Winter 2018 LOCALadk Magazine 59
LOCALadk
legs are a different stor y. My feet are swollen and my toes
are beginning to blister.
But, the mind is a powerful thing and I tell myself what
must be done. Before I know it I am standing atop Mount Jo
with the High Peaks Wilderness before me. Adam and Andy
exchange high fives and I smile broadly. The Bob Marshall
Traverse is complete. For me, it's not about ticking another
mountain or hike off my list. It's not about boasting or brag-
ging rights.
Adam and I come to these mountains and immerse our-
selves in the woods for many of the same reasons Marshall
did. To heal, to feel and to fight for what we love. In one day,
we've watched the sun and moon rise. We've bled and blis-
tered. We've been in awe of one view only to be stunned by
another. Marshall wrote, "Finally, seeing the view from four-
teen different mountains all in one day gave me an excellent
opportunity to appreciate the distinctive character of these
Adirondack Mountains, which made each summit leave an en-
tirely different effect of delight." We've followed the foot-
steps of a spirited Adirondack legend and it has been a true
adventure.
To learn more about Bob Marshall and his writings about
the Adirondacks pick up a copy of Bob Marshall in the Ad-
irondacks Writings of a Pioneering Peak Bagger, Pond-Hopper
and Wilderness Preservationist Edited by Phil Brown and pub-
lished by Adirondack Mountain Club.
