Joseph P. Hackett

Joe Hackett’s story began in Poughkeepsie, New York, in 1956, as the middle child of five, raised by his father Paul “Butch” Hackett, a World War II veteran and educator, and mother Mary Hackett, a homemaker, avid reader and gardener.

Mary’s love of literature and gardening and Paul’s influence as an educator, in particular, helped shape Joe’s own appreciation for both nature and intellect and his desire to guide and teach others.

Early on, the outdoors became Joe’s constant companion as he moved from Poughkeepsie to Glens Falls and other locations in between. Joe met the woods and rivers of Elizabethtown in early adolescence which shaped his spirit and ambitions.

Mentored by local outdoorsmen, Joe’s formative years were filled with insatiable curiosity and hands-on adventure where you could often find him outside sleeping in a lean-to. His adolescence in Elizabethtown was filled with fierce friendship, fishing the Boquet, pond hockey, baseball games and a healthy dose of mischief.

In 1978, Joe launched his own licensed Adirondack Guide Service, Tahawus Ltd. named for Mount Marcy’s Native American name, “Mountain in the Clouds,” Joe built a tradition of offering inclusive, educational outdoor experiences for individuals of all ages and backgrounds.

For more than four decades as a professional guide, Joe led clients and friends through the waterways and trails of the Adirondacks. He took people from quiet streams brimming with native trout to the region’s grandest hotels and private retreats.

Joe introduced countless families, children and well-known personalities to the magic of outdoor recreation. Whether it was prominent politicians, CEOs, billionaires, celebrities and veterans, or teenagers with developmental disabilities, which he felt especially connected to as he saw himself as a perpetual teenager, he guided them with unmatched skill and a gift for storytelling.

Among grateful clients and friends, he was affectionately known as the “Trout Whisperer” for his uncanny ability to find brook trout in the most remote waters, though his closest companions loved to tease him with the nickname “Fishless Joe.”

He was a gifted angler and sportsman, carrying the record for the largest brook trout caught in New York state for years, all the more impressive for catching on a fly-line. Over the years, Tahawus, Ltd. was featured across newspapers, television and radio, including the Boston Globe and New York Times, with headlines, such as Mountain Guide Makes Comeback in New Style which credited Joe for “helping to rekindle guiding … which was nearly extinguished as the automobile allowed tourists to probe the backcountry on their own” noting “Mr. Hackett has a saucy glint in his eye and a knack for banter that links him to his predecessors.” In another article, he was revered as “the outdoor guide, the skilled woodsman who can track game, lead anglers to remote ponds and cook a satisfying trail stew.”

Joe’s passion for fostering community among his peers was most visible when he played a pivotal role in restarting the New York State Outdoor Guides Association in 1982. Recognizing a need for greater collaboration, professionalism and shared purpose among guides, he championed the organization into a vibrant, supportive network.

His efforts brought together experts and newcomers alike, shaped the guiding profession and ensured that knowledge, camaraderie and stewardship of the outdoors would be passed on for generations. Through this work, Joe not only elevated the guiding profession, but also created a lasting sense of belonging for countless colleagues across the Adirondacks and beyond that continues today.

A true “gadabout” in spirit and practice, Joe modeled his adventurous path after icons like Roscoe V. “Gadabout” Gaddis. In his first-ever weekly article for the Lake Placid News, he noted: “This column is dedicated to the memory of Roscoe V. “Gadabout” Gaddis. He earned the name Gadabout because every time we’re looking for him he’s gaddin’ about the country somewhere. I hope to continue his model and provide information to permit others to undertake current day adventures in the outdoors.”

Joe succeeded in this endeavor as his weekly column, “The Adirondack Gadabout” was published for nearly 20 years across the North Country in the Adirondack Daily Enterprise and Lake Placid News, including the later added syndicated column, “Notes from the North Woods,” for Denton publications which inspired readers across the Adirondack Park and beyond to explore and appreciate the outdoors no matter the season.

Many would regularly call or write notes on a weekly basis to share how Joe’s observations of the outdoor world encouraged them to explore. Joe’s sharp mind, humor, and dedication to lifelong learning were evident in every facet of his work. He was a regular member and contributor to the New York State Outdoor Writers Association, Joe’s articles appeared in regional and national publications where he shared his wisdom, wit and respect for the outdoors with an ever-growing audience.

Education remains at the heart of Joe’s legacy. Building on his Master of Science in Education from SUNY Plattsburgh, he became one of the earliest to champion the role of outdoor education in personal and team development with his thesis activated across multiple universities and serving as a framework for outdoor recreation education.

His research focused on personal growth and team development through outdoor recreation and programming which set the blueprint for what later became the Expeditionary Studies program at his alma mater. Joe defined the gold standard for staff development, corporate and executive retreats and adventure-based team training.

He was a sought after guest lecturer at SUNY schools, Paul Smiths College and other organizations across New York State. His team building work even attracted the attention of the U.S. and British Armed Forces where in his early years of guiding, he led a team of soldiers in canoes down the Hudson River from the Adirondacks to the base of the Statue of Liberty (note: they did not receive the assumed warm welcome upon their arrival in New York City as they were surrounded for trespassing).

Among Joe’s other accolades and tall tales, Joe coordinated a successful world record for the longest non-motorized water skiing attempt, paddling his war canoes with friends and family trailed by a water skiing local fifth grader around Lower St. Regis Lake for 22 minutes and 10 seconds. No matter the setting, Joe was an effective and natural team-builder, able to transform a group of strangers into a cohesive, spirited team; he was frequently hired to lead corporate retreats and programs where employees could shed workplace stress and forge genuine connection.

Joe’s work extended far beyond the trail. As a consultant, location scout and authenticity expert for films and commercials, Joe helped introduce the Adirondacks and its traditions to a wider audience. Most notably, he served as the location scout for the Sports Illustrated 40th Anniversary Swimsuit Edition, the most widely circulated publication in history at the time. This achievement further proved his expertise and his ability to bridge the world of wilderness with global culture.

His work was also featured for notable brands and magazines, including: J. Crew, L.L. Bean, Rolling Stone and Glamour magazine, just to name a few. He also served as a Recreation Counselor at Camp Gabriels, where he was known as “Coach.” In this role, he led activities for inmates and continually introduced creative recreational programs to make their time outside meaningful and restorative.

For more than 41 years, Joe was anchored by the love and partnership of his wife, Maria Hackett. Together, they raised two daughters in Ray Brook, Willow Hackett and children, Rose and Xavier of New York and Meadow Rutenbar (Evan) of Hershey, Pennsylvania, both of whom inherited many of Joe’s best qualities and love of the natural world.

Grandchildren Rose and Xavier brought new joy and adventure into Joe’s world. For someone who never stopped being a kid, they were a welcome addition to the family. He is also survived by siblings Eileen Hackett of Pendleton, Indiana; Beth Hackett of Willsboro, New York; and Paul Hackett (Lisa) of Lincoln, New Hampshire, as well as multiple nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Paul and Mary Hackett and his brother and best friend, Malachy Hackett.

He instilled his love of the outdoors in his family and enjoyed it with his friends no matter the season. In winter, you would often find him gliding across the ice on hockey skates, curling on a frozen pond or relishing his favorite pastime, cross-country skiing; come summer, you were most likely to spot him on the trail with a guideboat hoisted overhead, eagerly searching for the next hidden fly-fishing hole.

Those who knew Joe best describe him as authentic, charismatic, funny, imaginative and a forever child at heart. He was equally at home entertaining children and teaching elders, comfortable with both billionaires and neighborhood friends. His legacy lives on not just in print or professional accolades, but in the laughter of a family around a campfire, the excitement of a first trout reeled in, and lifelong memories shaped by days spent in nature’s playground.

Reflecting on his life, Joe once said, “I’m one of the luckiest guys I know: I have a great family, a great wife but I’ve also led a life where I played for a living, hopefully not hurting anyone or anything in the process. People came to me for their few days of vacation, those few moments of respite and happy memories, and I got to live that every day … I hope to be remembered not just as a fishing guy but as someone who was a teacher and a guide.”

Joe liked to say he “turned boys into men, men into boys,” and gave everyone a place to be at home in the woods. For all who knew him, Joe Hackett will always be the unmatched “Adirondack Gadabout” — guide, teacher, storyteller, friend.

Calling Hours in memory of Joe will be held at M.B. Clark Funeral Home in Lake Placid, New York on Saturday, Jan. 17 from 11 to 1:30 a.m. immediately followed by a procession to a Mass of Christian burial at St. Agnes Church in Lake Placid. A reception will follow.

A private burial will be held with the family. Please visit www.mbclarkfuneralhome.com to share a story, upload a photograph, sign the online guest book or leave condolences for the Hackett family to cherish.

In lieu of gifts or flowers, contributions in Joe Hackett’s memory may be made to the Joe Hackett Riverfront Legacy Fund through wildcenter.ticketapp.org/portal/pages/donate, by check payable to The Wild Center, 45 Museum Drive, Tupper Lake, NY 12986, or by calling the Development Office at 518-359-7800, ext. 1-110. Donations will support water-based educational and recreational experiences at The Wild Center’s new Riverfront, a place where future generations will learn to paddle, observe wildlife, understand river ecology and build confidence and joy on the water.