In September 2025 Dale Sanders will begin his second Appalachian Trail thru-hike. In the month leading up to this adventure, Dale is seeking support shuttle drivers as well as donations towards covering the costs of a brand new documentary, about this amazing feat. After all, Dale will be 90 years old when he steps out on the trail.
If you meet Dale on the hike and have photos or videos please email them to our Volunteer Coordinator, Jonathan Biebesheimer. He can pass them on to the Social Medial Coordinator. She would like that.
Can I be a shuttle driver for Dale's Basecamp on Wheels? Visit this page to find out more about being a shuttle driver and how to apply.
Is there something I can do if I’m not able to be a Base Camp on Wheels Shuttle Driver? We always appreciate volunteers. They're a great morale booster for Dale and a wonderful source for information on unusual adventures. In Dales’ case, hiking the AT again, volunteers are the only way he can pull this thing off. Sponsors are always welcome so if anyone knows a company or individual who likes to support incredible efforts then please let us know!
Can I hike with Dale? More than two hikers walking daily along side Dale is discouraged. As hikers say - “Everyone should hike their own hike” and it's much simpler and more enjoyable without having to worry about getting several people ready and off hiking at the same time each morning just so they can hike together for the day.
How will the Guinness World Record work? Dale has applied to Guinness World Records and they have approved this through-hike challenge. They require tons of documented evidence: Daily witnesses location certification, timekeeper letters, GPS documentation from at least one source, daily photo evidence, daily video evidence and daily log book witness signatures and contact Information evidence. All on site volunteers, specialized personally following Dale, as well as lay hikers, will have the opportunity to participate in the documentation process.
How is this trip being paid for? According to Backpacker Magazine, the average cost to thru-hiking the Appalachian Trail ranges from $5,000 to $7,000 for a 5 to 7-month hike which includes gear, trail resupply, and town expenses. Dale plans to pay all costs associated with purchase, maintenance and operating of the Basecamp on Wheels. He will also be paying most of his food cost, personal hiking expenses like travel, food, permits, mapping/GPS service, medical cost and all other all personal type expenses. He will not be asking for donations to cover these costs, but the fundraiser is to enable the production of a documentary about the hike.
What is the Appalachian Trail? The AT is world class trail, with about 4,000 - 5,000 thru-hikers starting their well planned journey each year. Most failing far short of the finish line: A Quote From the ATC website: “Each year, about a thousand people complete a thru-hike on the Appalachian Trail, walking the 2,192 miles that run from Springer Mountain in Georgia to Mount Katahdin in Maine. Millions more follow the trail for some shorter stretch, whether along the alpine ridge of New Hampshire’s Presidential Range, the towpath of the Chesapeake & Ohio Canal, or the downtown sidewalks of Damascus, Virginia, making the trail corridor one of the most well used and widely recognized recreational sites in the world.” Dale prays he will be a member of the roughly 1,000!
Who is in Dale's Team? On a day-to-day basis Dale is just Dale! You know all about him through this website. He does have some good friends involved in helping bring each adventure together.
Coltin Calloway will be hiking with Dale and creating the film about the adventure.
Jonathan Biebesheimer will be behind-the-scenes liaison for Dale's Shuttle Driver team. Jonathan has had a passion for adventures since he was young. He grew up exploring the backwoods of Connecticut and the coast of New England while reading books about Thor Heyerdahl's Kon-Tiki expedition and Peter Jenkins' walk across America. Fast forward to an adult, Jonathan has continued to find new ways to explore the outdoors and new aspects of himself. Hundreds of miles hiking, off-roading in his old ISUZU Trooper and solo paddling North Carolina's longest rivers source to sea including the Neuse, Tar, Cape Fear and Yadkin, he follows his curiosity in order to learn and grow. When not out in the wild he is at his laptop planning trips and keeping tabs of other people's expeditions, with a lending hand always in his mind.