billy goat pct hiker

Slow and steady wins the race. The Committee on Community Planning (CCP) and various local hiking groups joined efforts to help bring his project to completion. "He's the heart and soul of the PCT," said Monte Dodge, 50, who hiked the length of the trail when he was 19 and does a portion of it nearly every year. . He's spent more than 12 years hiking the PCT and is a recognizable figure on the trail. Viewing 2 posts - 1 through 2 (of 2 total) Author. Begin the trip from the Billy Goat Trailhead. You just forget about all these things that seem so trying.. The Goat Rocks Wilderness drapes over the crest of the Cascade Range in South-Central Washington, offering endless views of iconic Cascade peaks and volcanoes. 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. December 2016. 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. 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 hikes alone a lot but is not averse to hiking with others. -Billygoat. Trail names are given - usually based off of something the hiker does - and hiker lingo becomes part of daily life. Skurka continues to hike long-distance trails, offers guided tours, works with Sierra Designs on gear and is a popular public speaker. 250 reviews of Billy Goat Trail - Section A "Just 20 minutes or so past the Georgetown crowds, the dramatic Billy Goat Trail takes weekend warriors thru 4.7 mostly rocky miles in a patch of land between the C&O Canal and the Potomac's Great Falls rapids. I do. He lives in Portland. I was brave. Cheese, bread, pickles, pears, nuts. Billy Goat. 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. Ruh-spekt. We didnt have indoor plumbing. Sanders efforts were almost derailed when he had to leave the AT in the Hundred Mile Wilderness for medical reasons. 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. A clap of thunder reverberates in the distance. I pay attention to what they have to say. The glaciers gleam on the mountains above, and most of the time we walk without speaking, the only sound the steady clomp of our shoes. In the early 1990's not many Pacific Crest Trail (PCT) hikers visited Trout Lake - located about 11 miles from the nearest trailhead. 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 . The rhythm of nature is more leisurely. The two men now talk on the phone several times a week. Forget your car payment or your house payment or your boss and that fight you had at work. Im so glad we came out, he says, gazing out at clouds wafting past a distant peak. 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. Hes now in his late 70s and still on trail as of the 2015 season. He has crossed the Rocky Mountains on four occasions, twice in each direction. It sounds idyllic, but to Billy Goat, his childhood was forlorn and painfully working class. I have no recollection of him. 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. In January 2014, things changed. "Maw . The hike should take around 1.5 hrs to complete. Hes taking a risk. Her toughness was beyond question. The most venerated hiker in PCT history is outside, however, standing beside the large wooden sign that welcomes visitors to Rainy Pass trailhead. He's almost there on both counts. Oh, I just cant do it anymore!, Back in Montes car, Billy Goats bad heart had been an abstraction. Thru-hiker George "Billy Goat" Woodard has hiked roughly 150 days a year for nearly three decadesand he doesn't plan on stopping. Hell record how long each of our rest stops are. Dr Bob, has shared with the us a chapter in the life of one > of the true emeritus hikers on the long trails. Country: USA 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. Isnt that something? Billy Goat responded warmly. This 60-plus hiker has walked the Appalachian Trail 17 times since 1972. Tag: George "Billy Goat" Woodard. Just Google Hiker Billy Goat. The writings contained in a log book at the PCT trail head glow with anticipation. 1 year + 20 episodes later | Episode 29 drops with, Dropping soon with a couple more. He owned a brand new house in New Hampshire and drove a 1972 Plymouth Satellite. You were eating a pickle, she said. I just want to be out here for the fun of it.. And now Im just about to dip my feet in the bathtub. From broiling deserts near sea level to snow fields above 14,000 feet. The Trail was a pilgrimage to share God's love with all those whom I met while hiking. Jul 16, 2008 at 1:32 pm #1230195. 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. Rock solid: Section A of the Billy Goat Trail is a popular hike for panoramic Potomac River views. Jennifer Pharr Davis Day 5. And, it is a demanding hike. He said his goal is "50 by 80," or 50,000 miles by age 80. Enter your email address to follow this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email. Hes such a recognizable fixture at Kick Offthe Annual Day Zero Pacific Crest Trail Kick Offhis legend betrays any possible anonymity. Im not on vacation. Postholer.Com 2005-2023 - Sitemap - W3C - @postholer - GIS Portfolio. Nothing could vanquish me. The organization still oversees the stewardship of the trail today. But, the successful businessman is also an ultralight thru-hiker. The book is available on Amazon andin the PCTA online store. I'm a little shocked that you consider 58 to be old. Most people are pantywaists, she allegedly once told Ray Jardine. LA Times Article on Billy Goat: The more I learn the more I realize I don't know. Hi, I'm Chris Cervens aka "Billy Goat" from Madison Va. I've worn many hat's over the years; Navy veteran, electronics tech, recoding studio engineer, general contractor, mechanic but now I can add thru hiking to the list. I dont want to die anywhere.. Ive been eating for two or three hours straight, he rejoices. The oldest AT hiker isn't the only record Sanders holds. Billy Goat Waterfall Hike is a 4.2km, grade 3 hike located in the Western River Wilderness Protection Area, South Australia. Road to Billy Goat is good gravel most of the way with the final mile rough and steep. Oh yeah, how are 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 . I wanted to run away., Billy Goat says that he wasnt comfortable at home, in part because his mother was intrusive and possessed of an anxiety and nervous disorder that also afflicts him and his son Toby Woodard, 46, who lives in Maine. Thats a person he became after he put his career behind him and made a choice to pursue his love of walking. George "Billy Goat" Woodard has been on the trail since 1988, logging over 48,000 miles to date. If you purchase a product from one of our links below, we may earn a percentage from one of our affiliate partners. If there's such a thing as a hiking testpiece, the Billy Goat Trail in the C&O Canal National Historical Park is the hiking testpiece of the Washington, D.C. area. Go and find it. The trail includes some intense rock-hopping and a steep climb along a . Go!" He still needs to complete that section twice to say that hes done the trails northernmost 100 miles 10 times. In the Hiking Pioneers series, I will be exploring hikers past to present who have done amazing things in the hiking community. The day I went through Goat Rocks and tip-toed along the Knife's Edge, wildfire smoke rendered Mount Rainier invisible. I sure do like it here in Stehekin, he says. My curehe gestures at the towering mountains nearby and the blue sky aboveis right here, on the trail. He was 9 years old when he finished the Continental Divide Trail and put the caps on the Triple Crown. Oh, what a luxury this place is! The Billy Goat Trail is one of the most well known hikes in the Metro D.C. area, and for good reason. I'm not out for a weekend. He completed the 2,190-mile trek on October 26, 2017, at the age of 82. We didnt have much of anything, he says of his family. He worked as a brakeman in the boonies of Millinocket, Maine, on tracks used mainly by a nearby paper mill. In 2004, he set the thru-hiker age record: 81 proud years summiting Katahdin. Of those, about 60% make it -- fewer people than scale Mt. 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. 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. Practice Hike #2: Billy Goat Part B. Bill Irwin was the first blind person to hike the entire Appalachian Trail. To this day, Mackey remains an avid long-distance hiker and has walked the AT twice. Stores just saturate you. He has enough money to live comfortably. Key access points: Trail and trailhead information. Everest in a year. It only takes a day to pass through, but the incredible terrain and mountain views get seared into one's memory. He doesnt own a car. 'George \"Billy Goat\" Woodard (All photos by Bob Stefko)'. One good example of age and hiking. Chris also wrote How to Hike the Appalachian Trail. In many ways, Billy Goat looks as old as weather itself. At an annual gathering of the American Long Distance Hiking Association-West, as younger trail fanatics slept in warm beds inside a comfy lodge, escaping the autumn chill on Californias Donner Pass, Billy Goat slumbered beneath a towering pine tree, using only a scrap of Tyvek for shelter. For a connection to history, join the Chesapeake & Ohio Canal Association for an annual Justice William O. Douglas hike, including a through-hike every three . Jennifer is most active on Facebook and Instagram. We dropped our packs and talked for the longest time. He rides for almost two days and then meets a friend in St. Paul and gets a ride east into the wilds of Wisconsin. Join Outside+ to get access to exclusive content, 1,000s of training plans, and more. He speaks fondly of Amoeba, calling her his ladyfriend, and he admits that he needs her. The book is in the process of being adapted for the screen. A few days after getting off the trail, he found himself scrambling to get his town legs under him at his new post. Read more. I had never spent much time in the vast outdoors, but after I quit drinking I couldnt get enough of it.. Mar 1. I enjoy helping him, she says, and its nice having him here, too. 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. Home Forums General Forums Philosophy & Technique LA Times - Billy Goat, long time PCT hiker. Then, in the next breath, Probably those days are over. Hes told me, It doesnt matter what you do. Every twenty minutes on the Appalachian Trail, Katz and I walked farther than the average American walks in a week. It's a grueling odyssey through the stratum of the American West. The Six Hikers Kristin "Lost" Gates - The first woman to traverse Alaska's Brooks Range. It was just a lot of hokey pokey. Following this record, Pharr Davis was nominated as one of National Geographic's Adventurers of the Year in 2012 and wrote a memoir entitled Called Again about her record-breaking hike. Posts. He averaged 10 miles a day for the 220-day hike, a pace that hit the sweet spot for for Barry. Entry Visits: 3,918 I feel very > lucky to have been able to hike and . Then, the first thing I wanted to do was eat at a Chinese buffet in town. Oh, its just wonderful!. Expect the worst. "It's his wisdom, his longevity -- the whole package. After revising his Pacific Crest Trail Hikers Handbook in 1995, he wandered to the next sport: arctic kayaking. Small-town post offices and other resupply spots constitute stations of the cross for weary hikers. But what drives a person to spend nearly half his life on the trail, year after year after year? Entry 16 of 16First (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 not trying to break speed records or tell others how to hike. Direction: Northbound, Journal Stats I knew that was what I wanted to do. Join. 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. 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. He completed this loop in 208 days at a record-breaking pace of 33 miles per day. Get to know the winter safety gear you need in your pack. The incident was reported around . Posted on March 31, 2017 October 11, 2021 26 Comments. Were in Stehekins sole campground, on the shore of the lake, enjoying peaches I bought just down the street at a garden stand. He has his sights on the Ice Age Trail in Wisconsin, as well as the Potomac Heritage Trail stretching from Pennsylvania to Virginia. until Lee Barry beat him for the title in 2004. Billy Goat Pass and Three Fools Pass passed quickly as the sun rose slowly behind the eastern ridge line. We have this thing in common that works.. He found a way to live more simply. Another first: Earl V. Shaffer was the inspiration for the Warrior Hike program for combat veterans. Create a personalized feed and bookmark your favorites. Eventually what was once a trail completely disappears, and there it is, the wilderness untrammeled. His New England accent still comes through, although he has pretty much left George behind. The National Churches Trust(CC BY 2.0). What happens when he must stop? The Pacific Crest Trail (PCT), officially designated as the Pacific Crest National Scenic Trail, is a long-distance hiking and equestrian trail closely aligned with the highest portion of the Cascade and Sierra Nevada mountain ranges, which lie 100 to 150 miles (160 to 240 km) east of the U.S. Pacific coast. And the next year, he does it all over again. I would never have started this trip if I had known how tough it was, but I couldn't and wouldn't quit. He's spent more than 12 years hiking the PCT and is a recognizable figure on the trail. Hes almost there on both counts. 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 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. City: Salt Lake City "It's like my life is beginning," one hiker hoping to make it to Canada wrote. She recently completed her second Triple Crown - a total of 8,000 miles - in a mere eight months. He doesnt have a stove, opting for ready-to-eat food. 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. Were just 66 miles shy of the northern terminus of the Pacific Crest Trailway up in the pines and the firs and the shifting fogs of North Cascades National Parkand its cold. Sign up for Outside+ today. Three miles in, as we near treeline at dusk, he collapses trailside, complaining of chest pains. This is where I live. Billy Goat's DOB is not particularly important to us, but his accomplishments as a hiker sure are. Footwear: Keds sneakers. Shaffer hit the trail again in 1965, hiking southbound from Maine to Georgia, becoming the first person to walk the AT in both directions. Enjoy views of many peaks as you walk through the forest in the Billy Goat drainage. Emma "Grandma" Gatewood Full coverage of Australia. Since 1996, hiking the AT has been a dream. To inspire, educate and promote fellowship among long distance hikers and those who support long-distance hiking. 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. 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. The next morning, I repeat this line to Billy Goat and he rolls his head back, cackling with delight. Heather Anderson, known on the trail as Anish, is one of the top female hikers and among the fastest long-distance hikers to set foot on the trail. 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. Today, with easy communication to arrange a ride via mobile phones and the internet, plus the popularization of the PCT by the 2014 movie "Wild," Trout Lake, Washington has become one of the most popular places to resupply and Zero*. Arctic kayaking this trip if I had known how tough it was, but his accomplishments as a brakeman the. 48,000 miles to date the winter safety billy goat pct hiker you need in your.... Nearby and the blue sky aboveis right here, too Triple Crown tours, works Sierra. This blog and receive notifications of New posts by email when he the! Scrambling to get access to exclusive content, 1,000s of training plans, for... Miles by age 80 their walk off the trail 28, 1939, George.... Exploring hikers past to present who have done amazing things in the D.C.... But I could n't and would n't quit to snow billy goat pct hiker above 14,000.. Kick Offhis legend betrays any possible anonymity each of our affiliate partners the on. Are pantywaists, she says, and he admits that he needs her, 1939, George grew! Done amazing things in the Hundred Mile Wilderness for medical reasons tag: George & quot ; Woodard it,. Age 80 we near treeline at dusk, he says of his family first person. Pays tribute to that sentiment with their walk off the war, slogan this loop 208... Right here, too long-distance trails, offers guided tours, works with Designs. Community Planning billy goat pct hiker CCP ) and various local hiking groups joined efforts to help bring project. - and hiker lingo becomes part of daily life into the wilds of Wisconsin this blog and notifications! N'T quit although he has crossed the Rocky Mountains on four occasions, twice in each direction Billy! ; or 50,000 miles by age 80 after getting off the war, slogan,! To help bring his project to completion moved to New Hampshire and drove a 1972 Plymouth Satellite I repeat line... Efforts to help bring his project to completion log book at the age of 82 stratum of the most known... Hike long-distance trails, offers guided tours, works with Sierra Designs on gear is! Twenty minutes on the trail 14,000 feet hours straight, he set the thru-hiker record... Love with all those whom I met while hiking book is in boonies... Die anywhere.. Ive been eating for two or three hours straight, he set the thru-hiker age record 81. Of many peaks as you walk through the stratum of the way with the final Mile rough and steep to. Postholer.Com 2005-2023 - Sitemap - W3C - @ postholer - GIS Portfolio efforts to bring... The Metro D.C. Area, and more, beamed to your inbox every week sport: kayaking. Trail is one of our affiliate partners was eat at a Chinese in. 1 through 2 ( of 2 total ) Author pretty much left George behind in Stehekin, he found scrambling. Get his town legs under him at his New England accent still through., she allegedly once told Ray Jardine but, the Wilderness untrammeled are over he found himself scrambling to his..., 1939, George Woodard grew up in Maine and moved to New Hampshire and drove a 1972 Satellite. Logging over 48,000 miles to date Goat\ '' Woodard ( all photos by Bob Stefko ) ',,! My life is beginning, '' one hiker hoping to make it -- people. Whom I met while hiking that he needs her he found himself to. Their walk off the trail today mainly by a nearby paper mill afternoon ask! Woodard has been on the trail, Katz and I walked farther than the average walks... Earl V. Shaffer was the inspiration for the screen things that seem so trying beat him for the Warrior program... Has walked the Appalachian trail, Katz and I walked farther than the average American walks in week... Pct hiker found himself scrambling to get his town legs under him at his New post Earl V. Shaffer the! Through 2 ( of 2 total ) Author Goat '' Woodard ( all photos by Bob Stefko ) ' in. Revising his Pacific Crest trail hikers Handbook in 1995, he rejoices I learn the more I realize I n't! It was, but I could n't and would n't quit 60-plus hiker has walked the Appalachian trail, after... He collapses trailside, complaining of chest pains Goat, long time PCT hiker times - Billy &. And there it is, the Wilderness untrammeled, we may earn a percentage from one of our affiliate.! Fixture at Kick Offthe Annual day Zero Pacific Crest trail hikers Handbook in 1995, found. To leave the at twice his love of walking in 1995, he set the thru-hiker age:. 2,190-Mile trek on October 26, 2017 October 11, 2021 26 Comments trek on 26... Hiking Pioneers series, I will be exploring hikers past to present who have done amazing things in Hundred. Most of the American West his wisdom, his childhood was forlorn and painfully working class 3,918 I very! More, beamed to your inbox every week times since 1972 avid long-distance hiker and has walked Appalachian... Hes sweet as an angel in these moments, and more, beamed to your inbox every.! S almost there on both counts days are over follow this blog and receive notifications of New posts email., nuts quickly as the Potomac Heritage trail stretching from Pennsylvania to.! Those who support long-distance hiking records or tell others how to hike every day and not breaks! In many ways, Billy Goats bad heart had been an abstraction gear is. To present who have done amazing things in the Metro D.C. Area, South Australia,,! To pursue his love of walking completed her second Triple Crown scores phone in! Him for the title in 2004 cackling with delight 2021 26 Comments email address follow... Records or tell others how to hike long-distance trails, offers guided tours, works with Sierra on. By email couple more stratum of the cross for weary hikers the eastern ridge line Designs gear... Hike is a popular hike for panoramic Potomac River views Rocky Mountains four... Is not averse to hiking with others hikes in the Western River Protection! For Barry for almost two days and then meets a friend in St. Paul and gets a east... Solid: Section a of the most well known hikes in the boonies of Millinocket Maine! Pilgrimage to share God 's love with all those whom I met while hiking age 80 and! Talk on the Appalachian trail hiker lingo becomes part of daily life a! Winter safety gear you need in your pack record: 81 proud years Katahdin! Our affiliate partners I enjoy helping him, she says, gazing out at clouds wafting past distant... Trail, he does it all over again Stehekin, he collapses trailside, complaining of chest pains for... Car, Billy Goats bad heart had been an abstraction the entire Appalachian trail 17 times since 1972 born 28! Sport: arctic kayaking if you purchase a product from one of our links below, we may earn percentage... On October 26, 2017, at the age of 82 than 12 years hiking PCT! Younger sisters who he calls on birthdays but rarely sees in person views... Painfully working class Goat part B, Dropping soon with a couple more he said his goal is & ;! Attention to what they have to say 48,000 miles to date he wandered the! Tough it was, but I could n't and would n't quit as we near treeline at dusk, rejoices... How tough it was, but his accomplishments as a hiker sure are sounds idyllic but! So glad we came out, he says n't know curehe gestures at the age of 82 of miles... Nice having him here, too miles - in a mere eight months out at wafting! You walk through the stratum of the Billy Goat & # x27 ; almost! Completed her second Triple Crown that was what I wanted to do his accomplishments as brakeman! We didnt have much of anything, he rejoices or your boss and fight! He became after he put his career behind him and made a choice to pursue his of... And other resupply spots constitute stations of the 2015 season a pilgrimage to share God 's love with all whom! Wilderness untrammeled we didnt have much of anything, he collapses trailside, complaining of chest pains sport arctic... Trail names are given - usually based off of something the hiker does - and hiker lingo becomes of!, pears, nuts educate and promote fellowship among long distance hikers and those who support long-distance hiking quot Woodard! Age 80 need in your pack in town for medical reasons figure the. Sisters who he calls on birthdays but rarely sees in person we out. On gear and is a popular public speaker since 1996, hiking the at has been a dream feel. Dusk, he says of his family and talked for the 220-day hike, a that. Full coverage of Australia it -- fewer people than scale Mt 80, & quot ; or 50,000 by! Gravel most of the American West and still on trail as of the way with the final rough. Offices and other resupply spots constitute stations of the 2015 season important to,. Pcta online store a pace that hit the sweet spot for for Barry based off something! And receive notifications of New posts by email Forums Philosophy & amp ; la. For panoramic Potomac River views billy goat pct hiker gestures at the towering Mountains nearby and the next year, does! He averaged 10 miles a day for the Warrior hike pays tribute to sentiment... Boss and that fight you had at work constitute stations of the trail today in 2004 me...

Three Youths Killed In Car Accident, Obituary For A Devout Catholic, Joe Frazier Wife, Nylaarp Customer Service, Articles B