ALDHAWest

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Triple Crown

The Triple Crown Award is recognition of the dedication, commitment, and achievement of those who have completed the three major National Scenic Trails; the Appalachian Trail, the Pacific Crest Trail, and the Continental Divide Trail. ALDHA-West (www.aldhawest.org) is the only organization that officially recognizes the accomplishment of these few intrepid hikers. At the ALDHA-West Gathering, held each fall, the Triple Crown honorees are recognized and awarded plaques noting their achievement.

If you have completed the Triple Crown and would like more information on receiving your due recognition, please download the Triple Crown information letter, or contact Jackie "Yogi" McDonnell

Operating on the honor system, ALDHA-West gives equal recognition to thru-hikers and section-hikers and assumes that those who apply for Triple Crown status have hiked the entire length of all three trails. Reasonable alternate routes or required road walks are considered viable substitutes for an official route, assuming one exists. ALDHA-West does not consider issues such as sequence, direction, speed, duration, frequency, or whether one carries a pack. If you have reached this incredible level of hiking, then you too are entitled to be recognized at our next Gathering, tentatively scheduled for September 25-27, 2009, near Portland, Oregon.

The deadline for applying for 2009 Triple Crown recognition is August 1, 2009.

We hope to see all of you at the Gathering, whether a Triple Crowner or not!!

Web Editor's Note: If you are a past Triple Crown recipient and would like to have your picture included just sent an image or contact me at Web Editor.

2008 Triple Crown Recipients:

Meridith "Nimble Will Nomad" Eberhart
AT 1998, 2000, CDT 2007, PCT 2008

Bert "Wildcat" Emmerson
AT 2004, PCT 2005, CDT 2007

Clint "Lint" Bunting
AT 2004, PCT 2006, CDT 2007

Anitra "Nitro" Kass
AT 2004, PCT 2005, CDT 2007

Garrett "The Onion" Christensen*
AT 2002, PCT 2004, CDT 2007

Jessica "Wildflower" Winters*
AT 2003, PCT 2002, CDT 2007

Li Brannfors*
AT 2007, PCT 2000, CDT 2007

Eric Ryback
AT 1969, PCT 1970, CDT 1972

Andrew "Garlic" Claus
AT 2008, PCT 2004, CDT 2007

Al Learned
AT 2007, PCT 2003, CDT 2005

Melissa "Puff Puff" Pysz
AT 2003, PCT 2006, CDT 2007

Scott "Snappy" Zilaitis
AT 2003, PCT 2006, CDT 2007

John "Wizard" Simansky
AT 1990, PCT 1993, CDT 1996

Paulus "ToeK" Smit
AT 2001, PCT 2004, CDT 2007

Steve "Garlic Man" Walters
AT 2002, PCT 2003, CDT 2005

* See video of their acceptance of their Triple Crown Award.

2007 Triple Crown Recipients:

The 2007 Gathering set a new record in recognizing 22 recipients of the Triple Crown!
Please help us identify all the Triple Crowners in the group photo

Justin "Trauma" Lichter
AT 03, PCT 04, CDT 06

Adam Pelletier
AT 00, PCT 04, CDT 06

Kevin "Wild Child" Hogan
AT 00, PCT 02, CDT 06

Shinobu "Buddhu" Price
AT 02, PCT 03, CDT 05

Sanne "Ready" Larsen Bagby
PCT 02, AT 03, CDT 04

Chris "Spur" Bagby
AT 99, PCT 02, CDT 04

Shawn "Pepper Pa" Forry
AT 03, PCT 04, CDT 06

Richard "Tin Cup" Hitz
AT 00, PCT 03, CDT 06

Gordon R. "Gandalf" Crawford Jr.
PCT 02, CDT 05, AT 07

Lawton "Disco" Grinter
AT 99, PCT 04, CDT 06

Mike "d-low" DiLorenzo
AT 00, PCT 02, CDT 06

Paul "Mags" Magnanti
AT 98, PCT 02, CDT 06

Heather "Anishnabe" Anderson
AT 03, PCT 05, CDT 06

Arlette "Apple Pie" Laan
PCT 03, CDT 04, AT 05

Remy Levin
AT 04, PCT 05, CDT 06

Bill "Berkeley Bill"
PCT 01, CDT 03, AT 05

Harold "Pickle" Herring
AT 02, PCT 04, CDT 07

Alden Tondettar
PCT 05, CDT 06, AT 07

Graham Black
AT 99, PCT 97, CDT 07

Michael "Nacho" Vaz
AT 02, PCT 04, CDT 06

Richard "5 Gallon" Efrid
AT 02, PCT 04, CDT 06

John "Tradja" Drollette
AT 96, PCT 99, CDT 06

2006 Triple Crown Recipients:

Bruce "Tater" McMurtry

PCT-1999, 2001, AT 2003, CDT 2005

Tommy "Mozes" Hayes

AT 2000, PCT 2003, CDT 2005

Stacy "Simply Seeking" Boone
AT 1998, PCT 2001, CDT 2006

2005 Triple Crown Recipients:

Mike Benedetti

AT 2003, PCT 2003, CDT 2004

Sharon Dziengel

AT 1998, CDT 2001, PCT 2003

Denny Fixmer

PCT 1994, AT 2003, CDT 1996, 2002, '04, '06

Dan Galvagni

AT 2000, PCT 2002, CDT 2004

Clifford Hardin

AT 1990, PCT 2003, CDT 2005

Bruce Heine

AT 1998, PCT 2002, CDT 2004

Jackie McDonnell

AT 1999, PCT 2002, '03, CDT 2004

Bill Nedderman

AT 1982, 2002, PCT 1984, 2004, CDT 1992, 2003

Amy Robbins

AT 1993, PCT 2003, CDT 2005

Robert Sylvester

AT 1998, PCT 2000, CDT 2002

David Wynn

AT 1998, PCT 2001, CDT 2004

2004 Triple Crown Recipients:

Left to right:

Kathy Faulks

Bradford, England

PCT 1994, '95, AT 1997, CDT 2000, '01,

Jane Powell

Oklahoma City, OK

PCT 1994, '95, CDT 2000, '01, AT 1988, 2004

Marcia & Ken Powers

PCT 2000, CDT 2002, AT 2003

2003 Triple Crown Recipients

Wyatt Shudlick
Santa Barbara, CA
PCT 1996, CDT 1998, AT 2000

Jeff "PA Jeff" Zimmerman
AT 1976, PCT 1977, CDT 2002

Bruce "Ishmael" Dunlavy
Boiling Springs, PA
AT 1996, PCT 1999, CDT 2002

Chris "Tripod" Rinehart
Portland, OR
AT 1998, PCT 2000, CDT 2002

Gregory "Grizzly" Boone
Whitefield, NH
AT 1999, PCT 2001, CDT 2002

2002 Triple Crown Recipients

David Odell
Kodiak, AK
AT 1971, PCT 1972, CDT 1977

Doug Smith
Asheville, NC
AT 1982, PCT 1989, CDT 1995

Kathy "Wandering Star" Faulks
Todmorden, England
PCT 1995, AT 1997, CDT 2001

Brian Robinson
Mountain View, CA
PCT 1997, CDT 2001, AT 2001

Bob Ellinwood
Bedford, VA
AT 1983, PCT 1991, CDT 2002

Claudia Tuor
Plons, Switzerland
AT 1998, PCT 2000, CDT 2002

2001 Triple Crown Recipients

David Valenzuela
Lagrange, NC
AT 1995, PCT 1997, CDT 1999

George 'Billy Goat' Woodard
Nathrop, CO
AT 1971, PCT 1989, CDT 1997

Ron Vaughn
Endwell, NY
AT 1991, PCT 1998, CDT 2000

2000 Triple Crown Recipients

Dan Smith
Bronxville, NY
AT 1980, PCT 1986, CDT 1990

Karen Berger
Bronxville, NY
CDT 1990, AT 1994, PCT 1997

William Emerson
Redmond, WA
AT 1996, PCT 1998, CDT 1999

Ginny Owen
AT 1988, CDT 1999, PCT 2000

Jim Owen
AT 1992, CDT 1999, PCT 2000

Gary "Lindy" Lindberg
Findley, MN
AT 1994, PCT 1999, CDT 2000

Rob Adamson
Hillsborough, Sheffield UK
AT 1995, PCT 1997, CDT 2000

1999 Triple Crown Recipients

Andrew Helliwell
Bradford, West Yorkshire, England
AT 1993, PCT 1995, CDT 1998

1998 Triple Crown Recipients

Walkin' Jim Stoltz
Big Sky, MT
AT 1974, CDT 1979, PCT 1996
Website: www.walkinjim.com

Glenn 'Fiddlehead' Fleagle
Schuykill Haven, PA
AT 1991, PCT 1996, CDT 1998

David Patterson
Richmond, VA
AT 1995, PCT 1996, CDT 1998

1997 Triple Crown Recipients

Marmot
West Vancover, BC Canada
AT 1991, PCT, 1994, CDT 1996

1996 Triple Crown Recipients

Jim Podlesney
Port Angeles, WA
AT 1973, PCT 1975, CDT 1979

Cindy Sinclair
Norfolk, CT
AT 1975, PCT 1977, CDT 1985

Kirk Sinclair
Norfolk, CT
AT 1975, PCT 1977, CDT 1985

Diane Ensminger
St. Petersburg, FL
AT 1990, PCT 1992, CDT 1996

Frank Spirek
St. Petersburg, FL
AT 1990, PCT 1992, CDT 1996

1995 Triple Crown Recipients

Namie Bacile II
Richardson, TX
AT 1989, PCT 1992, CDT 1994

Scott Williamson
Richmond, CA
PCT 1993, CDT 1994, AT 1995

1994 Triple Crown Recipients

1994 was the year ALDHAWest initiated the Triple Crown Award

Steve Queen
Tigard, OR
PCT 1981, AT 1983, CDT 1991

Jenny Jardine
LaPine, OR
PCT 1987, CDT 1992, AT 1993

Ray Jardine
LaPine, OR
PCT 1987, CDT 1992, AT 1993

Alice Gmuer
Vancouver, BC Canada
PCT 1988, AT 1990, CDT 1993

Brice Hammack
Portland, OR
PCT 1987, AT 1991, CDT 1994