Famous Hikers to Remember

Since the beginning of time of mankind, we walked and hiked but not all of us become famous hikers or remembered for our long journeys. From migrating from one place to another to being forcibly removed from land, we learned to endure and walk for miles. Miles turn to days, day to weeks, weeks to months, and sometimes years, until we get to our final destination. What makes a hiker popular and remembered? I believe it’s their amazing journey, determination, and outlook on life. Everyones journey is different and leads them to their own path, so make sure to follow your own path and heart.

Old and Recent Famous Hikers

When you look for famed hikers that made a difference, a few will stand out. From decades ago to the most recent, below is our list of popular hikers.

Emma Rowena Gatewood

Emma was also known as Grandma Gatewood. After surviving an abusive husband and raising her 11 children, she ventured for an adventure. Gatewood read an article about the Appalachian Trail in the National Geographic magazine and decided she would do it. It sounded like all you needed was good health so in July 1954 she went for it. A few days later she was lost, broke her glasses and ran out of food. Her journey was ended short but a year later, at 67 years old, she tried again. This time she started on May 3, 1955 and ended on 25th of September. She hiked with little food, a makeshift sack she made and carried over her shoulder, and a shower curtain to protect her from rain. When she made the top if Baxter Peak she said “I did it. I said I’d do it and I’ve done it.” She sure did!

While we hiked bits and pieces of the Appalachian Trail, we have yet to start and finish it from one end to the next. Grandma Gatewood also complained about the trail stating that, “This is no trail. This is a nightmare. For some fool reason, they always lead you right up over the biggest rock to the top of the biggest mountain they can find.” By 1957 when she hiked the trail again, she stated that it was much better. Thanks to her, the trail was improved. Grandma Gatewood also hiked the 2,000 miles of Oregon Trail at the age of 71. At the age of 76 she completed the AT for the 3rd time! Grandma Gatewood was truly remarkable and definitely someone we can’t and should never forget. It’s never too late to get up and start hiking and achieving things you didn’t think were possible.

Earl Victor Shaffer

Another famous hiker that made the list is Earl Victor Shaffer. On April 4, 1948, Earl began his hiking journey, documenting his hike through photography, sketches, poems and notes. He is the first known thru-hiker to hike the entire Appalachian Trail northbound, from Georgia to Maine.

In 1965 he completed the thru-hike southbound, from Maine to Georgia. In 1998, at the age of 79, Earl hiked the AT northbound again. He was known as the oldest thru-hiker to complete these 2,000 mile journey. Since then, other hikers like M.J. “Nimblewill Nomad” Eberhart took that title.

Shaffer published his memoir book Walking With Spring in 1981. In 1983 the AT Conference published the book and calls it “a classic trail diary.” Fifty years later Shaffer redid the thru-hike with David Donaldson. He published another book after completing the trail, called The Appalachian Trail: Calling Me Back To The Hills.

Not only did Shaffer survive the war, hike the trail three times, he also published two books documenting his journey. He has inspired young and old alike to hike the AT. Some make it, some don’t, and others are still working towards this goal.

Kokichi Akuzawa

No matter how old you are, if you are determined to hike something, you’ll go out there and do it. When the mountains are calling your name, you answer! Another famous hiker that we can add to the list is the 102 year old Kokichi Akuzawa. Not only does he have a cool name, last summer he became the oldest person to climb Mount Fuji.

Imagine being 102 and telling yourself, I think I’ll climb Mt Fuji (one last time). Akuzawa took the easiest of the four paths to the top of the mountain, which is still 5,800 feet of vertical elevation gain! That is truly impressive! What takes most hikers six hours to complete, it took Akuzawa almost three days.

Climbing Mount Fuji is nothing new to Kokichi Akuzawa. He completed the hike when he was 96 years old. This time, he was a few years older and suffered a some setbacks, including shingles and heart failure. I don’t know where I will be at 102, but I sure hope that I am still able to hike! (Does anyone know a cure for bad knees?)

Juniper Netteburg

The youngest person to finish the AT trail was Juniper Netteburg, at just four years old. It took Juniper and her family seven months to complete the trail but they enjoyed every minute of it. They took plenty of breaks and days off and ranged from 1 mile a day to 30 miles. The total trail days it took them to complete the 2,193 mile was 177 days. The other siblings were 7, 9 and 11 years old. I believe they all pushed each other to complete this amazing feat!

The Netteburg family came from Chad, Africa. The parents took a nine-month sabbatical from work to come to USA to visit family and embark on this adventure. They did not push the kids to do anything they did not want. After the first week of hiking, they all got stronger and were able to do more miles a day. Seven months on the trail for any family is hard, especially with young kids. Completing the trail with not one but four kids is just insane to me. I hope they are in Africa now, still hiking.

Who else would you put on this famous hikers post?