Activities

Two Days on the Appalachian Trail

Every American boy has an innate love for exploration, especially of the beautiful and varied terrain with which Divine Providence blessed our country. Furthermore, the competitive spirit of the American boy demands that his explorations be challenging. Moved by such sentiments, the students of St. Louis de Monfort Academy made a two-day hiking trip on a stretch of the Appalachian Trail, just a forty-five minute drive from the Academy.

On the morning of October 6, the students arose early for the “expedition.” They were to tackle an eighteen-mile stretch, running north from the east bank of the Susquehanna River. After a substantial breakfast and after all the backpacks had been loaded with food, tents, sleeping bags and other camping supplies, the vans headed south towards the start-off point.

The Appalachain Trail rises steeply from the bank of the Suquehanna River.

Upon arrival, the backpacks—averaging about 25 pounds each—were assigned to the trekkers. The start-off point was practically at water level with the Susquehanna River to their backs. Rising sharply before the heavily laden boys was Peters Mountain. The climb was steep and the path rough with the characteristic rockiness of Pennsylvania’s mountain paths. Their efforts were rewarded, however, each time the forest parted to reveal grand views of the Susquehanna River Valley, the river twisting back and forth between rolling hills capped occasionally with farms and houses. Four hours later, after much perseverance and rotation of backpacks—some were heavier or more awkward to carry than others were—all stopped for lunch. The meal of sandwiches and granola bars was enjoyed as if it were a banquet at a five-star hotel, such was the appetite of the explorers.

Refreshed by the break and feeling the transfer of weight from the backpacks, the students proceeded to complete the last seven miles before setting up camp. By now, they had left the Susquehanna River behind, having only rolling valleys on either side of the ridge. The little clusters of houses seen closer to the river became less and less frequent until only random specks of country cabins appeared. Now, it started to feel like an expedition. Leaving the world of Wal-Marts and McDonalds, a group of boys was actually going into the wilderness, subsisting only on what they carried, without the assurance of even cell phone service!

The twenty-first-century explorers almost forgot there would be no electrical lights at the campsite. Darkness was closing in on them fast when they arrived at the little corner of the forest on which they chose to camp. So they had to quickly set up camp and eat dinner. Unfortunately, there was no time for the usual bear tales and other camping stories intended to scare the less experienced explorers. With a prayer, both for a good rest and for the bears to mind their own business, the exhausted pioneers zipped themselves up in their sleeping bags and fell into a deep sleep.

Everyone woke up bright and early to finish the last leg of the ”expedition.” As there were not as many miles to hike this day, it was decided that a more leisurely pace would be used. However, since energetic boys really don’t know what leisurely means, it ended up being a sort of race. Of course, their packs were lighter by now. Perhaps they were eager to return to civilization. The fact of the matter is that they made such good time that they had to wait for nearly two hours until the vans arrived at the prearranged time.

As the vans rolled up to the meeting point, the boys came running up, apparently relieved at the sight of modern transportation. Yet they thoroughly enjoyed their experience—most of them anyway. True, they saw some very nice things; Pennsylvania’s rolling valleys are spectacular. However, it was not what they saw that made the trip truly enjoyable. Ironically, it was what they suffered together that made it an experience to remember.