morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2019-09-11
From: Pine Knob Shelter 

To: Harpers Ferry Hostel - SOBO Mile Marker 1165.1
Miles today: 21.5
Weather: clear sky

There is only one way to describe today¢s hike - hot!  The temperature reached 91 degrees with high humidity and very little breeze.  As a result of the hot weather, I took plenty of breaks and drank an ocean of water.  The trail lead me over I-70 and then up to the first monument dedicated to George Washington.  The monument is part of the Washington Monument State Park.  This monument- elev 1550, was built by the citizens of Boonsboro, MD back in 1827 as part of an Independence Day celebration. It was repaired and returned to its original form by the CCC back in 1934 - 1936.  Back in the Civil War it was used as a signal station by the Union Army to monitor the surrounding countryside.  The overlook from the top is very impressive with views of the Maryland, southern Pennsylvania and eastern West Virginia.  A pic of the monument is above.After I passed the Washington Monument State Park, the trail flattened out as I stayed on the ridges until it descended down to the Potomac River and followed the C&O Canal Towpath.  The Towpath is next to the C&O Canal which was finished back in 1850 and ran from Washington DC to Cumberland, MD a total of 184 miles.  The Canal was closed in 1924 and in 1938 the Chesapeake & Ohio Canal National Historical Park was established.  The AT follows the Towpath for 2.6 miles until it crosses the Potomac River and into Harpers Ferry, WV.On my way down to the Towpath, I came across an unexpected forest delicacy - ripe Pawpaws.  The Asimina triloba, is the largest edible wild fruit native to the North America. It is found in the eastern US from New England to the Gulf of Mexico and as far west as the Mississippi River.  The fruit is no larger than a half of an average size banana.  It has a green hull and the soft flesh is orangish in color with large brown seeds.  The flavor of the fruit is a mix of mango and banana.  There is a two week period when the fruit is still on the tree and ripe.  Past that point it falls to the forest floor and is usually over ripe.  I found quite a few trees with ripe fruit so I stopped and ate at least eight of these delicious treats.  A pic of the ripe pawpaws on the tree is in the photo gallery.Because I planned to take a zero tomorrow, I booked two nights at the Harpers Ferry Hostel.  The hostel is half way down the Towpath just west of Knoxville MD and east of Harpers Ferry.  After a nice dinner at a nearby restaurant, I decided to call it a day.
Date: 2019-09-12
From: ATC Offices - Harpers Ferry - SOBO Mile Marker 1167.1

To: Harpers Ferry Hostel - SOBO Mile Marker 1165.1
Miles today: 2.0

Zero day today in Harpers Ferry.  I spent most of the day being a tourist.  I first went to the Appalachian Trail Conservancy (ATC) national office in Harpers Ferry.  A pic of the ATC headquarters is above.  Most through hikers stop in to have their picture taken for the ATC archives.  Because Harpers Ferry is just about the halfway point on the trail, many flip floppers start their hike either heading north or south from the ATC offices.  After I spent a few hours at the ATC, I planned to slack pack back north to the hostel.  I found the AT which was just a few blocks from the ATC and started to hike towards the Potomac River.  The trail goes right through the Harpers Ferry Historic District at the point where the Shenandoah River and the Potomac River converge.  This area is the Harpers Ferry National Historical Park. Because Harpers Ferry was very important in the lead up to the Civil War, the park highlights the roll John Brown played in the anti slavery movement.  As you will recall from your eighth grade American history class, John Brown lead an army of twenty one on October 16, 1859 to seize the US Armory located in Harpers Ferry.  He was going to use the weapons from the armory to free slaves throughout the south.  Unfortunately for him, shortly after he gained control of the armory, the US Marines showed up and captured John and his renegade soldiers.  John was later hanged for treason, murder, and inciting slaves to rebel.  Brown¢s actions had brought the issue of slavery to the forefront of the nation and civil war seemed inevitable.After I visited many of the historical sites at the park, I continued my slack  pack north back to the hostel.  After leaving Harpers Ferry, the AT crosses over the Potomac River and down the C&O Canal Towpath.  I followed the trail until I arrived back at the hostel.  There I spent the rest of the evening with several other hikers and turned in early.
Date: 2019-09-13
From: ATC Offices - Harpers Ferry - SOBO Mile Marker 1167.1

To: Blackburn AT Center - SOBO Mile Marker 1179.0
Miles today: 11.9
Weather: broken clouds

Good bye Maryland. Hello West Virginia!!!  Remember me Virginia?Today I passed through West Virginia and returned to Virginia. By leaving Maryland and quickly finishing the 2.7 miles of West Virginia, the last and final state I will complete is Virginia.  As you will remember, when I got off the trail back on April 27th it was near Bland, VA.  It will take me 428 miles to get back to Bland from the Virginia / West Virginia state line.  If I keep up my current pace, I should finish my hike about October 15th.  I¢m a very excited to be in Virginia for the fall.  With the weather getting cooler and the leaves will start turning colors soon, it will be an awesome way to complete my adventure.
Date: 2019-09-14
From: Blackburn AT Center - SOBO Mile Marker 1179.0

To: Sam Moore Shelter 
Miles today: 11.0
Weather: overcast clouds

Last night I hung my hammock at the Blackburn AT Center.  The center is just off the trail and is run by Potomac Appalachian Trail Club (PACT).  They have a hiker cabin and plenty of spots for tents and hammocks.  The bonus of staying at the center is hot coffee in the morning which is provided by the caretaker.  After having several cups of coffee this morning, I had a hard time leaving which caused me to delay the start of my hike until 9:30 am.  Today I started the infamous Roller Coaster.  This is a 13.4 mile long section of the AT which has 11 peaks of various heights from a few hundred feet to over five hundred feet in elevation.  The pic above is the welcome sign to the roller coaster section of the trail.  This part of the trail is also very rocky and steep in sections.  11 peaks over 13.5 miles may not sound like much but when you are trying to climb over one knowing there is another peak just waiting for you, it will mentally wear you out.  After the third peak I climbed over, I was at Snickers Gap. There is a small diner, just three tenths of a mile off trail, called the Horseshoe Curve Restaurant.  The temptation to stop was too much to pass up.  After a delicious hamburger, homemade hand cut french fries and a couple of ice cold PBR¢s, I was ready to tackle a few more rollers coasters peaks.  By the time it was 5:00 pm, I had enough of the coaster and decided to get off for the evening. The Sam Moore Shelter is conveniently located between peaks six and seven so this is where I parked for the night.
Date: 2019-09-15
From: Sam Moore Shelter 

To: Whiskey Hollow Shelter 
Miles today: 15.3

After a wild ride on the Roller Coaster yesterday, I was reluctant to jump back on so soon this morning.  I started my day with a hardy breakfast of granola bars, and a shot of caffeinated drink mix, and I was ready to go.  With six of the eleven peaks finished, I was able to knock out the remaining five peaks by late morning.  Just for effect, I ran down the last peak with my arms up in the air and screaming the whole way down.  Luckily no one heard or saw me or I may have gotten kicked off the AT...The rest of my day was very peaceful and pleasant.  The trail south of the Roller Coaster leveled out and the forest turned into very tall tulip poplar, maple, and oak trees.  The sky was clear and sunny.  I decided to stop for the day at the Whiskey Hollow Shelter.  The pic above is from the trail leading up to the shelter as it ran through the Sky Meadows State Park.
Date: 2019-09-16
From: Whiskey Hollow Shelter 

To: Mountain Home Hostel - SOBO Mile Marker 1220.5
Miles today: 15.2

Another spectacular day to be hiking in northern Virginia.  With the temperature in the low 80¢s and clear skies, walking in the woods today was a real treat.  The trail from Whiskey Hollow Shelter went up and over a couple of no name peaks and then downwards as it passed under I-66.  Past the interstate, the AT rose back upwards and then back down as it flattened off to meet US 552 near Front Royal, VA.  Tonight I decided to take refuge at the Mountain Home Hostel.  It is situated right next to the trail and they provide shuttle service to the Front Royal for my resupply.  Tomorrow I will be walking into Shenandoah National Park (SNP).  I have been looking forward to this part of the SOBO hike since I got back on the trail back in mid August.  There will be many great views as the trail rises to three and four thousand feet for the majority of the time in the SNP.
Date: 2019-09-17
From: Mountain Home Hostel - SOBO Mile Marker 1220.5

To: Gravel Springs Hut
Miles today: 13.4
Weather: overcast clouds

After a very pleasant evening at the Mountain Home Hostel, I looked forward to starting my trek into Shenandoah National Park today.  The only thing standing in my way was a long mostly uphill hike.  The AT from US 522, where Mountain Home is located, to SNP¢s northern boarder is just over three and a half miles.  The uphill climb is almost 1400 feet in elevation change.  After SNP¢s boarder and for another three miles, the trail continues uphill gaining another 600 feet in elevation to the top of Compton Peak - elev 2909.  Just when I thought I couldn¢t go any higher, the hike up to North Marshall Mountain - elev 3368, is an additional five plus miles.  By this time I was on top of North Marshall Mountain, I was just plain tired.  The view from the top was fairly clear with a little haze from the low cloud ceiling. The pic above is looking southwest towards Hogback Mountain - elev 3350.After all that climbing, I decided to stay at the Gravel Springs Hut for the night.  By the time I set up my campsite, got water from the nearby spring and a had a quick dinner, it was near hikers midnight so I turned in to get some rest.
Date: 2019-09-18
From: Gravel Springs Hut

To: Byrds Nest #3 Hut
Miles today: 17.5
Weather: clear sky

This morning I got up early to hike over five miles to the Elkwallow Wayside for breakfast. The hike took me over Hogback Overlook - elev 3350, which was beautiful at 8:00 am. The pic above is from the Overlook.  I also shot a video from the Overlook which is in the video gallery.  The hot breakfast at the Wayside consisted of eggs, hash browns, toast, coffee and juice.  It was delicious and worth every step.Shenandoah National Park (SNP) is unique to any other place on the trail.  The 200,000 acre park which was founded in 1935, is fairly skinny and runs mostly north and south.  The most prominent feature of the park, besides the mountainous terrain of the Blue Ridge Mountains, is Skyline Drive.  It runs the 105 mile length of the park and is part of the Blue Ridge Parkway which goes from SNP to the Great Smoky Mountain NP.  A total of 469 miles.  There are five places like Elkwallow Wayside on the Skyline Drive which are spread out relatively evenly throughout the park.  The other four areas have some combination of grocery stores, showers, laundry camping/hotel and restaurant/grill.  They are Skyland, Big Meadows, Lewis Mountain, and Loft Mountain.  The AT runs close to Skyline Drive for the entire length of the park.  The Waysides are a treat for the through hikers because we do not need to carry as much food due to the grocery stores and restaurants.  I plan on stopping at the remaining four Waysides over the next few days for both hot meals as well as resupply items as I need them.  After I finished my breakfast, I ordered a turkey wrap to eat later in the day.Past the Elkwallow Wayside, the AT rises and falls several times until it drops down to Thornton Gap - elev 2239.  From Thornton Gap it climbs steeply up to Mary¢s Rock - elev 3354 in just under two miles.  It¢s a gut busting 1100 foot climb that never seemed to end.  The reward for the long haul uphill is the view from Mary¢s Rock.  After a long rest on the Rock, I sauntered down the trail to the Byrds Nest #3 Hut for the night.
Date: 2019-09-19
From: Byrds Nest #3 Hut

To: Rock Spring Hut 
Miles today: 10.9
Weather: clear sky

Another early start today.  I was able to get all packed up and on the trail by 6:15 am.  Skyland Resort and Restaurant was only a little over six miles from Byrds Nest #3 Hut where I stayed last night, and they serve a mean breakfast buffet until 10:30 am.  I was able to get there by 9:00 am with plenty of time to enjoy the hearty breakfast foods.  On my way to the Skyland, I summited The Pinnacle - elev 3730 and Stoney Man Cliffs - elev 3582 and then up to the Skyland Resort - elev 3760.  Staring that early in the morning I had to use my headlight for the first forty five minutes until the sun rose enough to see without it.  On my way to Skyland, I must have seen a dozen deer grazing on the grasses and plants next to the trail.  They don¢t seem too afraid of people because I walked right past them as they hardly raised their heads to acknowledge my presence.  In addition to the dark start, I spent the first two hours waking in the low level clouds which tend to hoover at the 3000 plus foot elevation until they get burned off by the morning sunshine.  With the low cloud cover, my views from The Pinnacle and Stoney Man Cliffs were somewhat obstructed.  I could barely make out the landscape below the mountain.After I spent an hour or so eating breakfast, I hung around the resort lounge area until I decided to have a small lunch at 2:00 pm.  The soft and very comfortable chairs in the lounge were too much for me to leave.  I may have dozed off once or twice over the few hours I was there.  Once I did get back on the trail, I hiked another four plus miles to the Rock Spring Hut where I camped for the night.
Date: 2019-09-20
From: Rock Spring Hut 

To: Lewis Mountain Campground
Miles today: 12.3
Weather: mist

Today¢s hike from Rock Spring Hut to Lewis Mountain Campground - elev 3443, was very easy with only one long climb over Hazeltop Mountain - elev 3812.  The AT also took me past Big Meadows where there is a wayside, lodge and campsite.  I decided not to stop at Big Meadows because I wanted to get to Lewis Campgrounds in the early afternoon to secure a campsite for the night.  At Lewis Campgrounds there is a camp store where I need to take a shower and do my laundry.  Because the weather was just perfect, I stopped for an hour at the peak of Hazeltop Mountain to have my lunch and gaze over the Virginia countryside from the overlook cliffs.  I spent most of the time on the cliffs watching several red tail hawks make huge circles as they glided on the air currents over the ridges.  The pic above was my view from Hazeltop Mountain.  Once I arrived at Lewis Campgrounds, I was able to get my choirs wrapped up quickly with enough time to relax and chat with several other hikers who were also in the campsite for the evening.
Date: 2019-09-21
From: Lewis Mountain Campground

To: Pinefield Hut
Miles today: 19.8
Weather: clear sky

I didn¢t break any records packing up my gear this morning to leave Lewis Mountain Campground.  By the time I finally got on the trail it was 8:30 am.  It was just one of those mornings.  The hike today wasn¢t terribly difficult, as the trail went over several mountains.  The one with the most spectacular view was Hightop Mountain - elev 3531.  The pic above is from the summit of Hightop.After I spent a few minutes enjoying the vast view from Hightop, I descended a half of a mile down to the Hightop Hut - elev 3175, to eat my lunch and refill my water bottles at the spring. As I walked up to the hut, I was greeted by a Boy Scout Troop and the two leaders who were staying at the Hut for the weekend.  I enjoyed watching the Scouts gather wood for their evening fire and play capture the flag at the same time.  Being an ex Boy Scout myself, I was taken back to the fun we had playing in the woods and just being outside with my buddies.  Once I finished my lunch and refilling my water bottles, I moved on down the trail.  The rest of the afternoon hike was on the warm side because of the late summer weather we have been experiencing.  By the time I arrived at the Pinefield Hut, I was ready to call it a day.
Date: 2019-09-22
From: Pinefield Hut

To: Blackrock Hut
Miles today: 13.2
Weather: clear sky

This morning I visited the Loft Mountain store and wayside - elev 3290.  It is the last and final wayside and camp store of the Shenandoah¢s.  At the wayside, I enjoyed a full breakfast plate with hot coffee.  And as with a few of the other waysides and camp stores, I also stopped at the store in the afternoon for a lunch sandwich and cold beer.  I needed a few resupply items which they carried as well.  By the time I got back on the trail it was 3:00 pm. I walked six miles in the morning to arrive at Loft Mountain, so I had roughly seven miles to get to the Blackrock Hut where I camped for the night.The afternoon hike had several overlooks including the one above from near the Doyles River Trailhead.  Although I have enjoyed being in the Shenandoah¢s over the last five days, I am looking forward to leaving the park after tomorrow¢s hike and discovering the rest of Virginia as I make my way back to Bland.
Date: 2019-09-23
From: Blackrock Hut

To: Rockfish Gap - SOBO Mile Marker 1328.3
Miles today: 20.7
Weather: clear sky

My hike today from Blackrock Hut down to the south entrance of the Shenandoah NP was uneventful and fairly routine.  The weather continues to be very nice although the lack of rain over the last few weeks continues to cause issues with finding drinking water throughout the day.  The AT took me past Sawmill Run Overlook - elev 2200, where I took the above pic looking southwest.  Beyond the overlook, the trail makes a few uphill treks as it passed the Calf Mountain Shelter - elev 2668, and then finally downward to the Park¢s boarder.  All in all the twenty plus mile day was mostly easy and very relaxing.  I made prior arrangements to stay at Stanimal¢s 328 Hostel in Waynesboro, VA for the next two nights.  After my peregrination from Harpers Ferry through SNP, I felt like I needed a zero day to step off the trail and rest for a day.
Date: 2019-09-24
From: Rockfish Gap - SOBO Mile Marker 1328.3

To: Rockfish Gap - SOBO Mile Marker 1328.3
Miles today: 0.0

Zero day today at Stanimal¢s 328 Hostel in beautiful Waynesboro, VA.  Adam Stanley who thru hiked the AT in 2004, owns this very nice and accommodating hostel located right in downtown Waynesboro. Waynesboro was the site of the last battle of the Civil war to be fought in the Shenandoah Valley.  The Confederate Army was beaten badly here on March 2, 1865 and they never returned to the area afterwards.  After the Civil War, Waynesboro became the junction of two railroads - the Chesapeake and Ohio Railroad which ran east and west, and the Norfolk and Western Railroad that ran north and south.  The two rail lines met in Waynesboro dubbing the town with the nickname of the Iron Cross.  Other than the usual restaurants and chain stores, Waynesboro seems to be content to be the town that is located at the south entrance of the Shenandoah National Park.Throughout the day, I eventually did my laundry and made my way to Walmart to get my resupply for next week on the trail.  A very lazy day indeed.
Date: 2019-09-25
From: Rockfish Gap - SOBO Mile Marker 1328.3

To: RiedÃÂÃÂ¢ÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂs Gap - SOBO Mile Marker 1347.4
Miles today: 19.1
Weather: few clouds

The first five miles out of Waynesboro was fairly flat and mostly in the deep woods.  It all changed when the trail went sharply upwards as I started the climb to the top of Humpback Mountain - elev 3634.  In a little over three miles the change in elevation was over 1300 feet.  Needless to say, the uphill climb was a tough one.  Once on top of Humpback Mountain the views from the top were worth the effort.  I spent the better part of an hour just looking at the beautiful Virginia mountains.After lunch I made the decision to hike to Ried¢s Gap and go to the Devil¢s Backbone (DB) Brewpub for the night. The DB has a hundred acre recreation park just five miles from the trail.  The majority of the compound is for camping and they of course have a restaurant and brew house.  They also host quite a few music events throughout the year.  The DB makes regular pickups for the hikers on the AT during the day and offer free camping and a fantastic hiker breakfast in the morning.  I caught the late shuttle and was at the DB by 6:30 pm.  Once I set up my hammock, had a light dinner, and stowed my gear, I went to the Brewpub for a few beers.  On the walk over to the Brewpub, I bumped into several of my fellow hikers - Smudge, TJ, Captain, Wag, and Disco, who I hadn¢t seen since Harpers Ferry.  We all enjoyed the evening off trail having a few beers, swapping trail stories and discussing our adventures with the locals.
Date: 2019-09-26
From: RiedÃÂÃÂ¢ÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂs Gap - SOBO Mile Marker 1347.4

To: The Priest Shelter 
Miles today: 15.5

After a fun and relaxing evening at the Devils Backbone (DB) Brewpub, I packed up my gear and headed over to the restaurant for the Hiker breakfast they offered.  The breakfast consisted of scrambled eggs, bacon, toast, hash browns, fruit cup and hot coffee.  All this for five bucks.  At 9:00 am sharp, one of the DB staff loaded all of us hikers into a pickup truck and back to Reid¢s Gap we went.  Thank you DB team for all the generosity you show to the Hiker community.Today I had a big day climbing over two of the highest mountains I¢ve had to hike over since I left Maine. The first mountain I summited was Three Ridges Mountain - elev 3937.  After a very fun evening at the DB, the climb to the top of Three Ridges was painful.  There were very few switchbacks in the trail so it was almost straight up the entire way.  On the way up, I was treated to several views from cliffs that were stunning.  The pic above is from Three Ridges looking south towards The Priest.  Once I hit the summit, I had a long lunch break and even took a short snooze in the warm sun.The three mile hike down the back of Three Ridges was just as tough as the hike to the summit. It was mostly very rocky with no switchbacks.  At the bottom of the mountain I refilled my water bottles at the Tye River before moving on.  The next challenge was hiking up The Priest - elev 4063.  The Priest is the first 4000+ foot peak I will encounter over the next couple of weeks.  The journey to the top of the Priest starts at the Tye River - elev 970 and goes up over 3000 feet in elevation in just over four miles.  You can bet I was confessing all my sins to The Priest on the long and difficult hike to the summit.  Once I was at the summit, the reward was magnificent views, both north and south, of the Appalachian Mountains.  I decided to end my hike for the day at The Priest Shelter which just north of the summit.  After a quick dinner, I quickly fell asleep after the strenuous day.
Date: 2019-09-27
From: The Priest Shelter 

To: Stealth Camp At Hog Camp Gap - SOBO Mile Marker 1377.2
Miles today: 14.3

Today was that perfect fall day for hiking.  Plenty of sunshine and a slight cool breeze all day.  With the dried leaves on the trail, the aroma of autumn was in the air.  After the tough hike over Three Ridges Mountain and The Priest yesterday, I needed an easy day like today.  The path had a few ups and downs as it stayed mostly on the ridges at 3500 foot elevation.  Another wonderful day to be in the woods.