Brian Riese #16668 was hiking the Upper Great Range with his dog, Penny. Brian said that Penny bounded up the mountains with great enthusiasm, and she managed pretty well when he had to carry her up the ladder toward Armstrong. But, as they descended Gothics, Penny froze at the open rock face. Brian said, “With no better option, I ended up scooting down the slabs, dog in my lap, inch by inch. The rock was rough, and after a few sections, I realized both my shorts and underwear had worn through, leaving my backside exposed for every lucky hiker behind me. Penny, of course, was perfectly content in my lap, completely unaware of the dignity I was sacrificing. After what felt like hours, we finally made it down to the Orebed Brook Trail. Just when I thought the drama was over, I spotted a black bear off the trail. This was the one and only time I saw a bear in all of my hikes. Thankfully, it didn’t follow but it sure left me with one final reminder that the Adirondacks always keep you humble.” Angela Grau #16739 said, “As a parent, I feel there are so many memories you create with your children, but the adventure of hiking the 46 high peaks with my daughter is one I will never forget and one that I treasure deeply. Angela and daughter Kylee #16744 started their journey in August 2019 hiking Cascade and Porter, and Angela didn’t know if Kylee would enjoy hiking. Angela said, “To my surprise it was a great day and she loved it. This began our adventure of hiking as many high peaks as we could each year … the thrill of accomplishment and the love of an extreme challenge … does it get any better than that?” Anna Ka #16452 finished her 46er journey with a trip that is exhausting just to read. With 22 peaks to go, she climbed on her bike in Rochester and spent 16 days riding 308 miles to and from trailheads, and hiking 117 miles to get those 22 peaks. Wow. Anna Ka Angela Grau Kylee # Brian Riese #16739 & 16744 #16668 SUMMER 2026 | 23
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