91-year-old Dale Sanders reclaims Appalachian Trail record

Dale Sanders, aka Grey Beard, at 91 completed the 2,193-mile Appalachian Trail, reclaiming the record as the oldest person to finish. He logged 71 falls, seven of them serious, including a hospital visit and a near-finish tumble, yet he pressed on to finish atop Mount Katahdin in Maine. Sanders began Sept. 6 in West Virginia and completed the trek using a flexible, sectioned approach that the Appalachian Trail Conservancy defines as a thru-hike. He had first set the record at 82 in 2017, briefly lost the title to Nimblewill Nomad at 83, and sought to reclaim it with a harder journey in advanced age, despite six months of training. In addition, Betty Kellenberger, at 80, became the oldest woman to thru-hike the Appalachian Trail and now shares advice on staying active, moving consistently, savoring scenery, and overcoming setbacks like Lyme disease and a hurricane. Her experience adds to the broader narrative of older hikers pursuing the trail, highlighting perseverance, planning, and risk awareness as keys to success.