At 91, 'Grey Beard' reclaims record as oldest to complete 2,193-mile Appalachian Trail
Dale Sanders, a 91-year-old Tennessee man known as “Grey Beard”, has reclaimed his record as the oldest hiker to complete the Appalachian Trail. Sanders finished the gruelling 2,193-mile trek despite falling 71 times, including six hard falls, suffering injuries and briefly being hospitalised during his extraordinary journey across 14 states.
At 91, Dale Sanders has reclaimed the title of oldest person to complete the 2,193-mile Appalachian Trail. Hailing from Tennessee, Sanders, whose trail name is “Grey Beard”, traversed the eastern United States over the course of his latest attempt. Throughout his journey, he encountered 71 falls, including six particularly challenging ones.
One fall resulted in a brief hospitalization, while another occurred mere yards from the trail's end. Despite these setbacks, Sanders persevered and completed the hike on Monday at Maine’s highest peak, Mount Katahdin. Upon reaching the summit, Sanders took a moment to pray at the sign marking the endpoint, expressing gratitude to God, his support team, and all who aided him in his accomplishment.
Sanders first set the record in 2017 at the age of 82, but was subsequently surpassed by 83-year-old M.J. Eberhart, also known as “Nimblewill Nomad”. Sanders' second attempt to reclaim the record proved far more arduous than his first, as he admitted to not being in his best physical condition. However, his age served as a reminder of the uniqueness of his achievement, as he was "blazing new ground" by undertaking such long-distance hikes at 91.
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