On any given day, you’re likely to find South Piedmont Construction Manager Erik Dagenhart in a hard hat, overseeing one of the College’s several facilities expansions.
But there was a time when you would have been more likely to find him in the Galapagos Islands, or on the Appalachian Trail, or at the bottom of the Grand Canyon.
Today, he’s a disc golf enthusiast who never misses a workout at his local gym, but for much of his life, Dagenhart was an avid hiker who traversed some of the world’s most challenging and picturesque trails.
“I did my first big hike with my dad when I was 12 or 13. We hiked to Grandfather Mountain. But I really got into hiking with my ex-wife, while our children were growing up. We’ve hiked in Italy, South America, the Galapagos’ Islands, and in 30-plus National Parks. We saw the world,” he said.
For all his time on trail, Dagenhart gained a lifetime of memories and stories. Inspired by their experiences, his children decided to dedicate their careers to environmental causes; his daughter is an analyst for the Environment Protection Agency, and his son is a park ranger at Yellowstone National Park.
His hiking boots don’t get as much use nowadays, in part because Dagenhart is content living in his childhood hometown, Concord, and working at South Piedmont, in a position that makes use of his 20-plus years of experience in the construction industry. But if you ask him about his favorite hikes, Dagenhart is quick to answer – and share pics.
Making summer vacation plans? Curious about seeing new parts of the world on foot? Here are Dagenhart’s top three hiking recommendations.
Peru’s Machu Picchu as seen by Construction Manager Erik Dagenhart during his four-day, luxury hike of the site.
#1 Inca Trail
Dagenhart and his family hiked the Inca Trail over four days, completing 10-12 hours a day, ending at Machu Picchu. While there are quicker, easier, and cheaper ways to reach Machu Picchu, Dagenhart and his family opted for a luxury experience that involved having a crew of 10 carry their gear and set up their camp, plus a chef to prepare their meals. “I would be awakened each day with a tap on my tent and a gourmet breakfast, then we’d go hike for seven hours. It was a once-in-a-lifetime thing,” he said.
Construction Manager Erik Dagenhart snapped this photo on the Old Rail Trail in Bermuda.
#2 Bermuda’s Old Rail Trail
Dagenhart discovered the Old Rail Trail while on a business trip to Bermuda in his previous position. The trail is flat, paved, and stretches approximately 10 miles, along a former railway that was used to transport sugar cane. This hike is great for anyone looking for a less challenging experience – and great photo opportunities. “I took a picture there of sunlight streaming through a tree. It’s still one of the best photos I’ve ever taken,” Dagenhart said.
#3 Grand Canyon
Just about the opposite of the Old Rail Trail is Dagenhart’s third top hiking choice: the Grand Canyon. “There’s nothing harder that you can do. It’s six or seven hours down, you spend the night, then it’s another eight to 10 hours to the top. We did it on July 4, and it was 100-plus degrees at the bottom,” Dagenhart said. For their toil, hikers gain memories that few can share. Dagenhart saw an endangered pink rattlesnake, and he treasures the patch his kids earned by hiking into Phantom Ranch, the ranger station at the bottom of the Canyon. “You can’t get that patch anywhere else in the world,” he said. “You have to hike for it.”