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November 27, 2009

Reaching for the sky

Morrisonville hikers enjoying 46er status

By MEGAN MUNROE

MORRISONVILLE — For the Sapps, family time is a little more than a night of Scrabble and popcorn.

The Morrisonville family of four became "46ers" earlier this fall after climbing all 46 of the Adirondack High peaks..

After a three-year overall effort, they reached the top of their last mountain, Blake Peak, on Sept. 19 — mom Andree Sapp's 46th birthday.

INSPIRED EFFORT
Andree grew up hiking with her family. Her father, "Wild Bill" Frenette, was one of the early 46ers, completing his final peak in 1961. Andree's mother and three of her sisters are also 46ers who worked their way up the High Peaks over the mid '60s and early '70s — a time when many routes weren't marked and hikes could be significantly more challenging.

Andree, however, had left off at just under 40 peaks.

But when her daughter, Maile, came home from a hike with her grandparents a few years ago, the enthusiasm was contagious.

"That was the kickoff for us," Andree said.

Maile's excitement spread to her brother, Everett, and soon the whole family had started an Adirondack adventure.

Andree's parents, Bill and Ginny Frenette, especially her Bill, continued to play a role in the planning the hikes.

"At age 80, (my father) still knew the trails and the best approaches to the mountains," she said. "Our children looked to him and my mother as great role models and hiking was a means to further connect with them."

Maile's grandparents were her "main inspiration" to start hiking and keep reaching more summits.

The first peak the Sapps reached together was Cascade. Over the first year, the family climbed only five or six mountains. But they soon started to set goals that would require a little extra determination.

"My aunt finished (all 46 High Peaks) when she was 10, so I wanted to finish mine when I was 10," Everett said.

And before last summer even began, the Sapps planned out their remaining 19 hikes to make sure their 46th peak would coincide with Andree's 46th birthday.

Maile, 14, said scheduling each hike ahead of time made it easier for the family to follow through.

"If we didn't, I think it would've been easier to say, 'Oh, it's crappy weather out — let's just hike next weekend.'"

The Sapps purposely chose Blake Peak for their last because it was one none of them had done before.

"It was something new for everybody," Andree said.

GOOD TRAINING
Though the weather over the past summer was mostly cold and rainy, the family never experienced bad conditions during any of their hikes, said Andree's husband, Randy.

And on the day of their final climb, the weather offered a special reward. The family hiked under clear, sunny skies and celebrated at the top with a perfect view.

"You could see so many of the other 45," Andree said. "And you could pick them out by name."

Reaching the top of the final peak was rewarding, the Sapps said, but a little bittersweet.

"Now when we do them again, it still feels like an accomplishment," Maile says. "But not as exciting."

But the Sapps aren't hesitating to move on to other goals. The family plans to continue hiking, taking different routes to the same peaks and trying new ones like MacNaughton, not one of the original 46 but recently found to be of the same necessary elevation.

Hiking has been good training for other sports like cross-country, track and skiing, said Everett and Maile, both students at Beekmantown Central School.

Everett, having reached his goal of becoming a 46er at age 10, said he's turning his attention to doing well in skiing and getting his friends to start hiking. A few of his friends have already climbed some of the High Peaks.

"Friends at school may not understand when you tell them (a hike) was like 11 hours," Maile said. "But they think it's pretty cool and impressive."

NEW HORIZONS
Both Maile and Everett invited friends on a few of their family hikes.

"That's what we hope — to get more people out and doing it and seeing what's near us," Andree said.

The Sapps also brought along their dog, Keski, on several climbs, which proved challenging at times. It was difficult keeping Keski on a leash while trying to hike, Everett said.

Another member of the team beginning with the family's first overnight climb was Rocky, Everett's plush toy raccoon. Rocky — named after a 46er, Everett said — has climbed 40 of the High Peaks.

Safety was a concern for the Sapps, but Andree said she didn't doubt her children's conditioning. She and Randy made sure Maile and Everett paid attention and didn't get overexcited.

"Our son's kind of adventurous," Randy said. "So we had to set guidelines for him."

Goal-setting and problem-solving were also very important for the children to learn, Randy said. There were many lessons to be found both during the hike and in preparation.

"Planning for an overnight is important; not to over-pack or under-pack," he said.

This lesson was especially essential, Andree said, as the children carried their own 25-to-30-pound packs with extra clothing, gloves, raincoats and other supplies.

On the first hike with her grandparents, Maile said, she was just hoping to finish that one mountain. Now, as her father says, she's "a third-generation 46er."

As the old saying goes, that kind of accomplishment makes one feel capable of doing, well, anything.

"When you're able to reach that goal," Maile says. "You know you can achieve others."

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