In 1955, after raising 11 children, Emma "Grandma" Gatewood became the first woman to solo thru-hike the Appalachian Trail - at the tender age of 67! In September of that year, having survived a rattlesnake strike, two hurricanes, and a run-in with gangsters from Harlem, she stood atop Maine’s Mount Katahdin.
Then, in 1960, she hiked it again, becoming the first person to hike the Appalachian Trail twice. And, just to prove those first two weren't a fluke, she hiked it again in 1963 - at the age of 75! After that third adventure Emma became the first person to hike the 2,179-mile trail on three different occasions.
So who exactly was Grandma Gatewood? This short video, a trailer from a documentary film project called "Trail Magic", gives a few insights into Emma Gatewood's life, tribulations & achievements:
Jeff
HikingintheSmokys.com
Articles and information on hiking, outdoor adventures and the Great Smoky Mountains. For hiking trail information in the Smokies, please visit HikingintheSmokys.com
appalachian trail /
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Trail Magic
Who was Grandma Gatewood?
Thursday, August 28, 2014
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Thanks, Jeff, for letting people know about our project. We just did some recording today for the documentary so things are moving ahead. You can find more video clips from the project on our facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/grandmagatewood
Wonderful!
Thank you so much for sharing your film on Grandma Gatewood. I enjoyed learning about this great woman, and she is an inspiration to us all.
Thanks Janice! Glad you all enjoyed this....
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