I have always thought that when I reached the ripe-old age of 92, I would be happiest in a recliner with a good book and a nice breeze coming in through the window. But for some, 21 hours of hiking through rugged terrain is their way of enjoying the twilight years.

And I’m sure breaking a world record doesn’t hurt, either. Alfredo Aliaga Burdio, 92, became the oldest person to hike the Grand Canyon rim-to-rim, on foot. The German beat American John Jepkema who set the first record at the age of 91.

Alfredo Aliaga Burdio after breaking the world record for hiking the Grand Canyon rim-to-rim. Photo by Guinness World Record

“I had read about the previous record holder, Mr. John Jepkema whom I admired 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 the following year.”

Burdio’s wife, his constant travel partner, died in 2006. Since then, Burdio had spent his time traveling back to places the couple had visited, and spending his time hiking and getting stronger. In 2022, Burdio said he began training for the Grand Canyon hike by walking 8 miles every day. As the actual hike started this year, he said the first bit was the hardest.

I was very tired after those first five hours,” he said. But after a 15-minute refueling break, he “felt strong again.”

Along his way, Burdio said he met other people who cheered him on. Some had seen him in a recent TV interview as well as on a Facebook hiking group. “(There were) a lot of people asking me, ‘Oh, you are Alfredo. May I get a picture with you?'” Burdio said. “We lost a lot of time making pictures, and they (would say), ‘Oh, you are my hero, you are my inspiration.'”

Burdio, left, completed the Grand Canyon challenge alongside his daughter, Anabel Aliaga-Buchenau. Photo courtesy of Aliaga-Buchenau

The record-keeping organization said that Burdio’s trek from the North Rim Trailhead down to Phantom Ranch took 11 hours and 15 minutes, while his hike the next day from Phantom Ranch to the South Rim Trailhead, took 10 more hours. So in total, he hiked for more than 21 hours.

Burdio said that walking at a slow and steady pace was the key to his success. “I think of the next step and the next, and not how far I still have to go,” he said. “Then it is not so overwhelming and very doable.” His daughter, Anabel Aliaga-Buchenau who hiked alongside her father, said that after the hike, Burdio “feels happy and very proud.”

The 92-year-old said his plans to hike more of the Grand Canyon, but doesn’t expect to set any other records there. However, he noted, he plans to work on being the oldest person to hike trails in the Andes Mountains in South America. However, he said, “… I have to see how I am doing then. I am getting older.” Wow – Watch this spry 92-year-old set a world record below!

Sources: People | Daily Mail