morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2008-08-20
From: Millinocket

To: Hurd Brook Lean-to
Miles today: 16.1
Weather: broken clouds

Woke up at 5 AM and got a big breakfast at the AT Cafe in Millinocket. The Lodge and Cafe really are a great thing for downtown Millinocket, since it's a great place to stay and great food for dirt cheap. Kudos to Ole Man and Navigator for running that.We got to Katahdin Stream Campground around 7, then started up the Hunt Trail at 7:30. The bunch of us were in pretty much the same physical condition, which is to say not nearly as fit as I was last time I went up that trail. It took about 5 hours to get up, but the views were spectacular. There were some clouds and heavy winds, but aside from the temperature there was nothing we could possibly complain about, and even that was a good time. We met up with current flip-flop thru hiker Leaping Turtle, who was a very entertaining companion for the hike up. It amazes me how many people make the trek up that mountain, despite the difficulty of climbing it. Maybe people aren't quite as lazy as I'd always thought.After a long and tiring trip down, Annie and Yvonne and I parted with my parents at the Kettle Pond trail, which cut off several miles from the AT toward Hurd Brook, and made our way past Abol Bridge and our last view of Katahdin for the day. We made it to the shelter a little after 8 PM, just as it got too dark to see without lights. Luckily, there was just enough room in the shelter for us. We were way too tired to set up tents that late, so it was a good time to crash hard after a quick dinner.today's miles: up & down Katahdin: 10.4Abol Stream Trail & Kettle Pond trail: 1.6Golden Road to Hurd Brook Lean-to: 4.1
Date: 2008-08-21
From: Hurd Brook Lean-to

To: Pollywog Stream crossing
Miles today: 13.9

We were a bit pooped in the morning, so we got a slow start out of the lean-to. Early on, we got a full breakfast of blueberries on Rainbow Ledges. Sweet, tasty blueberries. It was a good way to start the day.Rainbow Ledges gave way to Rainbow Lake, where we heard a loon calling frequently for several hours. With the moss covered forest floor and piles of glacial erratics, it really felt like true wilderness, despite what any AT hiker will tell you about the "100 Mile Wilderness." Whatever. It was beautiful.The highlight of the day was the Rainbow Lake Dam. The side trail was very nondescript, but we figured we'd check it out since we weren't in a hurry. Good lordy, I'm glad we stopped by. That dam, and the little area next to it, is absolutely beautiful. It would make an amazing tenting spot, or at least a great place for a picnic. I imagine a lot of people pass up this side trail because it doesn't sound impressive, which is a damn shame. Unfortunately, we wanted to keep on moving and find a place to camp in the evening, so after a short stop at the dam, then a short stop near Rainbow Stream Lean-to to swim, we headed on through more pretty scenery until we found a decent place to pitch tents next to the woods road at Pollywog Stream.I didn't notice this much last year on the AT, but after a winter working at a sporting camp I've noticed the other sporting camps a lot more. We were camped right next to a road that led to Nahmakanta Lake sporting camp, and there was a bunch of traffic late in the evening heading there. Kind of interesting that there's really no mention of these camps in the thru-hiker's companion. I haven't checked the other guide books about that, but it seems like a useful piece of information for all parties.
Date: 2008-08-22
From: Pollywog Stream crossing

To: Antlers Campsite
Miles today: 19.3
Weather: clear sky

It was a long day today, and it was wicked hot. I'm surprised we made it as far as we did, but it was worth every step.There was more great scenery from our campsite to Nahmakanta Lake, including Crescent Pond, Nesuntabunt mountain, and the forest in general. We also marveled at a lot of the drainage structures and rock stairs on the trail around the lake (all three of us have been working on trail crews this summer, so we have a new appreciation of such things). Around lunchtime, we stopped at the south end of the lake for a swim, which was unbelievably nice, even though the beach was a bit crowded with weekend campers.Continuing down the trail, we saw a moose emerge from the waters of Nahmakanta Stream, and as we all scrambled for our cameras, she just stood there staring at us and dripping dry for a bit, watching us like we were some kind of entertaining wildlife. Indeed.We got to the Antlers just before dinner time, and collapsed at the first flat spot we could find. What a gorgeous camp! And the loons were going crazy on the pond while we ate our dinner, and a fox ran right by us a couple times while we ate. Good swimming in the lake, nice open spots for tents... what more could you want?
Date: 2008-08-23
From: Antlers Campsite

To: Cooper Brook Falls lean-to
Miles today: 8.3
Weather: few clouds

A very short day today due to the long march yesterday. We decided to sleep in until 6:30 or 7, but I woke up to watch the sunrise over the pond from my sleeping bag. All I had to do was lift my head a little, since my tarp shelter had a clear view of the pond. That makes me excited for possible sunrise hikes later.A volunteer trail crew showed up just as we were leaving, which is about the only eventful thing that happened before we wound up at Cooper Brook Falls for the evening. We took the 0.2 mile side trail to Cooper pond, which was okay but not really worth the time. It seems that trail has not been maintained in a while, is not marked, and is not really all that spectacular. Oh well.The lean-to at Cooper Brook Falls isn't anything to write home about, but the location is fantastic. We got in early, and spent the afternoon swimming in the falls (I heard there were leaches galore, but found none), reading old register entries (I found mine from 6/26/07), and meeting fellow hikers. If only I'd brought a book, the early day would be perfect. Oh well. Just for the swimming, the short day was worth it.
Date: 2008-08-24
From: Cooper Brook Falls lean-to

To: Carl Newhall lean-to
Miles today: 18.9
Weather: few clouds

I started the day with a dunk in the brook, which was delightful. The humidity only picked up around 10 or so, so hiking in cold, wet clothing woke me right up.We started early, despite our plan to hike only 11 miles to Logan Brook, mainly because we wanted to beat the heat. There was a beautiful spring before Mountainview pond, and another just before Logan Brook, so we had ourselves a lot of tasty, tasty water for the day. I only mention those two springs because they were really fantastic water sources. Good springs make me happy.We stopped at the West Branch lean-to for lunch, and had a good time chatting with Greenwood, a nearly finished NOBO from Nashville. Very entertaining guy. Despite the long lunch break, we still got to Logan Brook early (where there is another great water source), and decided to go to Sydney Tappan tentsite, which meant a late afternoon ascent of White Cap.Going up White Cap, we marveled some more at the new rock steps, which a friend ours from college had installed earlier this summer with the Maine Conservation Corps. Yvonne (with the New Hampshire Conservation Corps) and I (with the Vermont Youth Conservation Corps) both agreed that our summer work could not begin to compare with the stairs going up White Cap. Not only was the worksite more rugged than ours, but the work itself was intense. I would love to see those crews at work, because they are undoubtedly tough as nails.White Cap was beautiful as I remember it, and the heavy wind reminded us all just how rugged it was, also. I began to get a little nostalgic for last winter, when I had worked in the area and this mountain range had been my snowy playground. I also got a little pissed off when I saw a pile of peanut shells on the ground by the view of Katahdin, and then a pile of toilet paper and poo on the rocks near the summit. Some people are real shitheads.The walk down to Sydney Tappan was long and painful on the knees, and when we got there, it was totally full with an orientation trip from UMaine. Only two miles further to Carl Newhall, so we figured it would be fine. We rolled in just as it got dark out, and the shelter was luckily empty. Mr Butter got in just seconds before us, and we passed out after a quick dinner, our feet ready for a long break.
Date: 2008-08-25
From: Carl Newhall lean-to

To: Little Lyford Pond Camps
Miles today: 9.2

I forgot to mention the weather for the past week. The skies have been almost entirely clear for the entire time, with not a hint of rain. That is unusual for this summer, especially since my worksite on Stratton Mountain (southern vermont) got 8-9 inches of rain each month for the entire summer while I was there, which meant mudpits, flooded campsites, and fungus. It was the wettest summer I can remember. And all of a sudden, just before I started this trip, the rain stopped.We awoke in the lean-to to about fifteen minutes of rain, and then it stopped for the rest of the day. That's the first rain we've had in a week, and if that's all we're getting for a little while, I'll take it gladly. After a little extra time getting out of the shelter, we started a slow walk down the damp trail to Gulf Hagas.Once we got to the Gulf Hagas loop trail, we slowed down to nearly a crawl, and stopped for just about every viewpoint along the rim trail (and there are several). We also had to look at several new rock stairways and water bars. The MCC must have been wicked busy in this area this year, since there was new work on the north side of White Cap, the south side of Gulf Hagas Mountain, the Gulf Hagas Rim Trail, and from what we hear, the north side of Chairback. Good job, trail crews!After a swim in the Head of the Gulf (one of the most beautiful spots on the trail, and the furthest from the AT) we continued down the Little Lyford trail, dreaming of meat and showers and warm beds. We got there in no time, skies totally clear at this point. When I left Little Lyford at the end of March, the snow was still about 4 feet deep and melting fast. Now it is dry, breezy, green and idyllic. The folks I worked with are delightful folks, which made me miss being here, even though I really didn't like the work at the time. If you ever have a chance to visit a sporting camp in northern Maine, it's like nothing else in the US (except maybe Alaska... Annie worked at a similar sort of camp out there), and it's about the best thing you can do if you like luxury camping.Yvonne and Annie will head back to New Hampshire tomorrow, and I'll stick around camp for a few zero days to hang out. Maybe I'll find out about that job with the Green Mountain Club that I'm hoping to get. Sitting here at camp, the idea of leaving Maine makes me sad, but like they say about the AT, the land will always be here.
Date: 2008-08-26
From: Little Lyford Pond Camps

To: Little Lyford Pond Camps
Miles today: 0.0

Took a little zero day to drop Yvonne and Annie off at their car in Monson, then go grocery shopping and make some phone calls. I'm pretty excited about all the food I got, and I forgot to limit myself. I'll be leaving Little Lyford with a lot more food than I need, which means too much weight on my back, but I'd rather have too much than not enough. If I'd been hiking for several weeks already, I'm sure I would have done better.Back at Little Lyford in the evening, I managed to relax a bit and hang out with my old coworkers. Sitting on the porch in the evening with not a cloud in the sky, cool temperatures... life is good. I'll sleep like a baby tonight.
Date: 2008-08-27
From: Little Lyford Pond Camps

To: Little Lyford Pond Camps
Miles today: 0.0

Another zero day to relax and hang out in the heat. Drank lots of tea, ate lots of bacon, emailed more folks while I still have internet access. I'm already getting the hiking itch, though, so tomorrow will be good. I packed up all my food and feel pretty stupid for carrying that much, but at least I'll be fat and happy. Tomorrow I head out on the trail again. I'll skip Monson since I'm trying to limit the costs on this trip, and I've got a small food package waiting in Caratunk that I mailed yesterday. Next big stop will be Stratton, where I have fond memories of the hostel with a fine kitchen and plenty of internet access.But first, one more night in a bed.
Date: 2008-08-28
From: KI Road

To: Cloud Pond Lean-to
Miles today: 11.1
Weather: broken clouds

After a last good meal at Little Lyford, I put my pack together and got a ride to the trail crossing on the Katahdin Iron Works road so I wouldn't have to deal with the ford of the West Branch of the Pleasant River. My pack was huge, with way more food than I could possibly eat in the few days that it would take to get to Caratunk. In fact, I just about passed out on my way up the first ascent from the extra weight and heat.I started running into several NOBO's as I made my way south, including Professor, whom I had met at Stratton Mountain while working on the trail crew this summer. After the fifth or sixth person I passed, I began to zone out until I got to Third Mountain and the fine views there. I realized that from Monument Cliffs, I could see the entire valley where I had spent my winter at Little Lyford, and I could identify every mountain and lake that I could see from there. That's the first time I've been able to do that, and it was a pretty cool feeling, especially when I could say I'd hiked through all of that area off trail.I eventually made my way to Cloud Pond, which is a gorgeous setting, but the side trail was pretty ugly. Aside from two section hikers, there was nobody there until Spider showed up in the evening. I got the feeling the thru-hikers must have just passed this place up, which is a shame. The shelter register filled up in June, so I'm not sure. I managed to lighten my food bags a tiny bit, but tomorrow will be tough, still.
Date: 2008-08-29
From: Cloud Pond Lean-to

To: Leeman Brook lean-to
Miles today: 16.4
Weather: clear sky

For the first morning in several days, there were nasty clouds covering the mountains when I awoke. I got moving as fast as I could, just in case it did rain, but the clouds only receded as the morning went on. From Barren Ledges, I had a gorgeous view of Boarstone Mountain, Lake Onawa, and the Bangor-Aroostook railroad on the other side. Aside from the train and the sound of a skidder in the valley, it seemed perfectly wild, but even with those it was a great way to spend my first snack break.The rest of the day was a mostly uneventful, with nice scenery and a few encounters with northbounders. I got to the shelter early and had time to read and hang out for a while, since I was alone for the evening. I'm a little sad I'll be skipping Monson tomorrow, but I've got my sights set and my plans for the next few days include plenty of good views, so all is well.
Date: 2008-08-30
From: Leeman Brook lean-to

To: Moxie Bald lean-to
Miles today: 20.9
Weather: overcast clouds

I got moving early in the morning, and the rain that was predicted for the day turned out to be only a spit just before I left the shelter. Yet another beautiful day for hiking. I left the 100 Mile Wilderness and got ready for easy moving through flat terrain. Unfortunately, I finally found where most of the rain damage happened on the trail around here. Until now, I'd been pretty surprised about the good conditions on the trail, but a lot of today's terrain was marred by mud pits from the huge rains this summer.After a long day of hiking, I arrived at Moxie Bald lean-to, which I had been looking forward to after passing by last year. I set up my tarp when I saw there were a few folks already in the lean-to, including Rhino, whom I had met at Stratton Pond several weeks earlier. He's heading south after finishing his NOBO hike, and there were several other NOBO's showing up throughout the course of the day.Once the sun went down, the crowd listened to the loons on the pond, and enjoyed a huge pile of trail magic left by some folks up for the weekend on vacation. It would have been better if the folks had left a trash container or something, but I guess someone else will have to deal with a huge mess later.
Date: 2008-08-31
From: Moxie Bald lean-to

To: Pleasant Pond lean-to
Miles today: 14.5
Weather: few clouds

As with the Antlers campsite, I managed to catch the sunrise over the pond before heading out. Rhino had an amazing fire going as soon as I got my breakfast cooking, so I stuck around camp a little longer than I'd planned to hang out by the fire with the others. I was hoping to get out early to beat the humidity, but that didn't happen.My first stop was the North Peak side trail on Moxie Bald, which turned out to be well worth the 0.7 miles each way. The guide says "significant blueberry crop in season," and that is a major understatement. Aside from the gorgeous views from the peak (way better than those from south peak, I think), I managed to gorge myself for half an hour on sweet, wild blueberries. I left the peak with about a pint of blueberries in a bag for later.Later, Rhino and I stopped at the powerline cut between Moxie Bald and Pleasant Pond mountains to pick more blueberries, most of which I saved for later again. By then I had a huge pile in my blueberry bag, which was pretty exciting for later.The views from Pleasant Pond mountain were fantastic again. For such a short mountain, the views really are better than you'd expect. And the walk down is steeper than you'd expect, also, but it was a good night at the shelter with a few nobo's as company.
Date: 2008-09-01
From: Pleasant Pond lean-to

To: Pierce Pond lean-to
Miles today: 9.7
Weather: clear sky

I got out of the shelter early today, despite the short miles. I wanted to get some tasty eats in Caratunk, and that's exactly what happened. The mud damage to the trail continued to be pretty ugly, but I made it to 201 pretty early and then headed up to Northern Outdoors for burgers and internet access. I managed to get a sandwich to bring out for dinner, too.After a lazy lunch, RHino and I headed across the river and over to Pierce Pond, where a bunch of nobo's showed up in short order. The swimming at the lean-to is my favorite anywhere, so far, since there's a nice rock ledge to jump off and no sand or dirt to get all over your feet. Very nice.I ran over to Harrison's camp to order up breakfast for the group, and we all went to sleep excited about pancakes and sausage in the morning.
Date: 2008-09-02
From: Pierce Pond lean-to

To: Little Bigelow lean-to
Miles today: 17.3
Weather: broken clouds

I've never seen a bunch of hikers as eager to get up early and out of camp as today, with thoughts of pancakes in our heads. After a fine breakfast at the camps, we all split up and started hiking. Despite the flat terrain, I had a hell of a time heading south, just because of the days of being tired without time off. Also, since there were no real good views to look forward to today, I didn't think as much about hiking... just let my mind wander like I did last year.Some of the ponds were pretty nice, but after several hours, I found myself at the edge of the Bigelow Preserve. It's funny how nice the forest gets once you pass into the preserve, but I had to run through it because I wanted to get to the shelter as quickly as possible. I could tell I was getting close because I smelled smoke, so I knew Rhino must already be there. With yet another crowd of northbounders for the night, it was an entertaining evening and yet another rock-like sleep.
Date: 2008-09-03
From: Little Bigelow lean-to

To: Stratton
Miles today: 17.2
Weather: scattered clouds

Beautiful views from the Bigelows today, starting with the foggy valleys and continuing with clear skies on Avery Peak. I could even make out Katahdin in the distance. It was hard to leave the peak, but I continued on to check out both Horns and then the Bigelow Range trail into Stratton. Cranberry peak is another unknown gem of an already amazing area, and I would have spent more time up there if not for the dreams of ice cream in my head. I'll have to come back again sometime.As I rolled into town, my knees were killing me from all the steep ups and downs, and the lovely Stratton Hostel cured all my aches and pains.
Date: 2008-09-05
From: Caribou Valley Road

To: Poplar Ridge Lean-to
Miles today: 16.8
Weather: overcast clouds

I decided to shuttle out to Caribou Valley Road with Pi and Preacher so I could skip the Crockers. I've done them enough times. No need for more big, pointless climbs.Instead, I got to hurry up the backside of Sugarloaf and then take the 1.7 mile (each way) side trail to Mt Abraham. Even without any views, that mountain was spectacular. The trail out there was pretty nice, especially once it got above tree line and started going over the boulder fields. Much like the climb up Katahdin, but a little less crazy. I'll have to head back to Abraham sometime when the weather's decent.I didn't take much time to smell the roses, so I managed to get into Poplar Ridge lean-to just in time for dinner. It was a full shelter, for once, and once again I had plans to be in town the next night.
Date: 2008-09-06
From: Poplar Ridge Lean-to

To: Rangeley
Miles today: 10.9
Weather: overcast clouds

I managed to get out of the shelter early and immediately began the climb up Saddleback. It was another super humid day, so I was thoroughly drenched within minutes, and the views from Saddleback Junior were pretty hazy, but by the time I got to the real peak there was just enough visibility to see a little of the countryside. The climb itself was worth the trip, since from the Horn to the other side of Saddleback is a traverse of the rocky ridge with views at just about every turn, but I was able to see plenty of mountains through the haze on the summit.The trip down was uneventful, although my knees seem to think otherwise. Spending the night at the Gull Pond Lodge was a delight just like last year. Bob's place is peaceful and extremely comfortable, which is just what I need in a town. There was a small crowd of northbounders there, all of us taking shelter from the remnants of hurricane Hannah as it drenched the entire state.
Date: 2008-09-07
From: Rangeley

To: Bemis Mountain lean-to
Miles today: 17.7
Weather: overcast clouds

The trail was drenched when I started hiking, but at least it didn't rain any more. The weather was a nice change from the previous weeks of sun and heat-- there was heavy wind and fog all day. Of course, I would have liked to have stayed at the Gull Pond Lodge all day, but for the last week on the trail I have to be on an actual schedule. Back on the trail!I soaked my feet several times along the way, which made the walking a little less pleasant than usual, but my new trail runners drained out pretty well. I was able to do a pretty long day into the Bemis Range, which is a much nicer mountain range than I'd remembered. The forest along the top of the mountain is very picturesque, with huge expanses of moss on the ground and nice visibility through the trees. The day passed quickly, and before I knew it I was at the lean-to and the temperatures were falling rapidly.
Date: 2008-09-08
From: Bemis Mountain lean-to

To: South Arm Road
Miles today: 8.7

I woke up in the shelter and had to get moving quickly, since the temperature was already much lower than I've been used to over the summer. There were no views until I reached Old Blue Mountain, and the fog over the mountain had kept everything pretty wet through the night. The bog bridges and rock traverses were so slippery that I could barely move more than a mile an hour for much of the day's hike, but I made up the miles in the few nice areas. The views from Old Blue turned out to be pretty nice, especially the vista halfway up from South Arm Road. By then, the sun was peeking out and I was able to enjoy the views in some relatively warm weather.At South Arm Road I got a ride from David of the Pine Ellis, and I spent the rest of the day lounging on the porch swing there. Another relaxing evening in town! I'm getting too used to this.