91-Year-Old Completes Appalachian Trail, Sets Record and Inspires Others

MILLINOCKET, Maine — Each year, over 14 million older adults experience falls in the U.S., yet none quite like 91-year-old Dale Sanders. He counted 71 falls while reclaiming his title as the oldest hiker to finish the Appalachian Trail. Six were severe, with one leading to a short hospital stay and another occurring merely 200 yards from the trail’s end. None of these impeded him from completing the 2,193-mile trek between Springer Mountain in Georgia and Mount Katahdin in Maine.

The Appalachian Trail Conservancy recognizes a thru-hike as covering all trail sections within a year with allowances for breaks. Sanders began on September 6 in West Virginia, scrambled through sections with pauses, and concluded atop Maine’s highest peak, pausing to offer prayers at the summit’s sign.

“I had to thank God, and I had to thank my support team and everybody that got me here,” he said after finishing the challenging section of Mt. Katahdin.

Dale Sanders, 91, pauses after conquering a tough stretch on Mt. Katahdin in Baxter State Park, Maine.

A Long-Planned Comeback

Sanders, trail-named Grey Beard, initially set the Appalachian Trail record in 2017 at 82. His friend, 83-year-old M.J. Eberhart, also known as Nimblewill Nomad, soon claimed the title. Sanders promptly announced a comeback. The previous journey seemed easier than expected, but this time, the challenge increased in difficulty. Despite six months of preparation, Sanders admitted he wasn’t in peak condition upon returning.

“And even today, I feel that I should probably be in better shape than I am,” he remarked. “But I just have to always go back and say, ‘But I am 91, so I’m blazing new ground hiking long distances like this.’”

In June, while navigating Killington Mountain in Vermont, Sanders took a fall in a boulder field, scraping his body.

“Thank God nothing got broken, but I was banged up,” he said. “I didn’t rub the blood off, I just kept hiking.”

After another incident resulting in a numb arm, doctors initially suspected a stroke, but it was found to be a pinched nerve. Cleared to hike again, Sanders considered stopping when he returned to Tennessee in early August to be with his wife, whose mother had just passed. She encouraged him to continue.

Dale Sanders traverses Big Wilson Stream on the 100-Mile Wilderness north of Monson, Maine.

Expanding His Mission

Sanders enjoyed memorable days in Pennsylvania, aided by “trail angels” who brought treats like caramel frappes on the trail.

“When people are taking care of you and bringing you caramel frappes on the trail, the rocks don’t matter,” he said.

Acquiring star status among other hikers, Sanders garnered thousands of followers on social media. This attention shifted his focus beyond reclaiming the record.

“I wanna get it back, but right now, that’s secondary,” he stated. “Right now, what’s the most important thing – and it’s one of the things that surprised me – is that people are motivated and given encouragement by my efforts.”

Dale Sanders celebrates his Appalachian Trail completion.

Meredith Ewenson, who met Sanders while leading a hike in New Hampshire, said he exemplified perseverance and that the journey often matters more than the destination.

“Seeing it in real life is something that I’ll definitely remember forever,” she reflected. Her group recognized him after spotting the Grey Beard logo on his shirt. They witnessed his “victory dance” the next morning.

“My first thought was ‘Wow, his mobility is insane,’” Ewenson recalled. “His face on that body just doesn’t make any sense. My brain couldn’t compute how he was so impossibly fit for being that age.”

Dale Sanders climbs a section of Mt. Katahdin.

Life Beyond the Trail

Born in Kentucky in 1935, two years prior to the Appalachian Trail’s completion, Sanders overcame childhood bullying through solo activities like acrobatics. He later served in the Navy and retired from a long career in parks and recreation in 2002.

Sanders holds several age-based records, including being the oldest to paddle the length of the Mississippi River, which took 87 days.

During his latest adventure, he tackled hurdles like fallen trees with energy, though he felt wobbly on a 12-mile day, lying down for a short nap before continuing.

After two minutes, he rose and resumed hiking.