In Her Footsteps
In 1955, Emma Gatewood made history as the first woman to finish a solo hike of the Appalachian Trail, a feat she accomplished at age 67—merely the beginning of her relationship with the famous footpath. By 1964, Gatewood had also become the first person to hike the entire trail three times.
Jennifer Pharr Davis has also thru-hiked the Appalachian Trail three times. On her third go of it, in 2011, the Asheville speed hiker made headlines when she broke the trail’s official time record, completing its 2,181 miles in 46 days, 11 hours, and 20 minutes at an average of 47 miles a day. Among other accolades, she was named the National Geographic Adventurer of the Year.
Gatewood and Pharr Davis share more than a pioneering spirit. Here, Pharr Davis reflects on her predecessor’s legacy.
Q&A with Jennifer Pharr Davis
Does Grandma Gatewood inspire you?
I first heard about Grandma Gatewood on the trail, about how she hiked in Keds sneakers in her late 60s. She is the foremost female hiker that has been influential in my life. It’s really valuable to have a woman to look up to in addition to men like Warren Doyle, Benton MacKaye, and Myron Avery. That’s one reason I love the A.T., for its strong history and culture. The people who have been on the trail are such a huge part of that.
Do you recognize yourself in Gatewood’s story?
When someone asked her why she was doing the trail, she said, ‘Because I want to.’ That struck a chord with me, especially now that I’m a mom. When I was going for the record, it’s hard to explain why you’re doing something like that; it’s nonsensical to so many people. There were a lot of underlying reasons—being in nature, testing my limits, proving a woman can compete with guys and win records. But so often in life you do what you have to do. It’s important to cherish and take advantage of the opportunity to do what you actually want to do, too.
How was Gatewood’s A.T. experience universal?
The trail can meet you at every phase of life. When I hiked it at 21, it was a time of self-discovery. I learned so much about myself, nature, and humanity. The experience was foundational for me and certainly changed the rest of my life—I fell in love with the trail. I think that’s what happened to Grandma Gatewood, too. She did the trail once and then it was always a part of her. I hope that I’m still hiking when I’m her age. Right now [my husband and I] go out on the trail with our 3-and-a-half-year-old daughter; I love to keep experiencing it in different ways.
What lessons can today’s hikers learn from Gatewood?
Right now there’s an emphasis on high-tech and expensive hiking and camping gear. Grandma Gatewood is a wonderful example that you don’t need luxury gear to hike the trail. She carried what she needed and that was all. She relied on the generosity of strangers. Her willingness to connect with people was really unique and set the standard for hikers on the trail. It’s important to be able to ask for help and connect with people along the way.
Jennifer Pharr Davis runs the Blue Ridge Hiking Company, which offers guided day hikes and overnights in Pisgah National Forest. She has also published two memoirs about her experiences on the trail, Becoming Odyssa (2010) and Called Again (2013). Learn more at blueridgehikingco.com.