morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2009-06-01
From: West Montain Shelter

To: Dennytown Camp
Miles today: 20.3
Weather: scattered clouds

Miles to Katahdin:   771.3The night was well lit on West Mountain due to the city lights. I watched planes land at the airport just west of NYC and even viewed fireworks at 9:00 pm on the east side of the city. This is by far the best view from a shelter on the AT. The negatives of a stay here are the lack of water, a couple of whip-o-wills (3:30 am and 4:00 am), and a 0.6 mile walk off trail to get here.I was slow this morning and didn't get on trail until 9:00 am. The sun was shinning on my trek down West Mountain and up Bear Mountain. People drive to the top of Bear Mountain to see the Fox Hill type of observation tower and a view of the Hudson along with NYC. There were a few people on top and I took a 30 minute break myself before heading down.At the base is a zoo and museum that is free to thru hikers.   There must have been a field trip for a local elementary school because there were numerous little tikes around. I took a few pictures of the bears (the den is the lowest elevation on the entire AT), coyotes, and bobcats. After the zoo, I crossed the Hudson River via the Bear Mountain Suspension Bridge. It was cool and windy crossing the river. Several signs were posted noting that "life is worth living" along the walkway. I didn't feel like jumping, so I crossed over to the east side of the river.On the climb up the first mountain after the bridge, I crossed paths with Iceman. We ate lunch at the top and made it to the Appalachian Market around 3:30 on US9 in Peekskill, NY. I opened the New York Post and an article about the Queensboro Bridge's 100th Anniversary fireworks was inside. That was neat to find out what the fireworks I watched from West Mountain were for.Iceman and I hiked together for the next 5 miles, but eventually separated afterward. I believe he stopped somewhere before Dennytown Rd where I decided to push a mile beyond. I set up camp quickly since it was already dusk.
Date: 2009-06-02
From: Dennytown Camp

To: Morgan Stewart Shelter
Miles today: 19.7
Weather: scattered clouds

Miles to Katahdin:   751.6I had a few rain drops hit my rain fly this morning, but it only lasted a minute. I packed up camp quickly and began hiking at 8:00 am. 5 miles in, I ran into Lady Slipper and Burns heading southbound and slack packing. Lady Slipper's aunt lived nearby so they are spending a couple days in the area.I kept hiking though brief showers, but on top of Shenandoah Mountain, the clouds began to break and the sun warmed everything rather quickly. I sat on top looking east to Connecticut and enjoying the 180 degree view.The descent brought me to RPH Shelter. This is actually a cabin that is well maintained. I stopped for lunch and to fill up on water. Just beyond the shelter, I crossed beneath the Taconic Parkway. The following climb took me up and along the side of the mountain that parallels the Parkway.   I heard the trucks and cars from I-84 and the Parkway for the next 4 miles.I eventually arrived in Stormville, NY at 3 o'clock. I walked east for a half mile to get to a convenience store for snacks. I needed only a day and a half worth of food to get to Kent, Connecticut. I also rested at the pizza shop next store. I couldn't resist ordering a small cheese pizza.After Stormville, I walked over I-84 via a bridge on Stormville Rd. Then it was back to the woods to stay at a shelter 3 miles ahead.
Date: 2009-06-03
From: Morgan Stewart Shelter

To: Wiley Shelter
Miles today: 16.5
Weather: overcast clouds

Miles to Katahdin:   735.1Knowing my day was going to be short, I didn't leave the shelter until 9:00 am. I left after O.C. and D.D., whom I stayed with last night, and took my time. The morning was bright with plenty of sun and comfortable temperatures.The hike was pretty flat all the way to Nuclear Lake. Here the trail outlines the lake boundaries for a few miles and contained some rocky sections. There was a gentle grade from the lake to West Mountain where I had lunch on a rocky vista. The overlook had views of a farm and a few ridges. While eating a peanut butter tortilla, I noticed a layer of high clouds moving in.I filled up my water bladder at the bottom of the hill where the trail intersects Country Road 20. A woman who lives next to the trail allows hikers to use her outdoor spigot. I had a chat with her before I took a few pictures of the largest oak tree on trail. The girth is 20 feet plus, but the limbs have been trimmed since it is right next to the road.After a walk through a field and over a hill, the AT crosses a swamp and then hits the Metro North train tracks. Here, there is an Appalachian Trail train station which I recognized from several books. I had D.D., who I just caught up to, take my picture.The next 6 miles were up a ridge through fields and back down. The bad news was that it began raining right after the train station. In the field I was getting damp, but once I was under the trees, I stayed relatively dry. Still, I was happy to reach shelter. Tonight there are two other thru-hikers, Boof and Panama Red, staying in the shelter with me. I look forward to a couple of days at home tomorrow.
Date: 2009-06-04
From: Wiley Shelter

To: Kent, Connecticut
Miles today: 12.7

Miles to Katahdin:   722.4Other hikers started moving at 5:30 am this morning, so I couldn't prevent an early start. I made a large pot of oatmeal since I knew I had a large stash at home that I wanted to use. Oatmeal was still not enough, so I had 3 Pop Tarts.It was 7:20 am when I began hiking and there were no clouds around. It rained nearly the entire night. Only 1.2 miles away was the NY/CT border and then there was 600 foot climb up Ten Mile Hill. The owls on the summit were as loud as ever. On the north side of the mountain was another shelter where I took a break and a snack. A field right in front of the shelter allowed plenty of sun to warm me up and I let my rain coat and pants dry.Just beyond the shelter, the trail crosses a river using a very nice foot bridge. I had a fantastic glimpse of a blue herring in the middle of the river.Believe it or not, I felt as if I climbed my first mountain in hundreds of miles today. Schaghticoke Mountain had a 1000 ft climb that was pretty steady. It certainly got me hot and sweaty. The view at the top was well worth it. The trail following the ridge was frustrating since it stayed along the side of the crest and then went up and down a hundred feet several times. I had a nice look at a house east of the mountain somewhere in this area that looked exactly like the one from Ferris Bueller's Day Off when a convertible goes through the glass wall.Ater a rock to rock hop down into Kent, I went to the library for a few hours. At 5 o'clock, my dad arrived and took me home to a huge feast my mom prepared. I love Thanksgiving in June!
Date: 2009-06-07
From: Kent, Connecticut

To: Pine Swamp Brook Lean-to
Miles today: 17.0

Miles to Katahdin:   705.4It was sort of hard to get back on trail. After 3 nights in a bed, as much food at my disposal as I needed, and a couple days of not hiking, who would want to go back and be in pain and hunger again? I guess I did, because at 1:00 pm, I was on the AT. The sun was out and a few cumulus were as well.I crossed a field with numerous cows on trail that I had to walk around before climbing to Calebs Peak. The worst part was the way down. It consisted of boulder to boulder dropping. I was forced to back down a few times to get to the rock below. There was even a few rock climbers ascending the cliff west of the trail.At the bottom, the trail follows the Housatonic River. Its hard to believe this is actually Connecticut because the scenery is similar to Vermont. There were several hikers and bikers around and even a family swimming in the river.The sun gradually was removed by clouds that appeared to be high and not threatening, but I was incorrect. It began to rain around 6:30 pm and it came down hard. I actually hiked 3 miles beyond the campsite I intended to stay at to get to a lean-to. It was dark when I arrived and Dee was inside sleeping, so I made a peanut butter tortilla and went promptly to sleep.
Date: 2009-06-08
From: Pine Swamp Brook Lean-to

To: Plateau Campsite
Miles today: 16.6

Miles to Katahdin:   688.8Today is going to be a memorable day for my trip because my friends Mike and Steve decided to come out and join me for a couple days. I hadn't really seen them since my days in boy scouts...a whole 6 years ago. I only had to hike 6 miles to meet them at US7, so I left at 8:00 am to get there at 10:30 am. The mountain I traveled upon had a terrific view of Lime Rock Park, a road course race track. I had never seen it before so it was a unique experience.I sat on the grass by the intersection waiting for Mike and Steve to be dropped off. They arrived at 11:00 am and we were off down the road. The trail has been detoured because the bridge that normally is crossed is under construction. The detour brought us to the entrance of Lime Rock Park and by the actual Lime Rock of Lime Rock, CT. We hiked 3 miles to a hydroelectric power plant to eat lunch. It was fun to share stories and catch up over the course of the entire day.Our climb up Prospect Mountain took us by a dammed water fall. The exposed rocks from decreased water flow was unique. The vista from the top of Prospect showed a lush, green mountain to the east. On the way down, we went by Giant's Thumb; a vertical rock 4 feet wide and 11 feet tall. Mike and I climbed to the top before continuing down trail.We hiked Undermountain Road for 0.8 miles off trail to get to downtown Salisbury, CT. It was a quaint downtown area with a spring right next to town hall. We filled up on water and walked down the road to the supermarket for ice cream. We each purchased a different flavor of Ben and Jerry's. I chose Cherry Garcia. It is phenomenal but still not as good as Phish Food.We hiked back to the trail and found a spot to set up camp just beyond the road.
Date: 2009-06-09
From: Plateau Campsite

To: The Hemlocks Lean-to
Miles today: 13.2

Miles to Katahdin:   675.6The pitter-patter of rain drops woke me up early in the morning, but I fell back to sleep. When my eyes opened again, it was still raining hard. I packed my backpack inside my tent and then moved to the tarp where Mike and Steve were sleeping. To go light weight, they brought a tarp and ground cloth to sleep under rather than a tent. It worked well since both said they slept even though it rained. The only problem is the tarp had a few small holes so I believe some rain did fall on them.We ate breakfast and then finished packing. I told Mike and Steve that they didn't have to hike if they didn't wish to. They were planning to go with me to the top of Bear Mountain, the highest point in Connecticut at 2,316 feet, and then return to the same spot to be picked up. They hiked anyway, but decided to stop after a couple miles. We said our goodbyes and they went back to the road.I pushed on to the shelter a couple miles ahead and stayed inside for an hour to wait for the thunderstorm to end. When it did, I climbed to the summit of Bear Mountain. It seemed like a mountain I'd expect in Vermont or New Hampshire. There were plenty of rocks on a steep trail.The hike down was treacherous and slippery. Eventually the trail followed a brook between Race and Bear Mountains. Once I crossed the brook, I was in Massachusetts.Race Mountain was an appropriate welcome. In the fog and mist, it felt like a 5 mile climb, but it was only 4. The elevation change was over a thousand feet and once I was down, it was back up 700 feet to Mt. Everett. This climb was essentially up a cliff. I literally mean the trail up is one large rock face.I decided to stop at the lean-to beyond the summit. One reason was I was wet. Another was because I was tired. Plus, I'm still breaking in these new boots I purchased a few days ago. I have to admit, it is nice to stop hiking at 3:40 pm in the afternoon.
Date: 2009-06-10
From: The Hemlocks Lean-to

To: Mt.Wilcox North Lean-to
Miles today: 21.5

Miles to Katahdin:   654.1Dee tends to be an early riser so when he started stirring at 5:45 am, so did I. It was a cold night and I was forced to add another layer in the middle of the night. I put my damp clothes on and made a pot of oatmeal before hiking.The terrain down the mountain was very rocky and slippery to boot.   All the plants and rocks were still soaked from yesterday's rain. I had my rain jacket and pants on for much of the morning. I took a couple of tumbles going down over rocks. Each was a backward fall with a scratch on the hand and nothing more.Once down, I walked through a swamp that was a nesting ground for mosquitoes. Thankfully, I still had my jacket and pants on. Any pause could leave me eaten alive, so I kept hiking until I reached a stone marking the last battle of Shay's Rebellion. Later, I found out this stretch of trail is called Mosquito Alley. Around 11:00 am, I stopped in a field and let my tent, pack cover, and clothes dry. I had just enough sunlight to do so. Clouds stuck the entire day except for a half hour containing a few breaks.I left the field in shorts and a t-shirt and regretted it around the Housatonic River crossing. These mosquitoes were rediculous! I looked forward to climbing East Mountain to get away from them.The ascent was pretty tough. I worked up a good sweat and ate lunch at a vista looking over the valley and mountains that I had just hiked. I met a girl named Christine out on a day hike with her dog while I relaxed. She ended up giving me a handful or two of trail mix and dried peaches.The rest of the day was all up and down. The trail wasn't as rocky as yesterday. I like being able to move at a good pace regardless of elevation changes. Now, if I could only eliminate mosquitoes from the woods!
Date: 2009-06-11
From: Mt.Wilcox North Lean-to

To: October Mountain Lean-to
Miles today: 22.8
Weather: overcast clouds

Miles to Katahdin:   631.3I heard on the radio that the forecast for today called for showers in the morning and thunderstorms in the afternoon. Knowing this, I set my alarm for 6:00 am. If it did rain, I'd make it 14 miles and if it held off 22. Luckily, the day stayed completely overcast with lowering cloud base altitudes.The shelter I slept in last night had a rodent problem. I had a mouse walk up to me while I read my book and it wasn't even night yet. Right when I turned my light off, it crawled on my clothes bag that I use as a pillow. It was tough to fall asleep after that, but I did finally get some shut-eye.It was all downhill to begin. The hillside was covered with ferns and tall pine trees. It made for a very unique, memorable scenery. I climbed a short mountain before Tyringham, MA and the view was phenomenal. The Berkshires are impressive. The clouds covered the highest mountains, but most were completely in view. The climb out wasn't too bad. I worked up a good sweat, but kept pace. I then walked up and down through pine forests. The smell gave me a flashback of visiting a tree farm to pick out a Christmas tree.The first shelter, Upper Goose Pond Cabin, was 14 miles beyond the shelter I stayed in last night. I had to check it out to see if I'd stayed there from my time in Boy Scouts, but I hadn't. The cabin had two floors, a kitchen, fireplace, and caretaker. I talked with her for an hour. I wish I could have stayed, but the rain was still holding off and I needed to be in town tomorrow for food.The next 8 miles brought me over the Mass Turnpike and then up Becket and Walling Mountain. This section of trail had obviously been damaged by ice storms. Trees were stripped and cracked. The forest looked like a war zone.The last 2 miles of trail lasted forever and my arches ached. I made it in around 5:00 pm and the rain started at 6:30 pm. It's good to be inside and 12 miles from town for some food. I hope the clouds vanish so I can see the bright, yellow orb they call the sun and a blue sky for once.
Date: 2009-06-12
From: October Mountain Lean-to

To: Chesire, Massachusetts
Miles today: 20.7

Miles to Katahdin:   610.2 The rain was relentless last night. The tin roof was loud and my sleep was a bit choppy. I hiked 2 miles to the Cookie Lady's house right next to the trail under foggy conditions. I took a hard tumble on the way while walking on top of slick, wood planks. I have a good cut and bruise on my right leg from the landing.At the house, I filled up on water from the spigot and talked to the couple. The Cookie Lady's husband told me that it rained two inches last night. The trail confirms this with never-ending puddles. This made for tough hiking into Dalton, MA. I even was forced to ford a river since the water flowed over the stepping stones. I took off my boots and put on my crocs to do so.After 10 miles, I walked into Dalton, MA. The trail goes through town using about 1.5 miles of road. I stopped into a sub shop for a delicious cheesesteak sandwich and a coke. Then I moved to Cumberland Farms for ice cream.On the hike up Crystal Mountain north of town, I spotted my first back bear on the trail. It was 3:14 in the afternoon and I heard a loud rustling of the leaves about 15 feet ahead and to my left. I stopped and looked beyond the lush plant life and there was an adult black bear staring at me (now at a distance of 30 or 40 feet since he scurried down the mountain). Out loud, I said "Oh, a bear!". I quickly grabbed my camera and took some perfect photos of the leaves between he and I before he ran down the hill. This made the rest of the hike into Cheshire a lot more enjoyable.In Cheshire, I stayed at a hostel to do a load of laundry and rest. The local restaurant was perfect. On one TV was the Red Sox and the other aired the Stanley Cup finals. I had a burger, fries, water, beer, and cheesecake. Oh, and the sun came out for the final 10 miles of hiking into Chesire.
Date: 2009-06-13
From: Chesire, Massachusetts

To: North Adams, Massachusetts
Miles today: 14.4

Miles to Katahdin:   596.2I was lazy this morning and didn't get started until 8:45 am. My first stop was the general store for a day's worth of snacks. Then I went to the Shell station for doughnuts and milk.The sun was out in full force this morning. I had a steady climb up to Mount Greylock. It is uphill for 7 miles to the summit at 3,491 ft. This is the highest elevation in Massachusetts. I stopped at the shelter halfway up and had a pleasant conversation there with a man from Germany and a woman from Chicago. The rest of the hike to the summit I passed several day hikers and intersected the road to the top a few times.On the summit, Sharptooth, WD-40, and Squeak were heading south. They stayed at the hostel in Dalton and were slack packing back. We took some pictures together and bought soda and popsicles from the stand next to the road.The summit was littered with people. There was easily 100 people. Most of these folks drove the auto road. The view was phenomenal. I could see Mt. Monadnok in N.H. and Stratton in VT very easily. This was definitely a top 10 view for me. The climb up the tower on top was OK, but wasn't really necessary.I took my time on the way down into North Adams. Once there, I hiked a mile off trail to Friendly's for a burger and sundae. While there, a t'storm moved in. I planned to hike 2 miles more to a campsite, but didn't want to do so in a downpour. The manager of Friendly's took it upon herself to call the Redwood Motel a mile away. Luckily, there was a room available, so I took it. The motel was across from Stop & Shop so I was able to resupply and have snacks for the Red Sox game.
Date: 2009-06-14
From: North Adams, Massachusetts

To: Melville Naheim Shelter
Miles today: 20.0
Weather: light rain

Miles to Katahdin:   576.2I didn't leave the motel this morning until 8:30 am. I made a stop at Stop & Shop for Ben & Jerry's ice cream for breakfast. The forecast for today wasn't welcoming; scattered thunderstorms with mostly cloudy skies. It was foggy and overcast as I left town, but that was still an improvement over last night. It was a good choice to stay at the motel instead of tenting two miles up trail.The climb out of North Adams wasn't too bad. Some rocks were slick, but the slope wasn't anything to worry over. After the climb, there was a sign noting the beginning of the Long Trail, Green Mountains, and the state line for Vermont. I officially feel like I've hiked a long distance now!The trail turned real muddy for the rest of the hike despite the elevation. For miles, there were pools of water and mud in the trail. Water was running down the trail as if it were a creek. My boots were wet quickly. I sat at a shelter 3 miles beyond the border when a quick shower passed. As usual, I ate a peanut butter tortilla for lunch.Seven miles later, I arrived at Congdon Shelter which had 5 or 6 individuals inside drying out and staying the night. I ate a quick snack and hiked 6 more miles since it was only 4:00 pm. A hefty shower moved through just before I left. I was able to sit it out.The trail dropped down 1000 feet in a mile with a rock to rock hop With damp rocks, I took it slow since I didn't care to fall down to Vermont route 9 into Bennington. The climb back up was steep as well, but with less rocks.At 7:00 pm, I reached Melville Nauheim Shelter. Little Camel, Baggins, All Good, Tobasco, and Dave were already there but a spot was still available in the shelter. I made a quick meal, treated some water, and went to bed.
Date: 2009-06-15
From: Melville Naheim Shelter

To: Story Spring Shelter
Miles today: 17.4
Weather: light rain

Miles to Katahdin: 558.8A shower moved through last night, but it wasn't a soaker. Everyone packed out early except Baggins; who didn't even move. I trailed Little Camel, All Good, and Tobasco, but passed them on the way to Glastonbury Mountain (8 miles beyond the shelter). The trail today is still a swamp. Evidently, Vermont is nicknamed Mudmont or Vermudd. A new occurrence on the trail is the presence of moose droppings. Moose seem to frequently be around, but never seen.There was some sun this morning, but as All Good, Little Camel, and I ate lunch at Goddard Shelter, just below Glastonbury Mountain's summit, thunderstorms rolled in. We sat there until the rain subsided. I hiked into the clouds with Little Came;l. The summit was covered with evergreen trees and there was an observation tower on top.The trek down the mountain from 3,748 ft was pretty mellow. There were some rocks and lots of mud, but no steep descents. Little Camel told me about a hike in France and Spain he did in which hikers only walk from 7:00 am to 1:00 pm everyday and always end up in a town to stay in a bunkhouse. Now that is my kind of hiking!After hearing thunder to our east and west, a storm finally dumped rain on us just before Kid Gore Shelter. We sat in the shelter with All Good who pulled in a few minutes after us. I wasn't moving until the storms ended which turned out to be an hour and a half later. It was worth the wait because eventually the skies turned mostly cloudy with breaks of sun. The trail continued to be muddy, but it was only 4.1 miles to Story Spring Shelter.Tonight it is All Good, Tobasco, Little Camel, and I relaxing in the shelter and complaining about the miserable weather.