morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2010-09-01
From: Stealth camp in Crawford Notch

To: Lake of Clouds Hut
Miles today: 11.1
Weather: few clouds

Last night¢s stealth tent site was not ideal but did enable a reasonable night of sleep. Before it got dark I could hear fish rising in the Saco River next to where I camped this morning. I was up at 6 am and while I was packing up, another thru-hiker who stealth-camped on the other side of the river crossed over to my side. He waded into the water barefoot and fished with a throw-line, using salmon eyes as bait. He caught a few brookies then lost several larger ones until he landed a 12-incher that he saved for dinner. I took his photo (fish in hand) and hiked out. After a long, difficult climb of 2600 feet up Webster Cliffs, I arrived at the Mizpah Hut at 1:10 pm. There I took 40 minutes to eat another PB&B lunch augmented by two bowls of soup and a glass of lemonade and a chocolate chip brownie square. I hiked the next leg of the Trail, reaching Lake of the Clouds Hut at 5:20 pm where I am staying tonight. The day was clear with a slightly hazy sky and a gentle to moderate breeze. The temperature just touched 78 °F ¢ all-in-all, a comfortable day. The hiking was hard - I completed 11.1 miles in a little under 10 hiking hours ¢ but the views were spectacular. Just Trogging Along GA ---> ME
Date: 2010-09-02
From: Lake of Clouds Hut

To: Osgood Tent Site
Miles today: 10.0
Weather: fog

It was a short night ¢ I got up at 6 am, was packed up by 6:15 am, and then waited for breakfast. The Hut gave three of us huge plates of cinnamon apples with brown sugar. After more waiting, I decided that the apples were sufficient for breakfast and hiked out at 8:25 am. The skies were clear at the hut and I climbed the 1200 ft ascent to Mount Washington which was in the clouds. The 0.8-mile trail took me 1 hour to complete. At their snack bar I had a 20 oz Coke and a tuna salad sandwich. The climb off of Washington was picturesque at the moments when the clouds parted. The Trail skirted Mt. Clay, Mt. Jefferson and Mt. Adams. I arrived at the Madison Hut at 2:50 pm and had 2 bowls of corn chowder, 2 glasses of Gatorade and a thick slice of homemade bread with PB&B. After the 30 min lunch break, I hiked up the 600 ft over Mt. Madison and the long, 2800 ft, 3-mile descent to the Osgood tent site where I set up my tent on a tent platform. It took me 3 hours to travel those 3 miles. Overall today¢s 10 miles took me 9.5 h, including 3020 ft ascent and 5440 ft descent. My knees are sore but I made it without injury. Just Trogging Along GA ---> ME
Date: 2010-09-03
From: Osgood Tent Site

To: Pinkham Notch
Miles today: 4.8
Weather: broken clouds

I woke up at 1 am to the sound of sticks breaking in the woods across the Trail from the tent platform. I donned my headlamp and shoes to investigate. I could see a large brown shape and a smaller brown shape about 20-30 ft away and occasionally one, two or three eyes reflecting my headlamp. Two other hikers and I deduced that it was a cow moose and her young one browsing in the woods. We saw them earlier, when I first arrived at the site. A dog barked at a tent down the path and the moose gradually meandered off. I went back to sleep. It was already warm (72 °F in the tent) when I started hiking at 7 am. I made it down to Pinkham Notch by 10 am to find the shuttle waiting there. I caught a ride to Gorham, checked into the motel, and picked up my maildrop from the post office (thank you Mrs. Trog!). That should last for the rest of the Trail. I showered and am now doing my laundry. It is 3:30 pm and I need to get these journal entries back to the post office before it closes. Just Trogging Along GA ---> ME
Date: 2010-09-04
From: Pinkham Notch

To: Pinkham Notch
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: fog

I was up at 5:45 am and watched the Weather Channel while I was packing up. The weather forecast predicted AM showers, followed by sunny days on Sunday, Monday and Tuesday. When I walked out to catch the shuttle bus back to Pinkham Notch, it was already raining. I wasn¢t keen to climb Wildcat Cliffs or hike North Carter Mountain on wet rocks, so I settled on a zero day in Gorham. I spent today packing in town food and calories and I even spent some time in the Jacuzzi that came with the room. Tomorrow I resume my hike.   Just Trogging Along GA ---> ME
Date: 2010-09-05
From: Pinkham Notch

To: Imp Campsite
Miles today: 13.1

I was up at 5:45 am in time to be picked up by the shuttle at 6:15 am. I was hiking at 6:40 am at Pinkham Notch on the Wildcat Ridge Trail of the AT. After a 2200 ft rocky, scrambling climb crossing Wildcat Peaks A, B, C and D, there was a rocky 1100 ft descent into Carter Notch. The temperature was 48 °F on the ridge. I stopped for lunch at the Carter Notch Hut where I had 2 bowls of soup (one pea and one black bean), bread and a bowl of oatmeal, all for $2. After the 40 min break, I climbed 1500 ft to the summit of Carter Dome followed by the peaks of South Carter, Middle Carter and North Carter. It was misty during the afternoon, making the rocks wet and slippery. I survived the very difficult descent off North Carter to the Imp Campsite, arriving at 6:40 pm ¢ a 12 h hiking day over 13 challenging miles. Total ascent was 6080 ft, descent was 4970 ft, with 6 up and down laps. I was relieved to reach the tent site before dusk which now arrives around 7:30 pm. It is 9 pm and 54 °F in the tent ¢ it will be cold tonight. Just Trogging Along GA ---> ME
Date: 2010-09-06
From: Imp Campsite

To: US2/Gorham, NH
Miles today: 8.1
Weather: broken clouds

Today I completed the dreaded Whites and now have <300 miles remaining. It was a cool and breezy last night. I got up at 6 am to a tent temperature of 50 °F. I slept in my summer sleeping bag with a liner and was comfortable. After packing, I hiked on in a long-sleeved shirt and rain jacket. The sky was scary (??) and there were gusts of wind on the ridges. Initially I climbed 1000 ft to the summit of Mt. Moriah over a number of ups and downs. The climb down was steep and demanding but the Trail eventually mellowed out to a gradual smooth downhill to US4 in Gorham where I arrived at 12:30. I tried to hitch the 3.6 miles to town but gave up after 30 min and called a taxi. The driver went to the wrong AT crossing and I had to call them again. Finally arriving in town at 2 pm, I found a room and had a lunch of onion soup and a ham sandwich. After my usual chores in town, I had dinner, called Mrs. Trog, and had lights out at 9 pm. Just Trogging Along GA ---> ME
Date: 2010-09-07
From: US2/Gorham, NH

To: Gentian Pond Shelter
Miles today: 11.7
Weather: clear sky

At 6 am I was awake. I took a shower, finished packing and went to breakfast. Crabby Jacks did not open at 7 am as expected so I walked down the street. At Welch¢s Restaurant I had a hearty breakfast comprising a western omelet, coffee, OJ, home fries and toast with lots of jelly. I returned to my room, picked up my backpack and hiking sticks, got a 20 oz Coke as I passed the vending machine, and went to the front of the motel to meet my 8 am ride to the AT. He dropped me off at the trailhead and I was hiking again at 8:25 am under cloud-speckled skies with a 58 °F temperature. After a few sprinkles, the skies cleared and the remainder of the day was sunny. After about an hour of hiking, I caught up with Snail, a 42-year old grandmother that spent the last 6 years driving long haul 18-wheelers. We hiked together the rest of the day. The Trails were hikable for the most part, a welcome relief after the Whites. At 4:45 pm, we arrived at the Gentian Pond Shelter where I set up my tent and cooked dinner. Pilot and Tom from Westboro BSA Troup 4 were at the shelter. They will finish their section hike tomorrow at US2 in Gorham. FenceMan and Cooper are here too. It is 8:20 pm, 64 °F in the tent and time to shut of the light and enjoy the quiet. Just Trogging Along GA ---> ME
Date: 2010-09-08
From: Gentian Pond Shelter

To: Full Goose Shelter
Miles today: 9.6
Weather: light rain

Hello Maine; goodbye NH! 13 states down and only one to go. I also passed the 1900-mile mark today. It rained last night - a thunderstorm with heavy rain and high winds. Fortunately the rain stopped before I got up at 6 am and the tent stayed dry inside. I packed up the wet tent in a trash bag and headed off. The nice Trail of yesterday was no more¢¦ the going was tricky and thus slow. The difficulty of the Trail was compounded by the addition of wet rocks and roots. Maine welcomed me just before noon with an extremely difficult rock scramble descent toward the Carlo Col Shelter. I hiked the 0.3 miles off the Trail to the shelter to get water and eat lunch. 1 hour 10 min later I was back hiking over more rocky ups and downs. During the course of the day, I crossed over Mt. Carlo and the East, West and North peaks of Goose Eye Mtn, reaching the Full Goose Shelter at 5:30 pm. Smart and Hobo were already there. It is 7:45 pm and I am sleeping in the shelter tonight. The temperature is 55 °F ¢ I need to add another layer and turn out the headlamp. Just Trogging Along GA ---> ME
Date: 2010-09-09
From: Full Goose Shelter

To: Spec Pond Shelter
Miles today: 5.1
Weather: light rain

It rained again last night and I was thankful to be in the shelter. I got up at 7 am to heavy, overcast skies and a temperature of 55 °F but no rain. I decided that I would attempt the Mahoosuc Notch despite the wet rocks and threat of rain. I set out at 8 am, reaching the Notch 2 hours later and finishing the 1.1-miles after 1 pm. It rained for an hour while I was in the Notch. This 1.1-mile section is supposedly the hardest section of the AT and I was glad to be through it. The subsequent 1700 ft climb up Mahoosuc Arm was mostly on granite slabs with some rock scrambling and lots of aid from trees, roots and branches by the side of the Trail. The 400 ft descent on the other side was mild by comparison. I reached the Spec Pond Shelter at 4:30 pm. The 5.1 miles took me 8.5 h to cover, and I was done for the day. It is nearly 7:30 pm and I am in the shelter with Bullfrog, Snail and 3 section hikers. It is 52 °F already and will be a cool night. Lights out. Just Trogging Along GA ---> ME
Date: 2010-09-10
From: Spec Pond Shelter

To: Frye Notch Shelter
Miles today: 10.4

Guess what? It rained last night ¢ again. The temperature was 43 °F when I got up at 6 am. Bulldog was up at the same time. I packed, ate, and was hiking by 7:10 am on very wet rocks starting with a 600 ft steep, rocky climb up Spec Mtn. Near the summit, the Trail was bald rock and the combination of high winds and wet rock made the hiking quite challenging. I donned my liner gloves and waterproof mittens to keep my fingers warm. Although the mittens are quite bulky, they really work well. After a long 2500 ft descent into Grafton Notch, I ran into Soda Man (a Trail Angel) who gave me a can of root beer and a package of peanut butter and crackers. I climbed the 2500 ft of elevation of Bald Pate (East, West and Little), surviving the treacherous climb up wet bald rocks of West Bald Pate in high winds that I estimated to gust up to 40-50 mph at the peaks. I descended to Frye Notch Shelter where Beaver Chief had already started a fire. Snail had arrived earlier. Overall it was another long, hard day of hiking in southern Maine for a total ascent of 3840 ft and descent of 5040 ft. I covered the 10.4 miles in just under 10 h. Beaver Chief treated us to popcorn cooked over the open fire after dinner and it tasted great. It is 8 pm, 53 °F, and lights-out time. Just Trogging Along GA ---> ME
Date: 2010-09-11
From: Frye Notch Shelter

To: East B Hill, Andover
Miles today: 4.5
Weather: few clouds

It did NOT rain last night and the stars were out. It was 50 °F when I got up at 6 am to clear blue skies and little wind. By 6:45 am I was on my way to meet a 10 am shuttle into Andover, ME. I climbed 600 ft (no rock scrambling) followed by a terraced set of down hills totaling 1400 ft to East B Hill Road where the shuttle would pick me up. I hiked the mostly smooth 4.5 miles in 3 h, encountering some rocky stretches of down hill that slowed my pace, reaching the rendezvous spot at 9:45 am. The shuttle was right on time and ferried me to the Pine Ellis Hostel in Andover where I met Radar, Peru, Snail, Agent Orange and August. I used the washing machine to wash my clothes but hung them on a clothesline to air-dry in the bright sun. I resupplied, enjoyed several town meals, and ¢ oh yes ¢ took a much needed shower. I plan to take an 8 am shuttle back to the Trail to continue my northward trek tomorrow. It is 8:40 pm and cold outside but warm in the bunkhouse. Lights out. Just Trogging Along GA ---> ME
Date: 2010-09-12
From: East B Hill, Andover

To: Stealth camp - Trail to Old Blue
Miles today: 11.1

The stars were out last night until it clouded over around 4 am. I was up at 6:30 am, packed, and ate breakfast at Andover General Store ¢ 2 eggs, corned beef hash, home fries, toast, coffee and OJ. By 8 am I was on the shuttle back to the Trail and started hiking at 8:30 am in a light mist. I climbed a long 1500 ft ascent over 5 miles on mellow trails. The mist stopped but the skies never cleared. A 300 ft descent led to the Half Mountain Lean-to where I stopped for lunch with Little Foot at 1 pm. A steep 1500 ft descent into Sawyer Notch was followed by a very steep uphill of 1500 ft to Moody Mtn where part of the Trail was relocated around a landslide from earlier in 2010. That 1-mile ascent took me 1.5 h to complete. I hiked down 1000 ft over about 2 mi to South Arm Rd where I filled up with 2.5 L of water and finished out the day hiking part of Old Blue Mtn. I am stealth camping in the woods approximately 100 ft off the Trail. There is a moderate breeze and the temperature is 54 °F. It is 8:10 pm and time to sleep. Just Trogging Along GA ---> ME
Date: 2010-09-13
From: Stealth camp - Trail to Old Blue

To: Stealth camp near Bemis Stream
Miles today: 11.5
Weather: overcast clouds

I flushed 6 grouse today ¢ pretty birds. It rained last night but by the time I got up at 6 am it was only dripping off the trees. Of course the outside of my tent was wet, so I ate breakfast and packed up all my other gear while inside the tent. I took town the tent, stashed it in a trash bag, packed it up and made some phone calls. By 7:45 am I was hiking up the remaining 1300 ft to the summit of Big Blue Mtn followed by the 4 peaks of Beamis Mtn. After hiking 8 miles, I arrived at the Bemis Mtn Lean-to at 2:15 pm where I cooked dinner to get warm. The hiking temperature was around 50 °F for most of the day and it had rained for the past hour. The rocks were very slippery and at one point I even slipped off of a bog bridge, landing in the muck. I considered staying at the lean-to for the night but it stopped raining and I was getting cold. I had a full stomach after my meal of 2 packs of Ramen noodles & a can of chunk chicken + 2T butter, so at 4 pm I hiked down the 1500 ft Bemis Mtn to Bemis Stream where I am now stealth camped. It is raining lightly and the tent temperature is 58 °F. It is 8:40 pm and time for lights out. Just Trogging Along GA ---> ME
Date: 2010-09-14
From: Stealth camp near Bemis Stream

To: ME4/Rangeley Mtn.
Miles today: 13.9

Today rocks, roots and trees were my friends. It rained last night ¢ again. By 6 am when I got up, the rain was only dripping off the trees but the tent was wet. Just as yesterday, I ate breakfast and packed up inside the tent. I wrapped up the tent, treated a liter of water and was hiking at 7:40 am. It rained off and on during the day, sometimes hard. At times the sky was blue and the sun was shining but it was also raining. For the most part, the Trail was mellow but, because of the rain, there were many pools of mud and water. I tried to avoid these in order to keep my feet dry. Fortunately, my waterproof Gortex shoes maintained their integrity and stayed relatively dry. Wet feet are bad because they encourage blisters ¢ I had my fill of these earlier in the hike. The mud had the consistency ranging from creamy mashed potatoes to tomato soup. In the bog bridge regions, the mud depth was up to 24¢. I was extra careful crossing these after yesterday¢s mishap when I slipped off one and fell into the bog. Tonight I am in a motel in Rangeley, ME. It is 9:15 pm and time for bed. Just Trogging Along GA ---> ME
Date: 2010-09-15
From: ME4/Rangeley Mtn.

To: Stealth camp past Horn
Miles today: 8.7

211.7 miles to go. This morning I was up at 6:30 am and took another shower, went to the BMC diner for breakfast, and packed up while I did laundry. I met Julie, a 68-year old retiree from NJ who has a camp at Rangely that she purchased 40 years ago. She took me to the IGA for resupply and then back to the AT where I resumed hiking at 11:30 am. Thanks Julie! Immediately I hiked up a 2500 ft climb to the summit of Saddleback Mtn. It rained off and on lightly ¢ the rocks were dry in some places and wet in others. Once over the tree-line, the conditions were nasty: 40-50 mph wind gusts in 41 °F temperatures. I had to put on not only my rain pants and long top but also my gloves covered with waterproof mittens to stay warm. It was so cold and at times tough to stand up. The summit was in the clouds with visibility limited to 50 ft. I was extra careful to stay on the Trail. Another 4000 ft mountain, The Horn, followed. Again, the summit was nasty. I started the steep descent at 5 pm. After about 1000 ft, I reached a campsite (at 6 pm) where I decided to stay for the night. I set up my tent and cooked dinner. The wind is howling and the tent temperature is 44 °F ¢ it promises to be a cold night. It is 8:20 pm and time to sleep. Just Trogging Along GA ---> ME
Date: 2010-09-16
From: Stealth camp past Horn

To: Spaulding Mtn Lean-to
Miles today: 10.0
Weather: overcast clouds

201.3 miles to go. It rained last night but quit well before morning and the wind mostly dried out the tent. I was up at 6:30 am and hiking at 7:40 am by starting with a 500 ft climb up Saddleback Jr Mtn in 45 °F temperatures, light wind, and overcast skies. The Trail was starting to dry out but there were occasional pools of mud to avoid. At the bottom of a 1500 ft descent which was quite steep at time, I had lunch at the Obeton Stream and then climbed the 2000 ft to the Spaulding Mtn Lean-to where I am in my sleeping bag trying to get warm. It is 50 °F at 7:15 pm and the shelter has filled with NP (No Promises), T-Rex, Cameron, Little Bit and Toast. Just Trogging Along GA ---> ME
Date: 2010-09-17
From: Spaulding Mtn Lean-to

To: ME27/Stratton, ME
Miles today: 13.5
Weather: overcast clouds

187.8 miles to go. I now have less than 200 miles to go. I got up at 6 am in 50 °F temperatures and fog/clouds ¢ a dark and dismal start. By 7 am, I was packed up and hiking out of the shelter. We ended up with 9 hikers in the shelter last night, one sleeping on the ground and the other 8 sleeping in their bags when I left at 7 am. It rained hard during the night but stopped by morning with just some residual dripping off the trees. The Trail had large pools of water, water running down the Trail, and many muddy sections. The rocks and roots were slippery but provided little islands in the pooling water and mud that I could hop on to keep my feet dry. Unfortunately I slipped early in the day and got water over the top of my left shoe. This led to a blister that I had to stop and treat later in the day. A steep 900 ft climb up Spaulding Mtn was followed immediately by a very steep 500 ft descent. Slow going. I passed by the side trail leading to Sugarloaf Mtn and then down into the Caribou Valley, a long, slow 1500 ft descent. Another long, slow and sometimes tediously steep climb took me to the south peak of Crocker Mtn. I passed through the col (??) to the peak of North Crocker Mtn and descended the 5-mile long, 2500 ft descent to ME27. I reached the road at 6 pm and got a hitch immediately from a hiker that had been fishing at the 4000 ft Bigelow Lake ¢ it can only be reached by hiking in 8 miles. He said the trout fishing was great and were hitting the royal coachman. It would be nice to try sometime. I arrived at the Stratton Motel where I thought I had reserved a room but the owner was out on a shuttle so I went for dinner. I returned to find that she had no rooms left (so much for reserving ahead of time). I was able to get a room at the White Wolf Inn just up the street where I unpacked my backpack to dry out some things, sort out what would go into the laundry tomorrow, prepare my resupply list, and take a shower. It is 9 pm already and time for bed (in a real bed). Just Trogging Along GA ---> ME
Date: 2010-09-18
From: ME27/Stratton, ME

To: Horns Pond Lean-to
Miles today: 5.1
Weather: broken clouds

182.7 miles to go. This morning I was up at 6 am. I prepared a list of supplies, packed up my dried out tent, and went to breakfast at 7 am at the White Wolf Inn. I got groceries and denatured alcohol at the general store then walked down the street to the Laundromat. While doing my laundry, I wrote my journal entry for yesterday and went to the post office to mail my latest journal pages to my faithful transcriber (my daughter). Once my laundry was done I went to the hostel to get a shuttle from Sue. She was not there so I read my email. By this time Sue had not returned so I decided to hitch back to the Trail. It took about 15 min to get a ride. My Trail Angel was Paul, a very nice 68-year old retired fellow who had recently moved to Stratton. I started hiking at 11:45 am, a 5.1-mile long 2000 ft ascent up Horns Mountain, reaching Horns Pond Lean-to at 3:45 pm. The caretakers discouraged me from hiking onward and stealth camping, so here I am in my tent at 3000 ft elevation in 50 °F temperatures with a moderate wind. If the wind stops tonight, the temperature could reach freezing. I am hoping the wind continues. Today was a great day for hiking ¢ sunny blue skies with no clouds and a temperature that reached 58 °F, a light breeze, and no rain. The Trail on the south side of the mountain was dry but the north side still had wet slippery rocks and roots, not to mention pools of water and mud. Wood Wrangler and Joe (with bad knees) are tenting here along with many other hikers. It is 7:30 pm and I do not hear anyone else - only wind. Just Trogging Along GA ---> ME
Date: 2010-09-19
From: Horns Pond Lean-to

To: Stealth camp past Flagstaff Lake
Miles today: 13.2

169.5 miles to go. Today I passed the 2000-mile mark. It did not rain last night. There was a nearly full moon visible for awhile but then it clouded over. The temperature did not dip below 52 °F. I was up at 6 am, packed and hiking by 7:10 am under overcast skies with 55 °F temperatures and a gentle breeze. An initial 600 ft climb to The Horn followed by an 800 ft climb to the west peak of Bigelow Mountain and a 300 ft climb to Avery Peak preceded a 2000 ft descent to Safford Notch and an 800 ft downhill to Little Bigelow Mountain where there were some views for the first time today after a day of clouds and fog. My day ended with a 2000 ft descent to Flagstaff Lake where I decided to hike on for another mile and find a site to stealth camp. It is 8:30 pm, the temperature is 55 °F and I can hear a cacophony of forest insects in the overcast night. Time for lights out. Just Trogging Along GA ---> ME