At 91, Dale ‘Grey Beard’ Sanders reclaims record as oldest hiker to complete the Appalachian Trail

MILLINOCKET, Maine (AP) — A 91-year-old man who goes by the nickname Grey Beard has reclaimed his record as the oldest hiker to complete the Appalachian Trail. Dale Sanders started last Sept. 6, 2026, in West Virginia, hiked the nearly 2,200-mile trail in out-of-order sections with breaks in between, and finished Monday (Aug. 31, 2026) atop Mount Katahdin in Maine. Sanders first set the record in 2017 at age 82. Four years later, 83-year-old M.J. Eberhart took the title, but within months, Sanders announced his plan for a comeback. By his count, he fell 71 times along the way, including just 200 yards from the finish. While Sanders’ first journey was easier than he expected, he says the latest trek was considerably harder.