morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2007-06-03
From: Hanover, NH

To: White Mountains
Miles today: 0.0

It looks like there's going to be some less than ideal weather for my trek through the White Mountains, but ain't nothing going to stop me now!I can definitely feel myself slowing down as Katahdin draws near. I still managed to do 20 miles in about seven hours yesterday (slackpacking, but still not bad), but the days off and town days are getting harder to resist. I was going to take two zero days in Hanover with my old college buddies, but I wanted to make sure I'd hit the Whites with Fruitfly and the Goodfellas, mainly because of the inclement weather. I wouldn't want to be traveling alone through the hardest part of the trail during a week or rainstorms. It probably works out better this way, anyway. Too many days off would just make it harder to get back on the trail.If all goes according to plan, I'll be in Gorham a week from this evening. Funny to think that the last time I went only 120 miles in seven days was way down south. Now I'm hoping to get back in that habit, but it's going to be hard to break the 20+ mile a day routine.
Date: 2007-06-04
From: NH 25C

To: Beaver Brook Shelter
Miles today: 12.9
Weather: overcast clouds

I woke up at my friend Eileen's house to a steady drizzle outside, and quickly lost a lot of my motivation to walk over Moosilauke. It's so hard going from several nights in a warm, dry house to sleeping in a mouse-infested shelter.Within a few hours, I was on the trail again after yet another sad parting with old friends, and on my way to the Hiker's Welcome Hostel in Glencliff. I was pretty damp when I got there, but only because of the dripping trees. It hadn't rained at all while I was on the trail.After a quick stop at the Hostel to pick up my maildrop, I knew I had to keep moving since it was still before noon. The forecast still looked ugly for the next few days, but I decided I'd only wait for weather if it was looking REALLY ugly.Since the stream crossing just after NH 25 was high, I had to dunk my feet and keep on moving. By the time I got halfway up Moosilauke I was drenched to the bone from head to toe with a combination of sweat, rain, and river water, so I had to keep moving or else I'd freeze. This was one of the only days I've ever hiked with my rain jacket on, since the wind and rain were damn cold!Going over the summit of Moosilauke was my first wake-up call in the Whites: the wind was blowing at least 40 mph (not gusts, but sustained) and the rain and fog were set in to stay. I had to tie my pack cover down so it didn't blow off, and I had to hike sideways to keep from being blown over, but after a harrowing scramble over the exposed rock I managed to make it below treeline and into relative safety again. From there I made it to the Beaver Brook Shelter at 3 PM and decided to sleep the rest of the day. The rain came down heavier after I got in, so that turned out to be a good decision.I wondered where Fruitfly and the Goodfellas were, and saw that Fed-Ex, Groovasaurus and Thin Mint were still one day ahead of me. Looked like I'd be hitting the Whites alone. Yikes!
Date: 2007-06-05
From: Beaver Brook Shelter

To: Lonesome Lake Hut
Miles today: 15.0

Another cloudy day, but at least it wasn't raining. That afforded me little comfort as I began the steep and slippery trek down the north side of Moosilauke, which was one of the most terrifying three miles of trail I've ever dealt with. Somehow I managed to not fall to my doom, but I was still wet and chilly by the time I got to Kinsman Notch, and I knew I had to hurry so I wouldn't be caught in the thunderstorms that the forecast had called for.The rest of the day's hike was mostly uneventful-- aside from the extremely steep and arduous climbs, I had no views and no time to sit and enjoy the scenery. As I neared the Lonesome Lake Hut, the rain finally began to fall. About fifteen minutes later I was drenched and cursing my poor timing as I walked into the warm and cozy hut, and what a nice place it was! As soon as I stepped inside and said "I guess I showed up just a few minutes too late," there was a giant thunderclap and the rain started to dump like crazy.I washed some dishes with the croo and sat in the dining room, enjoying the coziness of the Hut, then ate a delicious dinner of curried carrot stew and lasagna. Oh, thank goodness for the work-for-stay option at the huts... I could really get used to this. Not to mention the croo was just a delightful bunch of folks.
Date: 2007-06-06
From: Lonesome Lake Hut

To: Galehead Hut
Miles today: 15.9
Weather: scattered clouds

I managed to leave the hut by 9, which is terribly late by my standards, but since I got to eat breakfast with the croo it was well worth the wait. The walk to Franconia Notch wasn't too hard, but it was still slippery from the previous night's rain. Luckily there was no rain all day, although it was overcast and cold.Going over Franconia Ridge, I had a few quick glimpses of the utterly amazing views, but for the most part I was walking through a cloud. As I walked over Little Haystack, Lincoln, and Lafayette, the wind picked up until I was nearly frozen solid, but I was so happy to be back in the Northeast that nothing could keep my spirits down. I stopped just below the summit of Lafayette to chat with a couple from CT who were out for a dayhike, and despite the fact that all of us were freezing, it lifted my spirits even more. From there I ran over the summit without stopping so I could keep my blood flowing. On the way down, the clouds parted a few times and offered some spectacular views. Damn, I love the Whites!After that I tried to hurry to Galehead so I wouldn't miss dinner. That turned out to be unnecessary, since I got there by 5 anyway, and I ended up slipping on my way down the super-steep Mt Garfield and banged my wrist pretty bad (I thought I might have broken something, but the swelling went down within 24 hours).The previous night at Lonesome Lake was fun, but the night at Galehead was absolutely insane! The croo there was totally wild and goofy, and Eileen, who I'd stayed with just a few nights ago, showed up for the night since an old friend of hers works at the Hut. The croo made some delicious pizzas while I hung out in the kitchen and got to know all the goofy traditions and jokes that the hut croos share. We even sat out on the roof of the hut to watch the most gorgeous sunset I've seen in quite a while. Of course, I couldn't stay out long because it was absolutely freezing outside, and the wind was howling all night. After a long and delightful evening, I finally went to sleep in one of the bunk rooms while the croo continued to go crazy in their quarters.
Date: 2007-06-07
From: Galehead Hut

To: Crawford Notch
Miles today: 14.7
Weather: few clouds

I woke up and went back to the kitchen to hang out with the croo, but quickly had to run back to my bunk to throw on more clothes-- it was FREEZING!After breakfast, half of the croo dressed up in capes and cowboy outfits and hiked with me to the top of South Twin Mountain. We enjoyed a spectacular view and totally clear skies for a little while, as well as several group photos since we all looked a bit odd (when's the last time you saw a bunch of caped hikers on top of a mountain?). Eventually I had to tear myself away from them and head out... they were on their way to North Twin Mountain, and I had a place to stay with a couple of campers from August Camp when I got to Crawford Notch, so I was very excited for that. It was very hard to leave the croo, since they reminded me so much of the August Camp croo and of how much fun it is to work at an AMC camp/hut. But I could see my entire day's hike from the top of South Twin, and it was too beautiful to pass up.On the way down I met 2006 thru-hiker Park Bench and chatted for a while, then had a relatively easy and pleasant walk down to Zealand Falls Hut where I chatted with the lone croomember who had stuck around for the day and had myself some lunch courtesy of the hut. Such a beautiful place... I wish I could have stayed longer, but being on a schedule limits that.From Zealand Falls to Crawford Notch was one of the less impressive sections since, despite the spectacular views, the terrain was relatively flat and easy. Something about the extremely rugged climbs and rocky descents that slow me down to about half my usual speed make the Whites even more enjoyable for me.I ran into Hansel and Gretel on the way down, and they gave me a ride from the trailhead to the Highland Center, where I knew I'd have cell reception. From there, I got in touch with the delightful Don and Betsy Gemmecke and spent the night at their place. I certainly hope I can repay their hospitality at August Camp this summer! After dinner at their place, I was too tired to move, so I just fell asleep and decided to leave all the planning for the morning.
Date: 2007-06-08
From: Crawford Notch

To: Lakes of the Clouds Hut
Miles today: 11.2
Weather: scattered clouds

After finally replacing my hiking pole tips (one of them was worn down to literally nothing) in Conway and having a tasty breakfast courtesy of the Gemmeckes, I headed back out to Crawford Notch to start up Webster Cliffs.From the road, Mount Webster looks absolutely terrifying. You have to look straight up to see the top of the mountain, and you can see every inch that you have to walk up. The mountain is huge! And after that the mountains only get bigger. Scary doesn't even begin to describe it. But it was a beautiful, clear day!The hike up Webster was easier than it looked, but it was sloooooow. The views, however, knocked my socks off. I could see the entire valley of Crawford Notch for what seemed like hundreds of miles in either direction, and at several points I could even see the trailhead where I'd started the day. There's no way to describe it in words... you just have to see the White Mountains on a clear day to understand.After a quick stop at Mizpah Hut, and a chat with the girls working there for the day (who gave me leftover bacon from that morning. Hoorah!) I headed out for Lakes of the Clouds. The trail from Mizpah to Lakes is as close to a ridge walk as the Whites can offer, and it was the most beautiful scenery I can remember from the entire trail. I was raving all day to everyone I passed about how amazing the Whites are, and how much I love being back in New England. Despite hiking alone through the Whites so far, it's been the most spectacular part of the trail for me.After I rolled into Lakes of the Clouds, I got to work in the kitchen with the croo. Since almost half of the croo was out for the night, I did a lot more work than I had in the other huts, but it didn't seem like work because the croo was so much fun. Once again, it reminded me of good times at August Camp, and I got a little homesick... but not much. Between the six croomembers in the kitchen and a few visiting friends, there was constant hilarity going on.I could see the peak of Mount Washington almost all day, but I opted not to walk the extra few miles that evening for the views from the top. Instead, the ten of us (Johannes, Beth, Jenny, Drew, Miles and Thad from the croo, Thad's 3 friends and me) sat on the roof of the hut to watch the hazy sunset (and to spy on some of the paying guests, of course). Life could not be better! We sat out there on the roof for well over an hour since the weather was just too perfect to believe, then went inside and ended the night with yet more hilarity and a big ol' ruckus. At that point I decided I might as well stay at one more hut before leaving the Whites, so after another night with the Gemmeckes I would do a short day to Carter Notch Hut. No sense in passing up good times!
Date: 2007-06-09
From: Lakes of the Clouds Hut

To: Pinkham Notch
Miles today: 14.8
Weather: fog

After yesterday's beautiful views and clear skies, today's forecast was for afternoon thunderstorms. Perfect, since I would be traversing above treeline for half the day.As with the Galehead hut a few days ago, it was hard to get away from Lakes because the folks there were just too much fun, but it was already foggy and drizzling as I headed out and I knew I had to hurry. I wanted to get past Mt Madison and down below treeline before any thunderstorms hit. I didn't want to be the first thru-hiker to be cooked by a lightning strike this season!The fog had visibility down to 20 or 40 feet most of the morning, and the rain pattered away most of the day. No views, and treacherous footing. That is what the Whites are usually about, and it was exactly the case today. I rushed all the way to Madison Hut, stopping only for a few quick pictures when the fog cleared enough for me to see a few hundred feet. I got to Madison just after noon, and stopped inside for less than ten minutes. I was terrified of the weather, and from previous experience I knew Madison was going to be hard as hell. I headed out, determined to make it over the summit and down to Pinkham Notch alive and in time for dinner.The traverse across the barren rock wasn't so bad, especially since I slowed down a bit after my initial rush out of the hut. I managed to get below treeline and began the very steep descent to Pinkham Notch, although it was even more slippery than any section I'd walked so far. I took three falls on the way down, scraping up my hands and knees, but luckily nothing worse. Due to my hurrying, the rain, and the contrast with the excitement of the high altitudes, the walk below treeline was relatively boring. I did run into Rocky and Bullwinkle, AT 2006 thru hikers, on the way down, which was nice.Eventually I made it to Pinkham Notch and called the Gemmeckes for a ride. Tired, wet, and cold again, I made it into their house and had so much food that I felt like I might die. Once again I say, I hope I can repay this hospitality at August Camp this summer. There's nothing like sitting in a hot tub after a long, cold day on the trail, then going to sleep in a comfy bed. Aaaaah.I'll be taking it relatively easy from here to Andover, but "relatively easy" is still pretty rough considering where I am. Luckily, between the Gemmeckes and my friends in Bethel, I'll have a few more home-cooked meals and cozy nights before I get to the bugs and Bigelows! Maine, here I come!
Date: 2007-06-13
From: Carlo Col Shelter

To: Grafton Notch
Miles today: 14.1
Weather: light rain

FedEx, Groovasaurus and I got going at a normal hour, after our plan for a sunrise hike up Goose Eye was foiled by cloudy weather. Probably better that way, since we were still a little tired from staying in town.The climb up Goose Eye was foggy and cold, but we did meet Morgan, the first SOBO of the year, who Groove tried to name "The Alabama Slamma" but I don't think the name caught on. It was nice to see another thru hiker again, especially since he was just three and a half weeks into his trip. He told us the Mahoosuc Notch wasn't so bad, but I still figured it would be pretty slow.Just before the Notch, as we were taking a break at Full Goose Shelter, Li caught up with us. I'd heard about him from Kentucky Blue way back in New York, and I figured he'd catch us a while back, but this was perfect timing. With four of us in high spirits as the clouds parted, we entered the Notch.The first thing we saw in the Notch was a whole lot of snow. Then there were the boulders and everything you would imagine from the "hardest mile of the AT." I didn't find it to be so hard, but it was certainly all it's cracked up to be. The four of us hopped over, under, around and through all sorts of crazy rock piles. I forgot to check my watch, but I'm not sure it took us much more than an hour. However it worked out, though, I think the Notch should be redesignated: "funnest mile on the AT" is a much better description.The climbs after the Notch were steep and hard, but we were all feeling pretty good. We took a nice hour-long break at Speck Pond Shelter to hang out with the caretaker and Grey Eagle, then took a quick detour to the summit of Old Speck, and then down to Grafton Notch, where we arrived just in time to meet my friend Amy. It was a long day, but we ended it with a home-cooked meal and some well-deserved rest.We are officially on the ME AT!
Date: 2007-06-18
From: Spaulding Mountain Lean-To

To: Stratton, ME
Miles today: 13.5
Weather: few clouds

FedEx, Groovasaurus and I are chilling here at the Stratton Hotel & Hostel, in one of my favorite trail-towns yet. Sure, it doesn't have much, but it's got just what I need... food and a bed.Going through Maine so far has been everything I've hoped and dreamed. Almost perfect weather, beautiful views, and hanging out with friends old and new. It was a little disappointing to have to run over the Saddleback range in the wind and rain, since it was on top of Saddleback that I decided I had to hike the AT, but we're moving steadily through the state and our progress is giving me more hope that we'll make our planned summit date of June 30. No doubt about it, now.We've been running into the first waves of SOBOs, which is pretty weird. After the three of us got rid of our tents and basically everything but our food and clothes, we're going to be crashing into every shelter and going crazy until we get to the big K.Now it's time for movies and pie. We'll have to hit every possible stop on the way up north. I want me some pie!
Date: 2007-06-30
From: Katahdin Stream Campground

To: Katahdin
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: scattered clouds

It's over. I hit the summit at 9:30 this morning with my childhood friend Jeremy during a downpour of rain and hail and freezing wind. We had already passed the Goodfellas, Fruitfly and Groovasaurus on their way down. We had planned to all meet at the top, but they arrived at sunrise and it was impossible to stay up there in the harsh weather. We said our goodbyes just below treeline (although I did see them later in Millinocket), and I kept going, determined not to let anything stop me.I stayed at the summit just long enough to eat a whoopie pie and shed a few tears for the end of the journey. We couldn't stay any longer, and I had to start the long and painful walk down. The clouds cleared somewhat when I got about a mile and a half down from the summit, but it was too late to turn back. I met my father and brother right about there, along with the few friends who hadn't turned back because of the weather (there were twenty family and friends coming up the mountain with me, only three besides me hit the summit), and that was my victory parade.At the bottom, with the sky mostly cloudy, we had a picnic and relaxed, but my hiker appetite was already receding. Guthook will stay up on the peak until I hit the trail again someday in the future.While we were having lunch, my uncle asked me which was the worst part of the entire trip. I told him the Pearisburg church hostel, since it was the one time I was about ready to quit, but I don't believe that answer anymore. The saddest moment on the trail was when I saw that wooden sign that we all know too well. I followed the white blazes for four months to that sign, and then they ended. There was nowhere left to go but back home.It's been one of the happiest times of my life, mainly because of the people I've met along the way. I hope to see you all again, on and off the trail. Happy trails to all of you.GuthookRyan LinnGA -> ME 2007 PS: I finally put a bunch of my photos online, but not here at trailjournals yet. Here's what I have so far: http://picasaweb.google.com/dirtybrew/GuthookOnTheAppalachianTrail
Date: 2007-06-14
From: Kathadin Stream Campground

To: Kathadin Peak
Miles today: 5.2

Day one We got up early, around 5 a.m., showered and got ready to leave the B&B. We went to a little restaurant in town to have breakfast before we headed for the park. The Appalachian Trail Caf©. It was a yummy and filling breakfast. We arrived at our campsite around 8 a.m. Todd set up the tent and started dolling out things that we would carry on our hike. We started the hike around 8:25. The hike was pure hell¢¦.you had to climb rocks the entire time and sometime you had to climb a wall of rocks. The trail leveled out in only a few areas, otherwise it was straight up. The Katahdin Falls were pretty cool, smaller than what I was expecting. But still pretty cool.I made the first 3 hours of climbing. Once we reached the rock tableau I was done. This is above the treeline and you no longer have the comfort of being protected by the trees and it was like climbing a wall. What were these people thinking who created this trail? I simply could not do it anymore. I couldn't¢¦.I was scared to death of climbing that wall of rock. So we decided then around 11:30 that I would turn back and Todd would keep going. Did you know that before I could even think about turning back Todd was already to the top of that wall? UGH!!!!So I turned back and made the journey back to the campsite. It had taken me 3 hours to get where I was and it would take me 2 12 hours for me to get back. I was walking on jello legs. I'm so glad that I decided not to go any further. There is no way in hell that I would have made it back!I wonder how long it took him to get to the top?! His legs are way stronger than mine so they shouldn't be jello on him!!! J And if I can make it back, he can make it back!!Todd finally made it back to the campsite around 7:40 p.m. He said that he didn't even reach the summit until 2ish and it was worse than what we had climbed. He said that that was the worst hike he's ever done!! It took him 11 hours to do it! I'm telling you - the trail is a nightmare!! No wonder we never saw anything on Mount Katahdin on all those freaking trail videos. I also wonder how many people who start in Maine doing Mount Katahdin just go ahead and head home. It was so grueling...the enitre time we were hiking I kept telling Todd, "This can't be safe." It was too funny though...he comes out of the woods and crawls in to the car with the a/c on! We then decided that there was no way that we were sleeping in the tent. So our pathetic selfs went into town and booked a hotel room with a jacuzzi tub!! You know it's bad when poor little Todd is hurting!! And it's the same day! ****Written by Becky for Todd****
Date: 2007-06-15
From: Mount Katahdin

To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0

We woke up around 8ish in the lap of luxury of our nice, air conditioned room. Our bodies are sooo sore that we got back into the jacuzzi tub!! I have no clue how Todd is going to hike today. But he said nothing can be as worse as yesterday! And he said he felt better the more he moved around. So we drove back to the campground and packed up the tent we left set up and divided up stuff again. On our way back to the site we saw a MOOSE!!! It was awesome! You'll see pictures of that too! I was so excited! Around 11:45 this morning, Todd was on his way!! So be on the look out for him in about 10 days. I'll be monitoring stuff until then but he'll be responding back to you around then. So don't be offended if he doesn't respond right away....he's in the middle of the forest!I'll post pictures tomorrow and write a little bit more about our first day and half together on the trail!! ****Written by Becky for Todd*****