LARSEN, Wis. — During a recent training hike along the Wiouwash trail in northeastern Wisconsin, Dan Albrecht seemed at peace with what he’ll be doing the next five months.
Walking alone on a trail with his pack.
“There’s going to be a lot of different challenges that I’ve never done in my life. That’s one of the reasons I want to get out there and try this trip,” said Albrecht.
The Pacific Crest Trail connects a series of national forests. While in his mid-twenties and serving in the navy, Albrecht unknowingly hiked a small section. It was there, that he met a hiker who explained the journey.
“He said it’s a trail that runs from Mexico to Canada and it’s 2,650 miles long. He said it will take him about five to six months to do it,” Albrecht said. “That planted the seed right there.”
But as he got older, Albrecht experienced arthritis in his knees that made the journey seem unlikely.
“I was in such pain,” explained Albrecht. “It was bone-on-bone with my knees. That trail was the furthest thing from my mind.”
In 2018, he underwent double knee replacement surgery. His surgeon credits Albrecht for putting in the rehab work to make this trip happen.
“My part in the procedure might be a couple of hours of work, but for them, it’s weeks and months if not years of rehab and maintenance of their strength and stamina and capability," said Dr. Paul Fagan, Orthopedic Surgeon at Aurora Medical Center in Oshkosh.
Albrecht worked his way back. He started with small backpack adventures, testing gear, and figuring out food rations.
He also documented his hikes on his YouTube channel under the name Bionic Dan.
The Pacific Crest Trail begins with 700 miles of desert heat.
“I’m going to have to average 18-20 miles a day to complete this in time. Not only am I up against the heat of the desert in the beginning, but at the end, I have to make Canada before the snow flies up in the Cascades," said Albrecht.
He’ll restock his rations along the way.
“All of my food will be eaten cold except when I get to town. Then I’m going to have a nice big juicy burger and pizza and cold beer.”
After the desert heat, the Sierra Nevadas await. He hopes to hit Canada by early October.
It was on his 63rd birthday, with two fresh knees, when Dan Albrecht began the trip of his lifetime.
“The ultimate goal obviously is to get to Canada, but that’s not the real goal. A lady once told me about this, and she said, if that’s all your goal is, to go to Canada, then buy an airplane ticket. You’re guaranteed to get there. It’s the journey along the way. It’s meeting the people. It’s meeting the challenges and overcoming those challenges," said Albrecht.
He’ll try and do that, one step at a time.
“It’s going to be cool. It’s going to be a blast," said Albrecht.