Skip to main content

Law Professor Climbs Mount Katahdin

Climbing to the summit of Mount Katahdin, Maine’s highest peak, is a feat in itself. Abruptly rising 4,000 feet to a height of 5,267 feet over steep terrain laden with vertical granite obstacles, the five mile climb is strenuous to say the least. But for Director of the Law Library and Professor Charles Oates, reaching the top of Katahdin this past August was simply the capstone of a lifetime achievement. It was the culmination of his 2,175-mile trek on the Appalachian Trail (A.T.).

The A.T. is a continuous footpath through the wilderness, stretching from Georgia to Maine. It runs through 14 states, eight national forests, and two national parks. It extends over ridgelines of up to 6,643 feet in Tennessee and crosses the Hudson River at 124 feet in New York. And in 51 years, Professor Oates has seen every mile.

He began on a hiking trip to the Smoky Mountains in 1957, when he was a counselor-in-training at a camp for older boys. In 1977, he backpacked the Georgia portion with a Boy Scout troop. In 1980, he moved from Florida to Virginia and was able to knock out most of that state’s 550 miles over the course of a few years. Two times a year, on long weekends, he’d conquer another 50 miles. From the peat-bogs of Maine to the zinc mining ghost towns of Pennsylvania, he’s walked it all.

Known as Grandaddy Longlegs on the trail, Professor Oates says the simplicity of trail life kept bringing him back. “Everything you need is on your back. The daily decisions are basic: how many miles in a day, where to spend the night, and what to eat? Moreover, the noises and stresses of civilization are absent in the woods.” He is able then to find solitude and meet God in unparalleled ways.

“Spiritually, hiking is so uplifting. And it’s not surprising,” he says, referencing Amos 4:13, “for God treads the high places of the earth.”

So, in 51 years, what about hiking the A.T. has changed? Thankfully, advances in outdoor gear technology have lightened Grandaddy Longlegs’ load from 35 pounds when he was younger to a mere 18 pounds today.
But for the busy law professor, those 2,175 miles have intersected years of change and accomplishments. He has been an Assistant State attorney, started his own Estate Planning firm and practiced law for 12 years, worked as the Legal Director in the Financial Planning Department of CBN, and is now Director of the Law Library.

2,175 miles hiked in 51 years. A lifetime of achievements, with much life to live. You can bet, now that “Grandaddy Longlegs” is etched into the Summit Log on top of Maine’s highest peak, you may just find him somewhere in the Smokies, starting all over again.

Read Prof. Oates’ full faculty profile here.

Popular posts from this blog

Regent University Ranked #1 Best Online Christian College in America

Regent University has been named the #1 Best Online Christian College in America, according to a     new report by BibleCollegeOnline.com . The report measured academics, affordability, and return on  investment among 100 Christian colleges in the United States.“We are honored and thankful for this  incredible recognition as the top online Christian college in the nation,” said Dr. Bill Hathaway,  executive vice president for Academic Affairs at Regent University. “As the preeminent destination for  Christian college students, Regent is deeply dedicated to providing world-class, Christ-centered  education that equips Christian leaders to change the world.” In addition to this accolade, Regent University is ranked the #1 Best Accredited Online College  in the United States (Study.com, 2020), the #1 Safest College Campus in Virginia (YourLocalSecurity, 2021),  and the #1 Best Online Bachelor’s Program in Virginia for nine years in a row  (U.S. News & World Report, 2021). Regent Univ

After Success at Regional Level, Negotiation Team Prepares for National Competition

Regent University School of Law’s Alternative Dispute Resolution Board (ADR) made a strong showing at the ABA Regional Negotiation Competition held Nov. 13-14 at William and Mary School of Law. The 2L team of Mary Katherine Bratton and David Crossett finished second overall from a roster of over 20 teams representing American University, Georgetown, Washington & Lee and other law schools throughout Virginia, Pennsylvania, Delaware, West Virginia, Maryland, and Washington, D.C. While all three of Regent’s competition teams placed in the top ten, Bratton and Crossett look forward to an official invitation from the ABA to compete in the national competition, February 5-6 in Orlando, FL. Team coach Prof. Eric DeGroff commented on Bratton and Crossett’s exemplary performance. “Our team was able to zealously represent their clients within the bounds of the law and with integrity,” he said. “They balanced making a strong case and presenting their client in the best possible light

Regent Law Hires Two New Faculty Members—Both Yale Law Graduates—for Fall 2022

VIRGINIA BEACH, VA (July 5, 2022) – Today, Regent University School of Law announced the appointment of two new members of its faculty, Erin Morrow Hawley and David D. Velloney.  Both Hawley and Velloney are graduates of Yale Law School.  Professor Hawley will teach constitutional law and serve as a senior fellow at the Robertson Center for Constitutional Law.  Professor Velloney will focus on criminal law, military law, and constitutional criminal procedure.   Professors Hawley and Velloney are the third and fourth professors added to the Regent Law faculty in the past year.  “We are incredibly fortunate to attract such exceptional teachers, mentors, and scholars to our faculty,” said Brad Lingo, dean of Regent University School of Law.  “Our students will love learning from professors Hawley and Velloney and benefit from the depth of experience and Christian perspectives they bring.” New Faculty Appointments: Erin Morrow Hawley: Associate Professor of Constitutional Law J