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A Reminiscence of Martin Papendick!

by David Porter

1951. It was a dreary, drizzly overcast day about 1000 feet below the Appalachian Trail as it crossed the Franconia Ridge in New Hampshire’s White Mountains. I can’t recall the time, but I clearly recall the two damp hikers (the politically incorrect ‘Goofer’) entering the kitchen door at Greenleaf Hut, one of the AMC’s then seven huts spread along the White Mountain segment of the AT.

One of these men stayed with us at the hut for two nights, perhaps motivated by the food, conversation, need to dry out, or reticence to go back out into the rain. The reasons are of no concern, but the effect of that brief encounter were relatively profound. I was well aware of the AT at the time, but a thru-hike never entered my mind, and I must say that since that time, it has rarely left that sanctuary, sometimes with desire, sometimes with intimidation; usually with awe, and always with respect for anyone who might be able to accomplish such a goal.

As a 17-year-old first year ‘hutboy’ (currently ‘hutperson’), I made my very first encounter with a breed of person previously totally unknown and inconceivable to me - a long distance hiker. Here, sitting with us drinking something hot, and chewing on some overly greasy fresh doughnuts we had just fried, was a man who planted the seed of future long hikes in an impressionable young man, away from home for the first time and accepting of a plethora of new ideas. At the 1997 ALDHA-West meeting, O.d. Coyote and I tried to recall the names of the AT thru-hikers of 1951. A few weeks later O.d. sent me a short list of them and I immediately recalled Martin Papendick and Chester Dziengielewski from their visit with us.

The Spring 1998 Gazette featured a fascinating historical perspective of Mr. Papendick and his long distance hikes. I have no special information to document either of Mr. Papendick’s long hikes; AT 1951 and PCT 1952. But, at that time and today there are no reasons to not accept them at face value and I can certainly attest to his success from Mt. Katahdin to the Franconia Ridge and beyond. He was a very likeable guest at the hut and we had a marvelous time with him. I can not recall but the smallest fraction of guests who visited with us over those years, but he distinguished himself in our minds by the magnitude of his endeavor. Recall that in the early 1950s there were very few thru-hikers and the AT was the only significantly complete long distance trail known to us (the Long Trail in Vermont and the Cascade Crest Trail were known).

I am always fascinated and perhaps perversely pleased when conventional wisdom, such as who hiked what first, fastest or whatever; is completely blown away by the revelation that someone did it sooner, faster or whatever. My own ego held just such a misconception when in 1952 I carried the then heaviest ever single load up to Greenleaf Hut. A very good friend, then and now, who had the previous record immediately wrote me with congratulations and the kindest thought of all. ‘Remember,’ he said, ‘records are made to be broken.’ Let’s stay loose and not hang on to records. They aren’t worth anything and in my opinion get in the way of gaining the most satisfaction from our hikes. It’s all just great fun! Apparently, Martin Papendick shares this attitude and does not find his early thru-hike to be either unique or exceptional.

I believe there is more to these recollections than mere nostalgia. The long distance hiking community is growing rather quickly and diversely, but we remain a very small part of the hiking community, much less the remainder of the population. Therefore, the probability of a 47-year hiatus between events ought not surprise us. Rather, it would be surprising if we don’t cross paths eventually, by the very nature of the activities we choose to explore. More importantly, as we do our long distance hikes and meet colleagues of similar ilk, be prepared to meet each of them again, perhaps when you least expect it and even after half a century has passed. Those memories are precious beyond belief.

Although the PCT and other long distance trails are places, definable as latitude and longitude, historical events which took place in their vicinity and partially therapeutic activities; none of these define the trails as much as the journeys and the people whom we identify with during those journeys. I feel particularly fortunate to have had the Gazette rekindle some of those memories for me and reinforce the sense of community long distance hiking represents. So, let’s keep in touch (through the Gazette and at ALDHA-West’s annual Gathering). Although we share long distance hiking as the mortar which binds us together, we are not bricks; rather we are more like field stones, each with individual styles, perspectives, and goals in hiking.

The best of everything to you, Martin Papendick. Thanks for being there in 1951.