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Former Admin
09-27-2002, 00:44
My favorite female lengendary hikers are?

Hikerhead
09-27-2002, 07:57
Hammock Hanger of course. Even though she calls me names and beats on me she's still my favorite.:D

highway
09-28-2002, 08:01
I'm sorry, HH.
While I do respect your achievement I still have to go with the first person to hike the trail, end to end, the S E C O N D time, male or female. And she did her first thru-hike of the AT at the tender age age of 67, after having had and raised quite a few (11??) children and wore out 5 pairs of cheap Keds tennis shoes doing it. [the hiking, not birthing].She slept in a wool GI blanket, shelter was a plastic shower curtain, and her pack was a homemade denim laundry bag carried over one shoulder. Damn! Now that is one tough thru-hiker! Her total AT achievement was 3 hikes of the AT-two thru-hikes and one section hike of it all. That isn't bad when you consider she started it at 67, is it? And it does not consider her other, non AT, hiking achievements. The woman was certainly a giant of diminutive stature!

She is a thru-hiker for us all to emulate, especially lightweight ones as she is the patron saint of the light weight hikers. She showed the way long before Jardine, but we chose not to listen at the time, probably because there were so few who even new what AT or even backpacking stood for then.

So, HH, I am sorry; but you certainly are in illustrious company!

Singletrack
09-28-2002, 08:37
Mine was the Topless female hiker going Southbound in the Shennandoahs in 1999.

Hammock Hanger
09-28-2002, 09:04
I too voted for Grandma Gatewood. She was an inspiration. HH

SGT Rock
09-28-2002, 09:18
I voted for grandma, she is true grit.

But if I could meet the topless female hiker, well maybe I would hike with her for a while...:eek:

highway
09-29-2002, 07:08
And, did you also know that she was the first female thru-hiker of the AT?

I honestly don't think she has garnered all the recognition due her in the AT & backpacking community. Could the reason be because of her gender...or of her age...?

Case in point, even on this forum, the male legends are most often mentioned, while she remains almost forgotten, or pushed to the background. She was a giant, ahead of her time, and if you take a careful look at her achievements, I suspect they would overshadow some others more often mentioned.

Hammock Hanger
09-29-2002, 10:14
Amen to that!

Hikerhead
10-02-2002, 23:06
Just wondering, did Granny Gatewood publish anything about her hikes?

Peaks
10-07-2002, 16:43
Not to my knowledge

smokymtnsteve
01-01-2003, 12:34
Could we include the BAREFOOT SISTERS ???

warren doyle
09-09-2003, 13:04
Sweetlips!

Jack Tarlin
10-18-2003, 18:57
According to the late Earl Shaffer, who was absolutely in a position to know, Ms. Gatewood's accomplishments, especially in so far as actually hiking all the miles she claimed, are actually open to debate. In the presence of a roomful of witnesses at the Ruck hiker Gathering in January of 2002, when overhearing a discussion of her travels and subsequent fame, Earl had this to say: "Grandma Gatewood was a fraud!"

I am credibly informed that while his listeners were shocked, no one dared dispute this at the time, and Earl provided several examples to corroborate his remark. Apparently, on more than one occasion, even tho he was far ahead of her on the Trail, she magically managed to beat him to camp or town, and there was no question in Earl's mind how she managed to do so.

I include this not to slam Ms. Gatewood, but merely to provide another perspective. According to Earl, at any rate, the phenomena of blue-blazing, trail-skipping, and mileage padding is not limited to recent times.

Jester2000
10-20-2003, 19:01
I witnessed Earl's remarks concerning Grandma Gatewood, and let me tell you, the room fell so silent you could hear the paint drying on the chairs you're not allowed to sit on. Of course, it's entirely possible that he just hadn't had his daily vinegar yet and was cranky. He sure wasn't joking, though.

sloetoe
12-04-2003, 16:01
And, did you also know that she was the first female thru-hiker of the AT?


### Ummmm, and especially as you're from F-L-A, may I suggest you research RamBunny's fav, Dorothy Laker, who's still alive, kicking, and living in the sunshine state?

(Of course, RamBunny had a crush on Earl Shaffer, and Earl had a crush on Dorothy Laker, so there may be some sorta triangular thing going on there...)

Jaybird
02-03-2004, 10:53
sorry, HH...........Grandma Gatewood....my hero....one of the 1st legendary hikers of the A.T.!


anyone that hikes in Keds....has GOT TO BE TUFF!


i'd like to nominate another female hiker: Suva "DragonFly" Bastin, 73 years young & hiking every weekend & section hikes the A.T. twice a year! :D



in fact...i'll be section hiking with her in May!
see ya'll UP the trail

smokymtnsteve
02-03-2004, 11:12
Love The One Your With!

Jack Tarlin
02-04-2004, 17:42
It's gotta be Miss Janet, who doesn't get out on the Trail anywhere near as often as she'd like to.....but I did get to take a short stroll with her in Baxter this year. She's also at the top of the list for "Honorary Thru-Hiker", a title that some of us already awarded her with last October.

rambunny
02-08-2004, 16:09
Wow I'm honored to be included. Actually Peace Pilgram Mildred Lamb was the first to complete ,Grama was the first to solo.Dorthy Laker first to yo-yo,and myself the first to complete 3 in a row. It's all about technicality.Also it's all B>S> compared to the actual journey. even the Bible says last shall be first and first shall be last. Going SOBO July.

jersey joe
02-08-2004, 16:32
Since I had the honor of staying with Ram Bunny for two nights in the Shenandoahs in 02', and she seemed to be truely happy on the trail, my vote goes to her.

snowman96
02-10-2004, 16:29
Whenever I started to get down I just thought about Granny Gatewood in her Keds and dufelbag and I got my head right.

B Thrash
02-13-2004, 20:35
### Ummmm, and especially as you're from F-L-A, may I suggest you research RamBunny's fav, Dorothy Laker, who's still alive, kicking, and living in the sunshine state?

(Of course, RamBunny had a crush on Earl Shaffer, and Earl had a crush on Dorothy Laker, so there may be some sorta triangular thing going on there...)

Sloetoe, have read a book on Dorthy Laker's thru-hike's and would surely classify her as a legend who is mentioned quite often in my circle of hikers.

Rick1987
03-09-2004, 17:32
I am developing a project about Emma Gatewood. Do you have any information or know of any contacts that I may approach in finding surviving family members or those who might be able to give me some depth into her character, or stories about her.

Sincerely,
Rick Montgomery Jr.
[email protected]
home:330-253-9722 cell:330-322-5396
167 Beck Ave., Akron, OH, 44302-1351

Nightwalker
06-25-2004, 20:10
Gutsy, but y'all probably don't know her.

:)

Panama Red
02-11-2005, 15:05
Mine was the Topless female hiker going Southbound in the Shennandoahs in 1999.but did you take pictures? joking of course

Footslogger
02-11-2005, 15:25
This is almost like picking your favorite section of the trail or favorite view.

Narrowing things down to the year I hiked ...I'd have to say it was "T-Bird" Who else could come up with a 4 - Star rating system for privy's and actually carry the stars and apply them after the inspection was performed ?? ...and who else in their 20's knows all the words to every one of the BG's songs ??

'Slogger
AT 2003

neo
02-11-2005, 23:29
i voted for grandma gatewood,hammock hanger came in secound,who is ram bunny and mrs gorp:sun neo

Deb
02-27-2005, 16:36
Dorothy Laker is my favorite female hiker. She was the second woman to solo the AT (after Grandma Gatewood). Her first thru-hike was in 1957. On her second hike in 1962 she went all the way to the Kennebec before being forced off the trail by a sprained ankle. She finished up the remainder of that hike in 1972.
In 1964 she completed her second thru-hike. Contrary to one post here, she did not flip-flop, to my knowledge.
All of her hikes are very well chronicled in Hiking the Appalachian Trail, Vol. 1 (Rodale Press). Dorothy has a great writing style. Contrary to a lot of the pioneer AT hikers in Vol. 1 and Vol. 2, who seemed to kill every snake they saw, she has a real empathy for nature.
Things changed a lot by the time she finished up in 1972. If you read her journals from the beginning you get a feel for a much simpler era on the AT.

Tha Wookie
02-27-2005, 23:11
My favorite hiker is Sarah "Island Mama" Janes, who was the first female to ever walk the entire west coast tideline of America.

She wore sandals the whole time and broke her foot in Oregon but kept going all the way to Mexico.

Mountain Dew
03-03-2005, 01:39
"Actually Peace Pilgram Mildred Lamb was the first to complete ,Grama was the first to solo." ....what exactly does that mean. :-? So the first woman thru-hiker was who again ? Dorothy Laker or Mildred Lamb ?

Deb
03-03-2005, 09:19
The first woman to complete the AT was Mary Kilpatrick. She did it in a series of hikes with her husband and finished in 1939.
Mildred Lamb and her husband hiked the trail in 1952; did it as a flip-flop. She was the first woman thru-hiker.
Grandma Gatewood was the first to solo thru-hike in 1955. She did it again in 1957.
Dorothy Laker was the second to solo thru-hike (1957, 1964). She was in her early 20s the first time.
Source: Hiking the Appalachian Trail, Vol. 1, Rodale Press.

Mountain Dew
03-04-2005, 03:06
Thanks Deb....

UCONNMike
03-07-2005, 14:46
It has to be Tuuli, aka Finn. She left to go SOBO with her boyfriend last june, and he quit 5 days into it and she dumped him on the spot and continued on by herself, completing the 2,000+ miles all the way to Springer.

TOW
06-17-2005, 18:50
i voted for ram bunny because i partied down with her at td in 2001, but you should have included the barefoot sisters and then my vote would have went to "Isis and Jackrabbit", those two were hotties....

Jester2000
06-24-2005, 21:45
With the choices offered I'd say Ram Bunny.
With Funkee Munkee in a dress coming in a close second.

neo
06-25-2005, 00:05
My favorite hiker is Sarah "Island Mama" Janes, who was the first female to ever walk the entire west coast tideline of America.

She wore sandals the whole time and broke her foot in Oregon but kept going all the way to Mexico.
i bet your really proud to have her wookie,i have been breaking my new wife in to backpacking,cycling,kayaking,plus i bought her a jeep last week,island mama is a definite trail babe:) ,i hope you two have many more great hikes together:cool: neo

Skyline
07-05-2005, 14:22
If we can nominate additional female hikers as "legends," I'd like to nominate Verna "Granma" Soule of Michigan. Not to take anything away from the others, but to recognize someone I got to know however briefly and who really made an impression on me. Verna is a sweet dear lady who is also tough as nails when needed. She's having some serious health issues right now and could use our thoughts and where appropriate, prayers.

Lone Wolf
07-05-2005, 14:26
I met Grandma Soule for the first time 16 years ago. Damn right she's tough! Wonderful lady. God bless her.

Sly
07-05-2005, 16:13
Grandma Gatewood may have been the first woman to hike solo but from what I've heard, she was also a mooch that wouldn't think twice about knocking on someone's door for help, food, or a place to stay and get dry.

TOW
07-05-2005, 16:46
Grandma Gatewood may have been the first woman to hike solo but from what I've heard, she was also a mooch that wouldn't think twice about knocking on someone's door for help, food, or a place to stay and get dry.well she's dead now, so it don't matter.....