Nonagenarian Becomes the Oldest Person to Hike the Grand Canyon on Foot
A 92-year-old man has become the oldest person to traverse the Grand Canyon rim-to-rim on foot. Alfredo Aliaga Burdio spoke to Guinness World Records about his magnificent accomplishment, which he completed in October. Though his record-breaking jaunt was far from his first trip across the canyon, Burdio admitted that he didn’t start practicing healthy habits until late in life.
“I began living a healthy lifestyle really at age 76,” he said. Burdio credits his youthful energy with a few key lifestyle choices: watching his diet, drinking lots of water, taking daily 30-minute walks, and “sleeping in the dark of the night for eight hours.”
Burdio was inspired to make the 24-mile trek after reading about the previous record-holder, 91-year-old John Jepkema, who set the record last March. “I admired [him] immensely,” Burdio said. “I knew that I was only a few months younger than Mr. Jepkema had been and thought that I had a great shot at setting a new record.”
A trip to the Grand Canyon with his daughter and grandson, which stirred memories of a similar trip he’d taken with his late wife, pushed Burdio to embark upon the necessary training. That consisted of walking eight miles every day until he departed with his hiking group in October.
Burdio brought with him his daughter and her husband, as well as two people who served as witnesses to the feat. He completed the journey over two days, spending 21 hours and 15 minutes on the trail. More than his world record, Burdio valued the people he met along the way. He expressed particular admiration for his two witnesses, Peter Todd and Julian Coiner.
“Can you believe that two people who would usually cross the canyon in eight hours agreed to be witnesses, walked at my speed, and were unwavering in their support?” Burdio marveled. “[They] are truly unusually kind and wonderful people.”
The trip was so heartening that Burdio is now considering attempting another record-breaking journey. He’d next like to climb the deadly Aconcagua mountain in Argentina, the location where a group of hikers died under suspicious circumstances. He’s also considering climbing the inactive Chimborazo volcano in Ecuador, or perhaps the country’s still-active Cotopaxi volcano.
“But I have to see how I am doing then,” Burdio said of his future plans. “I am getting older,” he cracked.
