Road Scholar Mary E. — Aging Adventurously, One Trail at a Time
At 83, Mary E. doesn't just defy expectations about aging — she practically leaps over them, sometimes literally. Known affectionately as "Aunt Mary" among Road Scholar participants, she approaches life with the same boundless enthusiasm that once propelled her to "bail out" of playground swings at their highest point, a tradition she maintains to this day.
"My philosophy on aging is that age is just a number and has nothing to do with who I am," she said. This isn't just talk — Mary backs it up with action, whether she's tackling challenging trails in Glacier National Park or making new friends on every mountain.
Mary and her friend James swing together
A Lifelong Adventurer
Her spirit of adventure emerged early. Growing up in Northern Arizona, she thrived on the outdoors, often disappearing for the day with the simple directive to be home by dinner. She recalls a particularly telling moment of childhood rebellion when seven-year-old Mary and her friend Jimmy decided to climb a forbidden mountain. Their response? "Being told not to go over the mountain, what do you do? You go over the mountain, even with no trail to follow. Of course," she adds, “at some point, we realized we had no idea where we were. But somehow, we made it back.” This determination — and humor — has remained a constant throughout her life.
A Friendship Forged on the Trails
In 2016, Mary met James, a Road Scholar project director, during a program in Crested Butte, Colorado. Their friendship, spanning nearly four decades in age difference, blossomed over shared hikes and playground detours.
“I’m a great one for playgrounds,” Mary admits. “On our last hike, we came across one, and I said to James, ‘Oh, my God, swings!’ So we went for it. Of course, I always have to bail out at the highest point, because that’s what I did as a kid. James did the same, and we were laughing like crazy. Every time we go on a hike now, if we find a playground, we stop and swing. Play is so good for you — you just have to do it.”
James and Mary
Beyond the playground, James and Mary have explored the Adirondacks, backpacked through the Grand Canyon and tackled the Tetons. In 2025, they'll celebrate a special milestone in Acadia National Park, when Mary will be exactly twice James's age.
Why Road Scholar?
For Mary, Road Scholar isn’t just about checking off hikes — it’s about community. “Every time I go on a program, I’m surrounded by people who are curious, active and engaged. That’s what makes it special.”
As a hiker, she also values the logistics: “A lot of these ventures — like hiking the Grand Canyon — require permits, and they’re tough to get. But Road Scholar handles everything. The food, the experts, the itinerary — I just have to show up and hike.”
Even when she’s not on a Road Scholar program, Mary proudly carries her Road Scholar lanyard on her backpack, sparking conversations with fellow adventurers. “People always ask, ‘Oh, have you done Road Scholar?’ And I say, ‘Yes, several times!’” Oftentimes, however, it’s the strenuousness of the hikes that concern people. “I explain to them that there are some programs with a daily choice whether you wanted to go easy, moderate or harder. You choose. Yes, it’s about being outdoors, but really, the experience is about the community.”
Aging Adventurously
Mary approaches challenges — on the mountain and off — with equal parts wisdom and humor. During a particularly demanding hike in Glacier National Park, while others "were going up like gazelles," she found herself "like the turtle coming up behind. ‘Oh, my shell's a little heavy today,’ I thought." But she persevered by employing breaks, careful breathing techniques and pacing herself.
Glacier National Park
Her influence extends beyond her own adventures. Other hikers, often younger, find inspiration in her example. "They find out how old I am, they're like, 'Oh, I could still do this when I'm older?' Well, if you keep it up, you can." Her advice is simple but powerful — make activity a routine, keep at it and never let age dictate what you can do.
Whether she's initiating conversations with strangers on trails, exploring national parks or continuing her playground escapades with James, Mary embodies what it means to age adventurously. She refuses to follow conventional rules about aging, preferring instead to create her own path — sometimes right over that forbidden mountain.
"I want to live as a young person and everything I want to do as much — and for as long — as I can," she says. And that's exactly what she's doing, one trail, one swing set and one national park at a time.