Grandma Gatewood: The Unstoppable Trailblazer | E181

Grandma Gatewood: The Unstoppable Trailblazer | E181

Listen AD FREE: Support our podcast at patreaon: http://patreon.com/TheCruxTrueSurvivalPodcast

Email us! thecruxsurvival@gmail.com

Instagram https://www.instagram.com/thecruxpodcast/

Get schooled by Julie in outdoor wilderness medicine! https://www.headwatersfieldmedicine.com/

Join Julie Henningsen and Kaycee McIntosh on The Crux True Survival Story Podcast as they delve into the extraordinary tale of Emma Gatewood, the first woman to solo hike the 2,168-mile Appalachian Trail in 1955. At 67 years old and with minimal gear, Grandma Gatewood’s journey defied modern hiking conventions and highlighted her resilience stemming from decades of domestic abuse and personal adversity. Discover her remarkable determination and how her story has inspired generations of hikers and contributed to the trail's preservation.

00:00 Introduction to the Crux True Survival Story Podcast
00:31 Meet Grandma Gatewood: The Unstoppable Grandmother
02:15 Emma Gatewood's Early Life and Challenges
06:10 The Appalachian Trail: A New Adventure
06:35 Grandma Gatewood's First Attempt and Lessons Learned
08:05 The Successful Journey Begins
09:09 Challenges and Resourcefulness on the Trail
17:41 Media Attention and Recognition
22:47 Emma Gatewood's Legacy and Impact
31:24 Conclusion and Reflections

References:

  1. Montgomery, Ben. Grandma Gatewood's Walk: The Inspiring Story of the Woman Who Saved the Appalachian Trail. Chicago Review Press, 2014.
    • Primary biographical source with access to Emma's personal journals, family interviews, and historical documents
  2. Appalachian Mountain Club Library & Archives. Emma Gatewood Collection.
    • Contains photographs and trail log entries from her hikes
  3. Appalachian Trail Conservancy Archives. Emma Gatewood materials.
    • Historical trail documentation and correspondence
  4. Sports Illustrated. Articles on Emma Gatewood's 1955 thru-hike.
    • Contains direct quotes: "I thought it would be a nice lark. It wasn't" and "This is no trail. This is a nightmare"
  5. National Geographic Magazine. August 1949 issue.
    • The original article about Earl Shaffer that inspired Emma's hike
  6. The Baltimore Sun. 1955. Coverage of the "jovial little grandmother" who conquered the Appalachian Trail
  7. Congressional Record. June 1956. U.S. Representative Thomas A. Jenkins of Ohio's entry about Gatewood's accomplishments
  8. The Today Show with Dave Garroway. 1955. Featured guest appearance after completing her hike
  9. Welcome Travelers. 1955. Quiz show appearance where she won $200
  10. Appalachian Trail Conservancy. "Emma Gatewood." Official trail history documentation.
  11. Appalachian Trail Museum. Pine Grove Furnace State Park, Pennsylvania.
    • Houses Emma's Converse sneakers and other artifacts
  1. Appalachian Mountain Club. "Grandma Gatewood: The First Woman to Solo Hike the Entire Appalachian Trail." March 2025.
  2. Blue Ridge Country Magazine. "Emma Gatewood's Walk." April 29, 2025.
  3. Adventure Journal. "Emma Gatewood Survived Domestic Abuse to Become an Appalachian Trail Legend."
  4. Atlas Obscura. "The First Woman to Thru-Hike the Appalachian Trail Alone Did It as a 'Lark'." June 9, 2021.
  5. Five Rivers MetroParks. "Grandma Gatewood, One of Ohio's Most Famous Hikers." March 22, 2024.
  1. Appalachian Trail Histories. "Emma Gatewood."
  2. Buckeye Trail Association. Emma Gatewood materials and trail documentation.
    • Information about her role as founding member and trail builder
  1. "Trail Magic: The Grandma Gatewood Story." Emmy-nominated documentary.
    • Features family interviews and historical recreation
  1. Ohio Valley Memory Gardens. Burial records and grave marker documentation.
    • Final resting place with marker reading "Emma R. Gatewood – Grandma"

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Episoder(195)

35) Amanda Eller: Lost at the Wakamaya Reserve for 17 Days

35) Amanda Eller: Lost at the Wakamaya Reserve for 17 Days

Today I will be telling you the story of Amanda Eller. It was May 8, 2019. Amanda Eller headed to the Makawaya forest reserve on the Northern side of Maui. She had intended on a three-mile hike but took a wrong turn that almost cost her her life. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

11 Okt 202111min

34) William Coston: Plane Crash in the Bermuda Triangle in 1949

34) William Coston: Plane Crash in the Bermuda Triangle in 1949

William Coston was with his crew in a B29 over the Bermuda Triangle when things went array, and the plane crashed in the ocean in stormy conditions. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

4 Okt 202122min

33) Larrane Leech: Visited by a Mountain Lion

33) Larrane Leech: Visited by a Mountain Lion

Larrane Leech had just opened a successful day care in her home in British Columbia. On one fateful July day, she would take the children down to the river near her home, and they ran into a deadly visitor. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

26 Sep 202118min

32) Abby Sunderland: 16 yo Attempts to Circumnavigate World in Yacht

32) Abby Sunderland: 16 yo Attempts to Circumnavigate World in Yacht

Abby Sunderland was a brave and adventuresome 16 yo who had experience sailing as a young child and set off to circumnavigate the globe in a yacht, to secure the title of youngest sailor ever to complete this daunting journey alone. All was going well until she hit the largest storm in her experience sailing, putting her life in danger. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

19 Sep 202118min

31) Mark and Phillip and the Treacherous Mount Cook Climb

31) Mark and Phillip and the Treacherous Mount Cook Climb

Mark and Phillip were working search and rescue on Mount Cook, New Zealand in the early 80's. In 1982, they decided to climb the mountain together and got caught in a storm that would threaten both of their lives. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

12 Sep 202116min

30) Todd Endris and the Great White Shark

30) Todd Endris and the Great White Shark

Twenty four year old Todd Endris was doing what he loved to do, surf. It was a late August morning in Monterey Bay in 2007. He pulled on his wet suit and paddled into the water, noting a pod of dolphins swimming around. Within a few minutes of surfing he felt an immense force that hit the bottom of his board, catapulting him 15 feet into the air, and then into the water. He knew this could only mean one thing..he was being attacked by a shark. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

5 Sep 202117min

29) 1953 K2 Expedition: Eight Men Set off to Seek Adventure on K2, but were Met with Difficulty

29) 1953 K2 Expedition: Eight Men Set off to Seek Adventure on K2, but were Met with Difficulty

The third American expedition of K2 (Karakoram) included Dr. Charles Houston, Robert Bates, George Bell, Robert Craig, Arthur Gilkey, Dee Molenaar, Peter Schoening and Capt. H.R.A. Streather. This climb had been attempted by Houston and Bates in 1938, but due to World War Two and political conflicts, they were not able to return to the mountain again until 1953. They were a strong group of men with a mindset of teamwork and hopes of success. Their optimism was crushed when at 25,500 feet they were met with a multi day storm. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

29 Aug 202132min

28) Anna Bågenholm- A Medical Student who Survived Hypothermia and the Lowest Body Temperature ever Recorded.

28) Anna Bågenholm- A Medical Student who Survived Hypothermia and the Lowest Body Temperature ever Recorded.

Anna  Bågenholm became an accidental legend when she was 29. Anna was a medical student who was skiing after work, something she did often, when she crashed on her skis, plummeting into an ice covered stream, and was stuck there for 80 minutes before rescue. When she survived, her story reframed the medical communities understanding of hypothermia and the medical uses for cooling patients intentionally. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

22 Aug 202118min

Populært innen Samfunn

giver-og-gjengen-vg
aftenpodden
rss-spartsklubben
aftenpodden-usa
konspirasjonspodden
rss-nesten-hele-uka-med-lepperod
popradet
alt-fortalt
lydartikler-fra-aftenposten
grenselos
wolfgang-wee-uncut
synnve-og-vanessa
vitnemal
rss-dannet-uten-piano
frokostshowet-pa-p5
fladseth
min-barneoppdragelse
opptur-med-annette-og-ingeborg
relasjonspodden-med-dora-thorhallsdottir-kjersti-idem
rss-herrepanelet