On February 17, 2024, John Richter stood at the base of Springer Mountain, Georgia — the southern gateway to the Appalachian Trail — not just to log miles, but to rediscover a part of himself he feared he’d lost.
A U.S. Army Special Forces veteran, John had spent ten years jumping out of planes, mountaineering across Montana, and training on Alaskan glaciers. After retiring from military service, he took on a new kind of mission, supporting spacecraft operations at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center. Today, he serves as KBR’s Deputy Project Manager for Space Science Mission Operations at GSFC. Though he found the work fulfilling, he missed the physical intensity and mental resilience that once defined his daily life.
That yearning took root in 2015, when he joined his brother-in-law at the summit of Mount Katahdin — the final peak on the Appalachian Trail. Inspired, John made himself a quiet promise: One day, I’m going to hike the entire trail myself.
Eight years later, with help from KBR’s sabbatical program and accrued vacation time, he made good on that vow. Over 144 days, John trekked all 2,197.4 miles of the Appalachian Trail, from Georgia to Maine.
It was no casual walk. The trail’s cumulative elevation gain tops 464,500 feet — equivalent to climbing Mount Everest 16 times. Fewer than 25% of hikers complete the entire route in a single season. John did it in less than five months, summiting Mount Katahdin on July 9, 2024.
Carrying a 31-pound backpack loaded with essentials — tent, sleeping bag, water filter, ultralight stove, first aid kit, and six pairs of trail runners — he hiked through all manner of conditions: steep climbs, rocky terrain, icy rain, and even late-season snow. He carried food for three to five days at a time, resupplying in small towns along the way. His mornings began at 4:30 a.m., with breakfast cooked at camp and long hours of hiking to follow.
But for John, the trail wasn’t just a test of physical stamina. It became a journey of mental and emotional restoration. “About halfway through,” he recalled, “I realized my reason for doing this: to find the me I used to be.”
He turned 57 during the hike. And while age and adversity — from bug-infested stretches to the famously grueling Mahoosuc Notch — posed real challenges, John leaned into his military training. He remembered an old lesson: When things are miserable, when you feel like quitting — don’t. Embrace it. It will get better. And you’ll be stronger because of it.
Along the way, he met a cast of unforgettable fellow hikers — a Florida beekeeper, a 68-year-old woman from Bulgaria — and was struck by the kindness and camaraderie of the trail community. He found solace in solitude, joy in simplicity, and awe in nature — from the grandeur of New Hampshire’s White Mountains to the stillness of Maine’s forests and lakes.
The trail changed more than just his outlook. Before the hike, John was managing Type 2 diabetes with daily medication. By the time he returned home, he was 38 pounds lighter — and no longer needed any medication. The physical transformation was as profound as the emotional one.
John credits KBR’s sabbatical program for enabling his journey at a time when he could fully embrace it. “Without it, I would’ve had to wait until retirement,” he said. “I’m grateful I was able to do this now.”
Looking back, John calls it the most difficult, rewarding, and transformative experience of his life. “I succeeded in finding the me I used to be — for sure. Living simply, being in nature, and meeting incredible people along the way — that’s something I’ll carry with me forever.
