Ethan Savluk’s #48, age 12: Carrigain, Sunday, September 23, 2007

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wardsgirl

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Some people may call me an abusive parent. Instead of letting my son develop his My Space page or install an intravenous line of soda into his arm so he doesn’t need to travel too far from the Playstation, I’ve made him go hiking. Not just once or twice, but over and over again. He never wants to go, but he never bothers arguing much about going either. He really doesn’t have a choice.

Twelve years ago, I started hiking north from Springer Mountain when I was four months pregnant. I have been hiking and backpacking extensively for 25 years. People told me that my hiking days would be over when I had the baby, and I immediately set out to prove them wrong. Determined not to let my baby end my enjoyment of the outdoors, I decided I would always take him with me. When he was four weeks old, I carried him in a front sling on a dayhike up Mt. Chocorua. Sure, I knew I was supposed to wait the requisite six weeks, but my midwife agreed that it was OK in my case. After that, he rode in the sling while I carried my regular backpack. When he was two years old and a strong walker, we backpacked the Wildcat Ridge. Ten miles, five days. He was off to a blistering pace for a peakbagger. Hey, some adults don’t even bag two peaks in five days.

As he grew older, other activities competed for his attention. Baseball, karate, or just hanging around with his friends became preferable options. After all, he never asked to go hiking. Still, we found the time to hike.
“Let’s go for a hike this weekend,” I’d say.
“Dayhike or overnight?” he’d ask.
The answer never really mattered. It was usually OK.

Over the years, he has spent time with me as a trail maintainer, a fill-in Caretaker at Guyot, and backpacked a big chunk of the AT and Long Trail. He likes to see the reaction on people’s face when he lights an MSR stove using only a flint. He successfully keeps up with thru-hikers for days at a time. If he gets separated from me, he carries not only enough gear to spend the night, but also the knowledge of how to use it. We have had every conversation that two people can have.

A few years ago, he started making a letter X within 48 circles on an old map of the Whites. There have been plenty of times when he did not get to make that X on the first try. He was caught in a hailstorm on Adams. He once found himself doing the backstroke after falling off the birch tree bridge on Dicey’s Mill Trail on a chilly October day. Although he had climbed 4000 footers in the Dacks, Maine and Vermont, eventually there was only Carrigain left to finish the 48.

When he reached the top, I handed him a congratulatory Mountain Dew. We stood on the fire tower platform and named the 42 peaks on the horizon.
“How does it feel to have climbed all these peaks?” I asked.
“I don’t know,” said the kid whose initials are E.M.S. and who shares a name with Ethan Crawford, the builder of the longest continuously maintained footpath in the United States. “It just seems like another hike.”
 
My son is now in his twenties. He never accused us of abuse when he finished the 48 at age 11. Hasn't complained since either. Congratulations and may your relationship always be as fun as it is with us.
 
Proud Papa to Proud Mama

As one proud parent to another, congratulations to you both. In the world in which our children live it is very easy for them to slip into a sedentary lifestyle of xbox and computers, TV and videos. I am amazed how few of my children's friends have been out in the woods at all let alone scaling 4000 ft peaks. We have had the pleasure of introducing some of them to hiking on cubscout hikes and such and they really enjoy it.

In this day of immediate gratification in almost every facet of our lives it is great for kids to experience the type of activities where the payoff takes time, patience and work, and isn't guaranteed. And along the way they get to learn about the outdoors, their companions and themselves. Well good luck in your future hiking endeavors. I have a feeling that inside Ethan probably knows that it was more than "just another hike."
 
Congratulations! If I recall, we met going up Whiteface in 2005 when you were doing FOT48 and also at this year's AMC Awards.

What a great accomplishment! You should both be very proud!

Best regards,
Marty
 
Bobby said:
I hope this doesn't happen again..."Deep to left! Yastrzemski will not get it! It's a home run! A three-run homer by Bucky Dent! And the Yankees now lead by a score of 3-2!" - Bill White

Silly Bobby. Bucky Dent and Yaz are retired. It will go "Ellsbury looks up and it's gone - into the monster seats. Alex Rodriguez just hit his 79th home run of the year." We might even be able to get Mike Torrez to come out of retirement to hang the curve ball.

No I'm not bitter about something that happened in 1978. Not at all.

Tim
 
Congrats to the both of you....I'm hoping my daughter quits playing soccer to free up her weekends...it's more of a social thing...but I get them out the day after Thanksgiving to go for our yearly hike...congrats again
 
Great job Ethan and Mom!!!

Did we meet on the Hancocks end of June??? I met an impressive young man and his mom on that hike. We stopped and chatted briefly on our way from one summit to the other. I was hiking with an older gentlemen that I had met on my hike up that day.

Keep on hiking!!!

Snickers
 
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