Grandma Gatewood's Walk: The Inspiring Story of the Woman Who Saved the Appalachian Trail

How did I grow so old without knowing about Emma Gatewood and her epic walks? My own brother did survey work on the Appalachian Trail in the 1970s, as portions of the trail in Maine were being rehabilitated or relocated for better access and ease of maintenance. That project came about partly as a result of Grandma Gatewood's three--count 'em--three hikes of the full 2000+ miles of that trail which stretches between Georgia and Mount Katahdin in Maine, after she qualified for Social Security. I've been to Hocking Hills State Park in Ohio, where this phenomenal woman guided WINTER tours in her late 70s from Old Man's Cave to Ash Cave on a trail now named for her. Her name must have crossed my consciousness somehow, but it never sparked show more my curiosity until recently, and I don't even know how she came to my attention finally. I just know Ben Montgomery's book about his great-great-aunt Emma has been on my wishlist for a year or so, and I dropped it into the basket last month. It's a grand read, not only giving us a portrait of a woman tougher than shoe leather (or canvas & rubber soled sneakers), but setting her life and adventures into excellent socio-historical context. It did not inspire me to want to hike the AT...but it did remind me of why I love a quiet afternoon alone in less challenging natural surroundings. show less

Although it seems wholly inadequate, the only word I can think of to describe this book -- and this woman -- is "WOW!"

Author Ben Montgomery tells the story of Emma "Grandma" Gatewood, the first woman to ever through hike the 2,050 Appalachian Trail in 1957 at the age of 67. She then became the first person -- male or female -- to hike the trail two, and then three times. She was first inspired to hike the trail while reading about it in an article in National Geographic magazine. The article claimed that any person in reasonable health should be able to hike the trail and wouldn't need any special equipment. (This was in a time when even those who created the trail didn't imagine that anyone would hike it all the way through. It was show more intended for day or weekend hikes). Emma hiked it with a hand-sewn back satchel which carried only the essentials (omitting a tent) and went through numerous pairs of flimsy shoes in her journey.

Using her journals, newspaper articles, letters, and interviews with children and others who knew her as sources, Montgomery gives us a picture of this extraordinary woman. He not only brings readers along on Emma's journey, but also tries to discover her motivation for making such a quest.

Emma spent her married life on a farm in southern Ohio, which had much more in common with Appalachian West Virginia than the rust belt cities of the northern part of the state. Her married life was miserable. Her husband was mercilessly abusive, and the author implies that at least some of her 11 children were conceived via instances of marital rape. In that era and in that place, a husband's word was gospel, and after one particularly bad fight although Emma was left with a bludgeoned face, 4 broken teeth, and broken ribs, the local sheriff came and arrested *her* because her husband, with hardly a scratch, claimed Emma was being uncooperative.

Decades after being in a horrible marriage Emma finally divorced her husband. Once her children were finally grown she was ready to live life on her terms. All she told her children was that she was going for a walk, and that's all they heard from her until she had walked more than 800 miles of the Appalachian Trail.

Emma had much to say about the "lazy" attitudes of people of her day. Those who would rather jump in the car than walk a few blocks to run an errand (and this was in the 50s and 60s -- God only knows what she'd have to say today!) She also had a deep reverence for the outdoors . Although she's not a household name today, she gained quite a bit a fame during her journey, and as a result of her hike she brought much-needed attention to the inadequacies of the Appalachian Trail as it was in her day -- from poorly maintained trails, to missing blazes, to falling-down shelters.

Even after her Appalachian Trail hikes, Emma continued making long-distances walks throughout the rest of her life, including walking the 2,000 mile Oregon trail among others.

If you're looking to be inspired, or for a reminder that age is just a number, look no further than this book.

5 enthusiastic stars. show less

Finally a biography of Grandma Gatewood. I've been crossing her path since the early 1990s, first in Ray Jardine's ultralight bible. Nearly every book about the Appalachian Trail has an obligatory reference to the 67 year old great-grandma who hiked the trail in 1955 making her the first woman to do so. Who was she, why did she do it? The story turns out to be pretty good. Given the difficulties of her early life, there are some parallels with the more recent book Wild. The trail provides freedom from an unhappy life, but also a clear direction and asks nothing in return but one step forward. Gatewood's story turns out to be more than just an old lady who did good, she found redemption and happiness after years of abuse.

The story of the first woman to hike the famous 2000 mile long Apalachian Trail from Georgia to Maine, Emma Gatewood made the trek three times, the first time at the age of 67. I’m not sure what the title of this book is referring to when it says that she “saved” the trail, but she certainly made it more famous and because of her the preservation and improvement of the trail became a national obsession. Emma Gatewood, in addition to being the first woman to trek the trail also might have been about the least well prepared of the successful hikers of the trail. These days people spend months training and thousands of dollars buying equipment to make a successful run at it. The book is interesting enough especially hearing show more Gatewood’s personal story of survival in an abusive marriage when spouses had little choice but to gut it out. She did that, but even she had her limit when she decided to “go for a walk” to escape her husband. Emma Gatewood is an inspiration, not only to hikers everywhere, but to people everywhere. show less

A wonderful story of a simple, laid-back woman who took life in stride. Her confidence, energy, strong work ethic and optimism carried her through a VERY demanding life. She was happy with her fate but when dealt a very bad hand, she didn't complain but just made the best of it. Many, too many wives suffered as Emma did, and had much less resources than women have today to change their circumstances. But...shockingly this problem continues at dangerously epic levels today!

After children are grown and independent, Emma reads an article in National Geographic magazine which changes her life; allowing her to fortify her innate strengths and find fulfillment and peace within nature. She gets to meet lots of kind, curious people while show more helping the country recognize the importance of improving and maintaining our natural resources.

I enjoyed Montgomery describing Emma's adventures in the context of US history, how the car compelled the creation of highways, and how that changed daily life for millions of Americans in both positive and negative ways, and the ensuing push back to invest in America's stunning hiking trails, shelters and parks.

Grandma Gatewood is a national treasure. She remains level-headed and humble throughout her experiences.Her hard work as a daughter, wife, mother and hiker and activist are a celebration of life, and her legacy to us.

Well paced, a compellingly great read. show less

Delightful biography of Emma Gatewood, the woman who became famous in in the 1950s for through-hiking the Appalachian Trail. Biographical elements are interspersed with a detailed account of Gatewood's first through-hike. A fun, informative, and kind of comforting read--especially for me, who is familiar with many of the areas mentioned in the book, both on and off the AT.

OK. Some repetition as Montgomery stretched his references to make a full length book. Took a meandering journey focused on Emma Gatewood's through hike of the Appalachian Trail, with side trips to her abusive marriage and hardscrabble life, and discussion of some of the events ocurring during the time of her hike. Although the title claims Emma "saved" the AT, there was little to back up the claim. Yes, she did get a lot of publicity, and she did tell reporters that the trail was in poor condition, but otherwise she was just doing what she wanted. It was a great feat, one more of us should attempt.
I had to keep reminding myself of the cultural norms in the 1950's-60's so I wouldn't get irritated at the 67 year old woman being show more considered too ancient to go for a hike, or that it was constantly questioned if her children knew where she was! She was a grown adult, why would she have to consult her grown children about doing what she wanted? show less