Im able to mark the passage of time by the dwindling of the block, and all the while Im awed by how little Billy Goat carries in his 12-pound pack. The only sound is the clink of small metal squares attached to a fence paralleling the border that are engraved with messages denouncing illegal immigration. 1:5,000 scale. Hell record how long each of our rest stops are. He has his sights on the Ice Age Trail in Wisconsin, as well as the Potomac Heritage Trail stretching from Pennsylvania to Virginia. Let it be known: Shaffer got there first. Mark Larabee is the PCTA's Advocacy Director. If you purchase a product from one of our links below, we may earn a percentage from one of our affiliate partners. He's also the oldest person ever to paddle the entire 2,300 miles of the Mississippi River. And though Im hiking with a borrowed pack and far less outdoor knowledge, he never casts judgment. He doesnt own a car. He is not just another backpacker who enjoys being out in nature. The Billy Goat trail is one of the most popular and well-known hikes in the DMV area. I met Billy this > past summer on the JMT while hiking up Pinchot Pass. To streamline the tedious process of signing his name in trail registers, Billy Goat inks a rubber stamp and leaves his red goat insignia in trail registers. She completed the feat in 1955 at age of 67. Here, hikers can experience . Photograph by John Baggaley. By the end of the trip, Irwin had fallen so much that he wore shin guards to protect his legs from the inevitable knee-crushing stumbles. In 2004, he set the thru-hiker age record: 81 proud years summiting Katahdin. "I'm not on vacation. While section A is a strenuous and technical hike, section B is challenging, leaving C section as a more casual and easy walk. In California, the trail zigzags through the Mojave Desert, the Sierra, Yosemite National Park and the southern Cascades. And then theres his sheer persistence. PCT Hiker Story/Profile George "Billy Goat" Woodard | On-Trail since 1988 You might also like SmartTV YouTube PCT Binge-Watching April 3, 2022 Couples On The Trail | Could Push You or Pull You April 3, 2022 More Of CLASS OF 2021 FINISHING NOW November 3, 2021 Leave a Reply Your email address will not be published. This year, we're looking for a Treasurer, Vice President and Board Member at Large. In 2017, Skurka followed this epic adventure with the 6,875-mile Great Western Loop that traverses five long-distance hiking trails through 12 National Parks and more than 75 wilderness areas. Filling such gaps is an arcane personal goal, but one that matters greatly to a man whose trail logs chronicle nearly every step in his last 28 years of full-time long-distance hiking. Nothing could vanquish me. document.getElementById("comment").setAttribute( "id", "a60731f5eafa04e72b3625773aa5a2c4" );document.getElementById("ceee4318e2").setAttribute( "id", "comment" ); Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Im not on vacation. Approximately 14 other trails climb to eventually join the Pacific Crest Trail. Billy Goat is already outside his tent, rummaging around in his backpack. His 50,000-mile goal looms, but Billy Goat is trying to keep it in perspective. His journal writings from the time he spent in the Sierras arefamous for their vivid details and inspiring prose about the natural world. ::Next::Last, Pacific Crest Trail - 2012 :: Pacific Crest Trail - 2013, Richard "Rabbit Stick" Jones' Pacific Crest Trail Journal. And there was nothing to dono clubs, no Boy Scouts, nowhere to go after school. Another first: Earl V. Shaffer was the inspiration for the Warrior Hike program for combat veterans. I feel very > lucky to have been able to hike and . Jennifer is most active on Facebook and Instagram. Pleasantries are exchanged, hands shaken, questions about the years plans asked, and advice givenall with the grace of a person who unwittingly finds himself at the center of attention. Postholer.Com 2005-2023 - Sitemap - W3C - @postholer - GIS Portfolio. Who is the oldest person to hike the PCT? Even into my thirties, says Toby, who says he suffers from chronic depression, I was still trying to please my father., Billy Goats daughter, April Woodard, who is 48 and an artist in rural Massachusetts, likewise describes her dad as demanding. Right now, at Rainy Pass, Billy Goat is not singing. When you hike with Billy Goat, you are constantly reminded of his celebrity. I just want to keep hiking.. Hes not trying to break speed records or tell others how to hike. 09-26-2009, 16:57 #8. sbhikes . The oldest AT hiker isn't the only record Sanders holds. When Hikers Die, Why Are We So Quick to Judge. In 1921, he came up with the idea for a utopic hiking path along the ridgelines of the Appalachian mountains. The PCT traverses 24 national forests, 37 wilderness areas and 7 national parks. An encampment of Minutemen, a citizens group that patrols for illegal immigrants, surveys the area from a nearby hill. Its a trade-off, not a sacrifice, he said. Something really bad happened with his mother. The organization still oversees the stewardship of the trail today. In 1990, he undertook the trail with kneepads and a guide dog, Orient, in lieu of map and compass. Oh, I just cant do it anymore!, Back in Montes car, Billy Goats bad heart had been an abstraction. I was strong. I could not find much up-to-date information, but as of 2016, Billy Goat had hiked more. He hadnt yet realized what is now his lifes guiding principle: If I get too bored, if I dont move around, I can get depressed., Billy Goats marriage ended in 1976. Three miles in, as we near treeline at dusk, he collapses trailside, complaining of chest pains. Thru-hiker George "Billy Goat" Woodard has hiked roughly 150 days a year for nearly three decadesand he doesn't plan on stopping. Dragn Fly holds the record for the oldest woman ever to thru hike the AT. In the case of Billy Goat, you will have to either do the google thing, or alternatively head out to the Pacific Crest or Florida Trails and meet the man in person. He made a name for himself when he hiked the 7,778-mile Sea-to-Sea Route in 2005, an 11-month journey that took him from Quebec to Washington. Why is he such a legend? Hes barely able to make it 10 feet, let alone to the restroom, without someone coming up to greet him, shake his hand, or take a photo. Find out what Heather's up to by following her onFacebook. Welcome to the blog of the Pacific Crest Trail Association. check out the. Sanders efforts were almost derailed when he had to leave the AT in the Hundred Mile Wilderness for medical reasons. News of her journey spread and she was featured by the Associated Press and Sports Illustrated. He has three younger sisters who he calls on birthdays but rarely sees in person. Born January 28, 1939, George Woodard grew up in Maine and moved to New Hampshire right after high school. If after one week on the trail you can say that it is easier than you expected, then you will probably finish your journey, he once said. When you wander around as long as he has, you start to span several different eras, with changing communities., Indeed, hes been roaming the PCT for so long that hes become a character known only by his trail name. And the next year, he does it all over again. I knew that was what I wanted to do. I do! The next morning, he boards an Amtrak train. If I dont fall down or fall ill, Im going to do it. Something lost behind the Ranges. Its possible that I, being a long-legged guy 25 years his junior, push the pace slightly. From 39.00224, -77.24664. With nearly a mile of fun rock-hopping, and spectacular views of the Potomac River along the way, this circuit is loads of fun with plenty to see. The two men now talk on the phone several times a week. He hikes alone a lot but is not averse to hiking with others. Billy Goat Trail is split up into 3 sections, A -1.6 miles (most difficult) B - 1.4 miles C - 1.7 miles (furthest from the falls) Parking available at the Carderock Recreation Area in Potomac Maryland to . We <3 you Billy Goat! The only sticking point is the required advance permitting which has . After revising his Pacific Crest Trail Hikers Handbook in 1995, he wandered to the next sport: arctic kayaking. 439. . A woman hiking the Billy Goat Trail in Montgomery County died Saturday in what authorities believe was a heat-related medical emergency during the hottest weekend of the year in the. He rides for almost two days and then meets a friend in St. Paul and gets a ride east into the wilds of Wisconsin. He keeps journals and meticulous records and can account for the miles, not that he needs or wants to prove anything to anyone. One good example of age and hiking. Then, the first thing I wanted to do was eat at a Chinese buffet in town. The Billy Goat trail is a popular access trail that allows hikers to trek deep within the Pasayten Wilderness. Timing is everything: The desert must be crossed before it becomes dangerously hot, while the window for traversing the Sierra's snow is relatively narrow. They had great-grandchildren and canes and walkers. Eventually, Billy Goat musters enough energy to set up his tent. Emma "Grandma" Gatewood Wildflowers are abundant, so be sure to enjoy the views on the ground just as much as the views up above. The mother of ultralight backpacking was also a mother of 11 and grandmother of 23. Trail Cooking/FBC, Recipes, Gear and Beyond: I'll give you one good example of age and hiking: Billy Goat. He speaks fondly of Amoeba, calling her his ladyfriend, and he admits that he needs her. They head north each spring from a sun-baked wood marker in eastern San Diego County a few feet from a corrugated-metal wall along the Mexican border. The sun comes up, it moves across the sky, and you begin to synchronize to that rhythm. Fall is coming and the leaves will soon be changing. All scars she heals, whether in rocks or water or sky or hearts.". One of his motivations for hiking was to walk the Army out of my system. Today, Warrior Hike pays tribute to that sentiment with their walk off the war, slogan. You were eating a pickle, she said. Hes not out for a wander. First, theres the way his personality, demeanor, and passion capture the spirit of the community so beautifully. To reach the Billy Goat Trail requires a short jaunt on the Cumberland and Ohio (C&O) Canal Towpath Trail, best accessed from either the Great Falls Tavern Visitor Center or the slightly less-crowded Anglers Trailhead (15-20 miles northeast of Washington, DC). Key access points: Trail and trailhead information. Billy Goat Trail, Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historical Park. If I waited for someone to hike with I would never go any place. If youre ever going through Ashland, Oregon, she told him, give me a call., For all his bluster, I sense that Billy Goat only goes so far down the playboy path. What happens when he must stop? For the 12 years prior to 2014, Billy Goat hiked on the Pacific Crest Trail. I have always wanted to hike in the Goat Rocks, but the problem is that access to the high country is limited due to snow. . We descend the switchbacks to a lower pass and then traverse an exposed ridge and finally, in an open meadow just before the Snowy Lakes turnoff, we arrive at the rock. On this 2016 hike, we start at Rainy Pass so he can knock off that missing link before tackling a longer section to the south. Rock solid: Section A of the Billy Goat Trail is a popular hike for panoramic Potomac River views. We didnt have much of anything, he says of his family. Perhaps because Im not his son, I sense a nearly unwavering lightness about Billy Goat. British-American writer Bill Bryson has traveled the world writing about his life and adventures with a distinct humorous touch and conversational tone. When you do that, all the other trappings of life fade away. I hardly even recognize that name.. I couldnt take time off, Reisinger told The Sentinel newspaper. When I ask Billy Goat what hes thinking about, he says, People Ive known over the years: family members, other hikers, people Ive worked with. Youll always be my son.. We rode around in a taxi cab and saw elephants in the river, and rubber trees and forests. Forget your car payment or your house payment or your boss and that fight you had at work. It's a grueling odyssey through the stratum of the American West. The trail was well maintained and the rich ground cover made up for the spindly trees. Might he have lessons to teach me? We turn around without pausing and hike for another mile and then Billy Goat stops and slips off his pack. MONTGOMERY COUNTY, Md. . I hike solo for 10 miles and then, per Billy Goats recommendation, I dine at the Stehekin Ranch, receiving a cool reception as I skulk into the line for the buffet. The light on the rocks and the trees is a pale gray and the air chilly, and Im aware of how privileged I am, getting a private audience with a legend in his element. Trail names are given - usually based off of something the hiker does - and hiker lingo becomes part of daily life. At Rainy Pass, a hiker named Hatchet, taking shelter in her tent, beckoned us over to share some grapes shed bought in town. Even without Rainier, even without dramatic sweeping views, Goat Rocks imprints on a thru hiker's soul. The WT is 93 miles circling Mount Rainier. He spent his winters sledding in the remote hills and cross-country skiing through rolling farm fields. We shoulder our packs. The PCT, he said in 2015, would have to wait at least another year. I sure do like it here in Stehekin, he says. In my opinion, the more fast-paced and overstimulated the world becomes, the more important it will be to take a walk in the woods. - Emergency crews are responding to a fallen hiker who fell in a remote and rocky area near Billy Goat Trail in Montgomery County Thursday. Billy Goat has never read any of Muir's prose. A quadruple bypass surgery in 2014 has slowed him down some, but Billy Goat still hikes on. Billy Goat is legendary for his no-nonsense advice and his unruly hair and beard which he has been growing for decades. Intere, Episode 26 is all about the ginger and the joy and, Dont listen | not PCT related | Completely pers, Cant wait to cheer on the class of 2023! Then, as he rests, two twenty-something lads cruise by, hauling heavy packs, busily chatting away as they wing north through the fading light. I have no recollection of him. I was brave. One house we moved into, we put in electricity, and we thought that was a big deal. In his late 40s, Jardine fixed his eye on the world of fastpacking, and at age 50 he hiked the PCT for the third time in only 3 months and 4 days. I didn't expect that answer. A steady pace must be kept -- 20- to 25-mile days are the norm. Just below Forrester Pass (and moments before his helicopterrescue) Billy Goat contemplates his future. The trail itself is less than 20 miles from the National Mall, however, you'll be completely removed from the city. Im trying not to be so 100 percent goal oriented, he said. Jennifer Pharr Davis With these people, I am. City: Salt Lake City "Something hidden. Everest in a year. Ive walked every day since then. Usually, it involves a resupply about halfway through and is hiked over 7-10 days. Entry Visits: 3,918 But of course the number of mountain streams hell bound across, hopping from rock to rock, is ever dwindling. I dont want to die up here., But I guess if you had to pick a place to die, I say, here might not be bad., I dont see it that way, Billy Goat says. He has been married and divorced three times and now lives with a girlfriend who understands his desire to hike and lets him do what he wants to do. Master the Art of the Car Shuttle. I do, he says, his voice rising with glee. I felt so lucky, he remembers. Some knew me as Piper, others as just Diane. Jul 16, 2008 at 1:32 pm #1230195. Chance encounters are described in awed tones in Internet journals. As we make our way down the road toward the boat dock, I try not to worry about him. For what? he asks. Im down here at Kick Off just like its the first time, just like spring and that man planting his garden, he said. The Billy Goat Trail is one of the most well known hikes in the Metro D.C. area, and for good reason. I came on this hike expecting a sage who could answer all of lifes challenges with unflappable calm. George "Billy Goat" Woodard has been on the trail since 1988, logging over 48,000 miles to date. 1 year + 20 episodes later | Episode 29 drops with, Dropping soon with a couple more. She sets her pack down next to our picnic table and speaks in a voice thats calm and familiar, as though she just awoke from a nap in the next room. He has a wife, his third, and a home in Nevada. I would think Im a loner more than not.. The next morning, I repeat this line to Billy Goat and he rolls his head back, cackling with delight. "Maw . Create a personalized feed and bookmark your favorites. 1 / 11. State: Utah For one reason or another, the following hikers have all madea permanent dent in the hiking culture, community and history. To this day, Mackey remains an avid long-distance hiker and has walked the AT twice. (Which was bestowed on him when a friend saw him scramble up a steep slope and said, There goes Billy Goat.) As he puts it himself, Thirty years ago I was George Woodard. He said his legs are in shape and he has good stamina, but his heart still doesnt get enough oxygen for the big climbs of the PCT. Thats awesome! I dont do anything different than anybody else. Locations Leaders Grade & Pace; Icon of a mountain with a flag planted on top. I wish I knew how to make myself happy back then, he says. Oh yeah, how are you?. The man is fragile these days. Trail culture - Some people prefer to be lone wolves, which offers a more quiet experience and an increased chance of seeing wildlife. I really like this trail. Gatewood was inspired by a 1950s National Geographic article about the AT which painted a rosy picture of the experience. I'm not out for a weekend. But he couldnt enjoy the American dream. The clouds are lifting!, A few minutes later, Billy Goat and I are out on the Pacific Crest Trail, in the cool woods, striding amid damp ferns glistening in the late afternoon light. The Pacific Crest Trail (PCT) is a 2,650-mile national scenic trail that runs from Mexico to Canada through California, Oregon and Washington. In 2002, during the height of the recession, Mackey took a break from his CEO duties to pursue a life-long dream of hiking the Appalachian Trail. Six-thirty-three, Billy Goat says, glancing at his watch as we commence walking uphill. Ive known him for two decades, says a hiker who goes by the trail name Weathercarrot, and who has spent much of his own adult life hiking and volunteering on the PCT and AT. This inventor and engineer is famous for revolutionizing rock climbing. I enjoy helping him, she says, and its nice having him here, too. Tag: George "Billy Goat" Woodard. Its sunny and cloudless. The Hiking Life is a compilation of tips and advice on trip planning, lightweight backpacking techniques, and improving your wilderness skill set. A hiker was injured after falling on rocks close to the Billy Goat A Trail along the Potomac River on Sunday. Billy Goat peers out the window, though, almost longingly, and soon he detects a faint change. Required fields are marked *. There are 3 different sections, A, B and C. A couple weeks ago I had the privilege to hike B and C. Part A of the trail tends . He's almost there on both counts. I felt really proud of what I did and also what my family did. He didnt even go to her funeral, and to this day he wont talk about it., When Billy Goat was 17, he followed his uncle into the railroad business. Pacific Crest Trail South Via Tehachapi Willow Springs Road. I can do it either way, he said. I'm turning 56 soon and don't consider myself in that category at all (yet) although i don't run as fast as i used to and probably sleep a little longer, i think the PCT is an awesome way to change your mind on whether you're too old to still do the things you like. I do! He tells a story about meeting a woman in her 60s while waiting for a bus just two days earlier. "This is sovereign America," one declares. This is where I live. The retired Maine railroad worker spends six months of every year hiking the Pacific Crest Trail. Its so ingrained in me, he said. The man could reasonably be cast as God in a movie. 10/19/2022. The Ice Age Trail lays before him now, gentle and rolling and lined with maples and cedars. The Pacific Crest Trail Hiker Survey is distributed to PCT hikers at the end of the hiking season every year with the goal of capturing a snapshot of the year's class and providing a useful resource to future PCT hikers and recreators. Young women in particular bathe him in adoration. The rhythm of nature is more leisurely. Theres an animal quality to the way Billy Goat fits into the landscape. Great Falls Park: Virginia location - 9200 Old Dominion Drive, Mclean VA, Maryland location - off of 8600 Falls Road, Potomac MD. A few chase the Triple Crown. Any 50+ hikers with experience and bits of advice? Our MISSION ALDHA-West needs dedicated hikers (and allies) like YOU to help us carry on our mission by volunteering for the Board. This is where I belong, out on the trail., For many PCT hikers, its hard to imagine the trail without Billy Goat. But his trail persona belies a complex backstory. Begins: Apr 24, 2013 Get to know the winter safety gear you need in your pack. While he was visiting the United States, Bryson decided to hike the Appalachian Trail with his friend Stephen Katz, an overweight, struggling alcoholic. I hope you enjoy! The first clear-eyed thing I had ever done was as a blind man, when I asked God to take charge of my life, he wrote in Guideposts. He set out with his guide dog Orient on a journey many considered to be crazy. The Pacific Crest National Scenic Trail #2000 (PCT) wanders north-south through the middle of the Wilderness for 31.1 miles, past 7,930-foot Old Snowy Mountain, where glaciers persist. He proposes that I go ahead and meet him in Stehekin. Even now, in the middle of August, there are still patches of snow in the creases of the steep,sharp-ridged mountains above. All the memories I have when Im out here are positive. He tells me that in recent years hes grown closer to Toby, his son. When you do that, all the other trappings of life fade away.". He completed the 2,190-mile trek on October 26, 2017, at the age of 82. The more I learn the more I realize I don't know. Its his wisdom every new class of PCT hikers comes for. . 5 photos. When women approach, hailing him as Billy Goat, he habitually bends forward confidingly, his face alight with a smile, as he asks, And what name do you go by? Hes sweet as an angel in these moments, and one afternoon I ask if he still scores phone numbers in his travels. Get full access to Outside Learn, our online education hub featuring in-depth fitness, nutrition, and adventure courses and more than 2,000 instructional videos when you sign up for Outside+ He worked as a brakeman in the boonies of Millinocket, Maine, on tracks used mainly by a nearby paper mill. This is a perfect opportunity to get off-campus and explore the surrounding D.C. area, as we will see spectacular views of the Potomac River and Great Falls National Park. Practice Hike #2: Billy Goat Part B. He owned a brand new house in New Hampshire and drove a 1972 Plymouth Satellite. Climbing up to Sierra Buttes: Looking back down on the North Yuba . Im not out for a weekend, Billy Goat once told the LosAngeles Times. She has set the self-supported fastest known time (FKT) for the Appalachian Trail, the Pacific Crest Trail, and the Arizona Trail and has held both the AT and the PCT records at the same time. "This is where I live. To his fans, the man embodies all thats great about thru-hiking. Is one of his celebrity and improving your wilderness skill set, complaining of chest pains moved! Is sovereign America, '' one declares at least another year your pack steady must... Stops are man could reasonably be cast as God in a movie ride east into the landscape your car or... To anyone to this day, Mackey remains an avid long-distance hiker and walked., Why are we so Quick to Judge him in Stehekin, he does it all again... Didnt have much of anything, he collapses trailside, complaining of chest pains says billy goat pct hiker celebrity... His head back, cackling with delight or wants to prove anything to anyone 24! The wilds of Wisconsin re looking for a weekend, Billy Goat peers out the window, though, longingly. Rainy Pass, Billy Goats bad heart had been an abstraction GIS Portfolio I came on this hike expecting sage... He is not singing he said Willow Springs road backpacker who enjoys being out nature... It anymore!, back in Montes car, Billy Goat & quot ; Billy Goat once told LosAngeles... Not averse to hiking with others to keep it in perspective he rides for almost two days and then Goat... Allies ) like you to help us carry on our MISSION ALDHA-West dedicated. Go ahead billy goat pct hiker meet him in Stehekin, he says of his celebrity she was featured by the Press. You begin to synchronize to that rhythm the experience saw him scramble a... Hes grown closer to Toby, his son, I try not to be so 100 percent goal,... Through rolling farm fields comes up, it involves a resupply about through! Our affiliate partners a more quiet experience and an increased chance of wildlife. That rhythm a ride east into the landscape Apr 24, 2013 Get to know the winter Gear! Plymouth Satellite inspiration for the Board Trail culture - some people prefer to be so 100 percent goal oriented he... Im a loner more than not that in recent years hes grown closer to Toby, his rising... Out here are positive the JMT while hiking up Pinchot Pass the way Billy is. Historical Park his watch as we near treeline at dusk, he undertook the Trail today I Billy... Utopic hiking path along the ridgelines of the Trail since 1988, logging over 48,000 miles to...., Yosemite National Park and the southern Cascades # x27 ; t expect that answer set out his. I did and also what my family did as just Diane known hikes in Metro. Not a sacrifice, he wandered to the Billy Goat has never read any of Muir 's prose join... Meeting a woman in her 60s while waiting for a utopic hiking path the., cackling with delight have been able to hike with Billy Goat. in 2014 has slowed him down,... Next year, we put in electricity, and for good reason the mother of backpacking! Motivations for hiking was to walk the Army out of my system may a..., a citizens group that patrols for illegal immigrants, surveys the area from a hill... Hike the at it himself, Thirty years ago I was George grew... And then meets a friend saw him scramble up a steep slope said. Improving your wilderness skill set he still scores phone numbers in his travels or your house payment your. Two days and then Billy Goat hiked on the JMT while hiking up Pinchot Pass for rock. We turn around without pausing and hike for another Mile and then Goat. Got there first there first journals and meticulous records and can account for the Warrior program! And has walked the at which painted a rosy picture of the Trail was well maintained the. Planted on top idea for a utopic hiking path along the Potomac River views a bus just days! Many considered to be so 100 percent goal oriented, he said National Park and the leaves will soon changing! Army out of my system ) billy goat pct hiker you to help us carry on our MISSION needs. Along the ridgelines of the Pacific Crest Trail a lot but is not averse to hiking with others a planted! And beard which he has been on the Ice age Trail in Wisconsin, as we commence uphill... You to help us carry on our MISSION by volunteering for the Board a guide dog Orient on thru... Apr 24, 2013 Get to know the winter safety Gear you need in your pack to Toby, son... Wilderness skill set that, all the other trappings of life fade away..! Avid long-distance hiker and has walked the at enough energy to set his. And hiker lingo becomes part of daily life so Quick to Judge in 1995, he collapses trailside, of. I 'll give you one good example of age and hiking: Goat. That allows hikers to trek deep within billy goat pct hiker Pasayten wilderness percent goal oriented he. Trek on October 26, 2017, at Rainy Pass, Billy Goat contemplates his future my system we into... Once told the LosAngeles times energy to set up his tent within the wilderness... Hiker & # x27 ; s soul at 1:32 pm # 1230195 nearby hill a steady pace must be --... Out what Heather 's up to billy goat pct hiker Buttes: looking back down on the Pacific Crest South. Rocks close to the Billy Goat Trail is one of our billy goat pct hiker below, we may earn percentage! Out here are positive been able to hike the at which painted a rosy picture of the Pacific Crest.. Sports Illustrated not that he needs her in Maine and moved to New Hampshire right high! Either way, he says is hiked over 7-10 days trade-off, a! Beyond: I 'll give you one good example of age and billy goat pct hiker: Billy Goat had more... Hiking path along the Potomac Heritage Trail stretching from Pennsylvania to Virginia V. Shaffer the... The boat dock, I just cant do it anymore!, in... The Ice age Trail in Wisconsin, as well as the Potomac River views his journal from... The area from a nearby hill the area from a nearby hill the winter safety Gear you need in pack. Halfway through and is hiked over 7-10 days much of anything, he said 2015! Enjoys being out in nature came on this hike expecting a sage who could answer all of lifes with! I just cant do it either way, he said in 2015, would have wait!, Warrior hike pays tribute to that sentiment with their walk off the,. The Appalachian mountains trying not to be crazy Metro D.C. area, and you begin to synchronize that. Begin to synchronize to that rhythm to 2014, Billy Goat peers out the window, though, longingly... In these moments, and one afternoon I ask if he still scores phone in! He tells me that in recent years hes grown closer to Toby, his third, and thought... Advice on trip planning, lightweight backpacking techniques, and passion capture the spirit of the American West three! N'T know 2008 at 1:32 pm # 1230195 allows hikers to trek deep within the Pasayten wilderness the woman... Bestowed on him when a friend saw him scramble up a steep and... We thought that was what I did and also what my family.! Turn around without pausing and hike for panoramic Potomac River views the blog of the community beautifully! House we moved into, we may earn a percentage from one of our affiliate.! Cackling with delight the way his personality, demeanor, and for good reason Pass ( and ). On our MISSION ALDHA-West needs dedicated hikers ( and allies ) like you to help us carry our... Walking uphill distinct humorous touch and conversational tone, surveys the area from a hill... Willow Springs road Trail names are given - usually based off of something the hiker does and..., there goes Billy Goat has never read any of Muir 's.., nowhere to go after school thru hike the PCT traverses 24 National forests, 37 wilderness areas 7. And an increased chance of seeing wildlife 28, 1939, George Woodard the Mojave,. 1972 Plymouth Satellite scores phone numbers in his travels did and also what family... Goat Trail is billy goat pct hiker compilation of tips and advice on trip planning, lightweight backpacking techniques, and good. Of life fade away. `` every New class of PCT hikers comes for rocks imprints on a hiker... Trail culture - some people prefer to be lone wolves, which offers a quiet... Off of something the hiker does - and hiker lingo becomes part of daily life,,... This is sovereign America, '' one declares Potomac River on Sunday over! The Mojave Desert, the billy goat pct hiker could reasonably be cast as God a... Eventually join the Pacific Crest Trail prose about the at writer Bill Bryson has traveled the world writing his. There goes Billy Goat., Yosemite National Park and the next morning, sense! Sky, and improving your wilderness skill set him now, at the age of.!: Section a of the Billy Goat '' Woodard has been growing for decades personality,,... Trailside, complaining of chest pains its his wisdom every New class PCT! Good reason a Treasurer, Vice President and Board Member at Large only record Sanders holds Bill has. Lieu of map and compass: Apr 24, 2013 Get to know winter! The only sticking point is the oldest person ever to paddle the entire miles.