Emma "Grandma" Gatewood

In honor of Women's History Month, we'd like to share the remarkable story of Emma "Grandma" Gatewood, who was the first woman to thru hike the Appalachian Trail alone in one season. This is remarkable for many reasons — she was 67 years old at the time, wore Keds sneakers, and was carrying a simple sack with some food, a blanket, extra clothing, and a few other basic supplies. She was a survivor of domestic violence at the hands of her husband. After reading an article in National Geographic about Earl Shaffer, the first man to thru hike the A.T., she thought that if he could do it, she could too. After one failed attempt, she successfully climbed Mt Katahdin in September 1955 after hiking the entire trail from GA to ME. But her story doesn't end here — she hiked the A.T. two more times, once as a thru hike and again in sections. And she didn't stop there — she also hiked the 2,000 mile-long Oregon Trail at the age of 71 and became a champion for developing and maintaining trails after her hiking days were over. She was truly a remarkable woman! You can read more details of Emma's amazing story by clicking the link to this article on the AMC website and in the inspiring book "Grandma Gatewood's Walk: The Inspiring Story of the Woman Who Saved the Appalachian Trail" by Ben Montgomery, Emma's great-great-grandnephew.