This year is my first year as an officer for the Outing Club on campus, and so far I have basically spent a lot of my time not sure of where my place is or how I can help with different projects. 46 Peaks Weekend is one of the biggest and most complex weekends of the entire year and I saw it as a great opportunity to really become more involved in the planning of large events for HOC! With the hard work of all the Officers, HOC leaders, and awesome participants we completed a successful 46 Peaks weekend for the first time in 19 years of attempts! Looking back this weekend is one that has its rightful place in HOCistory as the first weekend during which a Hamilton student stood on top of every single high peak in the Adirondacks, it really helps me to appreciate the importance of the wilderness.
I led my first 46 Peaks trip this year, a 15 mile day hike up Mount Colden, in and out of Adirondack Loj, and I have never been more excited to share the Adirondacks with a group of new students! For two of my participants it was the first time they had ever summited a mountain before, and the feeling of pure joy and accomplishment was something that I was so happy I got to share with them. The role of the Outing Club on campus has become more and more clear to me as I spend more time working in it, it is for those moments when a Hamilton student accomplishes something they never thought was possible, or experiences the wilderness for the first time. That is one of the most special things about the Adirondacks for me, that they are accessible for people of all ages and experience levels, so close to many homes and very manageable for day hikes or week long trips!
On Sunday after my day hike was over, I stayed in the Adirondacks, more specifically in Lake Placid with the other Officers to help support the final 46 Peaks trips. Since, I had only ever been up in the Adirondacks to hike I had never really gotten to experience the really special part of the Adirondacks that is the towns and people who live there. Wandering around Lake Placid, sitting on the beach, and eating lots of good food I loved this alternate view of the Adirondacks.
It is weird to comprehend that the Adirondacks are inhabited for purposes outside of backpacking, climbing, and canoeing, especially on a weekend like the one just past. Cars were parked on every outcropping along rt 73 running south from Keene Valley, every trailhead filled, even at 9:30 at night. But even at that time, the Noon Mark Diner was filled with people, some clearly just off the trail, while others appeared to be there because it was there home. Its really interesting, the dynamic of customers, how both uses of the Park meet in the Noon Mark, and each can interact and branch with the other.
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