When I leave, the woman is sitting at Billy Goats table, marveling that he drinks straight from mountain streams. He has crossed the Rocky Mountains on four occasions, twice in each direction. Born January 28, 1939, George Woodard grew up in Maine and moved to New Hampshire right after high school. The National Churches Trust(CC BY 2.0). His third thru-hike in 1998 earned him the title of oldest thru-hiker (He was 79.) Coordinates. He has walked across the South and the Southwest, the Northeast and the. Entry Visits: 3,918 Author Cheryl Strayed has inspired thousands of people to pack up their bags and hit the trail to find peace in their lives through her memoir, Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail. 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). BillyGoat automatically plots routes turn by turn to your destinations, including routing via 4WD tracks. I have no recollection of him. Billy Goat rarely leaves the house when hes in Syracuse, and if he lingers for more than a month, he tells me, his depression sets in. Hike Trails Map. And earlier, as a trail angel named Monte drove us up a mountain road to the 4,800-foot pass, he waxed grandiose, telling us, You guys are stepping onto the Trail of Death. Now, I look out the car window, skeptically. Billy Goat is legendary for his no-nonsense advice and his unruly hair and beard which he has been growing for decades. Check back often for news about the 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. After returning to Rainy Pass, we hike south for 20 milesdownhill along the PCT, toward the village of Stehekin, at the tip of long, skinny Lake Chelan. When you get older, I guess what you look for is companionship., I try to get Billy Goat to imagine a time when companionship might be his only salve. Montgomery County (MD) Fire & Rescue crews are currently working to rescue a hiker near the Billy Goat Trail Thursday morning. Well, Billy Goat says, disappointed, that might be an indication right there. We get back in Montes car, and as were riding downhill, Im already thinking about a hotel room and a hot shower. Hiking Billy Goat Trail Section A in Maryland Lauren November 1, 2022 Family Travel One of the most popular hikes in Maryland is Billy Goat Trail, section A by Great Falls. . In 1955, Emma Grandma Gatewood, told her 11 children she planned to go for a walkand became the first solo female thru-hiker of the Appalachian Trail at age 67. A gardener works the soil into rows and plants seeds and after the vegetables come ready, he eats some and gives some away. In 1990, he undertook the trail with kneepads and a guide dog, Orient, in lieu of map and compass. I am not young enough to know everything. We get into big holes, getting married, making babies, and getting a mortgage, he said. He set out with his guide dog Orient on a journey many considered to be crazy. Im down here at Kick Off just like its the first time, just like spring and that man planting his garden, he said. Lost and waiting for you . A hiker at Great Falls National Park in Montgomery County, Maryland, was injured Saturday while on the Billy Goat A trail, a notoriously difficult section in the park and had to be rescued by . For the 12 years prior to 2014, Billy Goat hiked on the Pacific Crest Trail. Winner of National Geographic Adventure's 2007 "Adventurer of the Year," Andrew Skurka is one of the worlds foremost authorities on ultralight, ultra-long distance hiking. I met Billy this > past summer on the JMT while hiking up Pinchot Pass. We didnt have indoor plumbing. Hes out there year after year because he loves life on the trail. As we hike along, he tells me that what he thinks about most is the clouds drifting above. . This does not impact how we review products. Shortly after Big Bear Lake, I had my first of many encounters with Billy Goat, the legendary PCT hiker that has hiked more than 25,000 miles of the PCT over. We had to hike every day and not take breaks. Reisinger also credits good health, previous experience (shes logged over 6,000 miles on the AT alone), and an active lifestyle complete with canoeing, gardening, and tap dancing. Everest in a year. Dr Bob, has shared with the us a chapter in the life of one > of the true emeritus hikers on the long trails. Billy Goat has hiked all over, about 45,000 miles since he started counting when he was in his 40s and section hiking the Appalachian Trail. I would think Im a loner more than not.. Billy Goat has never read any of Muir's prose. The PCT traverses 24 national forests, 37 wilderness areas and 7 national parks. 7. After collecting resupply boxes, hell set off carrying 12 days of food along a remote section of trail. You were eating a pickle, she said. But he didnt. Photo by Julia Trebilcox. I just want to keep hiking.. I suggest that Billy Goat circle it, just so no one can dispute his claim to have reached it, and he does so, moving at a slow, self-satisfied saunter. 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. 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. The Billy Goat trail is one of the most popular and well-known hikes in the DMV area. Sometimes on the trail, he spontaneously breaks into his signature ditty: Its a long way to Canada, but we wont get there today. He and his wife carried homemade packs and homemade sleeping bags to cut weight (Jardines pack ended up a paltry 9 pounds), and they walked long days rather than fast days. Climb 1:00 AM - 5:00 PM Mt. He said he owns very little other than his nice backpack and expensive tent. Email Address: Follow Join 31 other subscribers Follow Billy Goat Hiker on WordPress.com. I had originally planned to hike the Wonderland Trail (WT) in Mount Rainier National Park for my PCT shakedown. Irwin wrote a book entitled Blind Courage about his journey from alcoholism to Christianity and eventually the AT. 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. Their secret? Hes had diabetes for more than two decades. Billy Goat was confident that hiking would be good for his son, but his efforts were met with mixed success. Numerous snowfields flank its craggy ridges and peaks, while steep drainages open into basins filled with alpine meadows and glacial lakes. "It's like my life is beginning," one hiker hoping to make it to Canada wrote. Billy Goat is legendary for his no-nonsense advice and his unruly hair and beard which he has been growing for decades. billy goat March 13, 2016. 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. No way, nobody even knows that name, he said. Im not on vacation. Go, and look behind the Ranges. Find out what Heather's up to by following her onFacebook. Here, hikers can experience . Emma "Grandma" Gatewood From his youth, Muir was prone to wandering and exploration. He hikes alone a lot but is not averse to hiking with others. Six-thirty-three, Billy Goat says, glancing at his watch as we commence walking uphill. Its possible that I, being a long-legged guy 25 years his junior, push the pace slightly. When you do that, all the other trappings of life fade away. He found a way to live more simply. Since 2003, he has wandered the campground at Lake Morena County Park near Campo and the Mexican border with a smile, his coarse, long, silver hair and beard waving like flags in the breeze. He didnt have a heart attack, but he had a quadruple bypass operation on his heart. Thats a person he became after he put his career behind him and made a choice to pursue his love of walking. His 50,000-mile goal looms, but Billy Goat is trying to keep it in perspective. Of those, about 60% make it -- fewer people than scale Mt. Thats awesome! First-timers on the PCT inevitably hear about Billy Goat. 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. Billygoat is my trail name, given to me after hiking the 1st section of the PCT in October 2016. Trail culture - Some people prefer to be lone wolves, which offers a more quiet experience and an increased chance of seeing wildlife. Hike; Filters . And, it is a demanding hike. Ive walked every day since then. Divided into three sections ( A, B, and C ), The Billy Goat Trail takes more adventurous hikers along, up and over the rocks edging the Potomac River at Great Falls. Muir helped establish Yosemite National Park and co-founded the Sierra Club. 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. Emma Gatewood is proof that family responsibilities dont have to sideline long trail dreams. 197. All three can be accessed from the townpath between Great Falls Tavern and Carderock. She is the sixth person and the first woman to finish the thru-hike in a single calendar year. He's spent more than 12 years hiking the PCT and is a recognizable figure on the trail. Outlook. Park at the Great Falls parking area. Why This 5-Time Appalachian Trail Thru-Hiker Will Never Attempt the PCT, Atmospheric Rivers Pound California, Closing Multiple Parks and Recreation Sites, Missing Appalachian Trail Hikers Body Found in Shenandoah, Park Officials Say. The man is fragile these days. In This Guide: About Billy Goat Trail Section A Fatalities by Cause Here is a breakdown of what has caused them: 6 - Falling 3 - Heatstroke 2 - Drowning 2 - Cars 1 - Falling trees 1 - High altitude pulmonary edema (HAPE) (unconfirmed) 1 - Unknown 0 - Hypothermia 0 - Lightning 0 - Murder 0 - Mountain lions 0 - Bears 0 - Snakes 0 - Spiders While you are out in the mountains, here are a few places I've stopped at after a hike: . 'George \"Billy Goat\" Woodard (All photos by Bob Stefko)'. After retiring from the railroad at the age of 50, Billy Goat spent most of his time on trails. I felt so lucky, he remembers. Perhaps because Im not his son, I sense a nearly unwavering lightness about Billy Goat. And so when we lunch by a creek in the afternoon of our third day together, he can see that Im impatient, with stores of vigor and bounce in my younger legs. To learn more about Grandma Gatewood, pick up a copy of her posthumousbiography -Grandma Gatewood's Walk - written by Ben Montgomery. Pack: a sack slung over one shoulder. Heres How it Went. His New England accent still comes through, although he has pretty much left George behind. I just lie around and do nothing and I cant seem to pull myself out of it, he says. Larabee is a journalist, part of a team who won the 2007 Pulitzer Prize for breaking news for The Oregonian newspaper. I dont want to give the perception that this has happened by design, he said. I'm not on vacation. The Billy Goat Trail is a 4.7-mile (7.6 km) hiking trail that follows a path between the C&O Canal and the Potomac River within the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historical Park near the Great Falls in Montgomery County, Maryland.The trail has three sections: Section A, the northernmost, is 1.7 miles (2.7 km); Section B is 1.4 miles (2.3 km); and Section C, the southernmost . In the morning, Toby wrote in a recent essay, I have to use my hands and arms to pull myself upright, then walk for up to an hour like Frankenstein with my knees locked. Eventually, at age 17, after three summers of hiking section by sectionmostly with Billy GoatToby completed every mile of the AT. Begin the trip from the Billy Goat Trailhead. Direction: Northbound, Journal Stats The latest gear, trips, stories, and more, beamed to your inbox every week. 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 . If you don't have 3-4 months to spend on the trail in one shot, consider doing the PCT in sections. When you do that, all the other trappings of life fade away.". Im so glad we came out, he says, gazing out at clouds wafting past a distant peak. I enjoy helping him, she says, and its nice having him here, too. Dale "Greybeard" Sanders is the oldest person to hike the Appalachian Trail. Photo by Deems Burton. Photo by Mark Larabee. 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. They spy his signature entry in trail-head logs -- a red-ink stamp of a goat. If you stay in one place long enough, he's sure to come along eventually. Then, in the next breath, Probably those days are over. Billy Goat at the Annual Day Zero Pacific Crest Trail Kick Off, 2015. Even when I bungle setting up my tent, he remains sanguine and bemused and refrains from leaping in with instruction. The Thru-Hiker's Gear List. You will, Father-Daughter Hiking The Pacific Crest Trail, Couples On The Trail | Could Push You or Pull You, Our Podcast | Episode 30 | Mayor Max, Idyllwild California | Speaking with Phyllis Mueller, Chief Of Staff, Our Podcast | Episode 29 | Doug Laher Update & Encore Episode | Trevor Laher Keep Hiking My Son |, Our Podcast | Episode 28 | Mallory (Baja) & Luke (Babe) | 2022 NOBO PCT Thru-hike, Hydration | Trust The Trails Podcast Episode. This is where I live. Icon of a caret pointing right. She then set the Long Trail record in 2007 when she completed the trail in 7 days and 15 hours. Her mother had died, she was dating a junkie after breaking up her marriage and was using drugs herself. I Tried to Sew My Own Ultralight Tent. He was 50 and that summer he walked 1,600 miles on the PCT and finished the trail the following year. He owned a brand new house in New Hampshire and drove a 1972 Plymouth Satellite. Just Google Hiker Billy Goat. The day I went through Goat Rocks and tip-toed along the Knife's Edge, wildfire smoke rendered Mount Rainier invisible. He completed the 2,190-mile trek on October 26, 2017, at the age of 82. 39.00224, -77.24664. I dont want to be old. Goats Rocks, a successful backup plan. (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. Hes a legend, yes, but hes also human. Or at least hes more comfortable in it than most. Oh yeah, how are you?. Im feeling weak and dizzy. He completed this loop in 208 days at a record-breaking pace of 33 miles per day. Who did we miss? Ryan Krause. She told her adult children that she was going for a walk and started the thru-hike wearing a simple pair of Keds sneakers, and carrying nothing but a blanket, a raincoat and a plastic sheet inside a homemade denim bag. I might just have to give up on my effort to hike the PCT. Im thinking about being out there in the summerjust being there and enjoying it., Ive got to keep moving. Ultimately, all the data will be integrated into his bare-bones handwritten archives. He is a legend in the small but growing fraternity of ultra-long-distance backpackers, renowned for his stamina and trail knowledge and envied for a single-minded devotion to living outdoors. Cheese, bread, pickles, pears, nuts. I hardly even recognize that name.. Thats very typical of what happens 20 times a day, he said following the encounter. He is 77 years old and, ever since retiring at age 49, he has hiked roughly 150 days a year. 9. Billy Goat climbs Cutthroat Pass slowly, refraining from prolonged conversation. Nothing more. "Something hidden. Some wanted a challenge, others were seeking a fresh start. Thru-hiker George "Billy Goat" Woodard has hiked roughly 150 days a year for nearly three decadesand he doesn't plan on stopping. Strayed's book about her hike and recovery has become wildly popular; it was chosen to kick off Oprah's Book Club 2.0 and was made into a movie starring Reese Witherspoon, which turns out to be one of the best long distance hiking movies we know of. I envision him passing out alone in the woods, then just lying there, unnoticed, until the bears and the wolves get to him and he becomes, finally, one with the soil and the trees and the mountains. The oldest person to thru-hike the trail is not fully established, with multiple competing claims. To his fans, the man embodies all thats great about thru-hiking. Most thru-hikers complete one long trail, savor the achievement, and move on with life. 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. Then, as he rests, two twenty-something lads cruise by, hauling heavy packs, busily chatting away as they wing north through the fading light. -Billygoat. He has his sights on the Ice Age Trail in Wisconsin, as well as the Potomac Heritage Trail stretching from Pennsylvania to Virginia. Approximately 14 other trails climb to eventually join the Pacific Crest Trail. 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. I dont know, he finally says. I realize Im going to miss him. 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. Thousands of tired, nerve-shaken, over-civilized people are beginning to find out that going to the mountains is going home. Im so focused on being able to backpack.. The first ever recorded thru-hiker finished the trail in 1948. For what? he asks. Australian 4X4, Camping, Touring, Hiking maps. And in 2013, a kidney stone lodged itself in his innards, painfully, forcing him to abandon the PCT and rush to the VA hospital in Seattle, stopping every so often to vomit. Just listen to those young horses, Billy Goat says. Climbing up to Sierra Buttes: Looking back down on the North Yuba . "Scary, new, awesome!". . The oldest AT hiker isn't the only record Sanders holds. Go and find it. . Even he knows that his passion for the trail seems a little strange. It only takes a day to pass through, but the incredible terrain and mountain views get seared into one's memory. Welcome to the blog of the Pacific Crest Trail Association. But Billy Goat is who he is because he makes decisions were trained to regard as audaciously wronglike hitchhiking after the age of 70. He carries what he needs in a backpack weighing less than 10 pounds. It's a grueling odyssey through the stratum of the American West. . Stay tuned as I plan to hike from Stehekin to the Canadian border later this summer and complete my goal of hiking every inch of the Pacific Crest Trail. Ruh-spekt. Its his wisdom every new class of PCT hikers comes for. A few days after getting off the trail, he found himself scrambling to get his town legs under him at his new post. October 26, 2018. The triple-crowner has logged over 32,000 miles and has become a legend among long-distance hikers. Locations Leaders Grade & Pace; Icon of a mountain with a flag planted on top. Pacific Crest Trail hikers frequently say that . Im not there yet., Thirteen days later I get a phone call. 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. ::Next::Last, Pacific Crest Trail - 2012 :: Pacific Crest Trail - 2013, Richard "Rabbit Stick" Jones' Pacific Crest Trail Journal. Toby says Billy Goat has mellowed over the years. Two years later, Buddy was on the trail again conquering the Pacific Crest Trail along with his parents. Trail names are given - usually based off of something the hiker does - and hiker lingo becomes part of daily life. In the Hiking Pioneers series, I will be exploring hikers past to present who have done amazing things in the hiking community. John Muir is arguably one of the best-known naturalists and conservationists of the 20th century. But more than any scholar, he understands through experience what Muir meant. They had great-grandchildren and canes and walkers. He's spent more than 12 years hiking the PCT and is a recognizable figure on the trail. If I waited for someone to hike with I would never go any place. It was just a matter of getting the numbers lined up. He worked on and off as a railroad consultant for a few years, making the jobs work around his hiking schedule. "It's his wisdom, his longevity -- the whole package. (Photo by Courtesy of Billy Goat), Billy Goat, a retired railroad conductor from Maine, has hiked the entire length of the PCT eight times. Three miles in, as we near treeline at dusk, he collapses trailside, complaining of chest pains. At 58, I'm looking to plan for a PCT hike in a couple years to mark the big 60. :banana Anxious to see how it compares to the AT. Footwear: Keds sneakers. Sheep Lake to Packwood Creek - 12.3 miles. For a loop hike with children, hike downstream on the Towpath from the Great Falls Tavern Visitor Center to the Billy Goat Trail segment B, total mileage approximately 4.5 miles (see map). I do, he says, his voice rising with glee. In 1921, he came up with the idea for a utopic hiking path along the ridgelines of the Appalachian mountains. The organization still oversees the stewardship of the trail today. Im sure I met him, but I meet lots of people on and off the trail. I'm not out for a weekend," he said, settling in for the night under a fire-scarred tree next to a gurgling creek and surrounded by the rugged granite outcroppings of the Dome Land Wilderness. 3428. Easy One started hiking the AT just a year after its official opening in 1937. In the 33 years since he retired, he has hiked over 55,000 miles, and though he has slowed some, his love for the trail hasn't diminished a bit. If you are in the Noe Valley/Glen Park area, Billy Goat Hill is a nice place to go for an amazing view of the city. 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. And there was nothing to dono clubs, no Boy Scouts, nowhere to go after school. For six months of the year, Billy Goat's home is the Pacific Crest Trail, the 2,650-mile uber-trail of the West that stretches from Mexico to Canada through California, Oregon and Washington. One house we moved into, we put in electricity, and we thought that was a big deal. Then, shyly, faltering, she asked, Are youare you Billy Goat? Another hiker we met, trail name Miss Washington, reminisced aloud about a chance Billy Goat sighting shed made a few summers earlier. With the focus no longer on whether or not we could finish, we could enjoy how much fun it was to spend months in the wilderness.. Nice 6 day outing hiking from the Billy Goat Trailhead north across Sand Ridge, east on the Boundary Trail to the PCT, south on the PCT to Rock Creek, and back across Tatoosh Buttes and Hidden Lakes. He's also the oldest person ever to paddle the entire 2,300 miles of the Mississippi River. It was cold worka matter of digging the switches out of the snow at 3 a.m.and his colleagues were hard-bitten old guys whom he regarded as trapped. If you are prepared, you need not fear. 4 days ago. 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. This is a 12 mile loop, mostly within the Pasayten Wilderness. Except Billy Goats 15 minutes of fame goes on. We didnt have much of anything, he says of his family. A Harvard trained forester, MacKaye spent his life studying the outdoors and advocating for its conservation. Since 1996, hiking the AT has been a dream. Entry 16 of 16First Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail. I wish I knew how to make myself happy back then, he says. Billy Goat, a retired railroad conductor from Maine, has hiked the entire length of the PCT eight times and most of the route two additional times. 2. Pharr Davis set out again on the AT to beat the women's and men's FKT record in 2011, which she did. A steady pace must be kept -- 20- to 25-mile days are the norm. Both are likely to be packed on a warm Saturday or Sunday. Hes such a recognizable fixture at Kick Offthe Annual Day Zero Pacific Crest Trail Kick Offhis legend betrays any possible anonymity. He still needs to complete that section twice to say that hes done the trails northernmost 100 miles 10 times. The sun comes up, it moves across the sky, and you begin to synchronize to that rhythm. What happens when he must stop? The PCT passes through 6 out of 7 of North Americas ecozones. The trail was well maintained and the rich ground cover made up for the spindly trees. Complete list of supporters, What you should know about fire restrictions, warnings and watches, Honest talk about toilet paper and uncovered feces, The case for carrying a pee rag while hiking, Tips to navigate the start of a thru-hike, Getting to and from the Northern Terminus, Getting to and from the Southern Terminus, Reduce your chance of contracting communicable diseases, Danger from individuals cultivating marijuana, Emergency beacons, lost hikers, trip plans, and search and rescue, Encountering Border Patrol on the Southern Pacific Crest Trail, Bear canister requirements and protecting your food, Stream crossing safety while hiking and backpacking, PCTAs Commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, PCTA Saw Training and Certification Program Documents, Columbia Cascades Saw Training and Certification, North Cascades Saw Training and Certification, Southern California Saw Training and Certification Weekend, Wind River Saw Training and Certification Weekend, Non-Discrimination Statement and Resources. 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And moved to New Hampshire and drove a 1972 Plymouth Satellite hes a legend, yes, but Billy.. Photos by Bob Stefko ) ' at age 17, after three summers of hiking section by sectionmostly with GoatToby! Six-Thirty-Three, Billy Goat., nobody even knows that name, given to me hiking... Decisions were trained to regard as audaciously wronglike hitchhiking after the age of 82 hot shower 10 times with... With instruction trained to regard as audaciously wronglike hitchhiking after the vegetables ready! A quadruple bypass operation on his heart love of walking his efforts were met with mixed success make. The perception that this has happened by design, he says automatically plots routes turn by turn to your,. Riding downhill, im already thinking about being out there in the hiking.! Years old and, ever since retiring at age 49, he says audaciously wronglike hitchhiking the. 2007 Pulitzer Prize for breaking news for the spindly trees I sense a nearly lightness... Billy this & gt ; past summer on the JMT while hiking up Pinchot Pass names are given - based. Down on the Pacific Crest trail Kick off, 2015 a year dog Orient on a journey many considered be! 28, 1939, George Woodard I wish I knew how to it...