Celebrating Elsye Walker, the First Black Hiker to Complete a Triple Crown

“Mostly I like [walking] by myself…Then I can go my own pace, be that fast or slow”

— Elsye “Chardonnay” Walker

On the morning of July 13, 2018, Elsye “Chardonnay” Walker reached the summit of Mount Katahdin in Maine and became the first Black person of any gender to complete the Triple Crown of long-distance hiking. It was the culmination of three years and 8,000 miles of walking and camping along the Appalachian Trail (AT), the Continental Divide Trail (CDT) and the Pacific Crest Trail (PCT). Recently, I had the incredible opportunity to interview Elsye and learn from her experience.

Taking Up Space: A Life Spent Outdoors

Born and raised in Flint, Michigan, Elsye spent a large part of her childhood outdoors. There were few spaces that were off limits and her parents, who were also outdoorsy, encouraged her to explore her surroundings. Just before graduating from high school, she joined the military. She would go on to spend five years in the Army, which she credits for giving her the mental resilience required to finish the Triple Crown.

Phase 1: The Pacific Crest Trail

After living in California for some time, Elsye made the decision to hike the Pacific Crest Trail in 2015. She worked two jobs for six months in order to raise the money to fund the expedition. In April 2015, she set out on the PCT which starts just south of Campo, California. Five months and 2,650 miles later, she reached the northern end of the trail along the U.S.-Canadian border. 

The PCT was her first experience thru-hiking. “I didn’t know what I was doing; the days seemed more magical because everything was new,” she said in our interview. She averaged anywhere from 25-32 miles per day—at one point covering 40 miles in order to reach the nearest town for resupply.

It’s one of the most dangerous thru-hikes in the United States. The Pacific Crest Trail Association warns hikers to stay alert and be prepared to deal with lightning, cold weather, falling rocks, wild animals, and other dangers. The hardship endured by thru-hikers on the PCT was also documented by Cheryl Strayed in her book Wild.

Fearless even in the face of danger, Elsye pressed on, determined to reach Canada. At one point she suffered a sprained ankle. Roughly 1,000 miles into the journey she slipped on a log in the middle of the Eastern Sierra Mountain range. The nearest town was 30 miles away. Alone, and left with no choice - she just kept walking.

“At that point, I was so far along and determined to get to Canada,” she said. “I didn’t want to see the doctors so I took three days off and had a friend wrap it up with duct tape.”

After completing the PCT, she found out that her ankle was fractured. She still proudly refers to it as her hiking scar as the bone never set properly.

After a while, she began to miss life on the trail. And it was on the PCT where she had met other hikers who first told her about the Triple Crown: three long-distance hikes totaling 8,000 miles. Having really enjoyed her first experience, she decided to hike the other two trails. “I don’t like to not complete something,” she offered as explanation. “The Pacific Crest Trail was the first trail. I didn’t want to quit and go home.”

Phase 2: From the Appalachian Trail to the Continental Divide - and Back to Appalachia

The next year she set out on the Appalachian Trail (AT), beginning at Springer Mountain in Georgia and walking north. She made it as far as the Berkshire Mountains in Massachusetts before she decided to take a break. There was a moment when she simply got tired, Elsye recalled. Hiking had become less enjoyable and more of a chore. She found it difficult to replicate the excitement of hiking the Pacific Crest Trail for the first time.

She decided to pivot to thru-hiking the Continental Divide Trail instead, which she managed to do in 2017. At the time, the Continental Divide Trail had yet to be completed. Intrigued by the idea of setting her own path through an unique American landscape she left Appalachia behind and headed west.

The Continental Divide Trail (CDT) stretches 3,100 miles from the U.S. - Mexico border in the south to the U.S. - Canada border. Along the way, it passes through New Mexico, Colorado, Wyoming, Idaho and Montana. On the CDT she hiked 30-mile days to finish well before the winter season which typically starts in late September. Towns were fewer and farther between which meant going for longer stretches without resupply.

Hiking the American Backcountry as a Black Solo Traveler 

The question that Elsye gets most often is how she managed to stay safe as a Black solo hiker in rural America. She says the fear comes down to an issue of perception.

She doesn’t deny walking past Confederate flags or encountering other white supremacist dog whistles. Nor does she condone racism in any way. When confronted with verbal or physical intimidation, the Army veteran’s approach was to simply just walk away. She kept her focus on putting one foot in front of the other.

Despite the occasional challenges, her experiences with people in different parts of the country and on the trail were generally positive. “I was very lucky to get into a bubble of people who were so much fun to hike with,” she said when asked about how she felt being a solo Black female thru-hiker. “It was like that safety thing at first, just finding your people.” She appreciated the fact that everyone was looking out for one another on the trail. "Honestly it's not a black/white thing. There were far more people that wanted to help than harm."

She also recounts meeting a lot of white locals who were incredibly kind. “A lot of people out there are just trying to live their lives, you know - getting their kids through school and owning a house,” she said. You start to see that  [rural America] isn’t as crazy as people try to make it on the news.”

I also asked her about her experiences with her fellow four-legged thru-hikers. While hiking the Pacific Crest Trail, she saw a lot of black bears. According to Elsye, they generally aren’t as scary as someone might think. She was more concerned about encountering territorial animals like grizzly bears and wild boars. On a daily basis, however, her biggest concern was insects. “I don’t like bugs,” she confessed. “Some hikers enjoyed sleeping cowboy-style without a tent. I sleep in a tent because it makes me feel better to have a separation between me and nature.”

Inspiring the Next Generation of BIPOC Thru-Hikers

Her best advice to BIPOC interested in thru-hiking America is to ‘just do it’.

“You can’t wait for someone to look like you for you to go and do it,” Elsye added.

She also agrees that careful planning goes a long way to make sure that you have enough budgeted enough money for food and emergencies. Elsye worked two jobs and lived in her car for 4-5 months in order to save up the money to fund the expedition. She got additional support from friends and family who believed in her goal. At the end of the day, sponsorship is good, but not necessary, Elsye assured me.

She thrifted the majority of her gear and bought socks from a local dollar store. “In reality you just need the basics, you don’t need name brand or cool,” she added. Elsye didn’t invest in cute REI hiking pants or even sturdy boots. Her favorite hiking outfit? A skirt that she thrifted for $10 and a pair of New Balance running sneakers. The trainers ended up being her biggest gear investment; she went through at least 4-5 pairs of sneakers on the Pacific Crest Trail alone.

Initially she arranged food drop offs but she quickly learned how to shop for groceries and send them ahead to the next town. Along the way, she found opportunities to work in exchange for a place to stay at hostels. “Sometimes you just have to go out there and find those things out. Once you get out there you start learning,” said Elsye.

And the legacy she wants to leave for young people?

“I want young people to get out of their boxes and go out and live,” said the Army veteran. “College is great but not for everybody. Get out there and live your life. At the end of the day you don’t want to be wishing you had.”

In 2020, the Triple Crown record holder was diagnosed with cancer. The diagnosis only reaffirmed her commitment to living life fully, authentically and unapologetically. Part of continuing the legacy of Black thru-hiking is celebrating the achievements of those who decided to ‘just do it’, and who inspire all of us to live our life to the fullest despite the barriers we face. 

Congratulations Elsye on your incredible achievement!!

Additional Reading

Learn about Akuna Robinson, the second Black Triple Crown hiker after Elsye.

Learn about Robert Taylor, the first African American of any gender to thru-hike the Pacific Crest Trail and the Appalachian Trail.