Sheryl Campbell of Clifton Park climbed all 46 of the Adirondack Mountains’ High Peaks, thus becoming an official Adirondack 46er. She documented her journey in a new book, “Climbing the 46 High Peaks: A Journey of Discovery and Healing.” Photos of Campbell with a Buffalo Bills flag atop mountain summits provided by Campbell. 

CLIFTON PARK — Hiking in the Adirondacks can yield a spiritual yet sometimes terrifying aura that is hard to capture in words.

Some authors have tried to explore the mysteriousness of the dense, 5,000-square-mile mountain range. Liz Moore’s 2024 novel “The God of the Woods” hints at the perhaps otherworldly secrets lurking amongst the peaks. Other writers, such as Jon Krakauer with his nonfiction books “Into Thin Air” and “Into the Wild,” have tried to understand the psychology of adventurers and climbers who are willing to sacrifice everything to conquer both nature and their own fears.

A new memoir by Clifton Park-based yoga instructor Sheryl Campbell delves into many of these themes through the lens of a personal journey that includes challenges ranging from treacherous cliffs to a cancer diagnosis to self-doubt to dealing with divorce. And it’s a story that involves, in a rather profound way, the Buffalo Bills.

During her quest to become an Adirondack 46er by climbing all 46 of the range’s High Peaks, Campbell brought a Buffalo Bills flag with her to every summit. 

“It wasn’t just fabric,” Campbell writes in her book, ‘Climbing the 46 High Peaks: A Journey of Discovery and Healing.’ “It was home. It was pride. It was a reminder of where I came from and who I was becoming. Raised in West Seneca, I grew up with the rhythms of football season etched into our family life. The Buffalo Bills weren’t just a team, they were a symbol of resilience, community, and undying hope.”

Campbell told Saratoga TODAY that she came across a number of Bills fans while climbing the 46 peaks, and her interactions with those fans helped her feel more at home.

“I felt like I didn’t know these people, but in the mountains, my hometown was present, sprinkled everywhere with Bill’s Mafia,” Campbell said. “So, it really gave [me] that sense of community. You always say, ‘Home is Western New York.’ But your home is wherever you create it, and it’s the people that you surround yourself with. I felt closer to my hometown as I was going through this experience… It gave me that sense of belonging that maybe was missing for a long time.”

One of Campbell’s most challenging climbs was, ironically, Allen Mountain (ironic because the Bills are currently led by their reigning MVP quarterback Josh Allen). During the ascent, as they neared the summit, Campbell’s friend and fellow hiker sat down and gave up. Campbell was stunned by her friend’s defeatism and was unsure of how to handle it. She continued up the summit alone and on the way back down, was delighted to see her friend charging forward.

“The pride I felt in that moment is hard to put into words,” Campbell writes. “I knew she would show up. Deep down, I had never doubted it. Witnessing her push through her doubt, and seeing her conquer the mental and physical walls, filled me with overwhelming joy.”

Of course, Campbell faced many more hurdles along her journey, including her climb of Saddleback Mountain’s treacherous cliffs. Campbell had to scale the rocks like a spider, clinging on to any crevice or crack that could support one of her limbs. She feared that the weight of her backpack might send her tumbling backwards, cascading down the unforgiving chunks of stone.

“I felt the most fear in my life,” Campbell said. “I couldn’t hike after that for a couple months. I thought I had PTSD or something because you couldn’t shake the feeling. Even talking about it right now, I can feel my body like I’m there, I’m responding to it.”

Though this terrifying moment is burned into Campbell’s memory, so too are the many instances of joy and laughter and profundity scattered across the book. When climbing Whiteface, Campbell writes about an experience in which she could feel her deceased grandmother’s presence, “subtle yet unmistakable, guiding me, watching over me. It was a spiritual moment, one of many the mountains have gifted me, and one I will treasure forever.”

The book itself is structured like a football season, beginning with the pre-season and ending with the celebration of a Super Bowl victory. Campbell felt like she had won her own kind of Super Bowl by becoming an Adirondack 46er, but she also has an unwavering sense of optimism about the Bills’ future.

“They will make it to the Super Bowl,” Campbell said. “Even the last two games that have been gut-wrenching, I still have faith. I still believe. I feel it in my heart. You have to have that faith. You have to believe to receive.”

Campbell wants her book to inspire her readers, just like the Bills have inspired fans like her. As Josh Allen continues his pursuit of a Super Bowl, Campbell hopes her audience will be motivated to embark upon their own challenges.

“If my story inspires even one person to take a brave step forward, to trust themselves, or to keep climbing despite the challenges, then all of this is worth it,” Campbell writes. “Here’s to the quiet strength in every step, and to the beautiful, unexpected adventures waiting just beyond the horizon.”


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