morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2010-04-21
From: Gooch Mountain Shelter

To: Neels Gap - Mountain Crossings Hostel - GA
Miles today: 15.6
Weather: scattered clouds

Great weather for hiking today, cool, sunny and breezy. Hit the trail around 8:30 am with Chris. The goal for today is to make it to the Mountain Crossings hostel/store at Neels Gap. Chris and I get to Woody Gap in a couple hours and it is sunny, cool, and very, very windy. We see a group of 4 young thru hikers leaving their parents there at the Gap, with tearful goodbyes and lots of pictures. We would meetup with them later up the trail and at the Hostel that night.Arrived at top Blood Mtn around 4:15 pm. where there were beautiful views at the top. I did not get pictures or spend much time there because I'm trying to get down to Neels Gap before the Mtn Crossings store closes at 5:30, to pickup a maildrop. The downhill drop from the top of Blood Mtn to Neels Gap is very steep.   Arrived at the store at 5:20, but my Priority Mail maildrop has not arrived yet, so I ask them to forward it up to Franklin, NC. USPS Priority Mail packages can be forwarded to a new location at no charge if the box is not opened. I take out all my wet gear and tarp from Gooch Mtn Shelter, and dry it in the cool wind outside the hostel.   Spent the night at the hostel, where Miss Janet is the hostess, she has BBQ for us for dinner with the fixings. All the staff at the Mtn Crossings store are really fantastic, they have a well deserved great reputation in the hiking community. I see Adam and Cool Breeze working at the store... both of them had helped me last fall up here during a couple section hikes. I met Adam in Franklin, NC in December when I did a section hike, he was working at Ronnie Haven's Franklin Motel at that time. He is hiking north along the AT in sections, and stopping in various trail towns to work for a while. He hiked from Winding Stair Gap north thru the Smokies in January, and had to deal with deep snow in the Smokies. He plans to work at Neels Gap this spring.Chris and the 4 other young hikers from Woody Gap arrive later. The group of 4 are made up of 2 guys from Canada who are friends, one guy from Florida who is a Gator fan and a UF grad. He likes my journal entries at shelters where I write "GO GATORS". The 4th member of the group is a Univ of Georgia fan, so there are a lot of Florida vs. Georgia football stories and jokes told at the hostel.We spent the night at the hostel. There is a lot of talk amongst hikers about an aggressive bear in this area who has been raiding shelters and stealing hiker's food bags over the last month. The talk at the hostel is about a bear that was supposedly shot by a hiker with a .22 up at Blood Mtn shelter a week ago, and the bear is still out in the woods.Lights out and another day over on the trail.
Date: 2010-04-22
From: Neels Gap - Mountain Crossings Hostel

To: Blue Mountain Shelter - GA
Miles today: 18.0
Weather: clear sky

They serve us breakfast at the hostel, and most all hikers are up and ready to go by 7:30 - 8:30 a.m. Chris and I had to wait for Mtn Crossing Store to open at 08:45 to pickup a few small items I need and give them all the info to forward my maildrop to Franklin, NC. Chris is trying to drop some pack weight, and sending some extra food and other stuff home and leaving some things in the hiker box at the hostel. We both weigh ourselves, Chris says he has lost 12 pounds already. I've lost 5 pounds in 3 days since the start.We hit the trail at 9:30 a.m. One of the 4 young hikers from Woody Gap, a young guy wearing a Univ of Georgia cap, joins us for the morning hike out of Neels Gap.   Unfortunately, Chris and I get separated during the day, and haven't seen him since that morning. I hope to see him again on the trail. I arrived at Low Gap Shelter around 3 p.m, where almost all the 16 hikers from the hostel the night before plan on staying tonight. I take a one hour break, eat lunch, and put my feet in the cold stream at the shelter, and it helps give me a second wind. My feet have developed first signs of blisters around the heels, so I've put some blister bandaids and duct tape around my heels to help with that problem. It is a beautiful afternoon, sun is out and I feel like taking a nap, but there are still 4-5 more hours of daylight so I loadup and decide to head further up the trail. I leave around 4:10 p.m, and arrive at Blue Mtn shelter around 7:30 p.m., where there are only 3 other hikers staying for the nite. I have my first accident on the trail about one mile south of Blue Mtn shelter. I stop at a spring on the side of the trail. The spring is down a very steep drop where there are some large trees that have blowndown blocking access to the spring.   I drop my pack on the side of the trail, climb down the hill with my water bladder, and as I stepped over the blowdown, by boot slips on the slime covered granite and I fall. My left elbow lands on the granite and it feels like I've broken my arm. I get up and luckily there is only a lot of blood from a bad abrasion on the elbow. I was able to get water and head up to the shelter.Mike from Tallahassee, FL is there, with a couple other hikers.   As I'm setting up my tarp near the shelter, they hollar at me from the shelter... "are you ready for dinner?"   I think they are kidding, but they are serious. Mike has brought extra food, and cooked a large pot of rice with cheese and tuna, they have enuff food for 4 people. Talk about trail angels. I didn't have to fix any food, they were nice enuff to give me dinner at the shelter.Late that night around 1 a.m., another young thru hiker from Colorado arrives at the shelter. Then I am awakened at 3:30 a.m, by yet another thru hiker who comes up the blue blaze trail with his headlamp on, yelling "where is the shelter, is there anyone here?"   He has been hiking all day and nite from Blood Mtn, and finally arrived. He was dehydrated and exhausted.Another day on the trail.
Date: 2010-04-24
From: Hiawassee, GA

To: Hiawassee, GA
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: light rain

Weather today is driving rain and wind, and tornado watch and lightning. I hope all the hikers I was with at Neels Gap a couple days ago have made it to town or shelter.Taking a zero here today. My maildrop was here waiting for me at the Holiday Inn. I've been to the Rite Aid, Ingles, Buckhead Outfitters, and Family Dollar Store already this morning. Saw a couple of the hikers who are staying at the Hiawassee Inn. I've lined up a shuttle ride for tomorrow morning to head back to the trail. The AT hiking experience in the GA/NC mountains is always a humbling experience for me. The mountains and nature here are amazing to see during the change of seasons. One misstep on the trail and you can be injured, and hiking injuries can creep up on you when you least expect. Illotibial band syndrome (IBS), plantar fasciitis, sprained ankles, blisters, and other hiker injuries are just a few that can happen. Most all thru hikers answer "I'm heading north", when asked "how far are you going?", or "where are you hiking?".   AWOL mentioned that in his book, and I've seen it here again on this hike so far. I'm just taking it one day at a time. I probably won't have internet access again til Franklin, NC in a few days. Next weeks' weather is forecast to be showers and cooler til next Thursday.
Date: 2010-04-25
From: Dicks Creek Gap - Hiawassee, GA

To: Muskrat Creek Shelter - NC
Miles today: 11.8
Weather: scattered clouds

The bad weather finally cleared overnight, it's partly cloudy and warmer this morning. Weather reports the worst of the tornadoes hit a town in Mississippi and did major damage there.   Hiawassee experience some high winds and driving rain overnight. Took the Hiawassee Taxi back to Dicks Creek Gap trailhead with Tim from Tennessee, another thru hiker, and we resume hiking north around 11 a.m. We met two GA-AT trail workers at Dicks Creek Gap, talked about trail conditions ahead. Today we'll cross from GA into NC at Bly Gap.Take a short break at Plumorchard Gap Shelter, where 4 or 5 other thru hikers are trying to dry out from the storm and having lunch. Resumed hiking north, and stopped for lunch at the old twisted tree at Bly Gap, the state line. Tim had hiked ahead and got to the next shelter ahead of me. Hiking in north Florida in February and March before this AT hike, the signs of spring come about a month or so earlier than up here in north GA and NC. By mid April in the Fla panhandle, usually the mountain laurel and wild azaleas are blooming along the Florida Trail. Up here in north GA and NC sections of the AT, the first signs of spring are beginning to appear. Many wildflowers are now blooming along the trail, and the trees are coming to life, especially at lower elevations. I've hiked this section last December, and it amazes me the difference in the trail sounds, smells and appearance in late April. Spring is arriving here, but there is still some cold weather in the forecast for the southern Appalachians.The skies began to get very cloudy as the day went on, predictions of another storm front approaching and colder temps.   Arrived at Muskrat Creek Shelter around 6 pm, and setup my tarp behind the shelter in a thicket of rhododenrons and other trees with the creek nearby. The shelter is full for the night, and it looks like there are 12-14 hikers here for the night, many tents and hammocks are setup.   The hiker with the dog, "Cooper" arrives later and sets up his tent near mine. The climb up from Dicks Creek Gap to Muskrat Creek Shelter is a tough climb, when you get to Bly Gap, the state line for NC, the trail rises very quickly. This is one of the toughest climbs of the trip for me. The weather turns bad overnight and begins drizzling.   Another day on the trail.
Date: 2010-04-26
From: Muskrat Creek Shelter - NC

To: Carter Gap Shelter - NC
Miles today: 12.5
Weather: broken clouds

Crazy weather day. Started the morning hike around 7:50 a.m. in drizzle and dense fog and temps in the 40s.   Weather deteriorated thru the day. Arrived at Carter Gap shelter 3 p.m., after going thru driving rain and falling temperatures and increasing wind. Both the new and old Carter Gap shelters were full for the night. Met 3 section hikers at our shelter from Raleigh, NC who were a lot of fun to talk with. They broke out the cards and most in the shelter played Rummy with the wind howling outside. Temps got down to 39 and it rained all night. I found a large Thermarest sleeping pad in the middle of the day laying in the middle of the trail.   It belongs to one of the section hikers.   I meet them at lunchtime at a gap, tell them about it, and they retrieve it after a short hike back up the trail.   Overall a bad weather day, its good to sleep in the shelter tonight instead of the tarp.
Date: 2010-04-27
From: Carter Gap Shelter - NC

To: Winding Stair Gap - Franklin, NC
Miles today: 16.9
Weather: light rain

Another crazy weather day. Fog, rain, sleet, hail, sunshine.   I climbed the Albert Mtn white blaze trail up to the fire tower in driving sleet with winds howling. Its a steep climb with some hand over hand climbing, grabbing tree roots and the rocks are slick.   Glad to get up over the top on that climb. Met a couple southbound section hikers (one named Solar Spec, can't remember other name), both are real nice and give some tips on good places to eat in Franklin, NC.   Arrive at Winding Stair Gap around 4 pm, and very, very luckily, Ronnie Haven's white van shuttle arrives about 5 minutes later and I get a ride to the Budget Inn, where I'm spending the night. This may be my last internet access for a while, not sure if there is internet access for hikers at NOC or Fontana, NC.Will be heading north toward NOC and Fontana then the Smokies next. Weather supposed to be nice for a couple days then more rain coming. Still taking this hike a day by day, and it is an incredible experience, meeting a lot of really nice hikers from all walks of life and ages. Another day on the trail.
Date: 2010-04-28
From: Winding Stair Gap - Franklin, NC

To: Wayah Shelter - NC
Miles today: 11.0

Had breakfast at Wilsons cafe in Franklin, NC early.   Wilson's is a family run cafe with great food. Took Ronnie Haven's early shuttle bus from the Budget Inn to Winding Stair Gap. Started the hike around 1030 a.m. Had lunch at Silers Bald. Weather was clear and cool. Stopped at Wayah Tower in the afternoon, it has amazing beautiful views. Arrived Wayah Shelter around 5 p.m. Wayah Shelter appears to be one of the newer shelters on the trail. Terrapin arrived later, and Options, Full Tilt and Sunshine were also there for the night. Other hikers tell us it snowed the night before at Silers Bald shelter and Wayah Shelter. Cold night, temps in the 30s.
Date: 2010-04-29
From: Wayah Shelter - NC

To: NOC - NC
Miles today: 16.3
Weather: clear sky

Beautiful sunny day. Stopped for lunch at Wesser Bald Tower on a grassy bald. Military C130 aircraft flying training flights overhead all day.   They are flying low through the valleys in a precise pattern, my guess is they are training for flying in Afghanistan. Arrived NOC hostel around 6 pm, about an hour before the Rivers Edge Restaurant closes. NOC is on the banks of the Nantahala River, and its a beautiful location. There is a large group of thru hikers at the restaurant, a new group I have not seen before. Had the "Hungry Hiker" hamburger at the Riverfront restaurant, had to be the best double burger I have ever eaten.  I check in to the hostel, they give me a clean towel.  Stayed at hostel with "Iowa Eagle Scout", who arrives later with "Shelby", his female hiking companion.  Coincidently, Eagle Scout and I are both nursing heel blisters on our right foot, in almost the same location. We coach each other thru amateur "surgery" in the hostel to relieve the blisters. I do laundry, take a shower and hit the sack, it's been a very long day.
Date: 2010-04-30
From: NOC

To: Sassafras Gap Shelter - NC
Miles today: 6.9
Weather: clear sky

Tough climb out of NOC in the afternoon. I didn't get started on the trail til almost 2:30 pm, after shopping at the Outfitter at NOC, eating breakfast and repacking my pack. I meet some of my friends I had been hiking with out of Hiawassee, who arrive mid morning at NOC. I have to stop and talk to them and we share trail stories. It is hard to leave NOC, I like this place and the weather is beautiful, spring is in the air. The Outfitter gives me some excellent advice on prevention and treatment of the heel blisters, and I buy some new Smartwool sock liners that should be more absorbent than the thinner synthetic liners I had been wearing. He advises me to clean the blister, apply neosporin, wrap it in a "second skin" blister bandage, then wrap that with simple sports tape instead of duct tape or moleskin. I try this and it does seem to help in future days.  Had breakfast and lunch at NOC before leaving. Arrived at Sassafras Gap Shelter late afternoon. Met "El Flaco" and Ryan at the shelter, they tented on the ridge. Sassafras Gap shelter has a great pipe spring in front of the shelter.
Date: 2010-05-01
From: Sassafras Gap Shelter - NC

To: Cable Gap Shelter - NC
Miles today: 15.2
Weather: overcast clouds

Rainy, foggy morning, cleared later in the day. The day began with a long climb up Cheoah Bald from Sassafras Gap Shelter. It was a rainy, foggy morning so there were no views from the top today. Met a large group of dayhikers hiking up from Stecoah Gap to Cheoah Bald for a weekend backpack trip. They were struggling with the climb and rocky trail. Stopped for a short break at Stecoah Gap road crossing where there are picnic tables and a nice view. Met a couple other thru hikers from New York that I had not met before. Pushed it today to Cable Gap Shelter to get within 6 miles of Fontana for the next day's hike. Stopped at Brown Fork Gap shelter for lunch. Tough climb out of Stecoah Gap in midday. Cable Gap Shelter was full for the night, setup tarp on the hillside with El Flaco, Ryan and Terrapin, next to a small stream. There is a reliable spring at this shelter. Rain predicted for the night. Anxious to get to Fontana and the Smokies next week!
Date: 2010-05-02
From: Cable Gap Shelter - NC

To: Fontana Dam - NC
Miles today: 6.9
Weather: light rain

Awoke to cloudy, very windy weather, with severe thunderstorms in forecast.   Started on the trail early, had winds in excess of 45 mph on the ridgeline coming into Fontana.   Beautiful views of Fontana Lake and Dam along the ridgeline on the trail. Arrived at Dam around 10:45 am. Registered at the Visitor center as an AT thru hiker. Then checked into the Fontana Lodge, great rate for $59/night for hikers. Did laundry and some shopping at the General Store. Waiting on a maildrop at post office Monday morning. Severe thunderstorms in forecast for tonite and tomorrow.  From here, the AT heads north through Great Smoky Mountains National Park after crossing Fontana Dam. Computer internet time here is limited to 15 minutes so this is brief. Fontana Village is beautiful, and the General Store is stocking more hiker supplies and food for hikers.
Date: 2010-05-03
From: Fontana Dam - NC

To: Russell Field Shelter - GSMNP
Miles today: 13.8
Weather: scattered clouds

Rain all Sunday night, and awoke Monday morning to an improved long range weather forecast, so decided to gear up and head for the trail while weather is improving. Picked up maildrop at Fontana Post Office, repacked food and checked out of lodge. Took the Fontana shuttle down to the dam visitor center where the hike resumes. With everything that had to be done Monday morning, I got a late start at about 12:30 pm.   Weather had cleared, sunny and very humid until about 3,000 ft elevation where it was a bit cooler.   The Dam/Lake is beautiful, Fontana Village is a big summer resort. Lodge has good food too. Stopped for a break at Shuckstack Tower where there are great views.   Saw 2 black bear along the trail on the climb, and a deer running right down the middle of the trail. Saw a lot of new wildflowers coming out, more than I've seen anywhere else on the trail, and the long, green tunnel is coming alive now on the trail. Ended up at Russell Field Shelter around 7 p.m. Passed several northbound hikers staying at Mollies Ridge Shelter. Tough climb from the dam.
Date: 2010-05-04
From: Russell Field Shelter - GSMNP

To: Double Spring Gap Shelter - GSMNP
Miles today: 16.4
Weather: clear sky

Perfect hiking weather, sunny and cool weather.   Incredible views along the ridge lines into Tennessee and NC. The AT here goes right along the state line, one foot in TN, one in NC. Best views were from Rocky Top. Left Russell Field Shelter around 0730, arrived at Double Spring Gap shelter around 4:30 pm. Stopped at Derrick Knob shelter for lunch and a break midday. Hiked with 2 young section hikers from Vermont and Florida, they are hiking to Hot Springs, NC. There is great water at all the springs along the trail right now. Tomorrow ascend Clingmans Dome.
Date: 2010-05-05
From: Double Spring Gap Shelter - GSMNP

To: Icewater Spring Shelter - GSMNP
Miles today: 13.8
Weather: clear sky

Got out of Double Spring Shelter by 0715 after a cool, clear nite. The deer that visit this shelter every nite after dark came again last nite. They come in front of the shelter and graze in the grassy area in front of the shelter.   We had a around 7 or 8 hikers in the shelter last night. Perfect hiking weather today, sunny, breezy and cool. Arrived Clingman's Dome around 0825. This part of the trail would remind some of hiking in the Rockies or Pacific Northwest. It's been described as the "Canadian" zone, because many of the tree and plant species still remain at these lower latitudes from the last ice age.   The Clingman's Dome access road is closed for construction til early summer, so no tourists up at the tower now. Views from the tower were almost unlimited, no clouds, could see Mt. Mitchell in the distance. Stayed at the tower about 45 minutes taking pictures and trying to get a cell phone signal, but AT&T cellphone signals are weak in the mountains here, other hikers tell me that Verizon works better here. I met "Lint" a 2 time veteran PCT thru hiker at the tower, he's on his second AT thru hike.   One of the things on this hike is meeting so many interesting people, but I don't have time to write down all their names, so unfortunately I forget a lot of them.   The hike down from Clingman's Dome to Newfound Gap is through dense forest, with a lot of evidence of how harsh last winter was up here, the trail maintenance crews have been busy clearing blowdowns. The trail is very muddy in areas from recent snowmelt.   There was snow here just last week.   Got to Newfound Gap around 12:15, and lucked out by catching the 12:30 NOC shuttle ride into Gatlinburg. At the new NOC outpost, they offer a place for hikers to stow their packs, take a shower and use a computer for internet. The shuttle ride back to the Gap is at 4 pm, so I took a shower then got the "Gatlinburger" and fries across the street at the Smokies Hiker/Biker Sports Pub, grab some snacks at the small store, and am ready to go back to the trail at 4 pm.   Those 3.5 hours off the trail in the afternoon put me a half day behind the 2 other hikers I've been with the last 4 days.   Arrive back at Newfound Gap at 4:30 and hike up to Icewater Springs shelter for the night. (For other hikers, I highly recommend the new NOC Outpost in Gatlinburg, the shuttle driver is a veteran 2006 AT thru hiker, they are very helpful to hikers.)   Back at Icewater Springs Shelter that night, I meet an entire new group of northbounders I have not met yet. A very curious and tame deer comes near the shelter around sunset, and is interested in the food bags hanging from the bear cables. Another day on the trail.
Date: 2010-05-06
From: Icewater Spring Shelter - GSMNP

To: Cosby Knob Shelter - GSMNP
Miles today: 20.3
Weather: few clouds

Left Icewater Springs at 0715, stopped at Charlies Bunion for pictures and enjoy the morning views which were fantastic.   Took a break at Tricorner Knob shelter around 1:50 pm. Tricorner has bear warning signs up. Beautiful location at Tricorner and all the shelters in the Smokies have good spring water now. Took a long break til almost 4 pm thru the hottest part of the day then decided to push on. I had a big surprise on the trail after leaving Tricorner, I met Sandy Bell heading southbound. Sandy is a fellow Florida Trail member of our Panhandle Chapter, he was doing a southbound section hike. I was surprised and happy to see a familiar face from hometown up in the Smokies, we stopped and talked for a bit then we both had to move on. My hiking pace is often delayed because I stop to take lots of photos of flowers, plants and mountain views. I arrived at a full Cosby Knob Shelter just before sunset, and setup my tarp in a nice area downhill from the shelter. Hikers have been reporting an aggressive bear at this shelter, the night before, they said a bear tried to enter the shelter. I skip dinner tonight, and decide to hit the sack after a long day. Tomorrow will be my last day in the Smokies.
Date: 2010-05-07
From: Cosby Knob Shelter - GSMNP

To: Groundhog Creek Shelter - NC
Miles today: 17.6
Weather: clear sky

Last day in the Smokies, signed the log at Davenport Gap shelter at the eastern end of the park. Started the Smokies on Monday around 12:30 pm, and exited the Smokies on Friday around the same time.   A very fortunate 4 days with perfect weather all week. Saw many more dayhikers and section hikers on Friday in the Smokies, with the better spring weather.   Another good weather day for hiking, but much hotter today, starting to feel like summer. Stopped at Standing Bear Farm for a 3 hour break, lunch.   Standing Bear is a fantastic hiker hostel with small store for provisions, just across the TN state line. Saw El Flaco, Ryan, and the 3 Chefs here during the break. Left at 5 pm, hiked to Groundhog Creek Shelter for the night, where a Christian youth ministry group was staying on a section hike. They were really a nice group of guys, even offered a spot in the shelter to me for the night.