Esther: an Adirondack Folktale

Set in the 1800s Adirondacks, Esther is a coming-of-age tale about a spirited 12-year-old girl, Esther McComb, who dreams of climbing Whiteface Mountain despite her family's expectations that she become a homemaker. Defying gender roles and her parents’ concerns, Esther sets out alone to pursue her dream. She mistakenly climbs a different peak, spending a night in the wilderness. Found by her mother the next morning, Esther is met not with scolding but  relief and pride. The mountain she climbed is later named Esther Mountain—the only 4,000-foot peak in New York named after a woman. The story honors courage, independence, and the unexpected rewards of following your heart.