This year marks Fred Wolfe’s tenth year walking from Denver to Vail in honor of his father who died two years after his Alzheimer’s diagnosis in 2005. Wolfe, 67, has lived in the Denver area for 43 years. He began his journey Sept. 17th at 6a.m. at the offices of the Alzheimer’s Association, Colorado chapter, and walked over the course of four days until he reached the covered bridge in Vail on Sept. 20th.
Wolfe, a Denver-based broker at Fuller Sotheby’s International Realty divided his route into four sections. The first day he walked from Denver to the El Rancho Evergreen exit. On day two, he walked from Evergreen to Georgetown. On day three, he walked from Georgetown over Loveland Pass to Dillon, and on his final fourth day, he walked from Dillon, through Copper Mountain, to Vail. In order to avoid afternoon lightning storms, he began his last two segments at 1:30a.m. Wolfe makes very few stops on his journey, eating while he walks and only stopping to add or subtract clothing layers or for three short periods of sleep.
Large print on his backpack clearly states his cause to all passersby, along with his father’s initials and number of years he has walked this journey. His backpack weighs exactly 21 pounds, including six and a half pounds of water. In it he carries flyers about Alzheimer’s and donation envelopes that he distributes to everyone he meets throughout his four-day walk.
This walk is personal for Wolfe, who pledged to make these annual pilgrimages to Vail as he sat by his father’s bedside feeling helpless and unable to help his dying father who was an avid mountain climber and outdoorsman.
“I knew I had to do something, and if my dad were alive today, he would be walking with me to spread awareness and raise funds to help put an end to this devastating disease,” said Wolfe.
Wolfe has garnered national attention during his walks. One year Governor Hickenlooper walked with him for part of his journey and other years Linda Mitchell, Executive Director for the Alzheimer’s Association Colorado Chapter, accompanied him.
To date, Wolfe has raised $362,000 for the Alzheimer’s Association and hopes to reach a ten year total of $400,000 raised.
“Wolfe’s commemorative walk is timed with our Walk to End Alzheimer’s in Denver, sponsored by E Light Electric and Jackson National Life Insurance, which was held on Saturday, September 20 in Denver City Park,” said Linda Mitchell, Executive Director for the Alzheimer’s Association Colorado Chapter.
“We’re proud of Fred and his determination to help in the fight against Alzheimer’s,” Mitchell continued. “We know his father would be proud of him as well.”