However, the trail was devastated by hurricanes and WW2. In 1948, Earl Shaffer, a WW2 veteran, breathed life into the closed trail by claiming to have hiked it clear through from both ends. Earl Shaffer’s success story of hiking the trail from both sides reached Grandma Emma in 1949 through an article in National Geographic. She challenged herself that if a man did it, she could too. Due to the nature of the trail, a high number of men “thru-hiking” it was recorded than that of women. Before Emma set foot on the trail, two male hikers had made it onto the list of solo thru-hikers.
At the age of 67, Grandma Gatewood hiked the Appalachian Trail covering 2,050 miles in 146 days. She became the first person to thru-hike the trail three times.
Born Emma Rowena Gladwell, “Grandma Gatewood” was born on 25 October 1887 in Ohio to a farmer. At the age of 19, she traded her farm life for marriage to a school teacher named Perry Clayton Gatewood. They were blessed with 11 children and 23 grandchildren. Throughout her entire life, Emma worked on farms and found solace in the woods. Her abusive husband forced her to file for a divorce which was granted in 1941.
Emma’s hiking career started in 1953 when she attempted the Appalachian Trail but got lost. In July 1954, Gatewood attempted to hike the Appalachian Trail again, but broke her glasses and got lost in the Maine woods. She was found by forest service wardens who had a hard time convincing her to abandon the hike. Emma finally agreed to abandon the hike and went home to prepare for another epic attempt. She thru-hiked alone in 1955 at the age of 67, a hike that sparked nationwide attention about her. She covered the whole trail distance in 146 days.
Before the Historic trek, Grandma Gatewood walked 10 miles a day to exercise and put her weak legs to the test. At that time, she was staying at one of her son’s place in Ohio.
Grandma Gatewood had never hiked before but knew how to work herself to the bone. Working in the fields all day every day was part of her life growing up. With 11 children to care for, Emma was a hardworking and determined woman. Before her historical hike, the only exercise she did was walk 10 miles her day. While living with her son in Ohio, Grandma Gatewood would walk around the neighborhood every day, increasing the pace until she felt ready for the journey. Also, Emma saved the little she earned while working at a nursing home. The money helped her during the hiking. Additionally, she hand-sewed her slingback that made her the pioneer of the lightweight backpacking for hikers.
Grandma Gatewood carried with her only an army blanket, a shower cape, an army knife, a flashlight, a candy mint, a pen, and a notebook. She relied mostly on strangers for food and water.