91-Year-Old Grandpa Reclaims Dale Appalachian record

At the age of 91 years old, Dale "Grey Beard" Sanders just reclaimed his spot in the book of history as the oldest person to complete the 2,193-mile Appalachian Trail. Nearly a decade after first setting the record, Sanders officially wrapped up his section hike at the summit of Mount Katahdin in Maine, pushing through hard falls, injuries, and serious doubts along the way.

Sanders kicked off this latest attempt on Sept. 6 in West Virginia, tackling the trail piece by piece. (The Appalachian Trail Conservancy recognizes section-hiking as long as the entire length is completed within a single calendar year.

The trek took a brutal toll. Sanders estimates he took 71 tumbles during the attempt six of them severe. One bad spill put him in the hospital briefly, and another landed him flat on his back just 200 yards from the finish line.

During a sharp descent down Vermont’s Killington Mountain in June, he went down hard over loose rocks, bloodying his arms, hands, and legs. Nothing was broken, so he patched himself up and kept moving. Weeks later, sudden numbness in his left arm landed him in a Maine emergency room. Doctors initially worried it was a stroke, but traced it back to a pinched nerve.

Even with a medical clearance, the physical beatdown almost convinced him to call it quits. He headed back home to Tennessee in early August to support his wife after the loss of her mother. It was actually his wife who pushed him to get back out there, giving him the spark he needed to finish the job.

As news of his hike spread, the journey took on a life of its own. Thousands followed his progress online, and hikers and "trail angels" rallied around him in person. Pennsylvania ended up being one of his favorite stretches, thanks to smooth paths and an outpouring of support from locals.

Sanders first became the oldest person to complete the trail back in 2017 at age 82. That record stood until 2021, when 83-year-old M.J. "Nimblewill Nomad" Eberhart edged him out. It didn't take long for Sanders to pack his bags again.

Born in Kentucky in 1935 two years before the Appalachian Trail was fully linked up Sanders is no stranger to endurance. The Navy veteran spent decades working in parks and recreation before retiring in 2002. He also holds the record as the oldest person to paddle the entire length of the Mississippi River, an 87-day expedition he launched on his 87th birthday. Near the very end of his Appalachian hike, running on total exhaustion, Sanders ground out a grueling 12-mile day by pulling over for a quick power nap on the trail before pushing to the end. For Sanders, taking back the record was sweet, but proving that age doesn't have to put a ceiling on your goals was the real victory.