morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2013-06-14
From: Jeffers Brook Shelter

To: Eliza Brook Shelter
Miles today: 15.9

Today we will climb Mt Moosilauke, at 4802 ft total elevation, it is a giant mountain, towering high above all neighboring peaks. It has been a topic of the trail talk for several weeks. Some have decided to slack-pack from north to south to avoid desending the wickedly steep north side, which can be quite dangerous when wet. But no shenagins for me. I'm carrying my usual pack and heading north! Fortunately it's the 2nd last day of this run and my pack weight is on the light side. When i leave the shelter at 5:55am everyone else is still in the bag. We have a continuous 3500 ft climb from the shelter to the top. Breathing steadily and stepping smartly, dancing up the rocks, i punch out the steepest part of the climb, some 3000 ft of elev gain, in 2 hours. Peqhaps the old magic is not quite gone. Once on the summit ridge, stunted spruce and fir krumholtz gives way to alpine tundra and a bare rocky top. The sky is cloudy bright, so the views down to the neighboring peaks and valleys below are fantastic!   A constant chilly wind blows over the top, so i've got my wind/rain jacket on. It's 8:30am and i have the summit to myself. With the wind i begin to feel a chill and am soon descending. Just passed beaver brook shelter, the steepest part of the descent begins, the trail dropping about 2000 ft in a mile. The descent is facilitated by massive stone steps, drilled, cleaved and levered into place. At intervals, wooden steps have been pinned to glacially smoothed bedrock to form stairways. I thank the deities for mostly dry conditions as i slowly and carefully make my way down. Much of the descent is parallel to the Beaver Brook Cascades, thundering down bare bedrock in a fantastic and continuously varying series of falls, cascades and pools. At the bottom i am in kinsman notch and just before the highway crossing there i come upon the first roadside trail magic of the trip. Immediately i am guzzling a coke and stuffing my face with chocolate cream cakes and fig bars. 2 cream cookies go in one pocket n 2 domut sticks in the other. A brownie goes into my strap pocket. Only the brownie survies to the next morning. This trail magic is much appreciated as my food rations are running low. Across the highway the trail climbs steeply. I have a bad stumble and sometime later a bad slide, but am OK. During the 1700 ft climb of Mt Wolf i am passed by Monty, Count, Megan and Casey. I am pulled along in the afterglow of their youthful energy and vigor. At the lookout atop Mt Wolf i see them again on a lunch stop. Soon they are gone. Just before arriving at Eliza Brook Shelter at 5pm, my stop for the night, Shake And Bake and Sweet Brown go by. I make and eat my rice dinner. Later thru hiker Ollie arrives for the night. So i have pleasant company for the evening. Today i walked 15.9 mi and did over 5200 ft elevation gain.Day 38. Total AT Miles: 1804.00
Date: 2013-06-15
From: Eliza Brook Shelter

To: Liberty Motel
Miles today: 8.8

Ollie and i are up at 4:45am. He is trying to catch up with Shake And Bake. I am hiking at 5:45am. Soon after starting trail parallels pretty Eliza brook upstream for 0.8 mile featuring many rushing cascades, falls and pools as the trail climbs steeply on the flanks of the kinsman mountains. The steep and rugged climb is on rock and slab, occasionally requiring hands to lift or steady myself. Midway up pass pretty Harrington pond. Again i have the summit of 4358 ft high south kinsman mtn all to myself at 8am on a beautiful saturday morning. I wonder where all the weekend hikers are? The top is open and the trail winds among waist high stands of stunted spruce and fir krumholtz. After a short drop and climb i arrive at a lookout on 4293 ft high north kinsman mtn. There are 2 tourists there. As i continue my descent i am passed by many more weekend warriors. The descent is much the same as the ascent, all rock and slab, requiring regular use of hands to steady and lower myself. On the way down from The Kinsmans pass scenic Lonesone Lake and it's associated Appalachian Mountain Club hut, a hotel without showers but with bunks and serving dinner and breakfast to paying guests. I will be slumming it next week, with reservations at 3 of these AMC facilities. After a 3000 foot drop from the 2nd summit i arrive at Franconia Notch. I call Mt Liberty Motel for a ride, where i will spend the next 2 nites. Soon i am there and showered. The friendly folks at Mt Liberty Motel shuttle me into the town of Lincoln, NH and come back later to pick me up. They even provide on-site laundry service, a great time saver. I call my sweetie Cindy and we plan my next weeks series of overnight stops. I call my friend Peter, who is intimately familiar with the area, to review the plan. Cindy then places on-line requests for the 3 AMC facilities since i have no web enabled device with me. I am exhausted n crash, sleeping heavily this night. Today i walked 8.8 miles and am grateful for the last 2 days of dry conditions.Day 39. Total AT Miles: 1812.80
Date: 2013-06-16
From: Liberty Motel

To: Liberty Motel
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: clear sky

This is my zero day at mt liberty motel. In the week just passed i walked 113.3 miles. For the trip i have walked 559.9 miles in 35 walking days for an average of 15.99 miles per day. This is my 5th zero day. I have been on the trail for 5 weeks and walked 1812 miles of the AT from GA. I have 373 miles to go. The day is cloudy bright, not sunny. I eat a tv dinner. Then catch up on some journaling. Talk to cindy and learn that i have confirmation for all 3 nights with the AMC facilities! Get ride from mt liberty motel owner to lincoln to top up my denatured alcohol. Catch up on more journalling. Call my mom. Have 2nd tv diner. Then upload pics for journal. watch local tv news for weather forecast and it looks favorable for this week. Select 3 towns in maine for maildrops: andover, straton and monson. Give cindy instructions for andover box. Prepare gear and food for this week. Prepare box of stuff to be mailed home. Shower and hit the sack.Day 40. Total AT Miles: 1812.80
Date: 2013-06-17
From: Liberty Motel

To: Galehead Hut
Miles today: 13.0
Weather: few clouds

Mt Liberty Motel shuttles me back to Liberty Springs Trailhead at 6:30am. Walk bike path 0.9 mi to trail. On trail 7:00am. Overcast morning. Passed Liberty Springs Campsite can hear wind in trees. Reach treeline on Franconia Ridge about 10am. Ridge is entirely in clouds with stiff blowing mist over the trail. Put on jacket and pants for wind. Pass over Little Haystack Mtn, elev 4800 ft, totally in the clouds. At Mt Lincoln, elev 5089 ft, clouds begin to lift in stiff wind. Get dramatic views of ridges and valleys as gaps open and close in clouds racing over ridge. As i reach Mt Lafayette, elev 5291 ft, about 11:45am, clouds lift free from summit, revealing fantastic views all directions. Total climb is 4000 ft. Just at noon i see a gray rain squall bearing straight for the summit. Beat a hasty retreat down to treeline on garfield ridge trail with raindrops druming on my back. This ridgewalk above treeline is 2 miles long. Have intermitent drizzle, 2 bouts of thunder behind then thunder off to right, 2 bouts of small hail. Descend 1500 ft then ascend steeply 1000 ft to mt garfield, elev 4500 ft. When reach summit at 1:45pm clouds lift giving views of franconica ridge peaks and down into valleys. Soon another rain squall is bearing down. A steady drizzle begins at 2pm and continues until 4pm, filling many puddles. I am using the umbrella. Arrive at Galehead Hut 4:45pm. Wash up and change. Good dinner served at 6pm. Lights out 9:30pm. I walk 14.0 mi on the day and do over 5000 ft of elevation gain.Day 41. Total AT Miles: 1825.80
Date: 2013-06-18
From: Galehead Hut

To: Ethan Pond Shelter
Miles today: 11.8
Weather: moderate rain

Hut breakfast of oatmeal, pancakes and bacon at 7am. Walking 8:30am. Steep climb of 1100 ft to summit of south twin mtn, elev 4902 ft, the only big climb of the day. Clouds blowing up and over summit from valley below. But have views back to mt lafayette and franconia ridge. Hiker howdy from ft worth with me at top. Easy trail north of summit for a bit but then back on the rocks. Have steady drizzle from 10am to noon so use umbrella. Have bad fall on wet rock and get nasty bruise on right fore-arm. Small climbs over mt guyot n zealand mtn. Mis-interpret trail sign n descend couple hundred feet on zeacliff side trail before start to see blue blazes n decide to turn around. Sun comes out at 2pm for rest of day. Brief stop at zealand falls hut at 3pm to take a few pics. Nice flat trail on decomposed granite for 2 miles north of hut. Nice views of webster cliffs in zealand notch. Last 2 miles of day pass thru boggy area. Arrive ethan pond shelter 5pm for nite. Make rice dinner, filter water, wash n change. Walk 11.8 mi today.Day 42. Total AT Miles: 1837.60
Date: 2013-06-19
From: Ethan Pond Shelter

To: Lakes of the Clouds Hut
Miles today: 14.1

Up at 4:30am. Had shelter to myself last night. Walking at 6am. Sunny day with some clouds and light breezes. Trail descends 1600 ft to crawford notch at 7:30am. Then begin 4000 ft climb into the Presidential Range of the White Mountain National Forest. Ascend steeply to Webster Cliffs. Great views over Crawford Notch, with more than enough vertical exposure for me, with frequent pitches requiring hand-over-hand crack climbing. Cross Mt Webster, elev 3910 ft, and Mt Jackson, elev 4052 ft. Make brief stop at mizpah springs hut. Then climb steeply to mt pierce, elev 4312 ft. Have gorgeous tundra walk for next 4 miles. Trail then bypasses mt eisenhower, elev 4541 ft, passes over mt franklin, elev 5004 ft, n bypasses mt monroe, elev 5157 ft. The trail curves around the base of monroe, passing 2 small snowfields, n drops slightly to lakes of the clouds hut, elev 5106 ft. I arrive there at 3pm. The place is packed with noisy tourists with swarms of kids. Ugh! Wash up and change. Waiting for dinner at 6pm. Walked 14.1 mi today.Day 43. Total AT Miles: 1851.70
Date: 2013-06-20
From: Lakes of the Clouds Hut

To: Joe Dodge Lodge
Miles today: 14.8

Trail notes thursday 6/20. Up at 4:40am. Take gear out to common room to pack. Talk with jim from maine. Say good-bye to roger. Walking at 6am. Cool morning, wearing wind jacket and fleece but not wind pants. Sky is clear with only light breeze. Am in shadow on west side of mtn but sun is coming up. Climb 1100 ft to summit mt washington, elev 6288 ft. It is highest mtn in northeast usa. Except for a couple employees i have summit to myself. Once on top i'm in sun for the rest of the day. After taking pics i'm on my way down. Trail skirts mt clay, elev 5402 ft, at 8am. Then skirting mt jefferson, elev 5315 ft, at 9am. Then skirting mt adams, elev 5125 ft, at 11am. Pass by madison spring hut 11:30am. Climb 500 ft to summit mt madison, elev 5366 ft, at noon. Then descend osgood ridge to treeline at 1:15pm. Above treeline about 10 miles on a sunny day with only light breezes! Last 4 miles of day back in woods. Arrive pinkham notch joe dodge lodge 5:30pm. Shower n go to lodge dinner 6pm. Walk 14.8 mi today. Tot elev gain 2900 ft. Tot elev loss 6000 ft!Day 44. Total AT Miles: 1866.50
Date: 2013-06-21
From: Joe Dodge Lodge

To: IMP Shelter
Miles today: 13.1
Weather: light rain

Trail notes friday 6/21. Happy solstice! Longest day of the year! I make good use of it. Up at 4:30am. Walking at 5:45. Morning is cloudy and overcast. Immediately across highway from lodge pass beaver pond and hear loud splashing of legs in water. Turn to look and see large moose! First one i've seen on this trip. Shortly i'm steeply ascending 2400 ft onto wildcat ridge. Pass by wildcat mtn peaks e, d, c, b, and a, one of which has top of ski lift. From high on wildcat can see carter notch hut far below. Descend steeply 1100 ft to carter notch. Pretty pond in notch near carter notch hut. Get close up pics of water lilys growing in pond. At 11am in notch clouds lift and turns into nice sunny day! Steep climb of 1500 ft out of notch to carter dome. Drop n traverse to bald topped mt hight with 360 degree views including mt washington n all peaks visited yesterday. Drop n climb to south, middle n north carter mtns. Descend steeply 1200 ft to imp shelter for nite. Arrive there 5:30pm. Make rice dinner. Walk 13.1 mi today. Tot elev gain on day 5000 ft.Day 45. Total AT Miles: 1879.60
Date: 2013-06-23
From: US 2 east of Gorham

To: US 2 east of Gorham
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: clear sky

Zero day here in NH with friends Holly and Peter. Relaxed morning at home with breakfast. Cut foam pad for new set of shoulder pads. Upload pictures to journal site. Rain showers on and off during morning. Trip into town for shoe laces, water bottles and 2nd cell phone battery. Home for lunch. Thunderstorms with much rain and some close lightning thru afternoon and early evening. Uploading more pictures to journal site. Take hosts Holly and Peter out for Bar-B-Que dinner. Home to upload yet more pictures to journal site.Day 47. Total AT Miles: 1887.60
Date: 2013-06-24
From: US 2 east of Gorham

To: US 2 east of Gorham
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: light rain

Having a second zero day with friends Holly and Peter. Am grateful for the extra day off the trail to get some more rest. The week just past on the trail has been triumphant! Passing over the high backbone of the White Mountains in six days has been quite an achievement for me. For the six days that comprised this week I walked a total of 74.8 miles. For the trip as a whole I have now walked 634.7 miles in 42 hiking days. Today is my 6th zero day. For the week just past I averaged 12.5 miles per day and for the trip as a whole my daily average dropped slightly to 15.1 miles per day. For the Appalachian Trail as a whole I have now walked 1887.6 miles and have 298.3 miles TO GO. I have walked just over 2/3 of the 933 miles that remained when I came back to the trail on May 8th. The most spectacular numbers for the week concern elevation gain and loss over the six days. 1st day +5000 and -2500. 2nd day +1300 and -2200. 3rd day +4000 and -1800. 4th day +2900 and -6000. 5th day +4900 and -3600. 6th day +900 and -3400. Roughly speaking ascending on 1st, 3rd and 5th days and descending 2nd, 4th and 6th days. Totals for the week +19,000 feet and -19,500 feet. This rough calculation corresponds well with my start and end points with Franconia Notch being about 700 feet higher than my ending point at US 2 east of Gorham.Day 48. Total AT Miles: 1887.60
Date: 2013-07-04
From: Crocker Cirque Campsite

To: Stratton Motel
Miles today: 7.3
Weather: moderate rain

Trail notes Thursday 7/4. Wake at 2 am to pee. Can see stars. A good sign for the morning. Filter a liter of water since i'm out and have a late nite clif bar snack. Sleep in until 4:30 am. Don't want to get up, but it's full daylight, and the birds are singing. There is a good stiff breeze, the first time in many days. There is blue sky overhead and puffy white clouds going by on the wind. My tent is nearly dry. Pack up and am walking at 6:30 am. Immediately on steep 1300 ft clhmb to wooded summit of south crocker mtn at 8 am. Skip side trail to view because top is in the clouds. Drop 400 ft and climb 600 ft to wooded summit north crocker mtn at 9 am. Also in the clouds. Drop 2800 ft to Maine highway 27, east of the town of stratton. Encounter large porcupine coming up trail and get some pics. Middle two miles of descent is awful, seesaw traverse, over wet, mucky, rocky and rooty trail. Bottom half of descent the bugs are in my face continuously. There is no breeze and it is quite humid in the bottomlands. At the road try to hitch into stratton, but traffic is light at 11:30 am on independence day. Two nobo thru hikers, E-slide and Firefeet emerge from the woods. I call the stratton motel and Sue, the owner comes to pick up the three of us. Settle in at the motel and shower. There is no air conditioning, but the room does have a fan. I guess central maine does not expect near 90 degree heat very often. The motel is conveniently located with grocery and restaurants across street. Go to grocery. Retire to Stratton Plaza Lounge for long meal in air conditioned comfort. Have soda, sandwich and fries. Linger with soda and reading newspaper i picked up at the grocery. Back at motel, long call to my sweetie cindy, is interrupted by my making several trips to do laundry on motel premisis. A few fireworks about 9 pm, but all quiet after that. Walked 7.3 miles today.Day 58. Total AT Miles: 1997.70
Date: 2013-07-05
From: Stratton Motel

To: Stratton Motel
Miles today: 0.0

Trail notes friday 7/5. This is my zero day at the stratton motel. In the ten days since my last zero day with holly and peter i walked 4 days and had a night off-trail in andover, maine. I then walked 6 days to my present stop in stratton. For the ten day trail week just passed i walked 110.1 miles. For the trip i have walked 744.8 miles in 51 walking days for an average of 14.6 miles per day. This is my 8th zero day. I have been on the trail for 8 weeks and walked 1997.7 miles of the AT from GA. I have 188.2 miles to go. Another milestone is also close. Tomorrow i will climb the last group of high mountains, the bigelow range, before katahdin at the end of the trail. After the 4000 ft bigelows, maine flattens out considerably. There are only 4 mountain groups of note: 2000 ft pleasant pond mtn, 2000 ft moxie bald mtn, 2000 ft barren-chairback mtns and the 3000 ft gulf hagas-whitecap mtns. I am hopeful that my daily milage will improve a bit. Conditions are hot, humid, buggy, wet, rocks and roots. Will be hiking again in the morning!Day 59. Total AT Miles: 1997.70
Date: 2013-07-08
From: Pierce Pond Leanto

To: Bald Mountain Leanto
Miles today: 18.7

Abbr trail notes monday 7/8. Some light drizzle thru nite. Up 4am. Walking 6am. Cross spillway pierce pond. Desend along cascading pierce pond stream to confluence with kennebec river at 7:45am. Wait for canoe ferry at 9am. Mountain man arrives at river. Hillbilly dave takes us across. On opposite bank 9:15am. Climb pleasant pond mtn. At summit at 1pm. Trade text msgs with cindy. Descend to moxie pond at 4pm. Easy ford pond inlet stream on flipflops. Climb to bald mtn leanto at 5pm for nite. Meet sobo hikers marathon and cowboy on break. Then i am alone for the nite. Walked 18.7 miles today.Day 62. Total AT Miles: 2049.40
Date: 2013-07-14
From: East Chairback Pond

To: East Branch Leanto
Miles today: 18.1

Trail notes Sunday 7/14. Up at 4:20am. Walking 6:15am. A nice day. Sunny, warm, a bit humid, bugs attentive but bearable, a good breeze over higher elevations. Drop 1000 ft and ford on flipflops about 100 ft wide but only calf deep West Branch Pleasant River. From ford trail climbs 1200 ft alongside Gulf Hagas Brook to Carl A Newall Lean-to at 9:45am. That's 7.3 miles in 3.5 hours. Climb additional steep 800 ft aided by many built stone stairways to wooded summit Gulf Hagas Mtn. Drop 300 ft and climb 700 steep ft again aided by many built stone stairways to wooded summit West Peak. Drop 400 ft and climb 400 ft over gently sloped and wooded summit of Hay Mtn. Drop 200 ft and climb 600 ft to open summit White Cap Mtn, elev 3650 ft, at 1:10pm. Good views from summit. From north side of summit have good view massive Mt Katahdin in the distance. Descend 1200 ft to Logan Brook Lean-to at 2:20pm. Filter water. Make rice dinner. At 4pm continue 3.6 mi to East Branch Lean-to at 5:30pm for the nite. Smoky fire at shelter. Setup tent on nice flat spot, upwind of shelter. Dunk in river. Dry n change. Walked 18.1 miles today.Day 68. Total AT Miles: 2118.10
Date: 2013-07-16
From: Antlers Camp Site

To: Rainbow Stream Lean-to
Miles today: 21.7
Weather: scattered clouds

Abbr trail notes Tuesday 7/16. Up 4:30am. Walking 6am. Nice sunny day. Hot in afternoon. Mosquitoes very bad first two hours of day. Pass around Lower Jo-Mary Lake. Climb and drop 300 ft over rounded Potaywadjo Ridge. Brief view over Pemadumcook Lake with Mt Katahdin in distance. Trail then follows Nahmakanta Stream upstream for 5 miles to Nahmakanta Lake and along shore of lake for 2 miles. Arrive Wadleigh Stream Lean-to at 1pm. Am pissed off it's not on lake and decide to move on. Climb 900 ft over Nesuntabunt Mtn and drop to Crescent Pond at 3pm. Hot n no breeze so decide to move on. Drop n follow Polywog Stream downstream and then follow Rainbow Stream upstream 2 miles to Rainbow Stream Lean-to where i setup tent for the night, uphill and behind lean-to. Meet n chat with Don't Sweat The Small Stuff. Filter water. Make rice dinner. Dunk in stream. Change. Journal. Walk 21.7 miles today.Day 70. Total AT Miles: 2155.80
Date: 2013-07-17
From: rainbow streat leanto

To: Abol Bridge Family Campground
Miles today: 15.0

Trail notes wednesday 7/17. Up 5am. Walking 6:30am. Overcast, still and humid morning. Mosquitoes very bad all day long. Pass along rainbow deadwaters for 2 miles and then along rainbow lake in trees away from lake for 5 miles. Hear float plane rev and take off from lake. Reach summit rainbow ledges at 11am. Receive text from cindy and send her trail notes for yesterday. Pick many ripe blueberries. Very brief rain just wets umbrella. Bit of drizzle over next hour then sun comes out for hot mid 80s afternoon. Exit 100 mile wilderness at golden road and cross abol bridge over west branch penobscot river at 1:30pm and arrive at abol bridge family campground for the night. Get campsite. Buy soda, candy n chips. Have burger n onion rings at associated resteraunt. Very hot. Temp mid 80s. Setup tent. Take sponge bath. Hide from mosquitoes in tent with fly rolled up to get some air. Finally some breeze after 5pm. Think ahead to tomorrow and plan to summit mt katahdin. Walked 15.0 miles today.Day 71. Total AT Miles: 2170.80
Date: 2013-07-19
To: Last Week Summary
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: light rain

My last week on the trail was glorious. The weather was pretty fantastic all week; only a little drizzle in the early afternoon of August 17 and a small bit of rain in the evening of August 17. For the week I walked 114.5 miles in 7 days, averaging 16.3 miles per day. The 114.5 miles and 16.3 average does NOT include the extra 5.1 miles of walking from Katahdin summit back down to Katahdin Stream Campground! In the week I traversed the 100 Mile Wilderness, Baxter State Park and Katahdin summit. The trip this year was a total of 72 days, with 63 days where I walked and 9 zero days. I walked 933.0 miles in those 63 days of walking for a trip average of 14.8 miles per day. For the AT as a whole, over the two years, I walked 2184.2 miles (2012 companion book total). I had planned to do this last week on the trail in 8 days. To eliminate the 8th day I pushed ahead an extra 8.1 miles on July 16th and walked 10.0 miles more than my plan on July 18th. Cindy and I had a relaxed morning, today July 19, at Katahdin Inn and Suites. I washed and dried my stuff at the coin-op machines here at the hotel. At the continental breakfast here at the hotel I introduced Cindy to Ray and Jeff, who are here for the Highpointers 2013 convention. After check-out we drove back through Bangor to Ellsworth, Main. We will be staying in Ellsworth tonight and tomorrow night for our two day visit to Acadia National Park.