Dale 'Grey Beard' Sanders, 91, Sets Appalachian Trail Age
At 91, Dale 'Grey Beard' Sanders completed a 2,200-mile Appalachian Trail thru-hike in 12 months, becoming the oldest to do so.
Dale 'Grey Beard' Sanders, 91, has become the oldest person to complete a calendar-year thru-hike of the Appalachian Trail. He finished the 2,200-mile route with just five days remaining in his 12-month window.
Sanders took 71 falls during the journey, with seven leaving him dazed on the ground. His final fall occurred mere steps from the summit of Mount Katahdin, the trail's northern terminus. "I'm a little sore on both legs from that, but it's simply just small contusions and no bones or anything is broken or damaged," he told the magazine two days later.
The Physical Toll of Age
Sanders said his balance was noticeably worse than during his previous record-setting hike in 2017, which he completed at age 82. He averaged about 11 miles per day on this latest trek, a significant reduction from the many 20-mile days he managed seven years prior. "I realized quickly that my ceiling of physical ability was much lower than it was at 82 years old," Sanders said. He trained for six months but still underestimated the trail's difficulty.
The Appalachian Trail Conservancy and Guinness do not currently differentiate between supported, self-supported, and unsupported hikes for age records. To claim the record, hikers must complete the entire trail within a 12-month period and pass every white blaze.
A Mid-Trail Hospitalization and Quit
Sanders's journey was not continuous. In Maine, 142 miles from the end, a hard fall sent him to the hospital. Doctors checked for internal bleeding and investigated numbness in his left arm. One advised him to go home. After also receiving news of his mother-in-law's death, Sanders returned to Tennessee.
Following the funeral and medical appointments, a neurologist determined Sanders had experienced old, inactive bleeding in his brain. The arm numbness was from a pinched nerve. Cleared by his doctors, Sanders returned to the trail facing a tight deadline.
Comparing the Record Hikes
The source provides comparative figures for Sanders's two major Appalachian Trail hikes.
| Record Year | Sanders's Age | Average Daily Mileage | Hike Duration |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 | 82 | ~20 miles (many days) | Not specified |
| 2023-2024 | 91 | ~11 miles | 200 days out of 365 |
Most thru-hikers complete the route in four to six months. Sanders hiked for 200 of his 365 allotted days. Prior to Sanders's latest feat, M.J. 'Nimblewill' Eberhart held the age record, having completed a thru-hike at 83 in 2021.
The Drive to Finish
With little time left, Sanders initially thought he might only achieve a section-hike record. Determination and luck saw him to the Katahdin summit. He told Backpacker that his pursuit of age records in hiking and paddling is about providing hope. "[It's when] people have hope that they have inspiration," he said. "Hope is really important."
