morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2004-10-04
From: Carl Newhall Lean-to

To: East Branch Lean-to
Miles today: 10.8

View from Backside of Whitecap MountainStart: Carl Newhall Lean-to @ 0832 Finish: East Branch Lean-to @ 1387Miles: 10.8Weather: Sunny & Clear Skies. Cool temps. Cold w/ high winds at elevationBreakfast: Chocolate CIB, Chocolate Poptarts, Fig Newtons, Fruit Loops.Lunch: Snickers, Fig Newtons, Fruit Loops, 12 Hershey barDinner: Velveeta Shells & Cheese, Starcrunch.Trail Conditions: Four steep climbs up to White Cap Mountain. Rocky trail along backside of White Cap. First view of Kathadin! Downhill and easy to shelter.Animals: Birds, Squirrels. People: Lightweight Joe, MATC Maintainer, Rael.Last night was by far the coldest night of this entire trip. I stayed warm and all, but it hovered around freezing. I wasn¢t too anxious to jump out of my warm sleeping bag this morning, but nature called. I whipped up a quick breakfast and set out to tackle the last hard stretch of terrain this trip.The day began with a steep climb up and over Gulf Hagas Mtn., followed by another even steeper climb over West Peak, followed by a hump over Hay Mtn., and finally another long steep climb up Whitecap Mtn. Nothing like a roller coaster of mountains to start the day. View from Whitecap MountainI ran into an MATC volunteer, who was out hiking his section of trail for inspection purposes. We got to talking atop Hay Mtn. And he took a picture of me and the bag of Fruit Loops I was eating for a MATC slide show. The guidebook said there was a view of Katahdin coming down the backside of Whitecap. (The Guidebook has said there are views of Katahdin from several other peaks in Maine too, but is was so distant and blocked by other ranges I had no idea what I was looking for, nor did anyone else.) So I decided to ask the volunteer if I could actually see Katahdin or if it would be just a small speck in the distance. He said I could see it. With some doubt I asked how will I know its Katahdin and not another range? He just looked at me and laughed out loud and said ¢trust me kid, you¢ll know it when you see it.¢ We wrapped up our conversation and I anxiously moved on to see if his story was true. View from Whitecap MountainThe summit of Whitecap was very pretty and offered superb views. It was very cold up top and the winds were blowing, I would guess between 40 and 50 mph as I had difficulty keeping my balance at times. I began making my way around the backside of the mountain, and then it happened!I SAW MT. KATAHDIN!!! Mt. Katahdin!It was absolutely incredible. I couldn¢t have missed it if I were blind. The mountain stood alone on the horizon dwarfing everything around it. Even though it was over 70 miles away it seemed like it was right in front of me and I could reach out and touch it. I had clear skies again and the visibility was so good I could make out the details of the summit. It was so exciting. For the first time I caught glimpse of the end.
Date: 2003-09-17
To: Initial Entry
Miles today: 0.0

Just starting up this journal - I am planning to start the AT in 2004 sometime around March 7. I was directed to this site by some folks I met on the trail during one of my workup hikes and it was very interesting reading about their adventures and seeing some photos, so I figure I will set up this account and get things rolling. I will work on getting some photos and my gear all up to date, and I hope that this will prove to be a sucessful medium for communicating with some of my local friends and people I meet on the trail in the next year or so!Alex"SCUBA"BTW - my workup hike was rainy and wet, just what I was hoping for to get me into the swing of things!! I went from Dripping Rock on the Blue Ridge Parkway just south of Humpback Rocks to the crossing of VA 43 and the BRPW down at Bearwallow Gap - it was almost 100 miles and I did it in 5 1/2 days - it gave me a healthy respect for how many miles I can plan to cover in a day - and for the ups and downs on the trail. I am planning one more (shorter) workup hike for this winter sometime, and I think that I will go from the I-64 interchange at Rockfish Gap north into SNP until I run out of time - The Skyline Drive and trail cross about every 4 miles or so through the park - so however I setup a pickup it won't be a big deal to get out to a road.
Date: 2003-09-18
To: Gearing Up
Miles today: 0.0

Well I am getting geared up to hike - so far I have bought tried out and weighed every piece of equipment that I can think I will need and then some. I am quite pleased with everything that I have right now, only a few minor modifications here and there so far - tonight I am hoping to write everything down on one list and bring the list here to enter it tomorrow. I am also really focusing on my food (I am planning a mail resup hike) - trying to get a handle on the quantities and cost of all the things that I will need to stock for my support team to send me. My support team consists of my girlfriend Tina and my diving partner Allen - who hopefully between the two of them will be around throughout my hike and able to fire stuff off to me as I need it. I have also been using a number of books to plan and figure out things related to the hike so that it may get off to a good start. Anyway - I am planning to put more info into the entry tomorrow so I am gonna sign off for now.Alex
Date: 2003-09-29
To: Another Day Hike
Miles today: 0.0

Well it is Monday evening and I am adding some stuff to my journal here - I went climbing Saturday at Seneca Rocks, but we bailed on Sunday after getting soaked on the way down from the rocks by the inevitable rain storm. So Sunday went on a short hike from the east side of Shenandoah Nat'l Park on Moorman's Trail south from Sugar Hollow then we cut up Turk Mtn. trail to the summit. On the way down my friends needed to cut out and go back the way we came to get home a little faster - but I took the leisurly route south on the AT about 3 miles to the other end of the side trail and back in by a slightly different route. I haven't added it all up but I guesstimate it was about 11 miles. It was the first hike I had been on since my 5 1/2 day workup hike about a month ago. I am a bit sore today - even though my pack was only about 18 pounds (lotsa water) and I am thinking that to help workup for March maybe I should start walking to and from work a coupla-three days each week sometime around a month before I leave - That would at least give me a chance to get my legs into some shape. I still haven't done all the updating on my gear page, but I will get to that here pretty soon. I am still hashing over some of the equipment that I have and trying to get myself to let go of just a few more pounds, but at this point I am almost better off dumping food because it makes up such a huge proportion of my pack weight. Right now my pack weighs about 34 pounds - with a six day food load and two liters of water. The food is about 10 pounds and my base load is right about 20 pounds (with all the winter gear that I will be starting with. I am packing about 3000 calories a day, which is not the bare minimum that I could do with, but it is certainly not excessive because I know that I will be burning at least that much, and probably more. Anyhow - the debate rages on and I will continue to try and whittle it down some more. More later!!Alex
Date: 2003-11-11
To: Two Dayer
Miles today: 0.0

Well - I made another workup hike over the weekend of Nov 1-2. Started at Rockfish Gap at 8:15 Saturday morn and hiked all the way to Blackrock Hut arriving at 4:45 in the afternoon - just about 45 min before the darkness set in. It was a long mileage day - more than I had really intended, but there was no way to unplan it after I started so I just buckled down and cranked it out. The next day I started out at 7:30 and went to Pinefield Gap (arrival at 1:15) and awaited a pickup at 1:45.It was a most incredible and wonderful weekend for hiking - warm and sunny in the day, clear and a little breezy, and in the evening it cooled down nicely, wonderful starry night and the trickle of the spring to lull me to sleep. I really lucked out on this one - it had been rather cold all week and I was anticipating that for my hiking - figured I would need mitts, hat and all that good stuff. If I get a few days like that next year I will probably be lucky - but we'll see I had no physical complaints except for my right hip which was acting a little tweaked as usual and just required that I place my weight rather precisely on the right leg, otherwise, not hot spots or otherwise, just a bit of fatigue from the long days. My pack was light, about 28 lbs due to the light food loadout and minimal water - even though I was loaded with all my winter clothing (about an extra 1.5#). All in all a wonderful trip to get me even more excited about my upcoming adventure!
Date: 2004-01-17
To: A couple more steps
Miles today: 0.0

Well over the holidays and such I got out twice - One time by myself from Pinefield Gap to Swift Run, overnighting at a shelter with a group hiking from Richmond. It was cool during the days and cold at night (20 degrees) I was happy with my clothing selections and I learned that my alcohol stove is finicky when it is cold. The second trek was with my friend Paul Corridon, and we hiked a loop trail that he knows called Rockytop Ridge and the return loop on Portal Trail. Paul and I had wonderful weather for the second of January, it was 65 degrees throughout the day and night, wow! It was a nice hike, but I had some minor issues with my feet, partly due to the fact that they were just sweaty and soft. I think that I have figured those problems out some more now, so March here I come!I have now started walking to work about three days a week, which is three miles, amounting to a little under an hour each way. It is taking up some of my time, but it is critical to get me prepared for the daily walking here in another month and a half. On that note, I am getting very excited about starting. I think almost nonstop about something involving the trail, and my packing and preparations are reaching a bit of a frenzy. Trips to the store focus on buying food for the trail, and food that I try to eat are things that I won't have available so much on the trail (salads,sandwiches). Now I am off to spend my Saturday entering data onto my homemade plots, and package some more food for the trail.Adios!
Date: 2004-03-07
To: Black Gap Shelter
Miles today: 7.68
Weather: few clouds

Met "Two Feathers" and he reports that 150 thru hikers signed in so far this year. The trail is so beautiful and the day is so nice that I feel I could walk forever. Everyone I have met is in high spirits, this first day is sad but the welcome to the trail is unmistakeable. I am anxious to call Tina in a few days, I feel sorry that she had to make a lonely journey home while I was embarking on such a powerful adventure!! It is now 15:00 and I am at Black Gap shelter in the shadow of Springer Mountain. I have fetched water and unpacked, I am going to shoot a couple pics and then fix dinner-couscous and alfredo. No one else here yet. Today was a very nice relaxing hike. Met Adam from High Point,NC and a couple of college guys (John and Shawn)on Spring Break are here starting a several day journey. Have me and 3 others at shelter now. Darkness is settling upon our hill-hung food bags, then it will be off to bed here soon. The fire is going fairly good so maybe I'll stay a little later. Talked a bit with John and Shawn-saw the stars come out, moon is still hiding but temps are getting lower, it is about 45 now and I'm turning in for my first night!!
Date: 2004-03-08
From: Black Gap Shelter

To: Hawk Mountain Shelter
Miles today: 8.6
Weather: clear sky

Up at 7:00, beautiful morning-cool 30s but clear a little windy but sun is warm. It was kinda cold last night(20s) had a couple of mice poking around my bag in the early am(4:00) 9:30 summit at Springer! The journey begins-I am thinking of all my wonderful family and friends who have supported me. It is windy and cold here so I won't tarry long! Just sign in and go-4 others here-all other college students on spring break. It's been a wonderful morning hiking thru gorges, crossing streams, among pines, snacking on jerky and nuts-John comments TEAM SCUBA about my support team. I forgot my pebble from Springer so I got one here at Hawk Mt-close enough(It's from Georgia) I'm at the shelter with "Freedom" and "Chester" (Gimpy) and John and Eian "Lost and Found" and Chris who is with Antigravity Gear. The conversation has been lively, just fun banter. Called Tina on John's cell phone! It was good knowing that she got in ok and I am sure she was glad to hear from me. Had a nice evening just hanging around talking gear and such. Actually I traded my alcohol stove for Chris's stove-he has one that he made and may actually send me a pot set to go with it. Another wonderful day-my first real day on the AT-met some interesting folks and had very good weather. We caught a mouse tonight, maybe we'll catch some more. Heading to bed-it's 20:40.
Date: 2004-03-09
From: Hawk Mountain Shelter

To: Gooch Mountain Shelter
Miles today: 7.68
Weather: scattered clouds

Up at 6:45, oatmeal and carob spirulina chunks for breakfast. New stove worked ok-we'll see. Depart shelter about 8:45. Nice walk this am--cool (45-50) and still clear. About midmorn it started to snow, then it alternated between rain, sleet and hail-but not too bad at any one time. At Justus Creek we arrived to a sunny and warm glade by a stream, only to be hailed on about 15 min after we paused for lunch. Then as we hiked away it was sleeting and snowing with the sun shining-interesting day! Here at the new Gooch Mountain Shelter we are seeing a mix of weathers still and the temp is hovering in the mid 30s. Clinbing into the sack early-it is 18:40 still cool and the shelter is packed!! Have 20 people in here and we are moving the picnic table out so people can sleep on the porch!
Date: 2004-03-10
From: Gooch Mountain Shelter

To: Neels Gap
Miles today: 15.2
Weather: clear sky

Up at 6:00,had breakfast of oat bran, and was on the trail at 7:45. Fixed up my feet after a couple hours on the trail-it's gonna be a long day (in comparison) so the feet gotta be good! "QVC" (Chris) keeps stopping to fix up his feet so "Lost and Found" (Eian) has been hiking with me and Chris has been playing catch up. Finally afternoonish we split up altogether and I hiked by myself to Woods Hole Shelter where I met up with QVC and Lost and Found. We took a break, then I got cold so I started off for Neels Gap. It took me a little longer to go up and back down Blood Mountain than I had planned but I was taking it easy and stopping some, but now it is 17:30 and still no sign of those two, so we will see... Caught up with everyone about 18:15 and we decided to head into Blairsville, check into a hotel($44 for 4 of us) and catch dinner at the "Cookie Jar" buffet-Just a regular Gavid's style buffet. We stuffed ourselves-wow! A great way to eat! I had a big salad and 2 plates of food (chicken, noodles, and nachos) and a cinnamon raisin cake for dessert. Today was clear sunny and cold in the AM, cool all day-nice for hiking but cools off quick when you stop.
Date: 2004-03-11
From: Neels Gap

To: Low Gap
Miles today: 10.7
Weather: clear sky

Up at 7:30, packing up to head out. GOOD breakfast at a little restaurant "Chef David's" had 3 egg omlet, bacon, mushroom, cheese, green peppers with toast and coffee (3 cups with lots of cream and sugar!) Up to Neels Gap after a quick stop at grocery for cheese, peanut butter, bagels and snickers. Run laundry at Neels Gap while shopping a little. It is 12:51-gonna buy a sandwich for lunch, get a group photo and hit the trail! I'm getting kinda antsy to move on- I finally hit the trail at about 13:30-hiked like a crazy man til about 17:00 then I slowed just a little bit but not too much. Pulled in at Low Gap Shelter at 18:30-5 hours of hard hiking with only 1 water stop at Baggs Creek Gap. Any how it was a wonderful day to hike, a bit warmer, but not too much-just right! It is still very nice at 20:07 I am just lying here on top of my bag writing this after a hectic time trying to put together my camp, fix dinner, get water and other stuff, all in the 45 min that I had by sundown. Had half my cheese, a cinnamon raisin bagel with peanut butter and the package of Thai sesame noodles for dinner. Pedometer reads 23,022 steps and 9.810 miles-it kinda looks like I need to lengthen the stride that I set for the pedometer-it has been calling the mileage a little short each day-hmm...
Date: 2004-03-12
From: Low Gap

To: Helen, GA
Miles today: 9.4

Up at 6:40, actually looked at clock at 5:00 then rolled over and slept hard til 6:40. Had a strange dream about Tina and I talking to Grandma. Anyhow, woke under the clear skies and a soon to rise sun. We are on the east side of the ridge and thus fairly sheltered from wind. I was very comfy last night on my pad and leaf bed snuggled up to the 18-20' log here at my chosen site. When I came in last night I ran into Shawn who was at Gooch Mountain with us. I'm at Blue Mountain Shelter now, taking a short break. I'm pushing kinda hard today, ready to rest some. Met NOBO "Sevy" today-he is kinda with the group that was in front of me (they were at Low Gap last night) It's 12:50 and I just arrived at PO in Helen-caught a ride with "Peter Pan" GA-ME '94 and '97. Then to visitor's center, back here to hotel, now I will try to finish up these notes real quick and maybe get to PO again ths afternoon (It's 13:50 right now). I had a quick lunch of cheese & snickers bars-I was going to have a bagel with pb but a fellow came along & I decided to follow a little-he said he had a car at Unicoi Gap, but I got out in front of him when he stopped at the Blue Mt. Shelter so I caught another ride. I'm getting a little sunburned on the face, gotta try and fix that. The Chattahoochee River flowing thru Helen is smaller than the South River-kinda neat! Ate dinner at Farmer's Market Cafe-prime rib, potatos, green beans. Picked up some cheese and fruit at Betty's (local grocer), talked to Tina some more around 9ish, and hit the hay about 10:30.
Date: 2004-03-13
From: Helen, GA

To: Deep Gap Shelter
Miles today: 12.6
Weather: overcast clouds

Up at 6:00, couldn't sleep anymore, dreamed of walking around the lake with Dad. Ate apple and bananas first then walked over to lobby and got coffee and danish. Weather is calling for rain Sunday (tomorrow) and Tues. but overall map seems to show rain all over all week. Got a ride up to Unicoi Gap with Carl Webb who keeps bees for a living. He has 300 hives and sells by the name of Mountain Honey. Got to Unicoi Gab at 9:15, passed thru Indian Grave Gap at 10:45, snacking on the last of Jacquie and Kathryn's beef jerky. 11:20 stopped at cheese factory site for lunch-bagel and pb with some cheese. 18:40 got into shelter a bit ago, had dinner of fruit and nut mix, peanuts and soybeans, cheese, and my potato casserole with green tea and a little drink mix to sweeten it. My desert is carob spirulina chunks. It was a bit of a long day, I think tomorrow I will do a really short day to Plumorchard Gap Shelter, kinda take it easy getting going and then do an easy day. Listened to some music, then got up and talked to some folks, don't know any of them, but I saw most today while I was hiking. It is about 20:00 now-gonna listen to some more music and then hit the hay!
Date: 2004-03-14
From: Deep Gap Shelter

To: Plumorchard Gap Shelter
Miles today: 7.8
Weather: broken clouds

Woke a couple times throughout the night-it was not very cold, and even this morning it is very nice, cooler, but still not bad at all. I am up now at 7:05, writing this and taking it easy. I am kinda letting the crowd get moving, get out of the way and such. I will hike at a super easy pace today. There were a few coyotes howling last night, and someone said that they heard a bear around the camp, but somebody else has a dog that was carrying on and scared it off. It's 8:30 I've had my oat bran breakfast and am working on packing up. I think I'll make some coffee (QVC gave me). I saw my first robin and squirrel up here, then later I saw a bunch of robins and I've been seeing juncos for several days, hearing woodpeckers too and owls at night. Pausing for lunch today, it has been a gorgeous day! The temp is about 65, mostly sunny with some puffy white clouds. Got into Plumorchard Gap Shelter-beautiful shelter, a triple decker! I ate parmesan noodles with a tuna packet added in, 4 oz cheddar cheese, 3 mini snickers, coffee and tea. There are 2 couples here-1 tenting out, 1 in the loft and 2 other guys here "King Alabar" and "Tailwind", 1 couple from Michigan "Tongue-Tied" and "Weeble" and the other couple from Nova Scotia is "Close-Call" and "Carter"-all fun people! It has been a very nice day-I took my time hiking today which was nice, and even though I was tired when I got here, it was early and I ate lots of food again so it should make for another good day tomorrow. I am feeling pretty good right now, still sipping the last of my green tea, gonna listen to some more music and then turn in. There were quite a few birds out today-I guess it being a bit warmer they are up here grabbing the sleepy insects as they come out of their winter hideaways. Well, it is now 20:20 so I am going to listen to some tunes.
Date: 2004-03-15
From: Plumorchard Gap Shelter

To: Standing Indian Shelter 
Miles today: 12.2
Weather: moderate rain

Woke about 6:40 to a rainy morn, ate bagel and pb for breakfast with cream of wheat and peach apricot tea. Had beef jerky and carob spirulina chunks about noon, had trail mix bar at water stop and ate nuts at Muskrat Creek. Got into Standing Indian Shelter about 16:10. The day was damp throughout, and just prior to arriving at shelter the rain started again in earnest. It is 19:35 now, sun is down and rain has re-started but there have been nice breaks to let us get stuff done. "Tailwind" is here and Dave Mueller-both are really neat guys. We had to hang our food ourselves (a line over a limb) because there are no bear cables here and all kinds of bear warnings. There is one sign reading "Waring: an agressive bear between Deep Gap and Wayah Gap has taken hikers packs and displays no fear of humans--Exercise extreme caution" as if we would be careless or something if we ran into a bear. Now I am looking behind me to see if some bear is following me or something-jeez! "King Alabar" was saying something about it being bad trail karma to trap mice at the shelters. He says that we are in their home and should let them have their way with our packs or whatever-I spent a portion of my morning hike trying to see some reason in that, and the better part of 2 hours debating that in my head, and made my morning fly by! It was noon before I realized it. Dinner tonight was both a broccoli cheese soup mixed with a couscous and alfredo pack. I am carrying way too much food right now. I have been eating double dinners every night and supplementing my breakfasts with a bagel and pb, as well as the cheese. My thoughts actually are not revolving on food right now-I would like to lighten my pack a little though. It is 20:50 now-I think I'll tune our for a bit and then drift to a dream...