morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2005-06-27
From: Inn at Long Trail

To: Thistle Hill Shelter
Miles today: 21.5
Weather: light rain

Early start but still hot and humid. This will be another day where we will stay wet from sweat. The trail was not as bad but bugs were still a problem. We should be out of Vermont tomorrow. I can't wait. Vermont probably has the worst trail on the AT. This is primarily due to the mud and bugs. There are some pretty sections of trail here but the poor trail maintenace and overall bad trail tend to overshadow everything else. Well, enough whining for one day.
Date: 2005-06-28
From: Thistle Hill Shelter

To: Hanover, NH
Miles today: 14.6
Weather: light rain

Good start to the morning. A little cooler but still hot. Wicomico and I saw a lot of pretty wild flowers just off the trail this morning. We also walked through an apple orchard. We saw a number of Oak Trees near the orchard. I think this is unusual for this part of the country. We walked through a forest of Birch, Pine, and Hemlock. It was all very pretty. This is our last day in Vermont and probably been our best day. The trail was well maintained. It was just in excellent shape. It rained in the afternoon and we had a long road walk to Hanover, NH. Overall, it was a very good day. Hanover is the home of Dartmouth College. The Dartmouth Outing Club maintains the trail leading into Hanover. They do an excellent job. We will probably just stay the night in Hanover. Two states left.
Date: 2005-06-29
From: Hanover, NH

To: Hanover, NH
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: light rain

We woke up to a messy day. It rained during the night and is still raining this morning. This helped us decide to take a 0 day. The place we're staying is 2 miles from town so we have to take a bus to town. The bus runs every hour and the ride is free. Hanover is the home to Dartmouth College, so it's an upscale pricey town. The kind of weather we have been hiking in is the type I would expect in Mississippi, not Vermont and New Hampshire. It has been a big factor in how tired we have been feeling. I think overall we are doing ok. I'm not in thru hiker shape but I'm getting there. Wicomico Walker is doing well. He has been a good hiking partner. We are arguably hiking the toughest part of the trail, so his company is greatly appreciated. He said he wants to finish what we started last year.
Date: 2005-06-30
From: Hanover, NH

To: Trapper John Shelter
Miles today: 16.7
Weather: light rain

We needed to go to the post office one more time, so we didn't start walking until 9:15. We can tell the trail is getting tougher. The ups and downs are getting steeper and the mountains are bigger. We are having to work harder. I'm told that this is just a warm up for what's to come later. We saw some deer today and continue to see a lot of pretty flowers. The early part of New Hampshire is bogy and muddy. The bugs, mosquitoes, and deerflies are almost unbearable. When you stop they swarm all over you. Insect repellent works until you sweat, then it becomes ineffective, so we don't stop much. Even when walking they are a problem. We are hoping cooler weather will help with this problem. We are starting to see some early south bounders. These are hikers who started at Mt. Katahdin and are heading to Georgia. They have a long way to go. Wicomico fell twice today and has two moderate cuts on his leg as a result of the second fall. It could have been much worse. We are at the Trapper John Shelter tonight. I've cleaned up, eaten, and washed my cooking pot, so now I'm ready for bed. We will continue north in the morning.
Date: 2005-07-01
From: Trapper John Shelter

To: Ore Hill Shelter
Miles today: 19.3

We were up at 5:00 and walking by 5:45. It is a gray foggy morning. It's still very humid. We had a 4 mile very steep climb, over 2000 ft, this morning and two equally steep climbs in the afternoon. We hiked over 11 hours today. The late morning and afternoon temps were near 90 degrees. This was probably my toughest day on the trail. Some of the climbs were near vertical over boulders. If the weather had been nicer, the views would have been great. We are staying at the Ore Hill Shelter tonight. We hope to hike about 8 miles tomorrow to a hostel.
Date: 2005-07-02
From: Ore Hill Shelter

To: Glenncliff Hostel
Miles today: 7.4

Sleeping was tough last night because of the bugs. It rained hard during the night. When we got up it was cooler and less humid. We started walking about 6:45 with less than 8 miles to the hostel. So we were not in a big hurry. We got to the hostel by 10am. The post office is right across the street, which is the only thing around. The hostel has bunks and a washing machine. The shower is outside, but it does have hot water. We can get a shuttle to a store about 5 miles away. We are officially about to enter the White Mountains. I have heard a lot about these mountains. They are supposed to have some of the best views. You spend a lot of time above the tree line. It's also supposed to be some of the toughest trail on the AT. I am looking forward to it.
Date: 2005-07-03
From: Glenncliff Hostel

To: Kinsman Notch
Miles today: 9.5
Weather: few clouds

I've heard so much about the White Mountains. Today we started walking through them. The big climb was over Mt. Moosilauke. The climb going up was near vertical at times. The trail was boulders and rocks mostly. Iron hand holds were fitted in rock so you could pull yourself up. Progress was slow but eventually I made it to the top of Moosilauke. It was a clear day so the view from the top was outstanding. We were above the tree line so we were the highest objects on the mountain. Wicomico and I spent about an hour on top. We had lunch and just admired the view. After lunch we started down and slowly began to descend below the tree line. The hike down was generally good. There were a number of AT downs. That's when the map shows you should be going down but the trail goes up. The weather today was very good. Temps in the high 70s with low humidity. Great weather for hiking. Phatt Chapp picked us up at a road crossing and took us back to the hostel. Phatt Chapp is a very interesting person. He has several degrees. He was a chaplain for a while, spent time over seas and traveled through the US. He even lived in Pascagoula, MS. He seems to be at peace with himself and his surroundings. He is truly a nice gentleman. The hostel has everything a hiker needs. It's been a good day and I look forward to tomorrow.
Date: 2005-07-04
From: Kinsman Notch

To: Franconia Notch
Miles today: 16.3
Weather: clear sky

The weather today will be a little warmer and the hike will be a little longer. Some think this section is one of the toughest in the Whites. Started walking around mid morning. The hike up to South Kinsman proved to be a steady ascent with a lot of boulder hopping. Once again we were above the tree line. The views were wonderful. The hike down was long and very technical. There were many steep descents. Phatt Chapp was at the bottom of the mountain to take us back to the hostel. This will be our last night at the hostel. We will be too far away to return for another night. It's been a long day and I'm ready for bed.
Date: 2005-07-05
From: Franconia Notch

To: Greenleaf Hut
Miles today: 6.4

Today's hike proved to be much shorter than expected. We stopped at Greenleaf Hut for a break. The crew at the hut said a storm was expected and suggested we stay. The huts in the Whites are expensive and most hikers cannot afford to stay. Sometimes they will let hikers work for a night's stay. This could mean washing dishes, sweeping floors, or cleaning tables. It could be some other job that they need help with. Generally they are not very hard or time consuming. So Wicomico and I will do work for stay and try to get an early start in the morning. The storms tend to develop in the afternoon, so we need to try to get our hike in early.
Date: 2005-07-06
From: Greenleaf Hut

To: Galehead Hut
Miles today: 6.6
Weather: light rain

We got an early start and the clouds did clear some. So we had beautiful views from Mt. Lafayette. The weather closed in very quickly. From mid morning on we were hiking through a very dense fog. The trail consisted mainly of rocks and boulders with a lot of very steep sections. The trail was very wet from the fog so the ups and downs were very treacherous. We arrived at Galehead Hut around 1pm. The plan was to make a brief stop and then continue walking. Well it started to pour down while we were inside. It rained hard for the next two and a half hours. So we decided to do another work for stay at the hut. The hut system is a highly commercial endeavor. The huts in the White Mts are operated by the Appalachian Mountain Club. Lodging and two meals are provided for $85 a night. Lodging in the huts consists of a bunk with blankets and pillow. There are inside restrooms but no showers. Each hut is run by a crew, usually college students. Work for stay is an option for thru hikers who request it. This will be our second night to do work for stay. Because of the weather and difficulty of the trail, our hiking miles have gone way down. When the weather is bad, it's just hard hiking in the Whites. I understand the weather is bad a lot. I hope tomorrow will be a better day.
Date: 2005-07-07
From: Galehead Hut

To: Crawford Notch
Miles today: 15.0
Weather: light rain

We spent a restful night in the hut and left before breakfast. There was light rain early but it cleared nicely later. Cool temps and good hiking weather. We had a very steep rock climb from the hut. The trail smoothed out later. This turned out to be the best section of trail since entering the Whites. We are in the Presidential range now. We should climb Mt. Washington in 2 days. The weather may be a concern. What's left of a tropical storm may affect this area soon. It would be too dangerous if the weather turns bad because we are hiking on a lot of exposed ridges. So we would have to wait for the weather to clear before we could continue hiking. I slipped on a rock and fell head first into a fast moving stream today. I wasn't hurt but of course did get very wet. Mt. Katahdin is 345 miles away.
Date: 2005-07-08
From: Crawford Notch

To: Lake of the Clouds Hut
Miles today: 12.6
Weather: fog

We left Crawford Notch around 9:30 and started hiking up the mountain. Hiking in the White Mountains is mainly over rock and big boulders. Falling is always a major concern. Many times during the day I come close to falling. This would usually mean falling back or forward with nothing but rocks or boulders to break the fall. What's left of tropical storm Cindy is supposed to start affecting the weather in this area today. Today we are trying to get to the Lake of the Clouds Hut that is only 1.5 miles from Mt. Washington. We are hoping to climb this mountain tomorrow. Mt. Washington is known for having the highest winds on record. I think the wind speed has been over 250 mph. Temps can plummet very quickly. Much of today's hike was above the treeline which made for some great views. The wind was beginning to pick up and storm clouds were beginning to appear. We arrived at the hut by early afternoon and were granted work for stay. Our chore was again to wash dishes. This took about 1.5 hours. This hut had about 86 paying guests in spite of the stormy forecast. We spent the rest of the evening eating soup, drinking hot chocolate and talking with the guests. The huts are not heated so the soup and hot chocolate hit the spot. The thru hikers sleep on the dining tables but can't go to sleep until lights out at 9:30. By that time I'm more than ready for bed. I hope the weather will allow us to hike out of here tomorrow.
Date: 2005-07-09
From: Lake of the Clouds Hut

To: Pinkham Notch
Miles today: 14.8
Weather: light rain

The wind really blew last night. This hut is close to the summit of Mt. Washington, so we are up pretty high. Early this morning the wind was still blowing hard and it was raining. Visibility was about 50ft. Around 9:30, we saw a window of opportunity as the weather began to calm some. We got our gear together and started out. Visibility was still poor and Mt. Washington was completely engulfed in clouds. Wicomico and I decided to take the bad weather trail around Mt. Washington. It was still very windy and the winds on top of the mountain were sure to be much stronger. I was disappointed but we would have had to wait at least another day before the weather cleared. So we hiked on. We had a tough hike the rest of the day. It continued to rain and this made hiking over the slick rocks difficult. We got to Pinkham Notch late afternoon and decided to stay. We could at least let our gear dry and get a hot shower. So we are set for the night and are hoping for a good day tomorrow.
Date: 2005-07-10
From: Pinkham Notch

To: U.S. 2 (Gorham, NH)
Miles today: 21.1
Weather: scattered clouds

After talking with my wife last night I learned that Hurricane Dennis could impack the Mississippi Gulf Coast. Dennis will probably make landfall as a category 4 storm with winds around 150 mph. Since I live 3 miles from the gulf, I'm very concerned. Wicomico and I decided to get up early and try to hike all the way to Gorham so that we could get more info. This meant hiking over the Wildcat Mts that have a series of 5 peaks. This is considered one of the toughtest sections in the White Mts. We pushed hard and once over the first peak made good time. After the last peak we stopped at Carter Notch Hut for a break. This hut has beautiful mountain takes near it. When we left the hut we had to climb 15 ft but then it leveled out some and the last 6 miles were mostly down. We came to the highway leading to Gorham which was about 3.5 miles from town. We hitched a ride to a motel in town. It was a long day and I'm glad it's over. After arriving in Gorham we learned that Dennis will make landfall in the Pensacola area. That's good news for the Mississippi Gulf Coast but very bad for Florida. The plan is to stay in Gorham overnight and start walking sometime tomorrow.
Date: 2005-07-12
From: Gorham, NH

To: Carlo Col Shelter
Miles today: 17.0
Weather: clear sky

We got an early start out of Gorham. The trail was once again a boulder scramble. There were many near vertical ups and downs. This is very tough trail we are hiking. This is pretty much the way it's going to be all the way to Katahdin. The highlight today was hiking into Maine. This is what all thru hikers dream about, Georgia to Maine. There is still a lot of work left to do. Tomorrow we hike through the Mahoosuc Notch. It takes many hours to hike the one mile though the notch. We will be going over and under boulders. Then we will go over the Mahoosuc Arm which is very steep. We will only hike about 5 miles but it will probably be the hardest 5 miles on the trail. Looking forward to tomorrow.
Date: 2005-07-13
From: Carlo Col Shelter

To: Grafton Notch
Miles today: 14.1
Weather: clear sky

This was a big day. We hiked through the Mahoosuc Notch. In some cases we had to take our packs off and crawl under the monster boulders. It took almost 4 hours to finish the Mahoosuc Notch. Next we climbed the Mahoosuc Arm which was a little over a mile but almost straight up. Speck Mt was our last climb of the day. We had planned to stay at Speck Pond Shelter but it was early so we kept walking. We got to the road leading to a hostel and got a ride to the cabin hostel. It is run by Honey and Bear, a very nice couple who run a clean, well-equipped place for hikers to stay. They fix breakfast and supper. Hot shower, laundry, and bunks are available. Good people, great place. We will do a little slack packing so we will be here for a few days.
Date: 2005-07-15
From: East B Hill Rd

To: South Arm Rd
Miles today: 10.1

Another good day. Only one big climb up Moody Mt. The last two days we have not had to hike over rock and boulders. It's kind of nice for a change. We did have to climb ladders up part of the mountain today. That was interesting. The weather has been very nice lately, however in this area the weather can change very quickly. The hike is going well. We are over 1900 miles form Springer Mt. in Georgia and less than 250 from Katahdin.
Date: 2005-07-16
From: South Arm Rd

To: Maine 17
Miles today: 13.3

Another good day of hiking in Maine. We climbed Bemis and Old Blue Mts today. It was just a good day of hiking all together. The temps turned a little warm but I saw a lot of blue sky. The views were great form the mountain tops. Blueberries are beginning to ripen. Moose scat was everywhere but nary a moose. We did see a lot of chipmunks playing hide and seek. The plan is to hike into Rangeley, Maine tomorrow. We may stay in a hostel there. Seems to be a hiker hostel in almost every town lately. This usually means a bunk room, shower, and sometimes laundry. Will take advantage of the accommodations where possible. Looking forward to a good day tomorrow.
Date: 2005-07-17
From: Maine 17

To: Maine 4
Miles today: 13.1

Today's hike was largely uneventful. It was a good trail with little elevation change. This may be the first time I've said "little elevation change." Wicomico and I are heading for a hostel in Stratton, ME. This will be our last hostel. After Stratton, we will be back tenting or staying in shelters. Tomorrow we will climb Saddleback Mt. From Saddleback we might be able to see Mt. Katahdin. We plan to get an early start in the morning.
Date: 2005-07-18
From: Maine 4

To: Perham Stream
Miles today: 15.4

Today started out sunny and warm. We had a big climb up Saddleback Mt. When we got to the summit we couldn't see much because of the clouds, so we could not see Mt. Katahdin. Big disappointment. A thunderstorm rolled over later and soaked us. It was warm, so it was not a problem. We reached a milestone today, we have less than 200 miles left to finish the AT. We're closing in on Monson, ME. The 100 mile wilderness comes after Monson, then about 15 miles to Mt. Katahdin. It will be over soon. Looking forward to it.
Date: 2005-07-19
From: Perham Stream

To: Maine 27
Miles today: 16.8

We go under 200 miles today, not yesterday. I was a bit premature. There is a bronze plaque at the 199.8 mile marker. So we are officially under 200 miles now. We saw some great views from near the top of Sugarloaf Mt. Tomorrow we enter the Bigelow Mt. range. I'm expecting a tough day of walking tomorrow.
Date: 2005-07-20
From: Maine 27

To: East Flagstaff Rd
Miles today: 16.7

It's a little cooler this morning, a pretty sunny day with a little lower humidity. This was a tough day. The Bigelows are considered a very challenging section. In 8 miles we climbed from 1400ft to 4150ft. Almost everday there seems to be another challenge, another big mountain to climb. That's what the AT is all about and whining will not change anything. You just have to go do it. Seems like I have been preparing for this last big push for a long, long time. I'm getting tired and will be glad to see the end of the trail. In the last 2 years I have hiked over 2000 miles on the AT. I need to push a little longer. In 171 miles it will be done.
Date: 2005-07-21
From: East Flagstaff Rd

To: Harrison Camps
Miles today: 16.3

It's another cool morning and a good hiking day. Today's hike didn't have any big elevation changes. There were a lot of big roots and rocks on the trail. I passed some pretty ponds and heard two loons talking to one another. It was a good day hiking. Tomorrow should be tougher with a 6 mile climb early. The weather continues to be good. There will be a number of streams we will have to cross everyday for a while. So it's improtant that those streams are low. That means we don't need rain. In these Maine mountains the weather can change quickly. I should have about 11 days of hiking left.
Date: 2005-07-22
From: Harrison Camps

To: Bald Mountain Lean-to
Miles today: 18.3

We had a climb early then a series of ups and downs. Overall a pretty long day. The highlight today was a canoe ride over the Kennebec River. This river can rise a number of feet very quickly becuase of a hydro-electric plant nearby. Water from the plant is released at unscheduled times. In the past, hikers have been caught wading across when a rush of water hits them. A few years back a hiker almost drowned. Since then, the Appalachian Trail Conference has paid someone to ferry hikers across the river. The good weather continues. Should be in Monson on Sunday.
Date: 2005-07-23
From: Bald Mountain Lean-to

To: Maine 15
Miles today: 22.0

It's a beautiful crisp morning. Kind of what you would expect in Maine. It did rain hard during the night. We hiked over Moxie Bald and I think I saw Mt. Katahdin in the distance. The plan was to stop at Horseshoe Canyon Lean-to, however, we got there at 1:30. That was much too early to stop, so we pushed on to Monson. We are staying at a hostel that sits near a sparkling lake. It's very peaceful. Since we are a day early, tomorrow will be a 0 day. Monday we will start the 100 mile wilderness.
Date: 2005-07-24
From: Maine 15

To: Maine 15
Miles today: 0.0

Monson appears to be a very nice little town. It has one grocery store, a restaurant, and laundrymat. These are the services hikers are most concerned about. Wicomico and I are staying in rooms above the laundry. We will hike out tomorrow. This will be our first day in the 100 mile wilderness.
Date: 2005-07-25
From: Maine 15

To: Long Pond Stream Lean-to
Miles today: 15.1
Weather: heavy intensity rain

We were expecting a nice day. It turned out to be a very cloudy morning. Shortly after we started walking it began to rain and it rained most of the day. We had a lot of mud, rocks, and roots to walk over. We did a lot of slipping and sliding. It was really not that bad of a day. The rain kept the temps down a little and the bugs were not a problem. Big day planned for tomorrow.
Date: 2005-07-26
From: Long Pond Stream Lean-to

To: Carl Newhall Lean-to
Miles today: 20.8
Weather: overcast clouds

It was a hot and humid start to the day. We knew this was going to be a long day, but we did not anticipate such a tough trail. The usual ups and downs, but a lot of the day was climbing over and down slabs of slate. It made for a very interesting day. We ended up walking over 12 hours. When we got to the shelter it was full of Boy Scouts. They also took all the tent sites but one. It was just large enough for two tents. I guess all's well that ends well. We were two very tired hikers.
Date: 2005-07-27
From: Carl Newhall Lean-to

To: Cooper Brook Falls Lean-to
Miles today: 18.9
Weather: scattered clouds

It's still hot and humid. A cold front is supposed to push through tonight. It started raining shortly after we started walking. We had a lot of climbs today. We went over five mountains. The trail was a little better but it was a very wet day. When we got to the shelter it was pouring. It was a small shelter and it was near full but we were able to squeeze in. We were cold and wet but glad to have a place to sleep. We were sleeping elbow to elbow but were dry.
Date: 2005-07-28
From: Cooper Brook Falls Lean-to

To: Mahar Tote Rd
Miles today: 13.8

The cold front came through last night. We awoke to a sunny crisp morning. The walking was great today. The trail was near flat in some sections. Still had mud and roots to deal with but it was a very good day. We are planning to stop at White House Landing tonight. This is a fish camp that caters to hikers during their off season. It's located about a mile off the trail. You come to a lake crossing and from the bank blow an airhorn that's attached to a tree. A boat comes and picks you up and takes you to the other side. We will stay there for a night. We have 4 days left on the trail and shouldn't have any big climbs left until Mt. Katahdin. Life is good.