my brother and
sister to the Elks the French Alps every single summer
to hike. I hated it. I hated it because I
had no friend. You know, it was just to me,
it was boring. It was my parents forcing me to
follow them to place. Of course. Now I mean I
(09:35):
regret it, like I took it for granted. Now, you know,
like if I could just go in and hike in
the Elks, I would, you know, that would be amazing.
But anyway, that's that's my background is you know the
French Elks. You know I was there every single summer. Hm.
Speaker 1 (09:52):
Okay, well I can. I can relate because you know,
I grew up in Lake Classett and I didn't want
to hike mountains. I didn't want to be in the mountains.
It was hard, it was not fun. So I can
I can relate to that. And then all of a
sudden something changes. So very cool. So talk to me
more about that first trip in cred around in the
Cranberry Lake fifty, that trail area. So you went up there,
(10:16):
you did this trip, what did so like, what did
your family say to you when you were going like, hey,
I'm driving what six hours to this place called the Adirondacks.
I'm going to do some backpacking, some camping. They were
probably like what where what are you doing? Like it
kind of take us through how that went, because again,
this is you. You you just did something very different
(10:40):
that you had not done and you were this this
hobby was elevating. So kind of how did that? How
did that go?
Speaker 2 (10:46):
Well? I think that my family probably saw because you know,
I was hiking around here a lot, like every single weekend,
so they probably saw how happy I was. Like I
I was a little depressed. I mean I've always and
kind of you know, depressed, but I was a different
person even before going there because I hiking every weekend.
(11:06):
That really really helped me. And I was just so
happy all the time because I had that to look
forward to, and you know, being out in nature, I
would come back I would be happy at home, so
you know it. So I think that they saw how
changed I was already and and they probably didn't think
that it was so crazy because it was just taking
(11:28):
what I was enjoying a step further, I guess. But
you know, my husband has he he was in the
Coast Guard and search and rescue is his things, so
he has been he was making sure that I was prepared,
you know, so that was really the most important thing
to him, is that I went out knowing what I
(11:51):
was doing, you know how, what I would need to
do if I needed if I were in a situation
that was not good or you know, so as long
as he knew that I was being safe, he didn't.
He just said, I remember when I started hiking. I
offered for him to come along, and he said, I've
(12:12):
done my time roughing it. You go have fun.
Speaker 1 (12:15):
Like all right, all right, very cool. And there you went.
There you were deep in the Adirondack for solo, in
your tent, wide awake because you were so scared yet
excited at the same time, lots of emotions happening. And
then you eventually learned about Cascade, the high peaks, this
whole thing. You went. You climbed Cascade and you were hooked.
You felt like you were high. Something new has happened,
(12:38):
You've experienced something new. Did you go to Porter on
that first hike?
Speaker 2 (12:42):
Yes, I didn't. I got Look, I don't know how
I got lost, but I did remember telling you a
pass like there was another hiker at some point. I
was sitting on the rock and he was below me,
and I was like hi, and he was like, hey,
how's it going. I'm like, I'm okay, but I think
I lost the trail. I mean, I wasn't really concern because,
you know, I thought I could find the trail again
(13:03):
and I had navigation. But I'll always remember that I
managed to get lost on the way to port her
for Jesscake.
Speaker 1 (13:10):
Sure, there's a couple of little like little you know,
scenic step offs where I could see, yeah, you can
walk on it.
Speaker 2 (13:18):
Sure, And I wasn't used to hiking those trails, you know,
like a lot of the trails I hiked around here
are well marked, and the trails in the Adirondacks, even
the ones that are marked by the GC, they still
yeah sometimes it's you.
Speaker 1 (13:31):
Know, yeah, they're not like trail markers every fifteen feet.
It's you know, you might get one every one hundred
yards or six from there. There's a lot of space
to get lost. It's actually why I always tell people too,
you know, like the leave no trace thought process is
to go always go like two hundred yards off trail
(13:52):
or two hundred feet excuse me, off trail, like to
pee tell you go two hundred feet off of an
adironic trail. She could very easily never find the trail again,
I know, well that far away you might be in
you might be in trouble. Okay, So also, how long
did it take you to hike Cascade? I know, you know,
we'll dive into your your rapid fire speed hiking that
(14:13):
you hike at So how long did how long did
Cascade take you that day? Do you remember?
Speaker 2 (14:19):
I think it took me seven hours or something like that,
an insane amount of time. I mean I was going
really slow, and not just not just because I was
taking pictures and stuff, but because I was struggling physically.
Speaker 1 (14:36):
Sure, and that's why, Yeah, that's why, that's why we
first started working together, because you were struggling physically. You
just couldn't move faster. Your your typical days in the
high peaks, if I recall, were like like everything was
like fourteen fifteen hours.
Speaker 2 (14:49):
Oh yeah, absolutely, yes, Like take the normal speed of
a of a regular hiker double it, and that's how
long it takes me to do a high peak.
Speaker 1 (14:58):
Yeah, which again is getting right, but yeah, of course,
well of course you've been putting in the work right
to get yourself more more prepared for the trips over
the last over a year. You know, it's like, that's
another reason why I said to you, like, we are
going to tell your story, because most people would have
given up. Most people would have quit, most people wouldn't
(15:21):
put themselves out there for that long. But you just
kept going like the little engine that could. And that's
why it's exciting to watch. Okay, so you hit Cascade
and Porter seven hours you said what was next? And
when was next? How long after that were And at
that point too, did you say like, okay, this is
this this forty six thing, like this is something I'm
(15:41):
curious about, or was it like did you know at
that moment like this forty I knew in.
Speaker 2 (15:46):
That moment, like standing on the summit, I knew I
was not going to be able to stop there, and
so I was kind of I knew I wasn't physically ready,
but at the same time, I knew I was not
going to be able to wait months or you know,
like to condition myself better to do the next one.
(16:06):
Because the feeling I had when I was up there,
I wanted it again soon, not you know, not in
three months, not in six months. I wanted it like
in the next few weeks. So I did I went.
So I did giant.
Speaker 1 (16:19):
Next and it jumped from Cascade to go right to Johnny.
Speaker 2 (16:23):
Okay, yes, it was tough because I mean, it's all
I mean, it's all very scheap. It's not a lot
of miles compared to most high peaks, but it's up, up,
up all the way.
Speaker 1 (16:35):
Three ausion beta gain in three miles. It's it's right
up there.
Speaker 2 (16:39):
Yeah, it was brutal, but I I did it, and
I got to the top, and I had that same feeling.
And you know, I started my spreads. I love spreadsheets.
I have spreads sheets for everything. But anyways, yeah, I
and I looked at my calendar and I, you know,
(17:00):
thankfully my family they were very supportive, so I was
able to go basically whenever I wanted. I would leave
Friday after work and get there Friday evening. I would
do my hikes on Saturday and drive back home Sunday
and be back at work on Monday. So it worked out.
Speaker 1 (17:20):
Great, very good. And when you come up here, you're
you're you're doing a lot of camping, because I I've
seen you out there camping, so yes, okay in the summer,
so you're doing a lot of camping and you're really
taking to this Adirondack Woods experience in all facets, because
you're not just you know, like coming up staying in
(17:41):
a hotel or necessarily camping in your car maybe maybe sometimes,
but you were also actually out there camping often really
taking in the whole, the whole experience.
Speaker 2 (17:51):
Yeah, and part of camping is cutting the miles, you know,
making the the hikes a little shorter. But I also
really like of sleeping out there, you know the I
love falling asleep listening to the nature sounds. It's so stoothing.
And I sleeped so good in my hammock I can't
(18:12):
even describe. Like one time after I did a hike
in the in the Dicks Range, I slept twelve hours
in my handing. I'm sure I was tired, but it's
just it just shows you how, you know, how well
I sleep out there. And then it's sally. I can't
do that every night, but I would if I could.
Speaker 1 (18:33):
If only young Isabelle in the French Alps could see you. Now, right, Yeah,
all right, very cool? So you hide giant next, So
how did that? How did that height go? Do you
remember how Giant went? Given like the steep elevation and like, yeah,
the whole shebang, that is that mountain? How'd that go?
Speaker 2 (18:51):
It was exhausting. I had to stop every ten minutes
I have. I had to not just stop and take
a small break. I had to like it down and
catch my breath. My heart beat was going crazy, and
oh gosh, I wish I had my spreadsheet. I can't
tell you how many hours it took me, but it
was a long long time, just because I had to
(19:14):
stop so often. I was not in any in any
way ready for that kind of hike physically, But what
I had was grit. You know, I was determined. I
was not going to give up because I knew it
wasn't I was not in danger. I was not you know,
I was just struggling physically. So all I had to
do is just take breaks and keep on going.
Speaker 1 (19:36):
Mm hmm. That is exactly at the grit, the determination,
the perseverance. So what do you think it like, what
was it that had you keep going? You know, you're
out there all day, all the time, you're struggling, Like
you said, every ten minutes, you got to take a break.
What do you think it was that allowed you to
keep going?
Speaker 2 (19:57):
So the feeling I had when I was on the summit.
But so just because I had discovered that I was
actually braved and brave and I actually could do hard things,
I pushed myself because I knew I could do it.
You know, the easy thing would have to just stopped,
because like I said, I wasn't physically fit for that.
(20:21):
It would have been reasonable to stop for like you know,
like my prior self would have stopped. But because I
knew I could get to the top safely, I could
not find a reason to just to not do it.
I was determined I was going to get to the top,
even if it took me fifteen hours, sixteen hours, I
(20:43):
didn't care. I had headlamps, I had food, water, I
was I had my satellite community care. I had everything
I needed.
Speaker 1 (20:52):
I just yeah, and the will to get to the summit. Ultimately,
did you do Rocky Peak Ridge on that second hike?
Speaker 2 (21:00):
No, I was going to That was my plan. But
there's no way I.
Speaker 1 (21:05):
Got too long, right, Yeah, it was.
Speaker 2 (21:08):
It was just too too hard, and it was you know,
it was getting late. Not that I I don't really care,
like I know that it's the safe thing to do
to have a turnaround time. Personally, I don't do that
because I carry light for days. You know, I have
enough light for days, power banks, you name it, layers, bankets.
You know I could. I could probably spend any night outside,
(21:30):
even if I'm just doing a day hike, just because
of you know, because I'm doing it solo. I have
to be more prepared than groups because if something happens,
I'm on my own. So I never worry about what
time it is. If I'm going to end a hike
at ten pm, so be it. You know that never Yeah,
(21:52):
that never was a problem.
Speaker 1 (21:54):
So after after Giant, what came next? Do you remember? Also?
I love it, I love on your spreadsheet that you
also tracked how long the hike took, very spreadsheety of
you to do that.
Speaker 2 (22:07):
Yes, I tracked you know who if I hiked with someone,
who I did it with, if I slept outside, know
where I slept, the number of miles it took me
to drive to that trailhead, I mean, the elevation gain.
I tracked everything. So anyway, al Gonquin and Iroquois came next,
and that was that was a shit show. That was
(22:30):
absolutely how so. So, first of all, I did not
I did not eat enough or drink enough water before
and even during the hike. So I after about an hour,
you know, actually more than after about two or three hours,
(22:50):
I felt like I was going to pass out and
I started coming So I lowered myself to the ground
and I didn't lose consciousness or anything, but I could
tell I was very weak. So I ended up eating something,
you know, I sat up, I ate something, I drank
the water and electrolytes, and I got up and I
(23:14):
kept on going. I just, you know, to me, that
was just at it all pick up, I guess, and
I don't that was a mistake. I should not have
kept on going. I mean I was not even half
way up Algonquin, and I think, you know, I know
I should have turned around. You No, I don't want
to sound like, oh I did that and you know
(23:34):
that's great. No, that was a mistake, you know, And
I've made plenty of mistakes, and I was very fortunate
and so I don't, you know, I yeah, So I anyway,
I got up, I kept on going. I felt better,
you know, I made sure to eat and everything. But
the wind was instane on Algonquin, and as a matter
(23:54):
of fact, the closer I I was getting to the summit,
the more people I start turning around and saying, oh no, no,
when it is crazy, we don't we don't want to
be there. And I was like, I came all the
way here, I don't want to turn around. So I thought, okay,
well I'll just keep on going a little bit and
(24:16):
if I feel like it's not safe anymore, I'll turn around.
So I got to the summit of Algonquin, and I
honestly didn't think it was crazy there.
Speaker 1 (24:26):
It was very.
Speaker 2 (24:27):
Windy, yes, absolutely, but I wasn't getting thrown around, you know.
So I so I started descending Algonquin. I went over
boundary and then I got to Aroquois. I mean it
was a struggle because you know, it's not easy, but
I got to Aroquois and I will never forget. It
(24:49):
was so windy. You know, there's this little ladder right
before you get to the summit. So I got up
the ladder, I stood up, I took a few steps,
and I I felt like my body, you know, the
wind was so strong. My body was, you know, going
like this, and I was like, no, but I got
to get to the summit, you know. So anyway, I
(25:09):
got to the very last boulder, and I could see
the cairn that marks the summit, and the wind was
so crazy that I actually crawled to it because I
was like standing up, you know, I did first stand up,
but I realized that wasn't safe, so I bolted the
summit and then it started hailing. So there I was
(25:33):
crawling towards the cairn, with the wind howling like crazy,
the hail pelting my face. I mean, it was ridiculous,
absolutely ridiculous, unsafe. I am very ashamed, but I I
did that, and I was crawling because it was safe
(25:54):
to crawl. Okay, it was fine, sure, but again I
don't I don't want your listener to think that it's
okay to do. Okay, I realize now that I shouldn't have,
but I did.
Speaker 1 (26:07):
Sure. So I'm all those sorts of things, those sorts
of times where we look back and say that wasn't
a really smart decision. I mean, I have I think,
I think to this day, my most downloaded podcast episode
is my Marci Skylight, Gray, Cliff and Redfield episode, which,
looking back on it now, was the stupidest decision to
(26:28):
add Cliff and Redfield to Marcy Skylight and Gray given
my lack of everything from food, experience, time, actual like
you know, physically, obviously I made it. But I look
back at that hike and I say, I would never
have done that again. So yeah, you know, we always
we always make the joke that that we can we
(26:50):
can look back on it and laugh when everything goes okay, right,
Like if something went wrong, we wouldn't be looking back
on it and joking and laughing. So we got lucky.
You know, the Mountains show does mercy that day?
Speaker 2 (27:01):
You Oh, absolutely, I mean I learned less I learned
so many lessons in those mountains, but I also did
a few things happened to me that were really bad
that didn't come from a bad decision. It was just
bad luck. But it's definitely sobering. I mean, it's scary,
especially when you're by yourself out there.
Speaker 1 (27:23):
Hey, everyone, if you're like Isabelle and you're struggling with
your ability out on the trail, there's two ways that
I can help you. You can work with me one
on one in my seek to Do More program, just
like Isabelle did. Or we're going to make sure you're
strong and fit, not just for the mountains, but you
show up as a stronger, fitter human being in your
everyday life as well. We're going to dial in your nutrition,
(27:44):
your habits, and make sure that you show up as
the strongest version of yourself on and off the trail.
And you can learn more about that program at seek
to Do More dot com, or you could join the
next Great Range Athlete group training program. It kicks off
October nineteenth for six weeks. It's a fun, impactful experience.
(28:04):
You'll end with lifelong friends and we'll get you strong
and fit for climbing mountains in the process. Head over
to Great Rangeathlete dot com to sign up today once again,
we start October nineteenth for six weeks. All right, let's
get back to the episode. So you know, you're hiking
these mountains by yourself. You're you're hooked right like, and
these these hikes are taking you. I feel like I
(28:27):
feel like you told me your typical what was your
typical pace? Was it half a mile an hour?
Speaker 2 (28:33):
Yes, yeah, exactly, not on flat but you know, like
at the end of the day it was less way
less than a mile an hour. So on the ascent,
it's about it was about half a mile an hour.
Speaker 1 (28:44):
Yeah, that just gives you know, it just gives the
listeners an idea as to how long these hikes took you.
If the average at the end of the day, you know,
if it was a ten mile hike, it was taking
you twenty hours.
Speaker 2 (28:57):
Now the most not gone with eighteen hours.
Speaker 1 (28:59):
I oh, geez, that's a daughted big day. That is
a long day out there. Yeah, you know, it's fun.
I always joke to people that no matter what you
like doing, nothing's fun for twelve hours. Nothing's I'd even
argue nothing's fun for ten hours hours. That is it.
That is a day. And that wasn't just like a
fluke you had that, I mean a lot of the
(29:22):
hikes took you that longh.
Speaker 2 (29:24):
Yeah, absolutely, like fifteen sixteen hours was normal, normal day,
and that.
Speaker 1 (29:29):
A normal day in the high peaks. So was there
ever a hike you where you thought, maybe this isn't
for me, maybe this isn't going to be something I finished,
or did you know, no, I'm going to finish. How
did that come across for you? Oh?
Speaker 2 (29:44):
James stuck feeling that those thoughts came to me on
every single hike. Every time I struggled, I thought, why
am I doing this to myself. Why I could be
home with my cac on my lap and my knitting
in my hands. Why am I doing this to myself?
On every single hike. There's always a point where I
(30:06):
reach my low and I think that and I still do.
To be honest, I didn't on my last one. No,
but before that a few weeks ago, I was still
getting there. But it never lasts long. That's just when
I hit my low, and after that it's you know,
(30:27):
it's usually shortly before I or you know, on the
last push of the extent, you know, or when there's
like lots of scrambles and it's really hard physically, But
then I get to the summit and I that doesn't
even occur to me anymore, to not continue. It's just
part of the cycle of the misery.
Speaker 1 (30:50):
I'm saying, part of the literary recycle. That's it. You know.
It's funny how it's funny you brought up something really
interesting there. It's funny how when we get to the
summits we almost immediately forget the pain that it took
to get there, whether physical or mental, right, Like you
just forget And is there not a massive life lesson
(31:12):
to be learned again thanks to the mountains. In that
whole concept, when you get to the goal that you had,
you forget. You suddenly the work that it took to
get there isn't such a problem anymore, and if anything,
it becomes a badge of honor what it took for
you to get there. And you are a prime example
every time you got up to these summits. Are there
(31:33):
any mountains in particular that or hikes in general, that
were maybe exceptionally close to having you quit altogether?
Speaker 2 (31:49):
So something that happened to me that was probably one
of the scariest things that happened to me that made
me really question things is so I did people Top
in the dead of winter by myself and Tabletop. The
hike itself went great, I you know, actually I thought
(32:09):
it was pretty easy compared to the two otherwise. But
on the way back from table Talk, when I had
to cross Phelps Brook, I felt So what happened is
that it was like, I don't know, fifteen twenty degrees
that day, Phelps Brook was not frozen. I mean I
had spots that were frozen, but it was still flowing
(32:31):
and there were there was ice on all the rocks.
That I had to used to get across. And I
went on the first rock, I planted my spikes right
on it the fine and I have my my pull
my trekking polls to you know, help myself keep my balance.
And then I went to pant my spikes on the
(32:54):
next rock, and the ice that was on the rock
detached from it and I went face first in the water.
And it was only about I don't know, one or
two feet of water at most, but because I went
face first and I had my backpack attached, I actually
(33:16):
was completely submerged. And I remember opening my eyes in
the water and it was so clear. I could see everything.
I could see branches, sediment, rocks, and I I remember
thinking and I said the very bad word, and then
(33:41):
I said, that's not how I'm going to in my head,
That's not how I'm going to die. And I found
something to grab and pull myself out, and then I
just walked in the water, you know, across to the
other side. But I had what three and a half
miles to go to get to the lodge. I was
(34:02):
completely drenched, completely from head to toe. My my shoes
were full of water. I mean, there was not anything
that was dry, and like I said, it was like
fifteen twenty degrees outside, right, And that was really scary
because you know, I learned about hypothermia. I think you
(34:23):
have an episode of your podcast on it or even two, right,
and I remember listening to it, and I remember thinking
about that as I was emerging. You know, Oh, James Appleton,
you know he tell this and that, I don't know
if I can make it to the lodge. So I
started walking as fast as I ever have in my life.
(34:45):
And I couldn't run because I knew, first of all,
I'm not a runner. Second of all, there was no way,
like my everything was heavy because I was wet, you know,
like it was horrible. So I just walked as fast
as I could. After a while, I couldn't fiel my
hands anymore. My fingers were red. It was it was painful.
(35:07):
I couldn't you know. I well, they were not painful
because I couldn't feel them, but like the rest of
my body, I mean, I can't even describe. But it
was running on an anale adrenaline at that point, you know. Anyway,
I finally made it back and I was actually staying
at the campground at the lodge that weekend, even though
(35:27):
it was winter, and so I went in the showers,
and that shower was the most one of the most
painful experiences in my life. It felt like thousands of
needles stabbing me for you know, I don't know, ten
fifteen minutes that I was in there, I didn't even
(35:52):
know that it was possible, like the way it was
just horrible, Like I was probably in the I mean,
I was hypothermic for sure, but you know, I don't
know what stage I was at, but it was bad.
It was really bad. And had that happened a mile
further and I, you know, I don't know, maybe if
I had found someone on the trail whatever, you know,
(36:13):
it would have been okay. But the mistake I did
make a mistake. I don't think the way I crossed
it was a mistake. I think that was really bad luck.
You know, I made sure to plant my spikes right,
you know, like straight down, and you know, that was
just a freak accident. But I did make a huge mistake,
and that was not having a dry bag in my
(36:35):
pack with a change of clothes and you know, like
a towel, like a light towel or something, because had
I had that, I would have been able to change
completely dry myself and put dry clothes on, and sure,
you know my shoes would have been wet still, but
I wouldn't have gone through what I what I had
to go through, or risked my life literally. So I
(36:56):
learned a lesson from that, for sure. But that was
to answer your question that after that, I did, you know,
I did wonder if I should keep on going, because
I when I was in the water before I like
my senses came back, you know, I really thought I
was going to die that way, like drowning there in
(37:17):
like a foot and a half of water, you know.
Speaker 1 (37:20):
Hm, in the middle of the winter, deep in the
around that back country. It shows that a great day,
especially in the winter, can change in one second. It
can change that quickly out there.
Speaker 2 (37:34):
Yeah, everything was going so well until that that I
had a wonderful hike.
Speaker 1 (37:38):
Mm hmm. That's a that's that's quite a story. So
let me ask you what are what are some of
the hikes in particular that you that you were that
took you many attempts. I know there's different hikes on
different ranges. Talk to me about talking about some of
the some of those ranges in particular, because this is
(37:59):
a big part of your story, is the is the
driving from Buffalo going hike this didn't make it for
this reason, didn't make it for that reason, coming back
the next week and coming back like you just kept
doing it. So talk talk to us a little about that.
What are some ranges that took you and how many
times did they take you to get it?
Speaker 2 (38:18):
So the dicks Strange took me eight eight times, I
think eight times.
Speaker 1 (38:23):
Remember everyone, that's eight trips from Buffalo for the Dick's Range.
So if you get there on a nice day and
you make it, count your blessings.
Speaker 2 (38:31):
Yes, and also those of for those who don't know,
most people that will do the whole Dick's Range in
in one day, in one hike. So that was really ridiculous.
But I mean a few of those attempts where and
so one of them was in the winter and I
(38:52):
actually was with a friend that day, but there was
just so much snow we had to break trail. We
got to the first lean to and we're like, no,
there's no way, you know. Plus we had to hike
all the way from the first parking lot. Sure, ye,
well you know there was a long anyway, so we
were like, there's no way, you know, so we we
turn around, and I was I mean, that was a
(39:12):
good decision. Obviously, it would have been a really bad
day if we had pushed much further. Another time I
camped and it was just a torrential rain, like for
hours and hours and hours, and you know, it's it's
not fun to hike in the rain. I do it,
but I think that it would have been unsafe because
(39:33):
all the rocks would have been, you know, wet and slippery,
and so I didn't. And then another time it's just
every you know, other times where I was going to
do two or three summits and the Dix Range, I
only ended up doing one because I was too tired,
or the conditions weren't great, and you know, just many
many reasons. But then on the thwards the first time
(39:55):
I went, no, not the first time I did. The
first time I did Emmins and Donald, but I think
it was the second time when I was going to
do Seamer, I actually broke my wrist. And it wasn't
just a little break, it was a displace fracture. I
tripped over a stupid route, you know, it wasn't again.
That was a freak accident. I didn't I didn't do
(40:17):
you know, I just didn't lift my foot high enough.
Speaker 1 (40:20):
That's it.
Speaker 2 (40:21):
But it was bad, you know. I had to hike
back to to the to the trailhead with a displaced
fracture and then drive myself to the Saranac hospital and
it was bad enough that I ended up having to
have surgery. I'm bionick now, so that's pretty cool. But
you know that that took me out for a couple
of months because even though it was my wrist, it
(40:42):
was it was bad, like I couldn't you know, I
couldn't use my tracking polls. I couldn't. So I didn't
hike for almost two months because of it. Ike a
seword itself. I tried a couple of times before I
got it. It was just really hard. And then Lady
the Centenonis that that was that was hard because I
(41:02):
had done Centenoni and Panther in the spring last year
and it was raining all day and I was like,
you know, I can't do couch. It's just it's gonna
slow me down because of the bog and all that,
and I'm already cold because of the rain. Still I
didn't want to risk it. I went back down. Well
that was that was the right decision. But when I
(41:23):
went back recently, I got sick on the trail, so
I couldn't do it. That hike and then the one
after that was the most devastating because I went almost
halfway up panther to you know, to do couch And
I don't know if that's the silliest thing to say,
(41:44):
but I you know, I have like my mind grimlins
telling me you can't do this, it's too hard. And
usually usually i'm I'm able to say, you know, shut up,
I'm doing this. But that day, I just it was
really human and I just didn't. I didn't have it
in me that day. And I turned around, you know,
(42:05):
and there was nothing wrong with me.
Speaker 1 (42:07):
I was fine.
Speaker 2 (42:08):
I just I don't know, Yeah, the whole trip in
Buffalo and I just couldn't bring myself to get there.
Speaker 1 (42:16):
I think there's a lot to be said about that.
I think there's a moment, and a lot of people
have experienced it. I'm I have included. I included there's
a moment. There's times where you're going out there and
for some reason you can't put your finger on it,
but your gut just says, today's not the day. And
it's hard to describe why. It's hard to understand what's
(42:38):
actually happening in that moment. But I've experienced it as well.
I remember when I was doing the Northfield Placid Trail,
I was getting driven out to the section that I
was going to do for a couple of days. I
remember telling them, like, turn around. I just I don't
know why. I feel I'm fine, there's just something that's
just like not right, and I don't couldn't. I still
to this day, I can't tell you why. And I've
had the same thing happen in the mountains. Interesting when
(43:01):
that when that occurs, But it's it's also you talk
about too, like there's little gremlins in your head telling
you you can't do this, but there's also you're like
differentiating is this just the voice telling you that you
can't do something you can do or is there something
not right? And you know, it's like the mountain's telling
you something that it's that you need to hear. You know,
(43:21):
I want to hear from you too. I want to
hear from you too. You know that whole idea of
turning around is something a lot of people won't do.
They just will not do. So I think it. I
think it. It should be discussed about that moment when
you do abandon a hike, you orphan amount and you say,
(43:44):
you know what, I don't have it today. I want
you to talk about that, like how do you how
did you decipher those times and what went through your
head all these different times when you, you know, drove
up again from Buffalo to hike the same mountain again
and again you're going to turn around, Like there's got
to be something that's going through your mind and a
battle in your brain. I'd love to hear a little
(44:05):
more about that in whenever those things kind of came up.
Speaker 2 (44:09):
Yeah, Actually, it took me a while to come to
terms with the idea of turning around. The first time
I did it, it was a real struggle. But after
that I think that it was easier because I had
already done it once. But I hiked for over a
(44:29):
year without turning around. The first time I turned around
was when I tried to do grace on the Bouquet
Forks trail, you know, from seventy three, and I got
lost so many times that trail. The first mile of
it is really tough to follow, and I was really frustrated.
And then I got to a water crossing that I
(44:51):
couldn't find a safe spot to cross on. You know,
I was like, it was one thing after another that
delayed me. I lost more than an hour between getting
lost and looking for a spot to cross that. After
a while, I was like, you know what, that's it.
That's it. I can't I'm not. I can't do this today.
This is I lost too much time and I don't
(45:13):
have it in me. I wasn't excited about the hike
anymore because I was so frustrated that had never happened
to me. I ended up hiking, you know. I went
to Mount van Hovenberg, which I love that little mountain,
you know, I it's a great it's a great view
for a very little effort. So I, you know, I
hid something that day. But I I turn around, and
after that it was a lot easier. I think that
(45:37):
there were many times I should have turned around before that,
but I didn't because I was stubborn. But the struggle
of you know, first of all, I said, driving all
the way from Buffalo and having to go back without
having dummited the mountain that I was planning on summing
(45:57):
it that that is a huge discipline, meant and and
you know it's it also mean it costs money, you know,
gas and you know, if I'm staying somewhere, you know,
So it was hard for me to decide. But ultimately
I think that all of the times I turned around,
(46:18):
it was the right decision. You know, either I didn't
feel safe anymore, or I didn't feel well enough, or
I think that I just there was always a good reason.
I never turned around just because I didn't feel like it.
You know, there was always a good reason. Well, I
mean when I and when I did couch, I don't know,
like you know, I was talking about the griments in
(46:40):
my head. I yeah, it was something like maybe the
mountains were telling me. I had just decided to learn
to decided to listen to it that time.
Speaker 1 (46:50):
Mm hmm. Yeah. No, I think it's I think it's
worth talking about because it's, like you said, like it
takes a lot that very first time for you to
say Okay, today's not the day and to actually just
turn around. And then as you've done it, it does
become an easier thing to do it the next time,
to do it the next time, and you can again,
(47:10):
you can decipher when it's you know, the voice lying
inside your head, or if it's you know, maybe something
more from the mountains that are telling you, Hey, dude,
it's time to make a chage here. This might not
be the day. Do you know how many trips it
took you to get to the how many trips to
the Adirondacks it took you to complete the forty six?
(47:31):
Do you have that on your spreadsheet?
Speaker 2 (47:33):
Oh? I do. Shoot, I think it's about sixty something
sixty Oh wait, no, that's no, wait, hold on, that's
not it, because I would have to look. No, so
forty six, but I did a few. I did a
few mountains together, and not a whole lot. I'll be
on that plate.
Speaker 1 (47:52):
Oh I know, I'm own that was part of your journey,
A lot of just single day mountains.
Speaker 2 (47:57):
Yeah, so I think it's more like fifty five or
something like that. I'll have to look, but yeah, I
think it's like fifty five, which is crazy when I
think of.
Speaker 1 (48:05):
Fifty five trips from Buffalo to Lake Placid, Keene, et
cetera to finish the forty six high beats. So again,
this is why I said, I don't know if anybody
has earned it more than you have earned that title
of Adirondack forty six or because that is absolutely incredible.
And yeah, we didn't even talk about that, I think
because I knew that just for some reason didn't even
(48:26):
mention that. A lot of your hikes were you hike
the one mountain in the range and then that was
it coming back the next time like there again, this
is this, and this was because of the time it
took you. This was because this is what you were
able and felt comfortable doing, which again just shows the
perseverance in your Adirondack forty six er journey from start
(48:48):
to finish, despite that day in the mountains in the
winter on tabletop, and you fightd a lot in the
winter too, solo, it's my favorite season.
Speaker 2 (48:56):
Yeah, I love hiking in the winter and all the
trail are still nice. When there's a nice snowpack, you know,
you don't have to worry about.
Speaker 1 (49:04):
Roots rocks, absolutely, you know.
Speaker 2 (49:06):
You put your spikes on or your your snowshoes and
you're good to go as long as you know how
to manage your layers. It really all that it comes
down to.
Speaker 1 (49:14):
Yeah, I always say, I always say a perfect winter
day is far better than a perfect summer day in
the mountains in terms of condition wise. I'll take that
every day. Those perfect winter days. They're fast, they're easier
on the body, the hikes are shorter, you know, all
all the things just they just they just work very good.
What's your favorite? What would so you know, when you
(49:34):
fill out the forty six or form you put your
I assume you still put your least favorite and your
favorite right on that, right.
Speaker 2 (49:42):
Yah, yeah, you still have to do that, Okay, So what.
Speaker 1 (49:43):
What was your favorite and your least favorite?
Speaker 2 (49:46):
My so, my least favorite was couch Im I was
going to flee it out there. I'm sorry, but yeah
I did not, you know, I did it, but I
don't know, I didn't really enjoy it, you know.
Speaker 1 (49:58):
Sure, But that's not all on that.
Speaker 2 (50:02):
My favorite, and I know that it's not a popular
choice at all. And before I say that it's not
my favorite, it's not necessarily my favorite mountain. It's my
favorite experience. My favorite, Yeah, experience in the high peaks
was Alan and Seemer as well. But I did put
Alan there because you know, it's Yeah, I don't know
(50:25):
it was either Seemer or Alan. But I just had
a wonderful time doing Alan. Most people hate Hal Alan,
they say, you know, it's too long, you know, the
ascent is brutal and sure, but I went in with
a very positive mindset. You know. I went in knowing
(50:47):
that it was going to be a very long, hard day,
and I chose to enjoy it, and I managed to like.
And not only did I enjoy it, but I love
I loved every minute of it, even even the red slign,
even the slide at the end where I was like
holding onto the trees for g alife.
Speaker 1 (51:09):
Yeah, you know.
Speaker 2 (51:12):
The summit, the three different viewpoints. I mean, it was
just all an amazing experience for me. So whenever people,
you know, I hear people talk bad about Alan, I
wish they would. I wish they would see a different
you know, like see it as an adventure rather than
you know, getting it, you know, check a little check
(51:33):
in the box. Okay, I did Alan. It was horrible,
you know, Like I don't know, I went in with
a completely different mindset.
Speaker 1 (51:40):
Yeah. I think Alan is the most underrated, underappreciated mountain
in the high peaks. And I've hiked it in the rain,
and yeah, in the rain like it, that's kind of
what you expect it to be. And I've also hiked
it on a perfect summer day and it's obviously a
very different experience, but it brings it's a very unique
(52:01):
experience to the high peaks that is unique and unlike
any of the other mountains. Which is why I think
when there's something that brings something new to the collective experience,
it's it's more so worth celebrating just the fact that
it's longer whatever, you know, you're out there like. I'm
also a big believer in the whole idea of yeah
(52:22):
is there a people are upset it's eight miles to
get to the just to start hiking is to start
climbing up it. But in that moment, think about it,
you are eight miles deep from a road in the mountains,
like you're out there. That's cool in and of itself
right alone. The very rugged climb up the mountain for
(52:43):
a mountain that you have to earn, you have got
to earn that peak like any like any other, but
that one especially is going to make you work for
And that's the whole point the whole beauty of this
experience is you are going to earn every freaking step
that you take.
Speaker 2 (52:56):
Yeah, and I feel like you get a lot more
satisfaction when you get to this summit from doings. That's
your hard hike. And that's how I felt, you know,
I felt like I worked hard for it and it
was it was an amazing feeling when I got to
the top, you know. So yeah, I loved it.
Speaker 1 (53:14):
Awesome, awesome. Any other stories in particular that come to
mind that were maybe particularly impactful. So actually, before I mean, yeah,
let me answer that question first. I do want to
know the numbers of times you went to the Sewards
and the Santinons.
Speaker 2 (53:29):
I do.
Speaker 1 (53:29):
I do want to know because I know there were
a lot of a lot of attempts in those ranges.
Speaker 2 (53:34):
I think the Sewards was one, two, three, four, five
sicks I think sticks or maybe seven times for the Stewards,
because I had a couple of times. One time I
was going to do Stewart itself. I got to all
(53:56):
the way up Colkins so on the ridge, Yeah, and
I didn't have it in me. I went back down.
I had done the hardest part, sure, and I couldn't
go on so anyway, six or seven time, and then
Santanoni's total one two, six times, I.
Speaker 1 (54:21):
Think has a lot of times. That is a lot
of trips from Buffalo. That is a lot of trips
from Buffalo. See that's again, well done, Isabelle, well done
seeing the journey through all seasons of the year. Most
of these hikes by yourself. I'm sure you hiked with
people sometimes, but counted.
Speaker 2 (54:41):
Actually, on my spreadsheet, I have thirty two solo.
Speaker 1 (54:45):
Yeah, way over half of them by yourself. How do
you feel about that? How do you feel about the
fact that you set out to do something different to
show yourself you can do hard things, and damn it,
you've done it. How do you feel it feels amazing?
Speaker 2 (55:02):
I feel like I mean, I never thought I was
capable of anything like that. Like I said, I always
thought myself as it was, and I still haven't and
I still have in some ways, you know, like I
ladders freak me out because of a very bad experience
that happened to me going down the Beaver Meadow Trail.
(55:24):
I mean, it was traumatizing. So now anytime I see
a ladder, even if it's an easy one. I literally
have a panic attack. It's not I can't. I feel
like I can't do anything about it. But I still
do it. I still go up and down the ladder.
You know. It's just really hard. But yeah, I'm doing
(55:45):
things that that I never thought I would be able
to do. I'm I'm being brave.
Speaker 1 (55:50):
You know.
Speaker 2 (55:51):
It's it's it's weird for someone who spent her all
the whole life on a couch.
Speaker 1 (55:55):
You know, no, you know what I mean, like, absolutely no,
I get it. That's why this that's why this story
is so great and for the you know, obviously the
podcast listeners can't see you, but you've had just the
biggest smile on your face the whole podcast as you're
talking about this, because I know that this Adirondack Park
has become your your happy place. You helping in the
(56:16):
car to drive here from Buffalo is nothing for you
at this point, because you're you're so giddy to get
in the car and drive the six hours to get here,
six seven hours whatever. It actually thanks well, I.
Speaker 2 (56:28):
Mean without stops, it's five and a half. You know,
I always have to stop a couple of times, So yeah,
it takes me six hours.
Speaker 1 (56:34):
Yeah, So it's absolutely it's been an absolute pleasure watching
your journey unfold. It was awesome working with you, helping
you to get a little stronger, a little fitter so
that you can hike a little faster and make it
up those mountains like It's been absolutely a privilege watching
your journey unfold and be completed. So thanks for letting
me watch it and be a part of it in
(56:55):
the smallest of way and inspiring me as well, because
you are just the perfect example of do not quit,
do not give up, keep going, keep pushing, even though
when everything's pushing back, you keep pushing harder. And then
look at you have finished the Adirondack forty six. You
are a forty six er again, a title that is
well earned, Isabelle well earned? Thank you.
Speaker 2 (57:17):
I'll never stop hiking those trails, so I just want
to put this out there. I will never stop by
I cannot stay away from that place. So I have
other goals, so I will keep on working at them now.
Speaker 1 (57:28):
Absolutely, I said in the last podcast episode, I did,
and I say it often. Finishing the forty six isn't
finishing anything. It actually opens you up to really start
having the adventures because you no longer feel tied down
to a list. Yeah, where it's like, oh, I've hiked that,
I can't go hike this when I get no, Now
everything's free game. You know, you can go just hike
(57:51):
this one mountain here, or just go do that there,
like or it's like if you don't summit something, I mean,
you obviously have experienced this turning around, but if you
don't summ it, it just it doesn't really phase you
nearly the same.
Speaker 2 (58:04):
Just enjoy the journey.
Speaker 1 (58:05):
Yeah, absolutely, so good stuff. All right, So as I
start to wrap up this episode, there's three questions I
always ask people. First question is, what's something that's in
your backpack that's unique to you that you always have
to carry with you out there? What's a what's a
fun little thing that you always have in your pack?
Speaker 2 (58:20):
Oh my goodness, I have so many snacks. I'm trying
to think of like an item.
Speaker 1 (58:29):
And there's no wrong answer. You can say whatever you want.
Speaker 2 (58:31):
I know, I'm trying to think.
Speaker 1 (58:36):
Crap.
Speaker 2 (58:37):
I always listen to a to a story, like a
book an audiobook when I'm by myself, and you know,
it helps me do the struggles.
Speaker 1 (58:45):
Sure, But like.
Speaker 2 (58:46):
An item, yeah, it have I'm gonna have to say
audiobook is not really know.
Speaker 1 (58:52):
Let's use that. Let's go with that, because I've never
had that answer here on the podcast. What what type
of books are we listening to out there?
Speaker 2 (58:58):
Things that keep you on, like on the edge of
your seat, like you know, like mystery, like thriller, things
that I that are not going to be boring, because
when I'm really struggling out there and I'm listening to
one of those books, it really takes my focus off
of my pain and misery and and you know, it
helps me keep on going. It's a good it's it's
(59:22):
a good way to distract myself from from the from
the hard stuff. And I don't listen to it like
the whole hike, you know, I'll just take break and
sometimes I'll put it on when I'm really struggling and
then I'll stop, and you know, but it really helps
me on those hard days.
Speaker 1 (59:37):
Yeah, and there are a lot of hard days. I
didn't ask it, what was your what what summit? What
summit was like the easiest for you? Or what summit
did you get to the top feeling the best? I
should have asked that earlier, so We've talked a lot
about the heart, but what were some what was like
the best, what was the good one?
Speaker 2 (59:56):
Oh, my gosh, so many Marcie. I guess, you know,
like Marcie may be the highest, but it's definitely not
the hardest. It's long, sure, but it's easy, I think,
And you know, you get there and you're on you're
on top of the whole state of New York and
and the views are amazing and it's a great feeling.
(01:00:17):
So yeah, Marcie's got to be one of those.
Speaker 1 (01:00:20):
Yeah, very good. Next question, in your opinion, what makes
this Adirondack Park such a unique place that's got you
coming back fifty five trips to get to just the
high peaks, but you know, more than that, what what
makes it so unique? In your opinion?
Speaker 2 (01:00:37):
You know, the is it called the modo, you know,
forever wild? That is what I love about the Adirondacks.
I know that I can hike any trail, you know,
I'm not going to find I don't know how to
say that. It's That's what I like about it. The remoteness,
(01:00:59):
the so the fact that those trails are not real trails,
like most of the time you're hiking up a drainage,
or you know, it's it's tough, but it's so rewarding
because of that reason. I love the fact that it's
it's it's away from people, not people, like away from everything.
(01:01:22):
You know, it's it's not it's it's not like I've been.
I've hiked out west. I went to Colorado this summer,
and even at twelve thousand feet, those trails are manicured.
It's like somebody came with their shears and you know,
it's like ridiculous. I mean, sorry, I don't want to
sound like ambashing those trails, but I did not enjoy that.
(01:01:44):
I didn't feel any satisfaction from hiking that. But the
satisfaction I get from hiking those crazy, insane trails where
you know some of them there are hert paths, there's
you don't even know where the trail is, especially in winter.
It takes a lot of practice and a lot of
dedication to stay on the trail and keep on going
(01:02:07):
and not turn around because you you know, you don't
know where the trail is. No, it's it's hard work,
but what you get in return is is I can't
even describe it.
Speaker 1 (01:02:18):
No, I love that answer, I couldn't agree more as well.
And my final question for you Isabelle, why do you hike?
Why do you keep Why did you keep coming back
fifty five times or whatever it ended up being to
finish what you started here? No one's making you do it,
no one's making you be out there. You went out
to do this thing. Why do you do it?
Speaker 2 (01:02:41):
It brings me more than any other hobby could ever bring.
It's when I'm hiking in the aud around bocks, I
feel whole, I feel grounded, I feel at home. I
feel like everything is right in the world. You know,
those mountains, They've changed me as a person, and the
(01:03:08):
way I feel when I'm there is just pure joy.
I just can't. Even while I'm struggling, even while I'm
feeling misery from the hike, i am still so thankful
to be there and be able to do that, and
just it's such a hard feeling to describe, but yeah,
it just brings me so much happiness, and it makes
(01:03:30):
me feel I can be myself, you know, like you know,
my everyday life, I have to extrovert all day because
I'm a school secretary, but I'm really an introvert and
you know when I'm out there, I can be myself
and it's this a.
Speaker 1 (01:03:47):
Beautiful feeling, beautiful, beautiful answer as well, Isabeut where can
people find you online if they want to send you
a congratulations or see your pictures from the trail?
Speaker 2 (01:03:58):
I'm on Instagram. Isabelle is a B E L L E.
Underscore Hikes. Isabel Underscore Hikes.
Speaker 1 (01:04:07):
Right, very good, And that's going to wrap up this
episode of the forty six of forty six podcast. I
hope you are as inspired as I am. Head over
to forty six outdoors dot com to check how you
can work with me to get in better shape for hiking,
just like Isabelle did. You can join the next Great
Range Athlete team that kicks off in October on October nineteenth,
So if you want to take six weeks of your
(01:04:29):
time to get in better shape, specifically to climb mountains,
head over to Great Range Athlete dot com and join
the next team. I guarantee you'll enjoy the experience and
beyond that, check back on Fridays for new mountains, new stories,
new guests, and new episodes right here on the forty
six of forty six podcast. Remember to always leave no trace,
Do the rock walk and if you carry it in,
(01:04:49):
carry it out. See you on the trails. Everybody
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