Triple Crown of Hiking

The Triple Crown of Hiking informally refers to the three major U.S. long-distance hiking trails:

Hikers on the Bob Marshall Wilderness trail. The trail is maintained by The Montana Wilderness Association (CDT Montana).

The total length of the three trails is about 7,900 miles (12,700 km); vertical gain is more than 1,000,000 feet (190 mi; 300 km). A total of 22 states are visited if the three trails are completed.[4] The American Long Distance Hiking Association – West (ALDHA–West) is the only organization that recognizes this hiking feat. At the ALDHA–West gathering, held each fall, the Triple Crown honorees are recognized and awarded plaques noting their achievement. As of November 2019, 440 hikers have been designated Triple Crowners by ALDHA-West since 1994.[5]

History

The first person to ever achieve The Triple Crown of Hiking was Eric Ryback. Ryback completed the Appalachian Trail in 1969 as a 16-year-old. He completed the Pacific Crest Trail in 1970 and chronicled it in his 1971 book The High Adventure of Eric Ryback: Canada to Mexico on Foot. Ryback completed the Continental Divide Trail in 1972 and chronicled it in his second book, The Ultimate Journey (now out of print).[6]

In 2013, Reed Gjonnes, age 13, became the youngest person to thru-hike all three trails to complete the Triple Crown. A thru-hike is defined as completing a long trail in a single trip. She hiked all three trails as continuous northbound hikes in one hiking season each.[7] Along with her father Eric Gjonnes, she hiked The Pacific Crest Trail in 2011, the Appalachian Trail in 2012, and the Continental Divide Trail in 2013.

As of 2018, Christian Geiger, age 9, is the youngest person to have hiked all three trails to complete the Triple Crown.[8] Christian, known by his trail name Buddy Backpacker, completed all three trails with his step-father Dion Pagonis.[9] Together they completed the Appalachian Trail in 2013 when Buddy was 5,[10][11] the Pacific Crest Trail when he was 6 in 2014,[12] and began the Continental Divide Trail in the spring of 2016 and completed it in September 2017 when he was 9.[13]

On September 15, 2019, combat veteran Will Robinson, age 38, became the first African American male to complete the Triple Crown. Will thru-hiked the Pacific Crest Trail in 2017, the Appalachian Trail in 2018, and completed the Continental Divide Trail in 2019.[14] Will's trail name is Akuna, from the Swahili phrase Hakuna Matata meaning "no worries," and made popular by a song in The Lion King.

Elsye Walker, known as chardonnay on the trail, is the first black woman to hike all three trails to complete the Triple Crown.[15] She thru-hiked the Pacific Crest Trail in 2015, the Appalachian Trail in 2016/2018,[16][17] and in 2017 she thru-hiked the Continental Divide Trail.[18]

By the end of 2018, only ten people had completed the Triple Crown within one calendar year. “Flyin’” Brian Robinson was the first, and Heather “Anish” Anderson was the only woman.[19] The three long distance hikes can't be done continuously in one season because of snow, but are generally attempted in sections.

Calendar-year Triple Crown

The most prestigious accomplishment in long-distance hiking is the completion of the Triple Crown of Hiking in a single calendar year.[20] The first person to hike the Triple Crown in a calendar year was Brian Robinson, who completed the Triple Crown in 2001.[21][22] The first woman to complete the challenge was Heather Anderson (AKA Anish) in 2018.[23] On December 29, 2018, Tyler "The Prodigy" Lau, became the first Person of Color and first Asian American to complete the Calendar Year Triple Crown.[24]

See also

References
  1. Pacific Crest Trail Association. "Pacific Crest Trail – Frequently Asked Questions". Pacific Crest National Scenic Trail: Online Map and Guide – Mexico to Canada. United States Forest Service. Retrieved December 30, 2010.
  2. Gailey, Chris (2006). "Appalachian Trail FAQs" Outdoors.org (accessed September 14, 2006)
  3. Karen Berger. "America's Triple Crown—Hiking on the Appalachian, Pacific Crest and Continental Divide Trails". Gorp. Archived from the original on May 13, 2010. Retrieved November 25, 2009.
  4. Glenn Adams, Associated Press Writer (October 27, 2001). "Hiker Achieves 'Triple Crown'". Washington Post. Retrieved November 25, 2009.
  5. "Triple Crown", American Long Distance Hiking Association – West
  6. "Eric Ryback". Cold Splinters blog. November 5, 2009. Retrieved March 5, 2016.
  7. "Ore. girl, 13, youngest to claim hiking 'Triple Crown'". USA TODAY.
  8. "Buddy Backpacker". BuddyBackpacker. Retrieved October 15, 2017.
  9. "About Buddy". BuddyBackpacker. Retrieved October 15, 2017.
  10. "Being Buddy Backpacker". Blue Ridge Outdoors Magazine. March 13, 2014. Retrieved October 15, 2017.
  11. Kindergarten Can Wait: The Story of Buddy Backpacker, retrieved October 15, 2017
  12. "Meet Andrea (Buddy Backpacker's Mom) – Hike Like A Woman". hikelikeawoman.net. Retrieved October 15, 2017.
  13. "Buddy Backpacker". www.facebook.com. Retrieved October 15, 2017.
  14. Miles, Kathryn (October 1, 2019). "The Triple Crown Is Just the Beginning for Will 'Akuna' Robinson". Outside Online. Retrieved March 8, 2020.
  15. "wandering chardonnay". wandering chardonnay. Retrieved September 5, 2018.
  16. "107 Chardonnay- Looking for a Triple Crown This Summer". Cascade Hiker Podcast. Retrieved September 5, 2018.
  17. "Walking Off the Beaten Path: The Not-So-Happy Trails Quit". Quitting by Design. May 1, 2018. Retrieved September 5, 2018.
  18. "Hiking With Chardonnay – Hike Like A Woman". hikelikeawoman.net. Retrieved September 5, 2018.
  19. Miller, Elizabeth. "How Heather "Anish" Anderson Finished the Triple Crown in a Single Year". Backpacker. Retrieved May 6, 2019.
  20. "ALDHA-West - Past Recipients". American Long Distance Hiking Association (West). Retrieved July 22, 2019.
  21. Steubner, Steve (October 8, 2006). "Hiking the Continental Divide Trail". AmericanProfile .com. Retrieved November 16, 2016.
  22. Hazley, Matthew; Butler, Robert III (2005). "Matthew Hazley – TrailCast 12 (43:00; audio talk)". TrailCast. Retrieved November 23, 2016.
  23. "Heather "Anish" Anderson". Fastest Known Time. Retrieved July 22, 2019.
  24. "8,000 Miles for 8,000 Smiles: The Stats Behind a Record-Setting Year for Tyler Lau". The Outdoor Journal. April 16, 2019. Retrieved July 13, 2020.

Further reading
  • Berger, Karen and Daniel Smith (1993). Where the Waters Divide: A Walk along America's Continental Divide. New York: Random House.
  • Bruce, Dan (2000) The Thru-Hiker's Handbook Hot Springs, North Carolina: Center for Appalachian Trail Studies.
  • Norton, Russell (1997) Long Trail End-to-Ender's Guide. Waterbury Center, Vermont: Green Mountain Club.
  • Shaffer, Earl V. (1983) Walking With Spring. Harper's Ferry, West Virginia: the Appalachian Trail Conference.
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