morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2010-10-18
To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0

We drove to Dahlonega, GA to get close to the Springer Mountain jump off point of the AT. Dahlonega is a remarkable town of 3.500 people in the north Georgia Mountains. Gold was discovered there in the 1838 and there was an ensuing gold rush. As we arrive, there is a huge apple festival going on and the entire down town is blocked off. The town looks most inviting and the people are very friendly. There is an awful lot of history here and we see that North Georgia State College is building a huge new building. We find our lodging for the night and then head out to see if we can find the short cut to Springer Mountain. Most hikers start the AT from Amicalola Falls State Park. The approach trail to the AT is 8.8 miles from the park. I want to see if the short cut I heard about is worth doing. We drive and drive and drive. We finally find the turn off for Roy Road which leads to US Forest Road 42. We decide not to drive the 6. 9 miles US Forest Road 42 as it is gravel and it a bad state of repair. It is also now dusk and we make a wrong turn to get back to Dahlonega. It is late and it has been a long day and we find ourselves on GA 19, a curvy road that leads us back to our hotel. But we must endure a road of hairpin turns and we achieve a top speed of 25 MPH. As we head out the next day we stop at Amicalola Falls State Park. It was well worth the visit. The park has a beautiful lodge with a spectacular view of the mountains. We opt to stay the night. The next day I take the road back to US Forest Road 42 and hike to Springer Mountain. The woods are new growth and you can tell that the mountain tops had been stripped of timber in the 1930¢s. But it is making a nice comeback. After a few days of hiking we head back home. I will make one more hike this year getting in North Carolina. My hiking in 2010 has left me short of my goal of doing the entire AT but I plan to continue on.
Date: 2010-11-08
To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0

Today is November 8. I¢m back at home and will not get back on the trail until sometime after next week. My wife will have a surgery later this year and we find out on Friday, when the surgery will be scheduled. I want to complete North Carolina and Georgia yet in 2010. I finished reading ¢Undaunted Courage¢; a book written by S. Ambrose. It details the Lewis and Clark ¢ Corp of Discovery expedition in 1804 ¢ 1806. It is a must read. Some highlights include the first encounter with Grizzly Bears as well as encounters with Native Americans. Even at the time in 1804 the expedition was under fire by Federalists for spending too much money. Some things never change. While in Georgia, I was also reading about the forced evacuation of the Cherokee, Choctaw, Creek and Chickasaw Indians. The Native Americans were removed from land in Georgia and North Carolina. The Cherokee developed a written language and also wrote their own Constitution for their Nation. They appealed their forced move to the U S Supreme Court and the Court ruled in their favor. However President Andrew Jackson ignored the ruling and used military force to force the move them west. Many of the Cherokee died on what is now known as the ¢Trail of Tears¢. About 4,000 Cherokees perished including many women and children as they were forced to march over 1,000 miles from concentration camps in Tennessee to Oklahoma. Often they had no food or water and no means to find any shelter from the elements on the march. Their homes and farms were won by whites in lotteries conducted after the forced move.
Date: 2010-11-12
To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0

I worked out the next hike on the AT. We will leave for North Carolina on Sunday and I will begin to hike on Monday. I hope to finish the trail in Georgia and much of it in North Carolina. Weather reports have been good for the most part. The temperatures have been above average but it has been very dry. Unfortunately the lack of rainfall means fewer water sources along the trail. It has not been a very colorful fall due to the dry conditions. Since many of the leaves are now down, it will mean getting more of a view into the woods as opposed to having dense leaves which prevent a lot of scenic overlooks. The number of hikers is down should be down too. It is hunting season so I will make sure to have my hunter vest on. Who knows, I could be mistaken for a bear!!!My wife Linda is scheduled for a surgery on 12/8. I don¢t know if I will get any hiking done in December, so it may be in January before I get back on the trail. Again thanks to all for the support and keep those dollars flowing to Haiti. They need it now more than ever.
Date: 2010-11-16
To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0

It was a strange experience today. I was standing at Hogpen Gap near Hiawassee, Georgia. The wind was gusting and the rain would start and stop. The fog seemed to move slowly up the mountain  enveloping everything in its path. Once the fog surrounded me, I could see maybe 5 feet in front of me. It was as if Mother Nature saw fit to remind me that her will is supreme. I didn¢t get many miles in, but did see some amazing waterfalls due the excessive rain. Tomorrow is another day.
Date: 2010-11-17
To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0

The weather cleared up today, so I was able to get some miles in. The trail is in decent shape despite all the rain. I met some fellow hikers from Columbus, IN which was a cool thing. The trees are mostly bare so you get a decent view into the woods here in North Georgia. The deer hunters are also out in force. Many hikers get off the trail on the weekends due to hunters. I will head back home on Friday to prepare for my wife¢s surgery on 12/8. My son and I will get some trail miles in next week during his Thanksgiving vacation.
Date: 2010-12-03
To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0

It is now a week after Thanksgiving. This will be my last update for 2010. I completed more of the AT in Georgia this past month. My wife Linda, has a surgery scheduled for December 8 and will need about 4 weeks of recuperation time. I will try to get additional hiking done on the AT sometime in early 2011. I tentatively plan to start back in January. I hiked a total of 705 miles this past year. I hiked in Georgia, North Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia, Maryland, Pennsylvania and Maine. I did not get any hiking done in New Jersey, New York, Connecticut, Vermont or New Hampshire. So if you pledged 1 cent per mile for my Hike for Haiti, please send a check for at least $7.05 to St Peter Celestine, PO Box 1, Celestine, IN 47521. I would really appreciate if you could send more. Many people have already sent $25 which is fantastic. If you have been keeping up with the news, a cholera outbreak in Haiti is just the latest of many difficult situations that are faced by the people of Haiti. I know many of us feel the effects of a weak economy, but I implore you to do all you can for the Haitians. Many times while on the trail I deviated from hiking and chose to see and experience historical or scenic sites near the trail. I visited the Antietam Battlefield National Park, Gettysburg, Harpers Ferry, Smoky Mountain National Park, Brasstown Bald, and many others sites. I also took time to go to Acadia National Park in Maine and Glacier National Park in Montana. I will end with just a few thoughts about my hike for this year. The best memories I have will stay with me for all my life. I remember seeing the awesome spectacle of a 400 lb black bear on the trail in Maine. His muscles rippled as he strolled across the trail and the sunlight reflected off his shiny coat. One individual who lost his wallet with cash and credit cards had it returned after a week by a fellow hiker. While the wallet just dropped out of his pack on the trail it was amazing that someone would go to the trouble of finding the owner. All the cash and credit cards were still in the wallet. If you ever need to be reminded that there are good people in the world, The Appalachian Trail is one place you will find a lot of great people who are of kind and gentle spirit. There is no way to describe what the feeling is like when you reach peaks on the trail like McAfee Knob or Clingman¢s Dome. I am by no means done with the trail. I still intend to finish all 2,163 miles. It is just a matter of time.Thank you all again for the support and kindness you have shown me over these past months. It will also be a part of me forever. God bless all.
Date: 2011-01-07
To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0

Well, I was able to get back on the trail this past week. I was in the Roan Highlands on the TN/NC border. The weather started off fairly decent but it got worse as the week wore on. The Roan Highlands boast the most expansive Rhododendron fields on all the AT. While not in bloom until June, they sheer quantity of Rhododendron fields is something to behold. The trail cuts across some of the most spectacular ¢Balds¢ as well. The balds are treeless fields for which there does not seem to be plausible explanation for. Scientists cannot find a compelling reason why trees cease to grow in these areas. A number of years ago, a noted botanist performed a test. He planted several domestic species of trees in several of the ¢balds.¢ He protected the trees with small fences and did semi monthly checks to make sure the trees had a chance to grow. The trees actually matured over a period of years but NEVER developed reproductive systems. Subsequently the tress began dyeing out after maturing. All that is left is the grassy bald.                                                 I decide to hike both south and north off of TN 143.Heading south on the trail, I ran into deep snow drifts. Some places were 30 plus inches deep. If the snow crust was frozen hard enough, you could walk on top. But all too often my feet would break through and I would be left to try and struggle across the drifts. I met only one hiker who was headed south. He is part of the 6,000 club. This group makes an effort to ascend all the peaks over 6,000 feet along the AT. I get winded often and sweat profusely. Once completing a 4 mile hike to a shelter, I opt to head back and try going north. I cross TN 143 and the snow is not as deep but there are long stretches of ice. I can skirt around the ice most of the time. But I do fall several times. Good thing I have a lot of padding! One I get above the tree line, the wind is vicious. I stop to take a picture and my gloves blow away. I take off after them and finally snag them after about 75 yards. My jacket and gloves do a great job against the wind, but my ski cap doesn¢t work to well. After a few miles, I must take refuge behind rocks to keep from getting frostbite on my ears and face. I plod on and get as many miles in as I can.I stop at Roan Mountain State Park and got an updated weather forecast. Snow flurries started which were NOT in the forecast 2 days ago. More snow is on the way along with severe winds. I opt to get off the trail for now and head back in a few weeks when temperatures are slightly warmer.
Date: 2011-02-14
To: Planning
Miles today: 0.0

I¢m planning more hiking trips on the AT for 2011. I have thought long and hard about where and when I would like to start in 2011. I also want to see if I can get a ¢hiking partner¢. So far I have been in touch with two people and will stay in contact with them this spring to see if our hike dates are compatible. My goals include hiking a 150 mile section in Vermont because the AT there coincides with the famed and historic Long Trail. I also want to get through the 100 mile wilderness in Maine. Both of these sections will have to be done after June 1. I will try to do the miles in Vermont first then move on to Maine. In the mean time I will make at least one trip to Tennessee to get in some sections I need to complete. I¢d also like to take a multi night hike in the Smoky Mountains and off the AT.The weather here in Indiana has been unusually cold and snowy well into February. I still try to hike several times a week but the cold has really put a zap on my motivation. I want to update some of my gear and finally took the plunge of buying a GPS. Now all I have to do is figure out how to use it to its potential. The GPS is pretty complex but it does have an SOS feature and works even if you don¢t have cell coverage. That is a huge advantage.
Date: 2011-03-15
From: Planning

To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0

Well 2011 is here and it is high time to get back on the trail. In March, my son and I drove to Fontana Dam and hiked for 4 days. We ran into snow and thus we were somewhat hampered in getting high daily mileage. The snow was beautiful to look at but difficult to traverse through. In areas on the trail that were clear of snow, the ice on rocks proved challenging. Both my son and I fell a number of times but we did not suffer any injuries. We headed home after 4 days but did complete another section I was missing on the AT. My son also suffered from device withdrawal as he couldn¢t constantly text or check facebook or go on line. LOL
Date: 2011-04-15
To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0

It is now April; the weather is warmer and it time to head back to the AT. It will be a solo trip this time as I get in some miles in the Great Smoky Mountain National Park. My plan is for a 7 day hike and I begin near Gatlinburg and head north. I really don¢t care too much for the AT in the GSMNP as it is too crowded. The trail proves to be full of hikers and while the sights are good, I run into a youth group and they are loud and boisterous and take over an entire shelter. So I move on. (You must stay in shelters in the GSNNP-no other overnight camping is allowed.) The shelters all seem full and I tolerate the situation as best as I can. The weather is warm during the day and I do get an occasional thunderstorm. It seems that once you start walking you begin a slow process going from sweaty to really sweaty and grimy to after a few days just being foul smelling. Once you smell yourself, you know you are a true long distance hiker. I have a change of clothes but that only serves to temporarily stave off the smell. On day 7, I reach my car and head straight to a very cheap hotel where I check in and shower for about 45 minutes. I go to do laundry and find it best to wash everything twice. Then I shower again in the morning before I head out. While I am here in TN, I drive to the east side of the GSMNP to find a popular trail that I have read about. It¢s called Big Creek Trail and I set out for a single overnight trip. As I head out, the trail climbs at a slow elevation along a creek that is running and has several nice waterfalls. Some of the hikers I run into tell me they have seen black bears but I must make too much noise and I don¢t see any live bears but only occasional scat. I pass Brake Shoe Springs and then head up to a fire tower and camp for the night. Only 2 other campers are there which seems most unusual. The sunset is muted by clouds and it looks like rain. I luck out as it doesn¢t rain more than a few drops. In the morning I head back to the trailhead and the descent is rough on the old knee bones. Guess I¢m not as young as I used to be.
Date: 2011-08-28
To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0

It is now August 20. My next hike will be on AT sections in New Hampshire and Vermont. I will also visit Massachusetts in order to ascend Mt Greylocke.On September 6, I¢ll fly to Manchester, NH. From there, I¢ll drive to Gorham, NH and then hike the famous Presidential Range in the White Mountains; this frightens me just a bit for 2 reasons. One, I¢m getting there late in the hiking year, so the weather can be especially treacherous. Add in the fact that the Shelters or Huts as they¢re called on the New Hampshire AT start closing on September 11. So I don¢t have much leeway in the event of severe weather. Secondly, part of the Presidential Range includes Mount Washington. It¢s a fact that since 1849, 135 fatalities have occurred on Mount Washington. This number of fatalities put Mount Washington just behind Mt McKinley in Alaska in number of fatalities. Following is some info from the Mount Washington Observatory:To gain an understanding of the harsh conditions atop the mountain, observe the following statistics.The average year-round temperature is below freezing, at 27.2° F.Winds average 35 miles per hour on an annual basis.Fog frequently limits visibility to 100 feet or less.The average annual precipitation is almost 102 inches, including about 26 feet of snow!The world¢s highest recorded surface wind speed, 231 miles per hour, occurred here. Fatalities on Mount Washington occur for various reasons- overexposure to the cold, wet, and wind, falls down steep slopes, avalanches... perhaps few accidents on the mountain can truly be attributed to just one reason, one misstep. Previous decisions determine what gear is brought along, which trail is followed, what types of conditions are expected. It is imperative to understand and prepare for changing weather conditions, to take into account one's abilities and the abilities of party members, to heed warning signs and above all to never be ashamed to turn back. Disregard for any of these principles increase the likelihood of an unfortunate or even tragic incident. "Bagging" another summit is never worth the cost of a life.Once I finish the Presidential Range, I plan to hike from Route 103 in Vermont to Hanover, NH, home to Dartmouth College. In this section of Vermont, the AT and the Long Trail share the same path. The Long Trail actually predates the AT and splits off the AT, then heads north to Canada.Once I finish the Vermont section, it¢s on to Massachusetts for Mount Greylocke. I like capturing the highest point in each state!
Date: 2011-08-29
To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0

Well, the Supreme power of Nature is evident. Today is August 29 and Irene has spewed huge amounts of rain in Vermont and New Hampshire where I was to head next week in order to resume hiking the AT. Those poor folks along the east coast surely will need prayers and help of all sorts. I can¢t even imagine what hikers on the AT are now experiencing in the way deteriorated trail conditions.So I intend to postpone hiking at least 1 week. The delay raises the risks of cold weather and there may be some issues with trails being washed out. Any way you slice it, chances are that I will have to be prepared for Plan B. My preparation for walking took a setback too. I have developed as pretty severe case of poison ivy. I made it a point to wear long pants and long sleeved shirts even in the heat when I was doing some preparation hikes in Hoosier National Forest and my beloved Ferdinand State Forest. So, I¢m not sure how I contacted it, but I have it and darn it ¢ it ITCHES. Another problem is an aggravated blister on the heel of my left foot. I bought some new walking shoes and somehow a small blister on my heel became infected. I didn¢t notice it at first so it went untreated. It¢s on the mend, but the combination of a blister and the poison ivy has put the brakes on any outdoor walking for the past 8 days. So my metabolism will not have had much of a chance to adapt to the rigors of daily hiking with the weight of a pack. So right now it is just wait and see on the weather and how well I mend. My departure date will now be September 13 or later.
Date: 2011-09-07
To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0

Well, the AT is a mess in the Northeast. Irene pounded Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine with rain and the trail is in lousy shape. Not only are the roads and trails washed out, but any shuttle service that I hoped to use is pretty much out of the question in the next 4 to 6 weeks. By that time, winter will make the trail too difficult and more risky to hike. Winter hiking adds lots of weight due to the extra clothes/coat/gloves etc. But even of more concern is that the sections of the New Hampshire/Maine AT are above the tree line so winds can be a huge deterrent and the chance of losing the trail in the snow is much greater since you have no real trail to follow if there is snow. So, while the bad weather in the northeast is disappointing there are always options. One Option is the Great Smoky Mountain National Park. There are some isolated trails I have been meaning to hike near the GSMNP. It¢s relatively close and fall foliage will be awesome.Option 2 is that I could hike in the Grand Circle of Parks in Utah. That would allow me to get to Zion National Park and hike through the famous ¢Zion Narrows¢, plus 3 other National Parks are in close proximity of Zion. There three other National Parks include; Bryce Canyon, Canyonlands, and Arches. And of course, Zion National Park is located about 100 miles from the north rim of Grand Canyon National Park. I have been to the South Rim 5 times, but I¢ve never hiked from the north Rim. After suffering from poison ivy and a foot blister, I¢m back to completing 8 to 9 mile day hikes with a full pack again. Just yesterday I got in 9.5 miles in the Hoosier National Forest. The weather has been remarkably cool and that translates into less sweat and far fewer bugs! So you couldn¢t ask for any better reason to hike! Stay tuned.