Lucas Adcock
Staff Writer
Mark Mengele, who lives in Pocahontas County, has always been an active explorer of the outdoors, but when he turned 74 in January 2025, a spark of inspiration lit which led him to climb 75 peaks in his 75th year of life. Having hit 75 years of age in January 2026, he can now say that he’s accomplished this personal goal; not only the peaks, but his standard hiking endeavors in addition to this challenge, which typically average anywhere from 1,200 to1,500 miles per year.
“When I turned 60 or 62, I thought, ‘You know, I’m getting old; I’ve got to make sure I get enough exercise,’” Mengele said.
On turning 74, he said, “I thought I might treat myself and do something different, try to do what I called ‘75 peaks.’ And the idea was to get me out to a lot of places I’d never been – they had to be prominent peaks.”
One of the peaks that he tackled was Spruce Knob, starting at the bottom and making his way up to the top, keeping in mind the goal of accomplishing at least 1,500 feet in elevation change per hike. “Twelve of those hikes were to the highest point in that particular county or state,” Mengele said. “And 25 of those hikes were to fire tower sites or communication tower sites. The rest were prominent high points.”
A few of the peaks that were accomplished were done in Colorado with his son, sharing the experience together, eventually finishing the last peak in Shenandoah National Park on Rocky Top.
Exercise aside, however, he’s always enjoyed the outdoors, even seeking out a career as a State Park Superintendent which he later retired from at Carnifex Ferry Battlefield in Nicholas County; a great way for him to pursue his love for exploring the outdoors. The feeling you get both alone or with a companion during a hike is pure bliss, especially overlooking the beautiful West Virginia mountains, and despite having completed his very own 75-peak challenge, he’s not slowing down on the yearly hikes, still aiming for more than 1,000 miles per year.
“I said, ‘well if I could do a thousand miles a year, I think that’s good enough exercise.”’
When asked what prompted the initial interest in a career in State Parks, he smiled, saying, “I’ve wandered around in the woods my whole life. The older I got, the further I would wander from home.
“I thought, well, state parks – that would probably be a good job.”
So, following this passion, he went to Virginia Tech, later getting his degree in Forestry and Wildlife with a specialty in Outdoor Recreation. Bouncing between a few states and ultimately settling down in West Virginia, he found more comfort here than anywhere he’d been in his career, saying very firmly that there have been no regrets since moving here in 1982.
The wonderful life that he and his wife have built for themselves here in Pocahontas County continues to fill them both with the motivation to stay healthy, active and supportive of the community through their day-to-day lifestyle.
