Minimal Gear, Maximum Trail: Emma Gatewood’s Appalachian Triumph at 67

At 67, Emma Gatewood became the first woman to solo-end-to-end the Appalachian Trail, hiking from Georgia to Maine with no tent, map, or compass, wearing canvas sneakers and a 17-pound denim sack under a shower curtain, finishing in 146 days and sparking lasting changes in trail upkeep and women’s hiking.