morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2017-12-02
From: Rob Bird's from Iron Mountain Gap

To: Rob Bird's from the Nolichucky River
Miles today: 20.1
Weather: broken clouds

I made really good time today- 20 miles in 8 hours. I'm not fast, but that's really good for me, even if it was mostly downhill. I'm trying an even longer day tomorrow.Unaka Mountain today had more great dense forest, and a decorated memorial Christmas tree. "Beauty Spot" was honestly pretty unremarkable compared to other balds.I have less than 350 miles to go, and that amazes me.
Date: 2017-12-03
From: Rob Bird's from the Nolichucky River

To: Rob Bird's from Sam's Gap
Miles today: 24.6

I slackpacked northbound back to Erwin today. I moved slowly for the first ten miles or so, but there were some really pretty balds. I got my head together at Spivey Gap, and made it to the pickup spot by 7, though.When I got to some open viewpoints, I turned off my headlamp to look out across the valley. The lights of Erwin were bright on the left, and I could make out the Nolichucky River on the right, and in the middle was the golden full moon over the silhouettes of the mountains. It was beautiful.
Date: 2017-12-04
From: Rob Bird's from Sam's Gap

To: Jerry Cabin Shelter
Miles today: 17.8
Weather: overcast clouds

It was really windy today, and I felt the weight of my full pack with resupply.Former SOBO thrus DR and Baby Blue did trail magic when I was at Trapper John shelter in Vermont, and I ran into them again today! They had come down for a long weekend to hang out with and slackpack the Family, and I saw them at the road they were dropping the Family off at. They had extra potato chips and watermelon and pineapple. It was amazing.I may be somewhat immature, because I thought it was really funny that today's big mountain was called "Big Butt." The sign for the "Big Butt Bypass" made me laugh. Near the top there was a stone where the ashes of a thru hiker from the 60s had been scattered. I was trying to figure out why there- there are more beautiful mountains, but maybe the relative obscurity of this one was important for his family's privacy... or maybe this guy just liked Big Butts. The trail turned west, and with that thought I walked giggling into the sunset.There were some great open fields there, with the sunset clouds ahead. I turned on my Christmas lights. 300 miles to go.
Date: 2017-12-05
From: Jerry Cabin Shelter

To: Hemlock Hollow Inn Hostel
Miles today: 10.6
Weather: overcast clouds

I had a lot on my mind today and had decided to stop early by the time I left the shelter this morning. The morning was windy, and while there were beautiful sunrise colors when I started walking the sky clouded over quickly. I went over the rocky trail on Big Firescald Knob and at least briefly got that "badass adventurer" feeling, looking out into valleys from rocky ledges with the wind in my face and wisps of cloud flying past.It didn't start raining in earnest until I hit Little Laurel Shelter, but from there it rained steadily and still hasn't stopped. I'm glad I decided to stay here- it's nothing fancy, but I'm dry and warm and have access to indoor plumbing.According to the weather forecast I looked up earlier, this rain is bringing the actual cold weather. It has been fairly warm recently, 50s to even low 60s in the day and above freezing at night. Now, just in time for me to hit the Smokies, the weather may not get above freezing during the day. I trust my gear, and I trust my own abilities. I need to put stress out of my mind and move quickly through the highest elevations. "Fear is the mind killer."
Date: 2017-12-06
From: Hemlock Hollow Inn Hostel

To: Hot Springs
Miles today: 16.4
Weather: mist

I was kind of an idiot and didn't put my gloves on the heater to dry last night, so they were still soaking wet this morning and it was too cold to wear them. I wound up rocking the super cool socks-for-mittens looks all the way to town. Socks do not make comfortable mittens. I bought new waterproof gloves at the outfitter.At the outfitter I also printed my permit for the Smokies. I got to the hostel and did laundry, remembering for the first time to wash my fleece gloves that I got, already dirty, from the hiker box in Pearisburg. They're an even lighter shade of pink than I had thought.
Date: 2017-12-08
From: Hot Springs

To: Hot Springs
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: snow

I check the weather a lot. Jupiter would get annoyed by it. So how did I not know that it was going to snow hard all day today? I checked the weather this morning to see that 3 to 7 inches were expected here in town and decided not to hike in it. I also wanted to let some friends catch up- it's not good to be alone in these conditions.I built a snowman by the trailhead. It was fun- I hadn't made a snowman in years. It's going to be really, really cold and snowy in the smokies. I'll manage somehow.
Date: 2017-12-09
From: Hot Springs

To: Walnut Mountain Shelter
Miles today: 13.1
Weather: overcast clouds

I wanted to go farther today, but I was too cold to keep walking. This shelter sucks, too. Huge gaps in the uneven floorboards, holes in the walls. I had to pitch my tent in here and now it is covered in snow. I did not pitch my tent outside because I would have to dig through the snow to try to put my tent stakes in frozen ground.I'm exhausted and beat. Walking in snow is exhausting when it's this deep- 4-8 inches, at least. My boots are heavy and caked in snow. The tips of my trekking poles are caked in snow and ice.It is nice, at least, to see so many animal tracks. A canine broke trail ahead of me for a good half mile today- probably a coyote.I'm cold.
Date: 2017-12-11
From: Roaring Fork Shelter

To: Standing Bear Hostel 
Miles today: 15.2
Weather: broken clouds

It was warm enough today I hiked for a while without my fleece! Max Patch was beautiful, with winds and snow drifts up to my knees. Postholing all day is exhausting, but the snow melted more and more and I walked about half the day at normal speed.It's supposed to snow another couple of inches tomorrow with lows in single digits tomorrow night and wind chill well into the negatives both tomorrow night and during the day after. ... I'm not hiking out tomorrow.
Date: 2017-12-12
From: Standing Bear Hostel 

To: Creekside Paradise B&B
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: overcast clouds

I paid for a shuttle to here today. It wound up not snowing, down here at least, but I'm glad I made the decision I did. The elevations are lower here, I'm closer to other hikers, and I'm warm now. I don't have the gear for negative temperatures, and I don't want to just sit around waiting for the weather to get better- I can wait for the weather while hiking.Plus, now my final summit won't be Springer, which would be sort of anticlimactic. I've been there, it's unremarkable. Now, if I do the Smokies NOBO I can call my hike completed at Cammerer (with the trail to Standing Bear being my "Approach trail") or if I go SOBO my summit can be Shuckstack (with the trail to Fontana being my "Approach trail.") I'm pretty happy with that.
Date: 2017-12-13
From: Creekside Paradise B&B

To: Creekside Paradise B&B
Miles today: 15.6
Weather: light snow

I slackpacked today from Fontana to Stecoah Gap. The trail was either clear of snow and lovely to walk on or still snow covered with lots of icy footprints. I slipped a few times, but icy footprints are easier than walking in snow and much less cold for my ankles. Plus, it means there are people around. The total lack of footprints (except for the summit of Max Patch) made my snow hiking really lonely- breaking trail three days in a row was a very physical reminder of being totally alone. Just me and the coyotes and that one bear.I've been really tired lately, and I don't entirely know why. Some of it is surely physical, from the ice and snow, but I know some of it is mental and emotional, too. I miss Greg. I have stressful stuff on my mind. It's hard to not feel like skipping the Smokies is failing, even though I plan to do them right after Springer as long as the weather cooperates. I joked to Greg a while back that I'll probably get to Springer and a decently-loud voice in my head will still say, "Walk from Maine to Georgia? You? That's ridiculous. You couldn't do that." but it's not totally a joke, and not having done the Smokies when I get to Springer will just make that thought louder. I hope that when I stand on Shuckstack or Cammerer I can wrestle that demon and tell it to shut the (swearing redacted now that I know middle schoolers are reading my journal) up. I just need to try to tune out the doubts until then.I'm just so tired.The Dam was beautiful this morning, and there were great views through the trees all day. In a few places there was a clear, visible line of where the sun hits (dry ground) and where the sun does not hit, or doesn't hit for long (snow and ice.) I can see why sun-gods and sun-worship were such a thing in the ancient world. The sun is warmth and light and safety. Places without the sun are cold and dark and difficult.
Date: 2017-12-14
From: Creekside Paradise B&B

To: Nantahala Outdoors Center
Miles today: 13.4
Weather: broken clouds

A lot of the trail was really icy today, especially once I got up to the top of Cheoah Bald. The trail was steep and sort of funky already, and would have slowed me down slightly even without the ice. With the ice, there was a stretch of about a mile that took me an hour. I only fell badly once, but had to pay a lot of attention to what I did with my feet and the way I carried myself so that if I did fall it would be on my butt on the trail rather than sliding down the mountain on my leg at a funny angle. The ice is still better than snow, though.I got here nice and early, showered, and had a great veggie burger at the restaurant. I have 137 miles to Springer plus 74.3 in the Smokies for a total of 211.3. By the end of the day tomorrow, I'll have less than 200 left!It was really warm today (40s!) and it's supposed to stay on the warmer side for a little while... if this weather holds, the Smokies will be thawed a bit and perfect.
Date: 2017-12-16
From: Wayah Shelter

To: Franklin, NC
Miles today: 11.0
Weather: few clouds

I could tell when I woke up this morning that it was warmer than last night. It was a really pretty day, lots of sunshine. The valleys and hills in the distance were foggy and misty from the top of Wayah Bald.Boiling Frog and I hitched into Franklin and got a cheap room at the Budget Inn. I got new insoles at the outfitter, got groceries, and ate a ton of Dominos for dinner. It's nice to take this short day.
Date: 2017-12-17
From: Franklin, NC

To: Carter Gap Shelter
Miles today: 15.9
Weather: scattered clouds

I was worried this morning that hitching back to the trail would be difficult- the main road through Franklin is over a mile from the road that leads to the trail, so it would maybe require two hitches... but on the Main Street of Franklin a man stopped for me and Boiling Frog. He said he couldn't take us the whole way because he had to get to church, but actually called a friend of his who said he could take us. Wow. His friend (trail name Zephyr) had finished section hiking the whole trail a few years ago and is working on an ebook about it- it'll be called "One Step at a Time" I think. It was just such an incredible act of kindness for the first guy and Zephyr to both go totally out of their way to help us. That is trail magic.I got hiking about &:45 and made pretty good time. The trail was mostly well graded, gently going over low hills. The forecast called for "mostly cloudy," so of course the sun shined for hours. The view from Albert Mountain was incredible- it had been all clouds when I came through here a few years ago, and now I know I was really missing out.The rain that was forecast did eventually come in, and it was cold, but I was cheerful because when the wind would blow it felt warm- or at least not bitterly cold, and I'm used to and expect cold winds.It won't even go below freezing tonight! I think even the Smokies will be warmish. This bodes well.
Date: 2017-12-18
From: Carter Gap Shelter

To: Plumorchard Gap Shelter
Miles today: 19.8
Weather: mist

Today was a beautiful day. The sun was out and I was able to hike for long stretches in a t-shirt without gloves. The rain had cleared away almost all of the snow and ice, except for occasional drifts.I took the side trail to the top of Standing Indian Mountain, and the view was incredible. It was windy at the top, and I sat shivering in my fleece and raincoat, thinking about how I don't want this to end.It has to end, though, and the whole process of trying to figure out how I'll get back to the Smokies is a hassle. Shuttles will be complicated and expensive, hitching not on the trail is a little scary... I'm going to pursue some other leads. None of the people I know who skipped all or part of the Smokies are going back right after Springer- they generally live nearby and can easily come back in the spring. It's not so easy for me. Something will work out.I'm sore from today being my longest day in a while, but it felt good. Daylight is just so short.
Date: 2017-12-19
From: Plumorchard Gap Shelter

To: Blue Mountain Shelter
Miles today: 23.6
Weather: overcast clouds

Today was really hard. It's tied for my longest day with a full pack, but that other day was on ridgeline and then downhill. Today was up and down and up and down.I got going before sunrise at 7 AM, and the sunrise was gorgeous to watch as I was hiking. Most of the day was sunny and really warm- I've clearly forgotten how to drink water in appropriate amounts when it's warm and I'm sweating a lot. I was out of water for a good three miles by the time I got to Tray Mountain Shelter, and when I got water and it was treated I drank well over half a liter right away.It was on the way to get water at the Tray Mountain Shelter that I realized my shirt was on backwards. Since I didn't change last night, that means my shirt had been backwards for a full day and a half. Oops.The top of Tray Mountain was really pretty, with rocky outcrops and ferns and that ground plant I've been seeing with leaves that range in color from green to maroon.I had to turn on my headlamp when I was about three miles out from the shelter. Just before I hit the road at Unicoi Gap, I heard a rustling in the leaves to my left. There were two sets of eyes there, and the animals weren't a uniform color- patches of light and dark. They weren't shaped like hounds, though, although they were roughly dog sized. Maybe it was some lost non-hound dogs? They didn't respond at all when I yelled at them. The idea of "wild boar" drifted through my head as I rushed across the road. Probably dogs.It started to rain as I climbed Blue Mountain, and by the time I got to the shelter I was soaked and exhausted. There are some really nice section hikers here who made hot chocolate for me and Boiling Frog, and who also set up a tarp over the privy because it has no roof. I am very grateful.It's only supposed to be in the 50s tonight! That's ridiculous.I'm really impressed at the trail crews in this area. It's clear that a whole lot of trees came down in the hurricanes this year, but they've cleared all the (probably hundreds of) blowdowns.
Date: 2017-12-20
From: Blue Mountain Shelter

To: Neels Gap
Miles today: 18.8
Weather: overcast clouds

It rained all morning, so I spent the day soaking wet. I sat down three times and took only four very short breaks total- I just wanted to keep moving to get out of the rain.I had two packages at Neels Gap- one from Greg with instant refried beans and Christmas cookies, and one from my parents with contact lenses, my wool base layer top, and, as a surprise, a brand new bandana that matches my pack to replace the one the mouse ate chunks of at Thunder Hill Shelter back in Virginia. Now I can finish in style.
Date: 2017-12-21
From: Neels Gap

To: Hawk Mountain Shelter
Miles today: 23.3
Weather: overcast clouds

I had a bunch of stuff I was thinking about writing about today, but now I'm just exhausted. This might have been too many long days in a row.8 friends summited today. Congrats to Big Boss, Mumbles, Jupiter, Mama Cluck, Wild Child, Sandman, Wiki, and Lemony Snicket.It feels so cool to be here.Less than 100 miles to go.Blood Mountain is a cool place.
Date: 2017-12-22
From: Hawk Mountain Shelter

To: Max Epperson Shelter at Amicalola Falls State Park
Miles today: 8.1
Weather: overcast clouds

This is the shelter at Amicalola Falls State park. I am here because I walked to the top of Springer Mountain and then took the Approach Trail down. (So I actually hiked 16.9 miles today, but 8.8 were bonus miles.)I may not be totally done yet, but it was really emotional to hit the top of that mountain that has been my goal for so long. I stared at the plaque and cried for a little while. I walked here. From Maine. It doesn't totally compute when I think about it.My whole life that I can remember, my default view of myself has been that I am the least good, the least skilled, the least worthy, the least worthwhile. But I walked here from Maine. I walked here from Maine and I made friends who thought of me when they summited yesterday. I walked here from Maine, solo for over half of the way. I walked here from Maine and I loved it.I've been crying a lot. I think I broke something in my brain, but it was something that wasn't right and needed to be broken.Bring it on, Smokies. I am strong.Boiling Frog and I hung out at the summit for a while, in the fog and  mist and drizzling rain, chatting with day and section hikers. One couple, day hikers, got engaged. It was a very happy place.The Approach Trail was mostly boring, as I knew it would be. All the rain made the waterfall absolutely incredible, though. A dad and his two young boys asked us questions about thru-hiking, and the kids were totally awestruck and thought it was super cool that we had walked here from Maine. Maybe they'll thru-hike someday.I ate two dinners.Tomorrow a friend can give me a ride up to the Smokies (although thank you to those who offered!!!!) and I will go to the high, cold, beautiful places that will mark the end of this journey. I don't want it to end, but I miss Greg and it will be good to be consistently warm and dry with little effort.
Date: 2017-12-23
From: Max Epperson Shelter at Amicalola Falls State Park

To: Trail Angel Kathy's House
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: moderate rain

I had a lot of trouble sleeping last night, but I'm not sure why. I was exhausted.I got up early and got a ride up I Fontana with my wonderful friend Jake. I hung out at the Fontana pit stop for a while until Kathy was able to come get me. She thruhiked in 2010 (trail name Red Hat) and has a ton of hiking and backpacking experience since. She made me feel completely at home and gave me cheesecake. I feel kind of bad because I'm so exhausted I wasn't able to talk very much with her. I just did a lot of staring into space.Still, I managed to coordinate getting to the airport at the end of my hike, and if the road at Newfound Gap is open on Christmas, I can come spend Christmas with Red Hat.It would probably take a minor miracle for the road to be clear, though. Now that I'm headed back to the Smokies, the forecast is for an inch of two of snow for a white Christmas, then high winds with windchill in the negatives during the day. I can handle that, though- after Christmas the weather should go back to barely above freezing during the day and sunny, which is fine.Red Hat made spiced hot cider and we watched a silly Hallmark channel Christmas movie. I am warm and happy.
Date: 2017-12-24
From: Trail Angel Kathy's House

To: Tri Corner Knob Shelter
Miles today: 18.1
Weather: overcast clouds

The first couple miles of my hike today were very foggy and damp, but at a view about half a mile before the top of Mt. Cammerer I suddenly found myself above the fog, in the sunshine, looking out on the Smoky Mountains in a vast sea of clouds. I couldn't stop smiling and I chatted with a really nice day hiker named Kelly who had the same trekking poles as I do.There were still some clouds at my level and above me, but the early afternoon was mostly sunny. I decided not to go out to the Mt. Cammerer fire tower, partly because I didn't know if it would be in clouds or not but mostly because I'm really tired of night hiking and I knew I was already pushing it in terms of getting to the shelter on time.The Smokies are beautiful. I climbed into high pine forests, dense and mossy. From Mt. Guyot I could see the low clouds extending to the horizon. There is nothing at all beyond these mountain-islands in the vast cloud ocean, and I alone stand on these islands. (As far as I can tell, at least- I saw no one after Kelly.)I made it to the shelter just before dark. This shelter has a good tarp that is keeping the wind mostly out so far, although it has only just really started to pick up.Maybe I'll hang my socks over the fireplace and find out if Santa visits AT shelters. (No, I'll put them under my sleeping pad so they don't freeze.)
Date: 2017-12-25
From: Tri Corner Knob Shelter

To: Icewater Spring Shelter
Miles today: 12.6
Weather: overcast clouds

Too cold to write, so I'm typing on my phone. Woke up to half an inch of snow and rime ice on all the trees. Everything was cold and beautiful. I took my time getting ready, forced my feet into frozen boots, and then hiked without stopping for more than a minute or two. I didn't take as many pictures as I wanted, but if I had I would have pictures of everything. The ice on the trees and the snow and the views.The wind was bitterly cold, but sometimes the mountain kept it off of me, and the sun shined through the clouds sometimes enough to provide a little warmth. I used hand warmers I got from the hiker box at Neels Gap. To keep my phone battery from dying I carried it in my sports bra since none of my clothes I hike in have practical pockets. Now I'm worried the hiker funk will infect my phone and it'll always smell bad.There is a northbounder here- he has a ton of long distance hiking experience and is very cool. It's good to have someone to talk to.I don't really enjoy being cold, but I'm keeping myself warm enough and I've got this. I could feel my toes and fingers and face all day, although I did briefly lose contact with my butt after it got damp when I slipped on ice and fell. It's back now, though. That would be an embarrassing place to get frostbite.The trail was mostly pretty okay- it looks like it did totally thaw out in the rain and warm weather, but then all the little springs caused by that rain froze last night, so there are stretches of clean ice. I can typically go around them or carefully work my way across on rocks. The wind and ice caused a bunch of blowdowns, but they weren't too much of an obstacle, either. 44.5 to go.
Date: 2017-12-26
From: Icewater Spring Shelter

To: Double Spring Gap Shelter
Miles today: 13.6
Weather: overcast clouds

I slept in this morning and didn't get going until 10- that's okay, though. I have plenty of time.Today was partly sunny and beautiful. There were lots of treacherous ice sheets, but also plenty of easy walking. The way up Clingman's Dome was all dense pine forests, but on the way down it was a somewhat more open ridgeline and the golden light of the late afternoon sun shined onto the trees and snow. I'm going to miss this, even with the cold.I got a nice fire going in the fireplace at this shelter. I though it wasn't throwing off a lot of heat since all the wood is damp or green or both, but after going out to hang my food and coming back it was clear that the shelter is at least a bit warmer than outside. Plus, the fire helps thaw an accidentally-frozen smartwater bottle that I have been carrying as a useless brick for the last day and a half, and it can get some of the moisture out of my shoes so they freeze less badly overnight.