Taking On The Appalachian Trail

By Rochelle Karina

John Goepel is a Severna Park High School graduate who’s in the process of fulfilling a dream. Goepel is hiking the Appalachian Trail and he’s made it past mile 1,000 in 2,200 the mile hike, a milestone that only 30% of the folks who attempt the trail ever make. He’s currently in Massachusetts, around 1,500 miles and on track to finish the trail in late September.

When Goepel first headed out, he had a careful plan including scheduled drop ships of food and supplies along the way and replacing his hiking boots every two months. The food plan seems to be working, but the boots, not so much. Goepel’s mother Denise just overnight shipped another pair of boots – to replace a pair that was only three weeks old. Hiking the Appalachian Trail is pretty rough on the footwear!

Goepel grew up in Severna Park, received the Optimist Award, spent time as a Scout, was a youth leader at Wood’s church, and built houses with Habitat for Humanity. Dad Charles says John got the Trail bug during a family camping trip to Shenandoah National Park when he was barely a teenager.

“We took a family vacation to the park, just a weekend camping trip,” explained Charles Goepel. “The Appalachian Trail runs through the park and it was John’s first experience with it. He spotted the trail and spent the weekend hiking it. The first day he did a short walk, and then the next day, we picked him up miles down the road. He loved it. After that, he started doing hikes with his friends.” Just after high school, Goepel and a friend headed to Georgia to hike 300 miles of the trail.

The Appalachian Trail offers a primitive hiking experience, hikers must pack everything in and out, there are no trash cans, bathrooms or convenience stores along the way. A typical pack weighs in at 40 to 60 pounds and hikers log 10 to 20 miles each day, often over rough terrain. For the most part, hikers camp in primitive shelters; there are 225 along the trail, some little more than a simple lean-to. Sometimes, they are able to stay in a hiker’s hostel, or with friends.

To follow Goepel’s trail adventures, take a look at his trail journal at www.trailjournals.com/milkman. We’ll be following up with him at the end of his Appalachian Trail journey as well.

Best of luck, John!