09/10/2026
There is something pretty special about seeing three women guides together in one place, especially when you think about the history behind it.
Women have been part of New York’s guiding tradition for generations, even when the profession was overwhelmingly male. One of those early trailblazers was Julia Burton Preston, born in Piseco in 1896, who became known as an accomplished hunter, trapper, and respected Adirondack guide. Decades later, women like Sheila Young entered the profession when there were still very few female guides. Today, more women are earning their licenses, teaching outdoor skills, running guide businesses, and helping shape what professional guiding in New York looks like.
And that brings us to this crew.
Sheila Young, Laura Baker, and Jessica Heck all met up Saturday evening at the annual Mt. Arab Fire Tower Lighting.
Sheila has been helping make the Mt. Arab lighting happen for the last several years, continuing to give her time and energy to a place and community she has spent decades serving. Laura jumped right in, welcoming visitors, counting everyone who made the climb, and greeting people with a smile as they arrived.
And Jessica? She was apparently “just along for the ride”… except she brought nine other people with her to experience the evening. Because guides have a funny way of turning “I’m going to this thing” into “WHO ELSE WANTS TO COME?!”
That might be one of the best parts of guiding.
It isn't only about knowing the trail, the water, the woods, or the skills. It is about bringing people with you. Teaching. Encouraging. Welcoming. Sharing the places you love and helping someone else find their own connection to them.
From women like Julia Burton Preston more than a century ago, to women like Sheila who have spent decades in the profession, to the growing number of women guiding throughout New York today, that legacy continues.
And sometimes it looks exactly like this: three women guides standing together at a fire tower, laughing after a really good night outside.
We think Julia would have approved.
