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OREM — An Orem resident known as a regular on Mount Timpanogos summited the peak for the 72nd time in one year to celebrate his 72nd year of life.
Benjiman Woolsey first summited Mount Timpanogos in 1966 when he was 24 years old. Woolsey said he grew up playing sports, but decided to begin using hiking as a way to exercise and stay healthy because he didn’t like going to a gym.
“I enjoy being as physically fit as can be,” he said. “Hiking is how I choose to exercise and keep myself physically fit. I like the physical challenge, the peaceful feelings that I have in the mountains, helping others enjoy that peace and assisting and encouraging others that I meet on the trail.”
Woolsey’s new-found hobby made him a well-known face on the trail and by the time he had turned 50, he had summited Mount Timpanogos 190 times.
“Then I thought, ‘I don’t want to quit on 190. I’ll make it an even 200,’ ” Woosley said. “Well, the more I hiked, the better I felt.”
When Woolsey retired at 62, he said he decided to “really start to push myself.” He completed the 14.2-mile hike 50 times that summer. He decided to continue to push himself by setting a goal of matching the number of hikes he did each year with his age. When Woolsey turned 67 years old, he summited Mount Timpanogos 63 times and then it snowed.
“I’m just not a snow hiker,” Woolsey said laughing.
Woolsey wasn’t able to complete his goal when he was 68 years old because he tore his meniscus and he fell short the following years as well due to early snowstorms. However, when he turned 72, he finally met his goal and completed his 72nd hike on Nov. 1, making it his 689th time summiting Mount Timpanogos.
“It was 29 degrees and the wind was howling,” he said of his 72nd hike.
Woolsey said he typically starts his hikes between 4 a.m. and 5:30 a.m. to avoid the heat and the crowds on the Mount Timpanogos trail during the summer months. He said on average, each hike takes him around 5 hours round trip, but he has completed it in 3.5 hours in the past.
Each time he summits the mountain, Woolsey said he likes to talk to people he meets on the trail and enjoys helping others who may be making the hike for the first time.
“I enjoy hiking solo, but I also love hiking with others on their first summit of Timp,” he said. “I enjoy their thrill and excitement of reaching their goal. I have been as long as 12 hours helping someone reach their goal of hiking Timp and enjoyed every minute of it. It’s almost impossible to be sad or mad or anything when you get up there. And everybody I’ve seen hiking up there that I stop and talk to is just like family.”
Woolsey said he plans to continue hiking Mount Timpanogos as long as he can “get some boots on and walk.” He manages a registry that stays at the top of Mount Timpanogos for fellow hikers to sign.
