Every year in the United States, over 14 million older adults experience falls, and 91-year-old Dale Sanders might just be the most frequent among them.
According to his own tally, Sanders took 71 spills while working to reclaim his status as the oldest individual to hike the Appalachian Trail. Out of those, six were serious falls; one even led to a short hospital stay, and he had another mishap just 200 yards from the end. But despite these challenges, nothing could deter him from the 2,193-mile-long trail stretching from Georgia’s Springer Mountain to Maine’s Mount Katahdin.
The Appalachian Trail Conservancy outlines “thru-hiking” as completing the entire trail in any order within a year—making allowances for breaks. Sanders began his journey on September 6 in West Virginia, navigated through various sections with short rests, and finally reached the summit of Maine’s tallest peak on Monday, where he took a moment to pray at the top sign.
“I had to thank God, and my support team, and everyone who helped me get here,” he shared.
A long-planned comeback
Known on the trail as Grey Beard, Sanders initially set the Appalachian Trail record in 2017 at the age of 82. However, four years later, his 83-year-old friend M.J. Eberhart, also known as Nimblewill Nomad, captured the title. But not long after, Sanders made known his intentions to make a comeback.
While his first attempt was easier than he anticipated, this latest challenge proved to be significantly harder. Despite having trained for six months, he admitted he wasn’t in peak shape when he returned to the trail.
“Even right now, I think I should be in better shape,” he remarked last month. “But then again, I’m 91, so I’m really paving new paths hiking such long distances.”
In June, Sanders fell while descending Killington Mountain in Vermont, tumbling over rocks and scraping his limbs.
“Thank God nothing was broken, but I was quite banged up,” he explained. “I didn’t stop to tend to my wounds; I just kept moving.”
A few weeks after that, he experienced numbness in his left arm and ended up in a hospital in Maine. Initially thought to be a stroke, it turned out to be just a pinched nerve. He was cleared to hike again, but seriously contemplated giving up.
Returning to Tennessee in early August to support his wife after her mother’s passing, she encouraged him to continue.
His mission changed along the way
Some of the highlights for Sanders came while he was in Pennsylvania, where he enjoyed well-kept trails and the generous offerings from “trail angels.”
“When people are looking after you and treating you to caramel frappes on the trail, the rocky path doesn’t seem so bad,” he quipped.
Interestingly, Sanders has become something of a sensation among fellow hikers. His social media following has grown significantly, which he found surprising and led him to expand his purpose beyond simply reclaiming his title.
“I do want to get my title back, but right now, that’s not my main focus,” he stated. “What’s really important—and I didn’t see this coming—is that people feel inspired and encouraged by my journey.”
Meredith Ewenson met Sanders in June during a hike in New Hampshire. She felt he was a living testament to the idea that anything is possible but emphasized that the journey itself is most significant.
“Seeing him in person is something I won’t forget,” she reflected.
Ewenson’s group spotted Sanders one morning, but it wasn’t until he zoomed past them later that they recognized him thanks to the Grey Beard logo on his shirt. They later connected with him that evening at an Appalachian Mountain Club hut.
“I got here at noon,” he told them casually.
The following morning, she and others cheered as Sanders broke into a “victory dance” before he set off once more.
“I thought to myself, ‘Wow, his mobility is incredible,’” Ewenson commented. “His face and that body just don’t seem to add up; it’s hard to believe he’s that fit at his age.”
Off-trail adventures
Sanders was born in Kentucky in 1935, two years prior to the completion of the Appalachian Trail. He faced bullying as a child for being small but gained confidence through individual sports like acrobatics and swimming. He later served in the Navy and enjoyed a long career in parks and recreation before retiring in 2002.
He holds several other age-related records, including being the oldest to paddle the entire Mississippi River, which he embarked on at 87 years old, starting on his birthday.
During his latest trek, he faced challenges like downed trees or steep scrambles but navigated them with determination. Though toward the end of one 12-mile day, he felt a bit unsteady. He lay down on the trail, mentioning he needed a quick nap, and dozed off for a couple of minutes.
When he rose, he was ready to keep going.
