morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2012-09-02
From: antler campsite

To: rainbow stream campsite
Miles today: 15.0
Weather: light rain

Great hike today! We had a little of everything. Hills, roots, bogs, rocks, ponds and good views. We did not get 2 miles out of camp before we hit a lake beach we sat at for an hour. Changed socks for the first time in 5 days and stepped in mud 5 minutes later. So it goes. Had another good view of katahdin again and ended the day hiking the pollywog gorge. Caveman and mcguiver caught up tonight too. Have i said maine is awesome yet?
Date: 2012-09-03
From: rainbow stream campsite

To: abol bridge road
Miles today: 15.0
Weather: few clouds

Todays hiking was great! We got 2 more views of katadhin. We got to abol bridge road and ate a burger at the local store followed by ice cream. Right at the trail head lisa and scott left us some awesome trail magic with soda, gatorade, and chips. Thanks folks! Yall are awesome. We then camped in a shelter by the river across from the store. 15 miles to the northern end of the AT but there is impending storms.
Date: 2012-09-04
From: abol bridge road

To: millinocket, ME
Miles today: 10.0
Weather: overcast clouds

We took our time today and went swimming in big niagra falls for a few hours. We also officially entered baxter state park. We arrived at the birches lean to and campsite. We looked at the weather report and it shows rain all day tommrow. We will have to wait until Thursday to summit. We then caught a shuttle to millinocket and checked into a hostel. Then to the pub for food and drink. 5 miles to go!
Date: 2012-09-05
From: millinocket, ME

To: millinocket, ME
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: light rain

Slept in today untill 10:30! Up late last night. Caveman, hot shot, mcguiver and I went to breakfast at a local cafe. Then we played spades back at the hostel for hours. Grilled out some pork chops and packed our bags for the big day ahead tommrow!
Date: 2012-09-06
From: millinocket, ME

To: Katahdin 
Miles today: 10.0
Weather: overcast clouds

I didn't sleep much last night because I was so excited. Up at 530 am to get breakfast. 10 of us crammed into a shuttle and it was an eerily quite 16 mile ride down the dusty road to baxter state park. We arrived and piled out of the car to see the entire mountain covered in thick clouds. I began my climb. It is a 5 mile climb that gains over 4,000 feet. About the second mile I hit the clouds. The trail became steep and large boulders were the trail. It was a scramble. I climbed over obstacles for another hour and then reached a sharp ridge where the wind ripped across the rocks. Clouds were flying right by me. I climbed the steep and not very wide ridge for another 15 minutes and then realized I had climbed above the clouds. The sun was shining and the clear air revealed a very steep and rocky 3000 foot drop on either side of me. I looked up and could see the rocky spine of katahdin continue up as far as I could see. The v. iew was spectacular. I was just above a huge layer of clouds. There were a few other high peaks on the horizon piercing the blanket of clouds. I reached the top of the sharp ridge and hiked on a large flat plateau through 60 mph winds for another hour. Then there was a slight uphill to baxter peak. I had made it. The view from the top was amazing. It was the same as from the ridge just 360. The wind was blowing the large blanket of clouds against the mountain which tore the cloud sheet in a large swirling mass. On the other side of the mountain the land below was revealed in the large hole created by the mountain. There were several hikers summiting this day and we all celebrated. There were beers, tears, laughter and lots of reflection on the last few months. I decended by myself after taking photos. It was a quiet and beautiful walk/climb down the same trail I came up on. I thought about all the friends I had made and the unforgettable times I have had so far. I am just about tearing up writing this. What a beautiful slice of life.
Date: 2012-02-26
To: Prep #1
Miles today: 0.0

This time I will be beginning my AT hike on the last day of winter, March 19th. It will already be daylight time so the sun will rise around 6 am and set around 7 pm. This will provide approximately 12 hours of daylight for hiking when I start my hike. I will start at the Amicalola Falls approach trail in GA and hike north. The approach trail starts with 604 stair steps up along the side of the falls. The approach trail is 8.8 miles long and 2000 feet elevation to reach the summit of Springer Mountain which is the official start of the AT. At that point I will see my first white blaze and can start counting my AT miles.
Date: 2012-02-26
To: Planning
Miles today: 0.0

I have been preparing for my 2012 AT hike since the beginning of last November. I have been doing some small upgrades to the hiking gear I used in my 2010 hike. My overall objective is to thru hike the Trail this summer. It will be a challenge for me especially in the area of avoiding any serious injuries. Highlander II has been my hiking mentor. He hiked the trail in 1991-92 and again in 2003. His guidance and advice continue to be invaluable.
Date: 2012-02-26
To: Training hike
Miles today: 0.0

Yesterday was a training hike on Watatic Mountain and the Wapack trail in northern Mass and southern New Hampshire. It was 36 degrees the whole hike and spitting snow at times. The trails were icy and I used microspikes for the whole hike. These slip on traction devices pretty much eliminate slippery ice from the hiking equation. The hike was 10.9 miles with 2060 ft in elevation. It is similar to what I expect to see on the first few days on the AT, except for the ice of course. I hope to do a number of these before I leave for the AT in three weeks.
Date: 2012-03-07
To: Training hike in snow
Miles today: 0.0

Only 11 days until the start. Today was another training hike on Watatic Mountain and the Wapack trail in northern Mass and southern New Hampshire. There had been about 12 inches of snow three days ago. The temperature was 35F when we started at 10:30 and reached 57F in the afternoon. The trail up and over Watatic had been packed down by hikers the previous days and my studded soles provided good traction. The trail surface then became a snow mobile pack which was solid early and almost like hiking on a solid dirt surface. And then from Binney Pond and up Pratt Mountain the trail was not yet tracked out and had become soft which made it tougher going by the time we got there. On the way back everything had really softened up and hiking was like running in beach sand at times and hiking in slush at other times. Today was a 10.1 mile hike with 2200 ft of ascent/descent over 6 hr 53 min. It was a pretty slow pace but nevertheless a good workout and good training for the AT.
Date: 2012-03-12
To: About pack weight
Miles today: 0.0

My mantra on gear is only carry in my pack what is necessary and to make it as light as possible. Tenth of ounces add up to ounces, ounces add up to pounds, and pounds add up to some serious weight. So I have worked very hard to minimize my pack weight. My goal has been 10 lbs not counting the consumables (food, water, and fuel) I budget 2 lbs of food/day (to make my 4000 calories), 1 liter of water and 8 oz of fuel (to cook 8 meals). So for a 3 day resupply my consumable weight will be 8.5 lbs. My pack weight budget for starting out is now 10.5 lbs without consumables and 19.0 lbs with consumables. I am hopeful that this will minimize the wear and tear on the joints and muscles, especially at the start of the hike.
Date: 2012-03-18
To: Dahlonega, GA
Miles today: 0.0

Up at 6 AM and on the road at 7 am heading to Logan airport. Arrived at Atlanta at 12:30. Arrived in Dahlonega at 3 PM and had a hamburger lunch in town. Checked into the Days Inn at 4:30. On the way to the hotel I picked up ethanol at REI and a Bic lighter at the gas station. It was hot here today - up in the mid 80s. Dinner was a treat with a delicious meal of shrimp and grits. Now it is time to turn in and get some good rest for the start of my 2012 Appalachian Trail hike tomorrow.
Date: 2012-03-19
From: Dahlonega, GA

To: Stover Creek Shelter
Miles today: 2.8
Weather: broken clouds

Day #1. Up at 6:45 am; start at 9:40 am. Ascent: 3190. Descent: 1990. Duration 7:01. Today I was up at 6:45 AM at the Days Inn. I had the continental breakfast then drove to the Amacalola Falls approach trail to check in. I was #443 to start from there and weigh my pack. Ouch. It was 21 pounds, same as when I started in 2010. It must be the battery pack and charger for my phone. Anyway it is what it is and we got off at 9:40 AM going up the 604 stairsteps along the side of Amacalola Falls. The temperature was 63°F at the start and reached 80°F at times on the way up when the sun came out. There was a slight refreshing breeze. I reached the summit of Springer Mountain at 2:40 PM, 8.8 miles and five hours after the start. Of course none of these miles count for the Appalachian Trail. Then I see the first white blaze and take the first step of my 2184.2 mile journey. I reached Stover Creek shelter at 4:40 PM, 2 miles and two hours later. I set up my tent, cooked a freeze-dried chicken dinner provided by Antelope who is hiking one day with us. He returns back to Atlanta and then Boston tomorrow. Thank you Antelope. Today I heard cardinals, an eastern towhoe, and a pileated woodpecker. I met Loops, Kim, Meandering Snail, Just Rich, LL Dog, and Awesome Possum. It is 8:40 PM, dark, 65°F, and time to turn off my headlamp.
Date: 2012-03-20
From: Stover Creek Shelter

To: Gooch Mountain Shelter
Miles today: 13.0
Weather: broken clouds

Day #2. Up at 7:30 am; start at 8:40 am. Ascent: 2990. Descent: 3070. Duration 8:40. I was up at 7:30 AM, packed up, ate a Pop Tart and was hiking at 7:40 AM in 52°F temperatures with hazy skies and no wind. Antelope headed back south to the trailhead and then to drive to Atlanta and return to Boston. Dreamtime and I continued hiking north. At 11:15 AM we reached Hawk Mountain shelter where we got water and had lunch. My lunch was crackers and jalapeno cheese plus a Snickers bar. I also treated my feet with some more Body Glide to ward off blisters. I removed my gaters to cut down the sweating of my feet again to help prevent blisters. It was another hot day reaching above 80°F at times. We arrived at Gooch Mountain shelter at 5:15 PM and 78°F temperature. Most tent sites were taken by then but we found two that worked. For dinner I ate mashed potatoes with smoked oysters. I couldn't find my spoon so ate using the top of the oyster can. It tasted great as a trail meal and I did find my spoon later. Today I did 13.0 miles in eight hours and four minutes. It is nearly 9 PM and has cooled down. The tent temperature is 70°F. The music has died down but some folks are still talking. Time to shut off my headlamp. Today I met Two-Plus, Gunrunner, and Joselen.
Date: 2012-03-21
From: Gooch Mountain Shelter

To: Henry Gap
Miles today: 9.3

Day #3. Up at 7:30 am; start at 9:00 am. Ascent: 2110. Descent: 1650. Duration 6:21. I was up at 7:30 AM, packed up, ate a Pop Tart and was hiking at 9 AM. It was overcast with a temperature of 60°F and no breeze. I wore shorts, a T-shirt and long top. My long top came off shortly after and I hiked onto Woody Gap reaching there at lunchtime. There was a group of trustees from a state prison but I did not visit or have lunch with them. It was 69°F with a cool brisk wind and I had to put my long top back on. The lunch lasted 30 minutes and then it was off to Lance Creek, reaching there at 2:30 where I hoped to get a campsite but they were all taken. I got water and hiked on, ending up stealth camping at Henry Gap. Would have liked to hike a little further but to camp in the next five-mile stretch requires a bear canister. I will get up early in the morning and hike the five-mile stretch into Neel Gap so no camping in the bear area will be required. I set up camp, found a tree limb to throw a bear line over, and cooked a delicious pot of instant mashed potatoes enhanced with sardines in hot sauce. I was able to set up my tent better by reducing the pole height by about 5 inches. Hopefully when the rain comes the tent modification will do the job to keep me dry. Today I met Puddle Jumper and others. It is 7 PM and time to quit.
Date: 2012-03-22
From: Henry Gap

To: Wolf Laurel Top
Miles today: 10.3

Day #4. Up at 7 am; start at 8:20 am. Ascent: N/A. Descent: N/A. Duration 6:10. Today I was up at 7 AM. It was raining lightly but stopped shortly thereafter. There was an enveloping fog and mist. I packed up, ate breakfast and was hiking at 8:20 AM in heavy fog and 60 °F temperature. The morning hike was in heavy fog and rain at times due to condensation on the trees. The ascent up Blood Mountain to its 4400 ft elevation was slow and long but not difficult. I stopped at the Blood Mountain shelter, signed the register and hiked down the 1300 feet to Neel Gap, arriving there at 12:15. I charged my cell phone and got two hotdogs for lunch, a 20 oz Coke, and supplies for three more days. I hiked out at 2:30 PM and am camping on the 3400 ft Wolf Laurel Top Mountain. It is no longer raining and the visibility has improved. The wind is blowing some and the temperature is 65 °F. Today I met Jay, Polaris, Swiss, Catnap, Breika, Guardian, Scotty, and Two Zipper and his two dogs. I also finally met Baltimore Jack of long Appalachian Trail fame. It is 8:10 PM and almost dark.
Date: 2012-03-23
From: Wolf Laurel Top

To: Rocky Knob Shelter
Miles today: 14.2

Day #5. Up at 7 am; start at 8:40 am. Ascent: 3060. Descent: 3130. Duration 8:43 including lunch. Last night was exciting. We had thunderstorms and it rained hard at times - my first experience with my new tent in the rain. It got a good test and I stayed basically dry. I was awake at 2 AM and heard a snap then a crash and the other four hikers camped there were yelling. I got up and went up the trail 100 ft where they were camped and sure enough a bear had snapped their bear lines that hung their four food bags and ran off with the bags. Dreamtime and my food bags which were also hung from a 15 ft tree branch survived the night. I eventually went back to sleep and was up at 7 AM and hiking at 8:20 AM in fog. It rained off and on during the day. I stopped 45 min for lunch at Low Gap Shelter, then hiked on, looking for a camping spot. I eventually ended up at the former Rocky Knob Shelter that had no water. It was another 0.5 mi up the trail to water. I got the tent set up and it poured. The bathtub (?) did not have a lip so some water got in and the tent required another adjustment today. Today I met Hurricane, Peanut Eater, Mouse, Macon (like GA). 9:04 PM and time to quit.
Date: 2012-03-24
From: Rocky Knob Shelter

To: Steel Trap Gap
Miles today: 10.7

Day #6. Up at 6 am; start at 7 am. Ascent: 3000. Descent: 3180. Duration 6:46. Today was the day of Trail Magic. It rained last night again. There was a severe thunderstorm at 4 am with much lightning, thunder and heavy rain. The things in my tent stayed mostly dry. By 6 am when I got up the storm had passed and the rain stopped. For the 3rd day in a row I packed up a wet tent ¢ but at least did not have to pack in the rain. I was hiking at 7 am in order to make a free breakfast for thru hikers hosted by the Baptist Church in Helen. I reached Unicorn Gap by 8:45 am ¢ plenty of time to make the 9 am pick up by the church van. The breakfast was great ¢ pancakes, eggs, bacon, sausage, juice and coffee. There were 21 hikers there and plenty of food for all. Thank you, Baptist Church of Helen for the great feed. I was back on the Trail at 11 am. The trail conditions were good and the sky was cloudy with some sun and no rain. I reached Tray Gap Mountain Rd at 1 pm where there was more Trail Magic. I missed the hot dogs but had a Gatorade, Snickers and filled my water bottle. Hiking on, I reached Tray Mountain Shelter at 2:20 pm; there were some nice camping spots but since it was early and I only had hiked 9 miles I decided to continue on to the next camping spot with water. At 3:40 pm I reached Steel Trap Gap and that is where I¢m staying tonight. I set up my tent and did some adjustments. It started to rain which gave me a chance to see if the tent would stay dry. The rain stopped and I made some additional tent changes. The rain resumed as I was cooking dinner ¢ 2 cups of boiling water, poured over roast chicken-flavored ramen. I ate the ramen with a bagel and a Mounds bar in the tent while it rained. The tent stayed dry. It is now 8 pm and the light is starting to fade. There is a group of 10 Boy Scouts and leaders here but they are quiet. Today I met Rat Man, Fumbler, and Red Hat who I hiked with in 2010. They are also thru hiking again. I met Monk, who had been hiking barefoot but today was wearing moccasins.
Date: 2012-03-25
From: Steel Trap Gap

To: Dicks Creek Gap (Hiawassee)
Miles today: 9.3
Weather: few clouds

Day #7. Up at 7:10 am; start at 8:20 am. Ascent: 2290. Descent: 3150. Duration 5:20. Today I went into town for resupply. It rained heavily again last night but stopped by the time I got up at 7:10 am. The tent stayed dry. It was 45 °F in the tent, the coldest night yet on the AT but close to average. I ate a Pot Tart and packed up a wet tent ¢ again. I was hiking at 8:20 am in overcast skies but it did not look like rain. Last night 10 Boy Scouts camped at the same place and let me use their bear line to hang my food bag. These scouts are preparing for a trip to Philmont this summer. They were excellent camp company. The hike today featured mostly mellow trails with a lot of gentle ups and downs. I reached Dicks Creek Gap at 1:40 pm and Bear Punch, DreamTime and I started to hitch. After a few minutes Sally, a shuttle lady, came into the parking lot dropping off two thru hikers back on the Trail. We took her up on her offer to shuttle the 3 of us into Hiawassee and were checking into the Holiday Inn by 3 pm. I had dinner at Daniels AYCE restaurant and am now back in the room. My gear is all over, trying to dry things out, particularly the tent. Tomorrow I am planning a zero day. It is 9:05 pm and hiker bedtime. Today I met Sienca Echo; I also saw Hopper and Bismark, who I hiked with in 2010 ¢ they are hiking the AT again this year, like me.
Date: 2012-03-26
From: Dicks Creek Gap (Hiawassee)

To: Dicks Creek Gap (Hiawassee)
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: clear sky

Day #8. Up at 7:15 am. Ascent: 0. Descent: 0. Duration 0. Today was a zero day. I was up at 7:15 am, cleaning up the mess from my tent drying out. I had breakfast at 8 am provided by the hotel ¢ pancakes, scrambled eggs, bacon, sausage, juice and coffee. Much better than Pop Tarts. I mailed my journal pages to Transcriber at the post office, got resupplies at the grocery store, and purchased alcohol and extra line at the outfitter. I seam sealed one spot on the tent where water was bleeding through ¢ it will be interesting to see how it works. There is nothing quite like sitting in the tent in the daylight in a heavy rainstorm for evaluating the tent¢s effectiveness. I watched some videos on YouTube and on Six Moon Designs¢ website on how to set up the tent. Now I have more ideas on how to refine my tent set up. Dinner at an AYCE restaurant again ended a good ¢zero day¢. Tomorrow back on the Trail.
Date: 2012-03-27
From: Dicks Creek Gap (Hiawassee)

To: Muskrat Creek Shelter
Miles today: 11.8
Weather: clear sky

Day #9. Up at 7:15 am; start at 8:50 am. Ascent: 4330. Descent: 2360. Duration 7:29. Today was good bye Georgia hello North Carolina. One down 13 to go. I was up at 7:15 am and ate the hotel hot breakfast. The shuttle picked me up at 8:30 am. I was hiking by 8:50 am in 50 °F air under hazy blue skies. The Georgia trails were smooth and well graded. I had a lunch of bologna and cheese on a bagel with mustard packs at 12:15 by a spring. Kentucky, Swiss, DreamTime and several other thru hikers were there, too. Three miles after my lunch stop I crossed the GA-NC state line and hiked on to the Muskrat Creek Shelter. I got water and camped near the shelter on a ridge. My dinner was Deluxe mac and cheese augmented with some spare cheese slices that I don¢t need for lunch. It is 7:55 pm and I just watched a beautiful sunset looking west from the ridge where I am camped. Too bad my digital camera can¢t capture the true beauty of sunsets. Today I also met Tick-Tock, Do-it, Just Angela and Just Neal.
Date: 2012-03-28
From: Muskrat Creek Shelter

To: Carter Gap Shelter
Miles today: 12.5
Weather: overcast clouds

Day #10. Up at 7:00 am; start at 8:30 am. Ascent: 2260. Descent: 2220. Duration 7:43. Today I crossed the first 5000 ft mtn on the AT, Standing Indian Mt at 5489 ft elevation. I was up at 7 am, packed, ate a couple of Cinn-a-Bons for breakfast and was hiking at 8:30 am. It was 50 °F with overcast skies. I wore long sleeves and a rain jacket. After about an hour these came off and I was in a short sleeved T-shirt and shorts in 55 °F temperatures. I reached Standing Indian Shelter at 11:50 where I met Lobo and had lunch. After 40 min I was back on the Trail again. I went over Standing Indian Mountain and reached the Carter Gap Shelter site where I pitched a tent, had dinner (4-cheese mashed potatoes with bologna nuggets and some peanut M&Ms for dessert). It is 7 pm and I¢m sitting on a log by the tent writing this journal. Today it did not rain and there was occasional sun but the temperature never reached 70 °F. Rain threatened but never materialized, however I would not be surprised to see rain tonight.
Date: 2012-03-29
From: Carter Gap Shelter

To: Wallace Gap
Miles today: 12.8

Day #11. Up at 7:00 am; start at 8:20 am.   Ascent: 2070. Descent: 2840. Duration 7:46. Today I passed the 100 mile point on the AT. I was up at 7 am in at 55 °F tent. I ate a Pop Tart and some peanut M&Ms for breakfast. It did not rain last night so I packed up a dry tent and was hiking by 8:20 am in a long sleeved T-shirt and shorts. There was a hazy sun all day long with a light but refreshing breeze at times; the temperature never got about 72 °F. I climbed Albert Mountain (5250 ft) - 1000 ft of steep rock steps going up. Nice to get that over with. The rest of the trail was smooth with only small inclines. I crossed the 100 mile mark on the AT going North before lunch. I selected a place to camp off a woods road just north of Wallace Gap, a nice spot 300 ft out of sight of the road. Tonight dinner was Ramen with added SPAM and a Snickers bar for dessert. Trail names today included Bam, Hank, Reggie, TNT, Java.
Date: 2012-03-30
From: Wallace Gap

To: Winding Stair Gap
Miles today: 3.1
Weather: broken clouds

Day #12. Up at 6:00 am; start at 7:07 am.   Ascent: 610. Descent: 660. Duration 1:31.   Today was a Nero day for resupply in Franklin, NC. I was up at 6 am in order to easily catch the 9:30 am shuttle at Winding Stair Gap. The night was comfortable and rain-free, and the tent temperature was 55 °F at 6 am - warm for this time of year. I was hiking by 7:07 am. The climb out of Wallace Gap was tedious but the trail was good and I made it to the Gap in 45 min. The rest of the hike was easy downhill into winding stairs. I arrived at 8:45 am and did some yoga while waiting for the shuttle. I was in Franklin at 10:15 am, waiting for the maid to finish cleaning my room. The rest of the day was busy: a shower, lunch, resupply, and laundry. There is a Trail Fest this weekend here and my motel is the HQ for the festivities. They had a NC BBQ with beans, french fries & chilies. It was excellent. Now (at 9:45 pm) the music is centered outside my motel door - a harmonica, banjos, and Irish accordion with a lot of background conversation. I will finish packing for an early start tomorrow, do some yoga (Sun Salutation and Katherine¢s Hiker Sequence to reach a peaceful state) and hope I can fall asleep in spite of the noise.