LOCALadk Magazine

David, aka Topo, and Terri, aka T-max, with their cat Sender, in the common area of their hostel. Topo MountainFrog is in the foreground. LOCALadk 20 TMax-n-Topo's: A Community-Driven Adirondack Hostel By Troy Tetrault & photos by Eric Adsit Lake Placid is often defined by its high-end resorts and ritzy restaurants that set a steep price for entry. For those who travel from hundreds of miles away with mud on their boots and mountains on their minds, the true heart of the region is found in a walk-out basement on the edge of the wilderness. TMax-n-Topo's Hostel stands in stubborn defiance of traditional hospitality, creating community and upholding values close to its owner's hearts. Meet Terri and David The partnership behind the hostel began long before the first guest checked in. David and Terri met at the Adirondac Loj in 2003, a chance encounter that start- ed with David jokingly insulting Terri's brand-new car. Their first date was a hike up Algonquin, and while Terri was wary of strangers and preferred solo hiking, she felt a connection to David's love and respect for the outdoors. After the hike, the two went their separate ways, but not after exchanging emails. For years they were simply hiking partners, but the bond deepened during a torrential downpour on Saw- teeth Mountain in 2008. Terri, fiercely independent, had always declined David's help on technical terrain. On that day, drenched and exhausted, she finally ex- tended her hand toward him on a tough spot near the summit. "We both recognized the significance of the moment," David recalls. By the end of that weekend, they shared their first kiss, a plan was hatched to find a permanent home in the High Peaks, and the rest is history. Taking a gamble The hostel's origin is a testament to the endurance required to summit the peaks it serves. In late 2009, during the "nadir of the Great Recession," Terri and

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