morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2016-07-27
From: West Carry Pond Lean-to

To: Safford Notch Campsite
Miles today: 12.6
Weather: few clouds

Under another brilliant blue sky, I left the West Carry Pond Lean-to, bound for the Bigelow Range. Comprising five peaks (Little Bigelow, Avery, West Bigelow, The Horns and Cranberry Peak), the Bigelow Range is typically noted among hikers' favorites. Featuring granite-covered peaks rising above tree line, the range is oft-photographed and offers fabulous views of the surrounding western mountains of Maine. With elevations increasing, and steep climbs the norm, I am consciously reducing my daily mileage. Today, I planned to hike 12.6 miles, summiting Little Bigelow, and spending the night at Safford Notch Campsite. The climb up Little Bigelow, topping out at 3,070 feet, was not terribly tough, and I arrived at my intended campsite at 2:30 pm. With my body feeling the effects of the 177 miles of Maine roots and rocks I had so far crossed, I was not at all disappointed with the prospect of ending so early. But a check of tomorrow's weather gave me pause. With thundershowers expected by late morning, I contemplated continuing on another two miles to summit Avery Peak so that I might traverse the remaining Bigelows in the morning and get down off the ridge before the rain set in and footing became more difficult. There were three issues with that new strategy. First, the two-mile climb of Avery Peak is substantially steep, and I would be tackling it at 2:30 in the afternoon after a good day of hiking. Second, I didn't necessarily want to rush through the Bigelows, as I had never climbed them before and wanted to enjoy the experience. Third, I was still tired from the week's hiking, and I knew it would be a tough climb. After paying close attention to my body and weighing the pros and cons, I decided to indeed stay at Safford Notch. In the end, I was simply too tired to confidently push on. Time will tell whether I made the right decision. From the top of Little Bigelow, the twin summits of Avery and West Peaks are just stunning (photo). I look forward to climbing both tomorrow, planning to get a very early start to see if I can beat the worst of the weather. In the course of today's hike, I passed the 1,200 mile mark. More interestingly, I now have less than 1,000 miles to go! I do realize that that's a long way, but knowing that I am "just" 989 miles from finishing sure sounds like I'm making progress.
Date: 2016-07-28
From: Safford Notch Campsite

To: ME Route 27
Miles today: 10.4

With the weather forecast still promising late morning thundershowers, I decided before bed to set an alarm for 4:00 am with the goal of hiking by 5:00. I could then make it across a substantial section of the Bigelows before any rain moved in. Given the steepness of the ascents and descents, rain water would not be my friend. Wearing a headlamp to aid the emerging dawn, I set off to climb Avery Peak, at 4,090 feet, the second-highest of the Bigelows. The trail rose 1,800 feet from my campsite to Avery Peak's summit in less than two miles of hiking. Despite the steep ascent, I made quick work of the climb and was standing on top by 6:20 am. To say the least, the 360 degree view was stunning, particularly looking north and east, over Flagstaff Lake (photo). I had the whole place to myself and reveled in the widening daylight. The breeze was moderate and somewhat cooling, so I didn't want to stay too long; besides, I had two more significant Bigelow peaks to climb. I moved down off of Avery Peak, and headed for West Peak, the highest of the Bigelows at 4,150 feet. Again having the summit all to myself, I drank in the beauty of Maine. While on West Peak, I checked the weather forecast to find that the threat of thundershowers had been pushed out to 1:00 pm. Checking the trail map, I confirmed that I would be completely off the mountain by then and probably enjoying lunch in nearby Stratton, ME. So, my plan, developed with much angst, to spend the previous night at Safford Notch and then to arise early, seemed to be a winning ticket. And I still had time in the alpine zone to enjoy West Peak and all of Maine spreading out below me. After visiting The Horns, the next and last of the major Bigelow peaks, it was time to tackle the 2,500 foot descent. The constant pounding of stepping steeply downhill, combined with the need to arrest my descent, quickly lead to tired legs, especially after three significant ascents. But I moved down off the mountain in good form, and was soon hitchhiking into Stratton in time for lunch. After hearing so much over the years about the Bigelow Range, I am happy to say that it did not disappoint....at all. I loved the climbs, adored the rewarding views, and was thrilled to be alone on the summits. After Alison dropped me off in Monson five days ago, she returned to Rhode Island and reappears in Maine tomorrow, with our children, Sandy and Holly. Sandy is coming up to hike with me tomorrow afternoon and Saturday, and I hope to day hike with Alison and Holly at some point over the next week.
Date: 2016-07-29
From: ME Route 27

To: Sabbath Day Pond Lean-to
Miles today: 12.1
Weather: overcast clouds

With Alison, Sandy, and Holly set to arrive in Maine around noon, I took the opportunity to spend the morning climbing North and South Crocker, both mountains higher than 4,000 feet, but neither above tree line. From my starting point at Route 27, the climb up North Crocker was somewhat long and gradual, making the 2,800 foot gain in altitude feel less significant. The trail condition was quite good, and the weather again cooperative, making the morning hike easy and pleasurable. Descending off of North Crocker, and on toward South Crocker, I caught some great views of Sugarloaf Mountain and its ski area. After summiting South Crocker, I began the hike down towards Caribou Valley Road, where I was to be picked up by a shuttle driver and taken to Rangeley to meet my family for lunch. Excited by the upcoming reunion, I skipped down the very steep trail, probably going faster than I should, but incapable of slowing down. Knowing that Sandy could only spend one night with me on the trail, I picked a section of the AT where we could get on and off easily. This afternoon, we hiked 3.8 miles from ME Route 17 to Sabbath Day Pond Lean-to, and tomorrow, we'll walk the remaining 9.4 miles out to ME Route 4. After arriving at Sabbath Day Pond Lean-to around 5:00 pm, Sandy and I looked to immediately set up our tents, but it was more difficult than usual. The whole campsite was already packed with two large hiking groups, one from a girls' camp in Maine, the other from a boys' camp, leaving little space for others to set up their tents. I literally found the last available tent site, while Sandy, with his freestanding tent, was able to claim the only tent platform. With 6:00 pm quickly closing in, we then took a heavenly swim at a close-by pond that featured a sandy beach and bottom. After completing all the trail chores together, we cooked dinner and talked with a couple of thru-hikers who were staying in the shelter, giving Sandy a pretty good taste of life on the trail. Sandy is now 23, and living on his own in San Francisco. Time alone with him is becoming more rare. I am so grateful that he could find two days to come all the way to Maine to hike with me. We talked extensively while we hiked, and I relished the evening spent in his company once in camp. I'd like to believe that he enjoyed our time together as much as his proud father did.
Date: 2016-07-30
From: Sabbath Day Pond Lean-to

To: ME Route 4
Miles today: 9.4

Arising quite early in the morning, Sandy and I were on the trail by 6:30 am. We planned to hike the 9.4 miles to Route 4 in the morning and then get back to our camp so that Sandy could at least enjoy one afternoon and evening there before heading back to California. Despite this morning's stretch of the AT being quite close to our camp, I had never hiked it, thinking, I suppose, that since it lacked any significant climb, it couldn't be that interesting. Well, lesson learned. It was beautiful! It passed several different lakes and ponds, rose 500 feet through lovely spruce forest, and was more varied in its terrain than I expected. It was a perfect section of the AT for Sandy and me to tackle in his short stay. For Sandy, it was quite a contrast to the hiking he had recently done in California. This morning, he was reacquainted with the beauty of the deep Maine woods, its sights, fragrances and its plentiful water. For me, it was more opportunity to enjoy my son's company, reminisce with him about past years, and catch up on his recent life. With my 57th birthday tomorrow, a better gift no father had ever received. Holly joins Sandy and me in today's photo.Today marked the 100th day since I summited Springer Mountain and began my AT journey. Even with all those days on the trail, I wake up each morning excited to hike. Yes, I miss my family and look forward to being home. But, right now, and for the next ten weeks, I am right where I ought to be....on the path to becoming an AT thru-hiker.
Date: 2016-07-31
From: ME Route 4

To: Oquossoc
Miles today: 0.0

I awoke at our camp next to Alison and soon Sandy and Holly joined us on the deck overlooking the lake. I could not imagine a better way to spend my birthday. While Alison drove Sandy to the airport, I passed the afternoon with Holly in our kayaks and on our dock. Maine had another beautiful day for us and I enjoyed just relaxing with my very special daughter. Holly will be in Maine with Alison for the remainder of the week, and I will see them both again as I continue to hike through the Rangeley area. We celebrated my birthday last night when we were still all here (photo). I'm back on the trail tomorrow morning, hiking the Saddleback Range.
Date: 2016-08-01
From: Caribou Valley Road

To: Poplar Ridge Lean-to
Miles today: 13.2

It's 7:00 pm and rain started falling an hour ago. The radar shows that it may continue for another hour. If it does just that, then the total number of hours of rain that I've seen on the trail since climbing Mt. Katahdin seventeen days ago will have doubled, from two hours to four. No matter how you count it, an incredible stretch of northern New England weather!After my birthday zero yesterday, Alison dropped me off this morning at Caribou Valley Road, the place I left the trail to go meet up with Sandy. The section that I walked with him had left 24 miles in between unhiked, and I planned to cover the first thirteen of those today, and the remaining eleven tomorrow. Today's hike started off with a sharp ascent that ultimately led to the shoulder of Spaulding Mountain, just shy of 4,000 feet. After dropping down to 1,550 feet to cross the Orbeton River, I regained 1,400 feet to reach the Poplar Ridge Lean-to at 2,948 feet. The thirteen-mile hike went by quickly and easily, and I arrived in plenty of time to pitch my tent, complete my chores, eat dinner and snuggle into my sleeping bag before the rain started to fall. From this campsite, I'm ideally positioned to climb the three-peak Saddleback Range tomorrow.I received a number of birthday wishes yesterday, many from those following my journey. To all of you, a sincere thank you. You helped to make it a very special day.
Date: 2016-08-03
From: ME Route 4 (Rangeley)

To: Oquossoc
Miles today: 0.0

Today, I spent the morning of my last zero in Maine planning out the next two weeks of my trek. With just 46 miles in Maine to go, I will soon be in Gorham, NH, the northern gateway to the White Mountains.In the afternoon, Alison and I took the kayaks to a little crest of sand in the lake to share some time together, rare in this year of my AT pursuits. In a future post, I will pay homage to her and her Herculean efforts in support of my trek.This weekend, I will climb the Baldpates and Mahoosucs of Maine, and then move onto the Presidential Range of the Whites, featuring, among others, Mt. Washington. This stretch of the AT is the most demanding, and I'm incredibly excited to tackle it. Today's photo captures a small section of Saddleback's alpine zone.
Date: 2016-08-04
From: ME 17

To: South Arm Road
Miles today: 13.2
Weather: overcast clouds

Alison dropped me off this morning where the AT crosses ME 17 at Height of Land. I was anxious to get to the trail and continue my march through Maine, which still had 46 miles in store for me. The hardest part heading south is the last twenty miles of that, and I wanted to get after it. But first, I needed to do the 26 miles preceding that last twenty, and that would take me today and tomorrow. Today's hike featured a sharp ascent at the beginning, and a very sharp descent at the end. In between, I climbed two mountains, Bemis and Old Blue(!), both around 3,600 feet, and neither particularly difficult or noteworthy. All in all, the 13.2 miles I hiked today was fairly non-descript. The number of NoBos I am passing each day is increasing. My sense is that I will encounter the "bubble" of NoBos, the largest concentration, in the White Mountains. At the same time, I seem to be behind the biggest wave of SoBos. It will be interesting to see if I catch up to them. With just three days left in Maine, the weather continues to be incredibly advantageous for thru-hikers. Unfortunately, rain is expected on Saturday, the day I was planning to climb the Baldpates and Old Speck, and descend down Mahoosuc Arm. All of these have steeply-pitched granite slabs that, if wet, will present challenges. Let's hope the rain holds off!
Date: 2016-08-05
From: South Arm Road

To: Frye Notch Lean-to
Miles today: 14.6
Weather: light rain

Today was one tough day, and I never climbed above 3,000 feet!With temperatures hovering in the high eighties under a brilliant blue sky, I hiked 14.6 miles over three mountains and through three notches. Up, down, up, down, up, down. By the end of the day, I had climbed a total of 4,400 feet, and descended 3,600. It was like a roller coaster; every time I came to the top of something, I was quickly thrown back down, only to have to climb again. The three "mountains" I climbed I had never heard of. Moody, Hall and Wyman. None exceeded 3,000 feet, but each was preceded by a notch, Black Brook, Sawyer and Dunn, from which I had to climb. Looking on the bright side, today got me ready for tomorrow. I'll be climbing East Baldpate (photo), West Baldpate and Old Speck, and, if I hold out, I hope to descend Mahoosuc Arm. While tomorrow's mountains are taller than today's trio, the vertical gained and lost throughout the day is almost the same. During this past week, I took a couple of zeroes and hiked a few ten mile days so that I could spend time with my family. It's been 106 days since I left on this adventure and they have all been so supportive. Still, having your husband/father gone that long cannot be easy (it's sure not easy on me!), and I'm so glad that I slowed down and took the time to see them. Alison and I had set the dates that I would be with the family pretty far in advance (which required some major guessing about my hiking pace), and I'm glad to say that all worked out. Now, though, it's time to kick it into high gear. I'll be crossing into New Hampshire on Sunday, assuming the weather cooperates. At last glance, the chance of rain on Saturday had decreased to 30%, so it's moving in the right direction!
Date: 2016-08-07
From: Mahoosuc Notch campsite

To: Gentian Pond Shelter
Miles today: 12.3
Weather: overcast clouds

I think I may be guilty of misleading those reading my journal entries. As I now think about it, I have recently described my days on the trail as "tough", "strenuous", "difficult", or "hard". Given the connotations of these descriptors, one could conclude that I'm not enjoying myself. Nothing could be further from the truth. As my daily mileage has decreased due to the more difficult Maine terrain, I have been enjoying it more. Yes, I'm certainly working harder, but I'm deriving more satisfaction from the effort, and developing a pride I had not felt before. It follows, therefore, that today must have been my most satisfying day, since the effort I put forth was very significant!I started the morning off with Mahoosuc Notch, the "hardest one mile of the AT." Only, I didn't find it hard; I found it to be a total blast! Navigating my way through a boulder field settled into the bottom of a notch between two mountains (photo), I had to choose my best route, twist and turn and tuck my body to move through tight fits, creatively use all four limbs to secure safe holds, sometimes take a "leap of faith" to an awaiting boulder, and use my balance and strength to negotiate my next move when there didn't appear to be a safe way forward. It was a brain teaser, Twister, and a session at the gym, all at once. As I then moved on to Fulling Mill Mountain, Goose Eye Mountain, and Mts. Carlo and Success, all part of the Mahoosuc Range, the steepness of the climbs (and descents) had me repeating some of the moves I carried out in Mahoosuc Notch. The heartier the physical demands, it seems, the more I respond, and the more I enjoy. On the way to Gentian Pond Shelter today, I crossed over from Maine into New Hampshire, and passed the 1,300 mile mark. Before the White Mountains come to dominate my journal over the next two weeks, I want to give Maine its due. From Mt. Katahdin to the Mahoosucs, from the 100 Mile Wilderness through the Bigelows, Saddlebacks and the Baldpates, from Millinocket to Monson, Caratunk, Stratton and Rangelely, from the high peaks to the bogs, I have loved walking through this state. I met the loveliest hostel owners and restaurateurs, and shared the trail with a great bunch of SoBos and flip-floppers. I was rained on a total of six hours over 23 days, and the dry weather brought forth bugs for just three days. All this topped off by the opportunity to see, and hike with, my family....well, my cup runneth over. Next stop, Gorham, New Hampshire!
Date: 2016-08-08
From: Gentian Pond Shelter

To: Gorham, NH
Miles today: 11.8
Weather: overcast clouds

Compared with the past five days, today was much easier. Hiking 11.8 miles, I walked steadily down into Gorham, NH, where the elevation is only 780 feet above sea level, and arrived at 1:30 pm. While there were a couple of climbs involved, nothing was comparable to the stretch of ascents and descents I had seen over the last 100 miles of Maine. After a somewhat cloudy Sunday, today was filled with blue sky and I was privy to some captivating views of both the Presidential Range and the Franconia Ridge, two mainstays of the White Mountain National Forest. In particular, Mts. Washington and Madison (photo, left to right), distinguished themselves. The anticipation of being above tree line for a singular, 13-mile stretch of the Presidential Range is hard to beat. The next week will be very, very difficult, but the rewards are unmatched anywhere else on the AT. Tonight, I'm staying at the White Mountains Lodge and Hostel, a fabulous place filled with hikers, and I caught up with SoBos Cinderella and Water Boy here. After meeting them, I decided to push off my planned zero for one day, and we'll start out hiking together tomorrow.
Date: 2016-08-10
From: Gorham, NH

To: Gorham, NH
Miles today: 0.0

Gorging myself on a big, delicious breakfast from Melissa of the White Mountains Lodge and Hostel, I began my latest zero in style. Today would be a day of rest -- much needed -- after my trek through Maine and the first part of the White Mountains. The White Mountains can be divided into five "sections", using the low points, or notches, to delineate those sections. Since I am now hiking south, the Whites, for me, run northeast to southwest, as they cross the state of New Hampshire. I hiked the first section, between Gorham and Pinkham Notch, yesterday. Next, from Pinkham Notch to Crawford Notch, is the Presidential Range, with the AT crossing Mt. Madison and Mt. Washington, which, at 6,289 feet, is the highest peak in the Northeast. After the Presidentials, and between Crawford Notch and Franconia Notch, comes the third section, featuring Mts. Guyot, Garfield, Lafayette and Lincoln, and South Twin Mountain. The fourth section, running from Franconia Notch to Kinsman Notch, has Mt. Kinsman front and center. Finally, west of Kinsman Notch, stands Mt. Moosilauke, the last mountain above tree line that I will encounter on my trek. As I move through the Whites, I will encounter unmatched vistas, stay three nights at full-service huts managed by the Appalachian Mountain Club, remain above tree line for thirteen continuous miles in the Presidentials, and likely meet a bit of unwelcoming weather so common in this particular alpine environment. I plan to take seven more days, for a total of eight, to hike the AT's one hundred miles in the Whites. Along with my journey through Maine, this will be the highlight of my Appalachian Trail trek. Tomorrow, starting the second section, I climb up from Pinkham Notch to summit Mt. Madison, at 5,366 feet above sea level. I will spend the night at the Madison Spring Hut, just off the summit.Today's photo of the Presidential Range was shot on yesterday's hike. From left to right: Mts. Washington, Jefferson, Adams and Madison.
Date: 2016-08-13
From: Lake of the Clouds Hut

To: Ethan Pond Shelter
Miles today: 13.9
Weather: fog

I awoke long before sunrise, and lay in my bunk at Lakes of the Clouds Hut, wondering what the weather would be at 6:00 am. I went back and forth in my mind. Should I try to summit first, or just start down, beginning my fourteen miles to Ethan Pond Shelter?At 6:00 am, I pulled on my still-wet hiking clothes and stepped outside. Visibility was poor, but the winds were greatly diminished and it was not raining. In addition, it was relatively warm again, high 50s and maybe 60, as it had been throughout my days in the Presidentials. I approached one of the hut crew, and asked for any insights. To her, it was all about the wind, and it appeared to be a decent morning in that regard. Deciding to go for it, I left the hut, 1,200 feet below the summit, at 6:45 am. As I climbed, it was soon spitting rain, but nothing like yesterday. The winds were indeed calm, blowing just 20 to 30 mph. I hiked the trail's 1.4 miles quickly and was on top of Mt. Washington in 45 minutes. I fist-bumped the summit marker and immediately headed down, arriving back at Lakes of the Clouds at 8:15. The hut crew had kept my breakfast for me, and I ate a celebratory meal. Visibility during my early morning hike was slightly better than yesterday, but it was still pea soup. It would stay that way and I didn't bother pulling out my phone for any pictures all day. Today's photo is from yesterday, before I was completely engulfed in the clouds. From the summit of Mt. Washington at 6,288 feet, I would climb down 5,000 feet to Crawford Notch as the day progressed. With rain continuing on and off all day, it was challenging at times, especially descending Webster Cliffs, where the grade was steep and slabs of wet rock were frequent. By 3:30, I had made it to Crawford Notch and officially passed out of the Presidential Range. After a bit of a climb up the other side, I arrived at Ethan Pond Shelter at 5:00. Choosing to spend the night in the shelter with the evening's impending rain, I was soon fast asleep in my sleeping bag, proud to have intelligently summited Mt. Washington in trying conditions. As I left Lakes of the Clouds this morning, I learned that when I made the decision yesterday to divert directly to the hut rather than to try to make it to the top, the Mt. Washington Observatory was soon to record wind speeds of 87 mph at the summit. I also learned that I had indeed hiked through a hailstorm. During my three days in the Presidentials, I was certainly given the "full" experience. I'm glad to be moving on.