Alumnus hikes to 75 summits to celebrate 75 years
Mark Mengele ’75 majored in forestry and wildlife resources and enjoyed a career serving the public in state parks
Standing atop crest of a ridgeline at a prominence called Rocky Top in Shenandoah National Park this past Jan. 21, Mark Mengele felt a powerful sense of accomplishment. The day before his 75th birthday, he summited the 75th peak since turning 74 on Jan. 22, 2025.
He met his goal on the last day of his 75th year.
“I was in my 75th year, but I was 74 years old,” Mengele said. “I thought I needed to do something special this year, and I got to thinking, ‘I'm going to be 75. I'll pick out 75 peaks.’”
A lifelong outdoor enthusiast who loved the proximity of great forested trails when he was a student at Virginia Tech, Mengele’s goal of summitting 75 peaks in a year was an extension of an annual goal he pushed himself to accomplish for years: hike at least 1,000 miles a year.
A meticulous planner who’s still old-school enough to prefer paper maps, Mengele set specifications on what would count as a hike to a peak.
“It had to qualify for a peak, or at least a prominent high point, maybe on a ridge,” he said. “It just can't be like Spruce Knob, where you can drive to the top. That's the highest point in the West Virginia, but that don't count. I decided I had to have at least 1,500 feet change in elevation.”
From his home in Pocahontas County, West Virginia, Mengele ventured to mountain tops throughout neighboring states, tackling Virginia’s highest peak, Mount Rogers, on one day and its neighboring mountain, Whitetop, the next.
Twelve peaks were the highest in their state or county. He hiked to 25 fire or communication towers. Other hikes are known for their scenic vistas.
Dragon’s Tooth, McAfee’s Knob, Tinker Cliffs, Peaks of Otter (knocking out two peaks in one day), and White Rocks at the nexus of Giles, Craig, and Monroe counties on the Virginia-West Virginia border were all hikes Mengele revisited from his time at Virginia Tech.
He travelled west to explore peaks in the Rocky Mountains, hiking with son Andrew, who lives in Moab, Utah. He spent three weeks in Colorado trying to get acclimated to the elevation, but hiking in the thin air was a challenge. With Andrew, Mark Mengele summited the highest peak in the San Juan Mountains, a segment of the Rockies in southern Colorado and New Mexico.
“I did Umcompahgre, which is 14,400 feet. I couldn’t breathe,” Mengele said.
A 75-peak hiking challenge is the natural extension of his life-long love of the outdoors. His time as a Virginia Tech student saw him log countless miles on the Appalachian Trail and well-known day hikes in this area.
A career spent in state parks
While in high school in Maryland, Mengele took an aptitude test for career consideration.
“That said I should be a doctor or do some sort of outdoor, forester type work,” he said.
He had no interest in medicine, but being a forester sounded great.
“That's what I wanted to do anyway. That's what I've always done all my life," he said.
Mengele came to Virginia Tech from the suburbs of Maryland because he liked the mountains and he liked traditional old-time Southern music.
I thought, ‘That college is in Virginia. That's got to be a good place. It's in the mountains.’ That’s as much research as I did,” he said.
Graduating in 1975, Mengele worked for a short time at the dairy barn on campus while in school and afterward, but decided it was time to apply his degree in forestry.
“I was really happy. It was a really good job,” he said. “Deep down, something was bothering me. Maybe I should try to get a job in my field.”
Working outside in a natural setting was his goal, but he was not interested in the forest industry. His forestry and wildlife degree had a specialty in recreation.
Mengele spent a 32-year career working in state parks, the last 25 years in the West Virginia State Parks system.
A similar path still exists in the College of Natural Resources and Environment within the Department of Forest Resources and Environmental Conservation for students interested in working in outdoor recreation or state parks systems.
Professor Marc Stern teaches both undergraduate and graduate students who aspire to work in fields where forestry and social sciences interact.
“The environmental conservation and society major in FREC helps students understand both the human and ecological aspects of managing outdoor recreation,” he said.
Collegiate Associate Professor Anja Whittington said she has students interested in careers as park rangers and there is a strong relationship with Virginia State Parks.
“Today students can earn their degree in environmental conservation and society in the areas of recreation and tourism management or environmental education and outreach which allows students to combine their passions of working with the outdoors while educating others about outdoor spaces,” Whittington said. “Students can choose a path where they earn certifications as a Leave No Trace trainer, wilderness first responder, and interpretive guide helping them to gain valuable skills for their chosen career path.
While the university, the town, and the forestry program have changed since Mengele was a student, opportunities remain for students who feel in tune with Nature and want to find a career path helping others appreciate their time spent outdoors.
