morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2006-08-30
From: North Conway, NH

To: Mizpah Hut
Miles today: 6.4
Weather: light rain

What a beautiful break in the weather we have here! 70o and hardly a cloud in the sky, a far cry from the overcast, rainy, cold days I've had since entering the Whites. The Weather Channel forecasts this weather will last for a few days, then back to the dreary, bleak days. That's fine with me because I just want nice weather tomorrow for my climb up Mt. Washington.I came up from Rt. 302 today (spent last night in North Conway, NH) and hiked 6.4 miles to Mizpah Hut. Along the way I climbed Mt. Webster (3,910') and Mt. Jackson (4,052'), from which I could see the rest of the Presidential Range clear as day. I could even make out the black smoke rising from the cog railway train that runs to and from the summit of Mt. Washington. It's SO rare to experience the Presidentials sans clouds, so I'm counting my blessings and taking as many pics as possible!The croo (staff) here at Mizpah is letting me do work-for-stay , so I'll be indoors again tonight. What a great trail this is!1836 miles down, 339 to go!Bear CanPS - The section of the AT from Rt. 302 to the summit of Mt. Washington is an historic path cut by Ethan Allen Crawford and his father, Abel, in 1819. This stretch is considered the oldest continuously used footpath in the US.
Date: 2006-09-01
From: Madison Hut

To: Pinkham Notch
Miles today: 7.8
Weather: broken clouds

The first days of my last month! It's been a phenomenal last few days of hiking. The skies have been pretty clear, the temp. perfect and the climbs fantastic. Yesterday I hiked 11.8 miles from Mizpah Spring Hut to Madison Hut, and today 7.8 miles from Madison to Pinkham Notch, completing my traverse of the Presidentials.I woke up yesterday morning with Mt. Washington on the brain. I'd been dreaming of my eventual climb up Washington ever since Georgia. The peak is the highest in the northeast, weighing in at 6,288', and home to some of the worst weather in the US. In fact, the fastest land wind speed ever recorded, 231 mph, was recorded upon Washington in 1934. Because of the temperamental weather trends on the mountain, people die every year on Washington. Fortunately for me, I had fantastic weather for my ascent up this devil of a peak. Since I had already gotten onto the Presidential ridge the day before, yesterday's remaining ascent to Washington was fairly gradual, going up and over Mt. Pierce and Mt. Franklin, and skirting the summits of Mt. Eisenhower and Mt. Monroe along the way. The whole time I could see the summit of Mt. Washington looming larger than life. No matter how many times I spied it, it never failed to captivate me.Although I knew the summit would be bustling with tourists, this fact escaped me as I made my final push to the top. Once there I made my way past the weather observatory and was floored by the masses. I made my way to the summit sign and stood there for quite some time just taking in the view (there was 100 mile visibility yesterday!). While I stood there and savored the moment, people who had driven up or taken the railway up crowded the summit sign for a photo op. Needless to say, I wasn't impressed by their effort. I was the only one by the sign with a pack on, leading someone to ask where I'd hiked from. You should have seen the look on his face when I told him Georgia!Mt. Washington has been a tourist destination for over a century, with the first summit house having been constructed in 1852. A second, the Tip Top House, opened the following year and a renovated version now sits atop the summit as a museum. A carriage road to the summit opened in 1861 and the cog railway became operational in 1869, both of which still usher tourists to the top (the former is the present-day auto road).After calling Amy from the summit visitor center and chowing down a piece of pizza from the cafeteria, I made my way down Washington to Madison Hut. As luck would have it, I got work-for-stay along with "Sexy Monk" and "Swiss the Chocolate Bandito...yo!". They were a riot to hang with!Today I came up and over Mt. Madison and made my long descent off the Presidential Range. I tell you, viewing Washington from the north was even more impressive than it was from the south. What a majestic peak! Coming off that ridge, I came below treeline for the first time in 13 miles!I have but 20 miles left in the Whites and they've been every bit as beautiful as I'd hoped!1855.6 miles down, 319.4 to go!Bear Can
Date: 2006-09-02
From: Pinkham Notch

To: Carter Notch Hut
Miles today: 5.9
Weather: overcast clouds

I ended up hanging out at the Pinkham Notch Visitor Center last night until 7pm: read a bit, chatted on the phone with Amy, made dinner. I had planned to camp a bit north of the notch and found a great site about a mile out. Since the skies were clear, I cowboy camped and slept wonderfully (except for the squirrel that jumped over my head during the night!).I broke camp around 7am today, before realizing I only had 5.9 miles to Carter Notch Hut, my goal for the day. Since hut croos won't take thru-hikers for work-for-stay until 3pm, I had some serious time to kill. I decided to hike back to the visitor center and give Amy a wake-up call. That was the first of several diversions I embraced today before finally ending up at Carter Notch Hut. I made conservation with every soul I met along the way, including a father and son I had met at Madison Hut, a man from southern New Hampshire with two HUGE dogs, and a guy who's originally from Buffalo. Between these chat breaks and my slow poke pace, I managed to delay my arrival until 4pm - ideal!This is a self-service hut, meaning there aren't meals included and there's only a caretaker rather than a croo of 3 or 4. Chris, the caretaker, was happy to give me work-for-stay and charged me with cleaning the fridge and doing some dishes. He seems pretty cool; he's even going to try to get me in a bunkhouse tonight, rather than having me crash out on the floor. Woo hoo!I'm starting to get a little home sick, in part because I want to get working on my grad. school applications. But also because I'm leaving the Whites soon, the section of the AT I'd most looked forward to since Georgia. I know the remaining 300 miles will be fantastic and rewarding, yet I can't shake the feeling I'm ready to be back in Buffalo. Well, I will be in 29 days. God, help me savor this last bit.1861.5 miles down, 313.5 to go!Bear Can
Date: 2006-09-03
From: Carter Notch Hut

To: Rattle River Shelter
Miles today: 13.3
Weather: fog

Today witnessed the return of the rain, courtesy of Hurricane Ernesto! Going over some of the exposed ridges was a lot like traversing Mt. Lincoln and Mt. Lafayette a week ago, although not as severe. Regardless, I was pretty chilly and wet by the time I arrived at Rattle River Shelter, 13.3 miles from Carter Notch Hut. Fortunately, we got a nice fire going that's keeping us toasty (there's a couple here doing a 2 week section hike). Two retired guys that were at Carter Notch Hut last night, John and Steve, should be coming by here on their way to Gorham tonight, but I haven't seen them yet. I hope everything is all right.It's sad to be leaving the Whites. It's been phenomenal hiking I'll never forget, but I'm sure the upcoming sections will be equally as memorable. I have but 20 miles left in NH, then ME welcomes me with the Mahoosuc Notch, known as the toughest mile on the AT. John (from Carter Notch Hut) told me it took him four hours to do that one mile! That will be fun!It'll be nice to get into Gorham tomorrow. Shower, laundry, etc. Oh yeah!1874.8 miles down, 300.2 to go!Bear Can
Date: 2006-09-05
From: Gorham, NH

To: Trident Col Tentsite
Miles today: 6.9

I must be the luckiest guy on the AT given the trail magic that keeps coming my way. The other night at Rattle River Shelter, Steve and John (hikers I stayed with at Madison and Carter Notch Huts) ended up coming through around 8:30pm on their way to Gorham, NH. They offered to put me up for the night in town, but since it was raining and I was already nice and cozy in my sleeping bag, I graciously declined the offer. Regardless, I was moved by their generosity as I fell asleep that night.The next morning when I arrived at US 2, from where I was to hitch into Gorham, there was a note for me from Steve taped to the trailhead sign. It said he'd be staying another night in town (his plane out of Boston doesn't leave until tomorrow) and he offered to let me stay in his motel room.To be explicit for anyone whose mind might be in the gutter, both Steve and John are stand up guys, retired and happily married. There was nothing creepy about Steve's offer; it was simply a random act of generosity, the very essence of trail magic.I took Steve up on his offer. In addition to the motel room, he ended up driving me to the laundromat and grocery store, and treating me to dinner. He figured my budget was tight (and wasn't he right!), so wanted to help me out. I couldn't have been more thankful. It was great getting to know him better too. He's a wealth of backpacking knowledge, especially with regards to footwear, a result of him having run a shoe and boot store for 30 years. His trail magic made for a great Gorham stay! Additionally, I was able to take care of some unfinished personal business while in Gorham, making the resupply the best it could have been. Ahh, I love this trail!I hitched back to the AT early this afternoon and did 6.9 miles to Trident Col Tentsite. There's only three of us here, each with our own tent pad, so it's quite quiet and peaceful. I can even hear the flapping of crows' wings above.In other news, tomorrow I will be in Maine!1883.6 miles down, 291.4 to go!Bear Can
Date: 2006-09-06
From: Trident Col Tentsite

To: Carlo Col Shelter
Miles today: 10.1
Weather: light rain

NH didn't want to let me out of its clutches today. I did 10.1 miles from Trident Col Tentsite to Carlo Col Shelter, all but a half-mile of which was my last chunk of NH. A few miles before the NH/ME line, I ascended Mt. Success, a much more difficult climb than the topo map would suggest. But I got within spitting distance of the summit - I could see the summit sign 50 yards away - when disaster struck. All that stood between me and the summit was a bog with log walks across it. However, the log walk was missing an 8' section. Figuring it to be a simple mud puddle, I sought to cross the gap only to find myself sinking thigh deep into the muck. I was stuck, couldn't pull my feet out and feared I'd lose my boots if I did. I wrestled with the muck a good minute before working my right leg out to a kneeling position. A similar amount of time was dedicated to the left leg. I then crawled across the gap, cursing the Appalachian Mountain Club (AMC) for its horrendous trail maintenance outside the Whites. The worst part of this whole fiasco wasn't that I was caked in foul-smelling muck from my thighs down, but that my camera got soaked (guess that zip lock bag wasn't all it was cracked up to be!). It currently isn't working. Maybe it's broken. Maybe I've lost all the pictures on the memory card. One thing is for sure - I couldn't get a pic at the state line.Thanks for the great send off NH! Welcome to ME!1893.7 miles down, 281.3 to goBear Can
Date: 2006-09-07
From: Carlo Col Shelter

To: Speck Pond Shelter
Miles today: 9.5
Weather: broken clouds

        My spirits are up a bit from the low they hit last night in the wake of the muck fiasco. My camera still isn't working, but I'm hoping it's just the batteries. Guess I'll find out when I get to Rangeley, ME.My spirits are up because I'm at Speck Pond Shelter, sitting on a bench right at the water's edge. The sun is warming my face, a nice alternative to the chilly rain we've been getting. I can't look upon this glacial lake and think anything but "life is good."I'm REALLY in ME now. Last night I was just over the border, but with my 9.5 miles today to Speck Pond Shelter, I'm a good ways in. Not to mention I passed ME's test by making it through the Mahoosuc Notch and up the Mahoosuc Arm. The former is a mile-long, boulder-strewn notch between two high cliffs where the trail makes its way up, over and around the chaos. Twice I had to take off my pack and feed it through tunnels. Crazy! All in all, I didn't find it that difficult, just slow-going. I thought the Mahoosuc Arm was much harder; this 1.5 mile ascent out of the notch has 1,500' elevation gain with quite a few boulders to scramble over. I was glad to get that over with!Tomorrow I'll head into Bethel, ME for some provisions, then pop back out to the next shelter.1903.2 miles down, 271.8 to go!Bear Can
Date: 2006-09-08
From: Speck Pond Shelter

To: Frye Notch Shelter
Miles today: 10.5

Another day bites the dust. My stop in Bethel, ME resulted in me losing my maps. GRRR!! Fortunately, my climb up Mt. Baldpate this afternoon turned my day around. Great terrain, great weather, great view. While up there I got my first glimpse of the leaves changing colors; there's some yellow and red hues creeping into these woods.I hiked roughly 10.5 miles today to Frye Notch Shelter. Scratch, a maybe retired guy from CT, is here tonight and was kind enough to let me copy (draw) his topo maps in the the back of my copy of The Road to Wigan Pier (I'm sure Orwell would approve). Sympathizing with my camera problems, he also took a picture of me in the Mahoosuc Notch yesterday that he'll send me. Great guy! Sleep Ninja is here tonight too. Haven't seen him in a few weeks, so it's been nice hanging out. Yee hah!1914 miles down, 261 to go!Bear Can
Date: 2006-09-10
From: Hall Mtn. Lean-to

To: Bemis Mtn. Lean-to
Miles today: 13.0
Weather: overcast clouds

The nights are definitely getting colder. Last night was quite chilly, forcing me to cinch up my mummy bag hood for the first time since early April. Tonight promises to be equally as cold. Yep, fall is upon us. It's even starting to smell like fall!Today I really wished my camera was working. I came over the Bemis Ridge from Hall Mtn. Lean-to Bemis Mtn. Lean-to, about 13 miles, and there were a few unbelievable vistas. Between the leaves turning and the abundance of lakes everywhere, it's breath-taking.I have less than 3 weeks left in this hike. It's an eerie feeling. Although this trail has only been my life since March, I wonder if I'll remember how to live another way.1937.3 miles down, 237.7 to go!Bear Can
Date: 2006-09-11
From: Bemis Mtn. Lean-to

To: Little Swift River Pond Campsite
Miles today: 13.0
Weather: few clouds

I'm sitting in a canoe out in the middle of Little Swift River Pond. There's a campsite here that I hiked to today, roughly 13 miles from Bemis Mtn. Lean-to. There isn't a caretaker here or anything, but there's two canoes just chilling out on the shore. I figured it wouldn't do to let them go to waste!ME is so different from any state I've ever been in: continuous mountains interrupted periodically by lake after lake, pond after pond. It's so peaceful out here on the water, so quiet that I can hear the distant conversation of the other two hikers at the campsite clear as day. There's hardly a breeze, so the water appears as a mirror, broken here and there by the splash of a fish. Lily pads are speckled about the shallow areas, their existence adding to the serenity of the whole scene.It feels wonderful to be out on the water, rather than just gazing upon it from some vista on a mountaintop. From here I can gaze upon the mountaintops! Haha!Tomorrow I'll nero into Rangeley, ME, meaning I'll have just under 90% of the AT behind me. I feel the end of this adventure closing me, causing me to cling to these final weeks, savoring their taste. And trust me, ME has a wonderful taste!1950.2 miles down, 224.8 to go!Bear Can
Date: 2006-09-14
From: Rangeley, ME

To: Popular Ridge Lean-to
Miles today: 10.7

For those who may be interested, here's some budget information on the ATC, AMC and PATCATC (2004 information)Budget: $6,149,065Highest Paid Employees: Director of Public Affairs, $60,265; Director of Trail Maintenance, $54,500Zero other employees compensated more than $50,000 annuallyAMC (2004 information)Budget: $24,078,081Highest Paid Employees: Deputy Director, $124,538; Director of Development, $114,846; Director of Operations, $126,016; Controller, $85,582; Special Projects, $83,45923 other employees compensated more than $50,000 annuallyPATC (2005 information)Budget: $944,957Highest Paid Employee: Director of Administration, $61,360Zero other employees compensated more than $50,000 annually
Date: 2006-09-15
From: Popular Ridge Lean-to

To: Crocker Cirque Campsite
Miles today: 14.2
Weather: light rain

Today I pushed my remaining mileage under 200 with a 14.2 mile day from Poplar Ridge Shelter to Crocker Cirque Campsite. I had thought to take a side trail to the summit of Sugarloaf Mtn. and stay at the the cabin up there, but the fact it was in the clouds dissuaded me. Additionally, I'm still battling this cold making the ascents difficult, so the .6 mile straight up to the summit wasn't too appealing.This is a nice tranquil site though. Pedro and McGruff are here, but we're all pretty spread out. They're young guys and seem pretty cool. McGruff is hilarious!I miss having a guidebook. My ME guidebook got lost in the mail, along with some other goodies Amy sent me. It's unfortunate because I learn most trail history I encounter from those guidebooks. Oh well, I can deal.Tomorrow I'll stop at a grocery story outside Stratton to resupply, then get back on the trail.1979.9 miles down, 195.1 to go!Bear Can
Date: 2006-09-17
From: Cranberry Stream Campsite

To: Safford Notch Campsite
Miles today: 8.5
Weather: clear sky

I went 5 months, 27 days and just shy of 2,000 miles without losing a piece of equipment (except my spoon, which I've lost about 4 times). Then today I left my winter hat on top of Avery Peak. And just as its starting to get cold! Oh well. I only have 13 days left; it's not going to kill me to go without it, especially since I'm getting some warmer gear in Caratunk. I liked that hat though; it was a gift from Amy. It would've been nice to have it for the home stretch.Indeed, I am in the home stretch. Today I came up and over the three peaks of the Bigelow Range - South Horn, West Peak (4,145') and Avery Peak (4,088') - the last 4,000 footers I'll encounter before Katahdin. Tomorrow morning I'll cross the 2,000 mile mark, leaving a measly 175!West Peak and Avery Peak were a treat. They sit within a mile of one another and today with sunny and clear skies they offered stunning panoramic views. However, the visibility wasn't good enough to see Katahdin, a shame.The view of Little Bigelow Mtn. from Avery Peak was breath-taking. The maple trees on its southern side have all turned bright red, making it look ablaze. I can't believe how quickly fall is taking over. What a great way to end this adventure!1997.5 miles down, 177.5 to go!Bear CanPS - I hiked roughly 8.5 miles from Cranberry Stream Campsite to Safford Notch Campsite today.
Date: 2006-09-18
From: Safford Notch Campsite

To: West Carry Pond Lean-to
Miles today: 12.3
Weather: broken clouds

I suppose this must be Maine's indian summer. It's been between 70 and 80 degrees and sunny the last few days. Today when I got to camp (I hiked 12.3 miles from Safford Notch to West Carry Pond Lean-to) I took advantage of the warm weather to take a dip in the pond and rinse out my clothes. I've been sweating like crazy, making the swim quite refreshing.The weather led me to cowboy camp under the stars these last few nights. It's funny though because both nights I woke up thinking it was raining. However, there were leaves falling, not raindrops. Fall is definitely upon us. Shortly before arriving at camp, the trail ran through a maple grove where the ground was sprinkled with crimson red leaves. Against the dirt and decayed leaves of last year, these maple leaves looked so powerful and ardent. Man, I love fall!For the next few miles the AT follows the route of the historic Arnold Trail. In 1775, Benedict Arnold led an army of 1,150 to Quebec to mount a surprise winter attack on the British. Unfortunately, due to the rugged terrain of Maine's mountains, streams and swamps (with which thru-hikers are well-acquainted!), Arnold's army got bogged down. The 650 men that actually made it through to Quebec were so enervated by the passage that the attack was unsuccessful. I find it funny that someone thought to create a hiking trail to commemorate such a debacle!Today I crossed the 2,000 mile mark atop Little Bigelow Mtn. Someone had written "2000" with sticks and stones on the rockface, a welcome sight indeed! I can't believe I'm almost done!2009.8 miles down, 165.2 to go!Bear Can
Date: 2006-09-19
From: West Carry Pond Lean-to

To: Pierce Pond Lean-to
Miles today: 10.5
Weather: broken clouds

I hiked around 10.5 miles today over the flattest terrain I've seen since getting back on the trail four weeks ago. The miles flew by, landing me at Pierce Pond Lean-to around 11:15am. Done for the day by before noon! The lean-to sits right on the pond and about .25 mile away is a dock in the middle of no where, on which I now sit. There's also a bunch of rowboats, canoes and kayaks here. Apparently they belong to a nearby camp. However, there's no other sign of the camp or any of its patrons, granting me much appreciated solitude. As my trip winds to a tortuous end (quite literally!), I've somehow struck a delicate balance between savoring and celebrating. Everyday I count down the days and the miles, looking forward to the 30th (well, actually the 29th). But at the same time, everyday I take the time to completely take in my surroundings: smell the fall air, listen to the calls of the barred owls and loons or the rustle of the leaves, feel the water ripple over my feet at the side of a lake, watch the mountains fade into the horizons.I'm thankful the AT saved Maine for last. This state is supplying me with the perfect environment in which to savor every last mile. My lax schedule is a big help too. I could have easily made 25 miles today over this terrain, but then I wouldn't have truly experienced Pierce Pond; I'd have simply walked around it. This is a good life, but one I couldn't stomach indefinitely. I couldn't have asked for a better way to spend six months.2020.3 miles down, 154.7 to go!Bear Can
Date: 2006-09-20
From: Pierce Pond Lean-to

To: Pleasant Pond Lean-to
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: few clouds

Another day, another shelter, another pond - this time it's Pleasant Pond. Maine is spoiling me! Once again I'm sitting at an unoccupied boat dock, my feet dangling in the crystal clear water as it gently ripples upon the shore. I'll have to be careful today; yesterday while writing on the boat dock at Pierce Pond, I put my pen down and it rolled into the water, sinking to the bottom. Luckily, when I went into Caratunk, ME today the woman at Rivers and Trails gave me a sky blue ink pen that will spice up my journal - yee hah!I was able to call Amy from Caratunk and wish her a happy b-day, serenading her in the process, haha! I'm a little bummed I won't be able to talk to her tomorrow, her actual b-day. However, while I was on the phone, she was able to open her present I'd hid in the apartment, so it was almost like I was there. I trust she'll have a good day tomorrow with family and friends.I have 145.5 miles and 10 hiking days left. If I were at a computer, I could check to see what the weather forecast on Katahdin is the 30th. I can't believe I'm so close to the end!2029.5 miles down, 145.5 to go!Bear Can