Remember how I told you to do your research in my last post? I learned from experience, and Snowy Mountain was one big experience.
It all started when I mapped out fire tower hikes a “quick” drive from Rochester…
I am a little behind on my goal for 2021. I want to complete the Adirondack Fire Tower Challenge by 2022.
I checked my calendar today, and apparently, it’s August! I don’t know where the time goes.
I realized there was only so much summer left to try and reach some more towers.
On a whim, I mapped out some hikes within a four-hour drive and left. Snowy Mountain was the first one.
With an hour until we hit the trailhead, I cracked open Views from On High to read about the history of the fire tower. I knew they ranked Snowy as difficult, but I go to the gym. I was confident.
That’s when I read the line, “most fire tower hikers consider this mountain to be the most difficult in any season.”
It’s around 8 miles round trip. A lot, yes, but I made sure to block out enough time for it in the day.
We got up early, managed to find the trailhead hidden behind some trees (thanks to a kind local), and started our ascent.
At this point, my mindset was, “get the tough ones out of the way now.”
This was a steep one. The second half of the climb was all steep. I felt like an animal, pulling myself up and over these huge rocks, hoping there would be a bit of a level stretch to take a breather.
Stopping for water became more frequent the closer we got to the top. Not only did we stop to drink water, but we also had to stop and figure out how to get around the water trickling down the mountain.
Finally, we reached what looked like a stone wall. I rolled my eyes looking at it – I was supposed to climb that?
I made it so far, why would I stop now. I powered through, got some dirt on my hands along the way, and made it to the fire tower.
The views from the lookout were incredible. I looked over a sea of green, waves of trees decorating the mountains and patches of blue where the lakes flow. The wind whipping my hair was welcomed, I needed a cool down from the 5 miles hike up.
After another deep breath, I slowly climbed up the fire tower and looked out from the cab. It hits me I just climbed a mountain – a literal mountain – and I can’t stop smiling.
There’s been a lot of times throughout my life where I feel so powerless. My work gets ripped apart in class, a viewer calls and complains about the show I produced, or I have to work another weekend and miss out on friends and family get-togethers.
It’s not a great feeling, sitting at the bottom of that mountain. You look at the monster in front of you, and you have zero ideas on how to conquer it. But you start with one step. All it takes is one step to move closer to your goal.
Whether it’s positive feedback on your work, a promotion, or extra days off to see the people who matter most to you. There are little actions you can take every day to get one step closer.
That rush at the peak never changes. Call me a junkie, but I keep going back for more!
Now that I’ve done the “most difficult” tower, everything else should be a breeze, right? Right?!
Anyone who’s done a fire tower, did you think this was the most difficult? Are there any other towers that you think are more difficult? I need to know!
Follow my blog to stay updated on my saga conquering the ADK Fire Tower Challenge!
Erin Goes Everywhere 