Growing up in the Adirondack Park, understanding nature and how we interact with it, and in it, is a core part of who I am. Going to high school centered around winter sports in Lake Placid, I was able to really embrace this area and the opportunities that living in 6 million acres of State Park affords. In fact, every fall when the leaves begin to change, the entire school pauses classes and groups the students into teams of 5-10, and we would travel into the mountains to climb one of the famous 46 peaks. Climbing those mountains and looking at the world more than 5,000 feet above sea level gave me a great appreciation of my privilege to live and work in this area, and made me want to pursue a career that could positively impact the greater environment. Receiving my B.S. in Chemical Engineering with a minor in business from the University of Virginia, I was able to deeply dive into the interactions between businesses, people, and the environment.

Taking classes in fluid mechanics, thermodynamics, quantum mechanics, organic chemistry, and modelling and simulation, I now have a greater understanding, and therefore a much greater respect, for how atoms become molecules and chemicals, how those chemicals interplay with other chemicals under varying conditions, and how much time, energy, and money it takes to scale a process from a prototype to multi-million-unit-producing factories. But my ultimate takeaway from my degree is how these products affect not only us humans, but our natural environment as well.

Female owned and operated, Mountain2Mountain is a venture I created by utilizing my chemical engineering degree and my business minor, that harkens back to my original purpose of wanting to positively impact the people and land around me. Owning two homes, one in the Adirondack Park, and one in the Blue Ridge Mountains, as well as some land in the Blue Ridge, I have combined my social and academic interests to create a business model reliant upon sharing and environmental cognizance. Practicing business methods tailored to sustainability, like implementing cleaning programs using all natural products, and minimal waste and recycling initiatives, and to sharing, like offering opportunities beyond vacations, including weddings and trail building, are just some of the things that make this business unique. Welcome to Mountain2Mountain, where immersive natural experiences await. – Rachel and Essex