3 Pane brothers from Medina climb 46 Adirondack peaks
Quest was 24 years in the making; brothers follow parents as 46ers
Photos courtesy of the Pane family: The Pane brothers and their celebrate on Saturday when they reached the top of the Rocky Peak Ridge in the Adirondack Mountains. Pictured from left include: Anthony Pane, Karen Pane, Keith Pane and John-Louis Pane. Mrs. Pane is a fourth-grade teacher at Medina.
Three brothers from Medina became 46ers on Saturday when they climbed the Rocky Peak Ridge, the last of the 46 highest peaks of the Adirondacks where they trekked to the top.
It was a challenge 24 years in the making. John-Louis, Keith and Anthony Pane follow in their parents’ footsteps as 46ers. Karen and Joe Pane completed all 46 climbs back in 1990.
As young climbers the Pane brothers are shown in 2006 at Nye Mountain. They are shown from left – oldest to youngest: John-Louis, Keith and Anthony.
When the brothers were younger, they tagged along with their parents. But then the boys’ schedules got busy with high school sports, the marching band and summer soccer leagues.
“So the opportunities to travel to the Adirondacks became limited,” their father said. “Before long the boys were traveling to the Adirondacks with high school friends and college friends while leaving their slow-hiking parents behind.”
When the bothers were kids, the family used to make day trips to the Adirondack Mountain Club Campground.
“As they got a bit older we started backpacking trips that included climbing several of the peaks each day,” Joe Pane said.
The brothers have grown up, working jobs away from each other, which made completing the last of the 46 peaks difficult.
John-Louis, 29, graduated from George Washington University and works for Fannie Mae in Washington, DC.
Keith, 27, graduated from Clarkson University and works as an engineer at BAE Systems in New Hampshire.
Anthony, 25, earned his degree from the University of Rochester and he works for the National Institute of Health.
In 2019, after graduating from the U of R, Anthony hiked solo in the Adirondacks for a week, leaving one peak to finish. Last week his brothers joined together and climbed 12 peaks to catch up to Anthony. And then on Saturday they celebrated their final peak as a family on Rocky Peak Ridge.
“They were committed to finish the final peak together,” their father said.
Once they register the achievement they will be given a number and will be entered in the 46er history books. For more information on the Adirondack 46ers, click here.
