morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2015-04-10
From: Locust Cove Gap

To: Walker Gap
Miles today: 14.4
Weather: moderate rain

Haven't heard from the guys today but saw through Spot that they are at Walker Gap. They must not have cell service. We'll update the journal once they get in touch again - should be tomorrow. They are less than 3 miles from Fontana Dam which is tomorrow's destination. They are planning on resting for most of the day before they start the 7-8 day trek through the Smokies.Claire
Date: 2015-04-11
From: Walker Gap

To: Fontana Dam
Miles today: 4.1

Jacob's Ladder isn't a ladder at all. It's 600 feet in .6 miles on a dirt path. Even though yesterday's hike wasn't easy we kept on going past two shelters and one camping area and finally stopped and pitched our tents on the side of the hill at Walker Gap around 6:30. Not exactly level ground. Early today we walked around a bit and realized there was a campsite complete with fire pit right near where we had stayed. We had set ourselves up for an easy walk into Fontana Dam and got there fairly early this morning. Spent the day resting, eating and preparing for tomorrow's start of the hike across the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. The park gives thru hikers 8 days to get from one end of the park to the other and requires a permit to do so. We have eight days of food in our packs and hope we don't need it all. We were told by a local that we had just finished the hardest 30 miles in the South. Good to know since it wasn't a walk in the park. I doubt the difficulty will change much for a while though. Not sure how good the phone service is in the park but we'll do our best to post journal updates.
Date: 2015-04-13
From: Fontana Dam

To: Spence Field Shelter
Miles today: 16.4
Weather: overcast clouds

The weather was great for our first day in the Smokies - a little warm but clear and dry. The views of Fontana Dam from the fire tower 4.4 miles out at Shuckstack were pretty good. We had climbed 2100 feet by 11:00 and would climb another 1121 by the end of the day. The trail is different here with more switchbacks and loop arounds. A bit more of a gradual climb but we were still ready for some grub and a pillow when we finished. I tried out my new insoles today and was glad I did. My feet were definitely more comfortable hiking and not so sore tonight. Talk has turned to animal sightings. One of the hikers claims to have seen a couple of Wild Boar. Wouldn't want to meet up with one of those.
Date: 2015-04-14
From: Spence Field Shelter

To: Silers Bald Shelter
Miles today: 11.8
Weather: light rain

As nice as yesterday was today wasn't. The rain came in overnight so our tents were soaked when we broke down camp. It was a cold windswept rain and made for a tough day with a slippery trail and some steep up and downs. The shelter here is full as is the ones before and after this one and there are quite a few tents besides ours. The trail is pretty congested. We are now at 5200 feet and will climb Clingman's Dome at 6655 feet, the highest point on the AT, tomorrow. We don't have our hopes up for any views since it is supposed to rain again. We are 12.5 miles from Gatlinburg and will try to get to town tomorrow if it is still raining. With rain predicted for the next week we'll take advantage of any opportunity to dry out.
Date: 2015-04-15
From: Silers Bald Shelter

To: Icewater Spring Shelter
Miles today: 15.5
Weather: moderate rain

We have walked less miles in the past two days than we did on the first day in the smokies. The rain has been nonstop and torrential so it has slowed us down. We did pass the 200 mile marker yesterday though. We slept in a shelter last night and will again tonight. There are 18 of us in a 12 person shelter. We never made it to Gatlinburg to dry out but it doesn't matter, we'd be soaked again anyway. Hopefully tomorrow will be drier than today.
Date: 2015-04-17
From: Icewater Spring Shelter

To: Davenport Gap Shelter
Miles today: 27.4
Weather: overcast clouds

Despite the rain and muddy trail, we managed to pull of two decent mileage days. 12.6 yesterday and 14.8 today. It rained just for a couple of hours in the early afternoon yesterday and today it finally didn't rain at all. We actually got some great photo ops today of the valley covered with fog and clouds. We leave the Smokies tomorrow without really getting a good look at the park. Tomorrow we will hike just a few miles to Standing Bear Farm to after a week since our last stop, finally get cleaned up, dried out, recharged and resupplied before heading back out on Sunday. It will be nice to clean the mud off. Our next stop will be Hot Springs NC about three days away as we continue along the Tennessee and North Carolina border.
Date: 2015-04-18
From: Davenport Gap Shelter

To: Groundhog Creek Shelter
Miles today: 10.5
Weather: overcast clouds

Standing Bear Farm wasn't what we expected so we didn't stay very long. Just long enough to pick up our resupply boxes, buy some food and drinks and take a quick lunch break before heading back out on the trail. There is a group of us who hiked together today and plan on hiking to Hot Springs by Monday night. We are now way overdue for showers and laundry. We have two 13 mile days ahead of us, but they'll be worth it once we get to town. The weather and the trail were good today for hiking. We encountered two rattlesnakes, a Timber and a Diamondback that we were able to get pictures of. I called my grandson Hunter tonight to tell him about them - for those of you that don't know, unlike Robi1 he is a huge fan of snakes.
Date: 2015-04-20
From: Groundhog Creek Shelter

To: Hot Springs 
Miles today: 26.2
Weather: few clouds

One bad day and one good day. Sunday was a very tough day on the trail. Windswept pouring rain most of the day with gusts so strong at Max Patch that it was difficult to walk. They had to have been 40 mph. We got to Walnut Mountain Shelter after 13 miles of hiking and found a small shelter already full with its occupants trying to block the rain from coming in through the open side with a tarp and picnic table. We decided to keep walking until the rain stopped. It stopped after another mile or so when we reached Catpen Gap and just in time for dinner. Today was a much better day. After a thunderstorm passed through first thing this morning, we put on our last set of dry clothes and hoped for the best. We stayed dry all day. The 10 mile descent into Hot Springs seemed to take forever. We could see the town below for a long time before we even got close. We rented a cabin for tonight and tomorrow night with a group of hikers at the Hot Springs Campground. Finally after nine days of hiking we were able to shower and get our clothes washed. Tomorrow we are taking a zero day to finish drying out and rest our tired feet. Thinking of you Mom.
Date: 2015-04-21
From: Hot Springs 

To: Hot Springs 
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: scattered clouds

A day off was just what we needed. We got everything cleaned up and dried out. That should help lighten our packs a bit. I repaired a bag that some critter chewed a hole in, doctored up a small blister and also bought some trekking poles at the local outfitters so I won't keep slowing us down on the wet downhills. Meals were the primary focus of the day. Tomorrow we plan to walk until we don't want to walk anymore.
Date: 2015-04-23
From: Hot Springs 

To: Flint Mountain Shelter
Miles today: 32.3
Weather: few clouds

We have had two great days of hiking coming out of Hot Springs. Both were good climbs, but the weather was nice and the trail mostly dry so we were able to get in 15 plus miles each day. I'm a happy hiker in four wheel drive with my new trekking poles.   We had amazing 360 degree views today of the mountains and valleys in the distance atop Big Firescald Knob. There was a ceremonial service going on when we got there honoring a trail master with a plaque placement. Our next trail town is Erwin TN, 35 miles away. Hoping to get there midday Sunday.
Date: 2015-04-24
From: Flint Mountain Shelter

To: Low Gap
Miles today: 14.9
Weather: clear sky

Another great day for hiking with gorgeous views but along a grueling trail of ups and downs and steep switchbacks. We took a break this morning from a particularly difficult 3.2 mile uphill climb near a beautiful waterfall. While we were sitting having a snack we were treated to a different kind of trail magic - a family of deer sighting.(Mom, Dad and a youngster) It is awesome to see these wild animals in their environment. We had been working really hard climbing up the steep switchbacks and we sat and watched as these three animals proceeded to walk straight up the hillside. Now that's what I call 4wd! We have been hiking longer days and putting in consistent mileage lately, feeling stronger and ready to even kick it up a notch. We start our day tomorrow with another uphill climb of a little more than 1000 feet and then we start the gradual 15 mile descent into Erwin TN. We are expecting rain Saturday and Sunday so we'll get accommodations in Erwin for Sunday night to clean up and dry out once again.
Date: 2015-04-25
From: Low Gap

To: No Business Knob Shelter
Miles today: 14.6
Weather: light rain

The rain started while we were breaking down camp this morning. We were prepared for a full day of rain but were pleasantly surprised when it stopped after just a couple of hours. Shorts and t-shirt weather after that for the rest of the day. Today's hike started out with an uphill climb out of Low Gap. We passed through a meadow and then two really steep sections with rock scrambles as we started the downward progression toward Erwin TN. We started the day at an elevation of 4300 feet got as high up as 5500 feet and ended the day at 3200 feet. Erwin is just 5.8 miles away and lies at 2057 feet so we have another 1100 foot descent for tomorrow's easy day. Looking forward to an afternoon break, hot shower and a real bed. Probably even watch some TV tonight....
Date: 2015-04-26
From: No Business Knob Shelter

To: Erwin TN
Miles today: 6.3
Weather: light rain

Easy nero day today getting in to Erwin. We had a relatively short downhill hike in the rain and managed to get a ride into town where we spent the afternoon doing laundry, eating pizza and relaxing at the Mountain Inn & Suites. Staying here tonight and heading back out in the morning.
Date: 2015-04-27
From: No Business Knob Shelter

To: Campsite
Miles today: 13.0
Weather: clear sky

The good thing about staying at an Inn is that you get a chance to empty out your pack and get everything cleaned up, dried out and reorganized. The bad thing about staying at an Inn is that you empty out your pack and then you have to repack everything back into it. So that was why we got off to a late start this morning. Not only did we have our gear to repack but also try to squeeze in the 6 days worth of food and supplies from our maildrops. Then we had a mile plus walk down the road to the trailhead before we could officially start our day. Today was mostly an uphill climb, gaining over 2000 feet in elevation. The weather was great so we were able to get a good view of Roan Mountain in the distance. Roan Mt is the last peak over 6000 feet that we will climb until we get to New Hampshire. We found trail magic today at Indian Grave Gap where we were treated to sweet tea and brownies for an afternoon snack. About three miles past there we stopped for the night at a campsite at the base of Unaka Mountain 5 miles south of Cherry Gap Shelter. There is a strong wind and a frost warning tonight but we should be warm in our tents. Tomorrow we climb Unaka Mountain first thing and then we will tackle Roan Mt on Wednesday.
Date: 2015-04-28
From: Campsite

To: Campsite
Miles today: 17.0
Weather: broken clouds

Not much to say about today's hike other than we had ideal hiking weather again and I twisted my ankle and ended up on the ground. If I had any ligaments in my ankle I might of actually hurt myself, but since I don't, no damage done. It was cold last night and is chilly again tonight but the day was great with Temps in the 50's. We had some great views toward the end of the day once we got passed Clyde Smith Shelter. We camped at another unnamed campsite tonight at the base of Roan Mountain about 4 miles south of Roan High Knob Shelter. With any luck we'll climb Roan before the rain comes in tomorrow. It would be nice to actually see the view from one of these high southern peaks.
Date: 2015-04-29
From: Campsite

To: Overmountain Shelter
Miles today: 12.1
Weather: few clouds

It didn't rain today afterall and Roan Mountain doesn't have any scenic vistas. Today's hike was not as difficult as we expected because of the switchbacks but the terrain was rocky so that did slow us down a bit. We decided to end our day when we reached Overmountain Shelter since it seemed the place to be tonight. The shelter here is an old converted barn that sleeps 20. There are 20-25 of us here with a few staying in tents. The rain should be coming in overnite so we are staying in the shelter so we don't have to pack wet gear in the morning. One of the hikers got a ride into town to pick up some beer and has handed it out as trail magic. Hanging out by the campfire tonight we got a glimpse of a rainbow.
Date: 2015-04-30
From: Overmountain Shelter

To: Mountaineer Shelter
Miles today: 18.5
Weather: light rain

We climbed two balds this morning - Little Hump Mountain and Hump Mountain. Both were tough uphill climbs with Hump Mt being the steeper and taller of the two at 5587 feet. We had beautiful 360 degree views at the peak. Those climbs were followed by a 6 mile downhill before the rain developed. It was sunny until early afternoon when the clouds came in and the temperature dropped. The rain finally came but didn't last long so it didn't slow us down. We got to the shelter around 4:00 after hiking over 18 miles bringing our total miles over the 400 mark. It is cold again tonight leaving me to wonder if the weather is ever going to warm up for good.
Date: 2015-05-02
From: Mountaineer Shelter

To: Campsite
Miles today: 32.4
Weather: scattered clouds

It was 29 degrees on Friday morning and it had hailed overnight. It was a cold hiking day, overcast, foggy & wet with Temps in the low 40's. The terrain wasn't too difficult so we still managed to get in a good 16 miles for the day. We had resupply boxes waiting for us in Hampton TN so we headed into town at the end of the day. Since the price was very reasonable and it gave us a chance to get out of the cold and damp weather, we stayed at the hostel overnite. Saturday started out cold also but the skies were clear and the day warmed up nicely. Just a mile into our hike we came to Laurel Falls which is a beautiful area to take a nice break at. After that we had a good uphill climb of 1700 feet and then a downhill of the same. We stopped for the night about a mile south of Vandeventer Shelter. We have left North Carolina for good and are just two days out from the Tennessee/Virginia border. On our way to Damascus for a short break and another resupply.
Date: 2015-05-03
From: Campsite

To: Double Spring Gap
Miles today: 21.0

Today was another good day for hiking. Our first 8 miles or so were tough with a lot of ups and downs but the trail got a little easier after that. At one point we ended up in a cow pasture where the cows seemed to follow us. They were actually heading to their feed which just happened to be in the direction we were walking. We are anxious to get to Damascus and can feel the pull to get to the Virginia border. We ended the day just 12 miles out from Damascus and plan on getting there early tomorrow afternoon. Damascus hosts AT Trail Days every year but we are a week early for this years event which kicks off Saturday the 9th. We hope to get a little break while we are there but plan on heading back out to the trail within a day or so.
Date: 2015-05-04
From: Double Spring Gap

To: Damascus
Miles today: 12.8
Weather: clear sky

The hike in to Damascus this morning was relatively easy with fairly level terrain. A nice change from what we are used to, but the humidity made it a little uncomfortable. We passed the Tennessee/Virginia border about 4 miles before town and said goodbye to our third state. We finished the 13 miles before 1:00 and had the afternoon to get settled in. The hostels were all full because of a funeral tonight for the local outfitter who died suddenly but we managed to get a deal on a cabin on the river for tonight and tomorrow night. It has all the comforts of home so we will enjoy a little r&r while we are here. My feet can definitely use a little break. Hi to everyone at the ALC. I hope the water in the pool is warm enough for you Dan.
Date: 2015-05-05
From: Damascus

To: Damascus
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: scattered clouds

Our break in Damascus was well appreciated. The cabin suited us well and the beds were even comfortable so we got some good sleep for the two nights we were there. It was wonderful to eat and drink something other than our typical trail grub. We even treated ourselves to an ice cream Monday afternoon before dinner. I picked up a new set of insoles for my boots and also replaced a pair of underwear that was stolen from our laundry back in Hampton. Robi1's long johns were stolen too but with the warm weather finally here he didn't bother picking up a new pair. We boxed up some of our winter gear and mailed it back home since we don't think we will be needing them for a while. We stopped by the barber shop where I had my neck shaved and my beard and mustache trimmed up and then soaked my feet in the ice cold river for about 45 minutes. We are loaded up again with 6 days worth of food and supplies and are heading out to start the long trek through the state of Virginia. One quarter of the trail is in VA so it will be quite a while before we see another state.
Date: 2015-05-06
From: Damascus

To: Lost Mountain Shelter
Miles today: 16.1
Weather: broken clouds

We met up with Cold Potato, M & M, Clover and Owl on our way out of Damascus this morning. They were just arriving to town so we gave them our leftover ice cream and drinks and headed back on the trail. We had a tough 900 foot climb up Iron Mountain to start the day and then another one 4 miles later. We stopped for a break at Saunders Shelter and could hear the skies rumbling in the distance. We had hoped to beat the rain to Lost Mountain Shelter but got caught in a downpour instead around 4:30. Soaked when we got to camp a half hour later and then had to wait an hour and a half before the rain stopped so we could pitch our tents. The shelter is full with 15 tents outside. The trail seems crowded again but it is probably just because we are near Damascus. Trail Days start this weekend.
Date: 2015-05-08
From: Lost Mountain Shelter

To: fairly flat spot
Miles today: 30.5

We left Lost Mountain Shelter Thursday morning and had a really tough climb up Whitetop Mountain. 5 miles of constant uphill. Virginia's two highest peaks are Whitetop Mountain and Mount Rogers. Both are over 5000 feet. After we climbed Whitetop, we then had Mount Rogers to climb. It rained on and off all day and the skies looked threatening when we got to Thomas Knob Shelter so we decided to stay there for the night. Between the steep climbs, boulder fields and thunderstorms, Virginia is proving to be challenging. It has been difficult to put in decent mileage. Friday we hiked through Grayson Highlands State Park where there is a herd of wild ponies resident there to keep the foliage trimmed down. We saw three ponies before we entered the park and none while passing through unfortunately. We got in 18 miles before stopping on the side of the trail for the night. We were near a campground but didn't bother to walk the .7 mile trail to it and instead opted for the flattest spot we could find. It has been very warm for hiking and the nights are even a bit uncomfortable for sleeping. We'll have to start thinking about swapping out our winter sleeping bags.
Date: 2015-05-10
From: fairly flat spot

To: Atkins VA
Miles today: 27.3
Weather: overcast clouds

The trail wasn't too difficult Saturday but it was hot again. We got our motivation for the day from our guidebook. 16.5 miles out was Partnership Shelter where there are showers and you can call for pizza. We got to the shelter early enough to get a spot inside for the night and to take a shower before dinner. A $50 minimum order is required for the pizza so all the hikers pitched in and got one big order. The younger crowd were up late last night so we didn't get much sleep. I have decided that I am not staying in a shelter anymore.Today's hike was a tough uphill climb the first 5 miles and the rest a downhill cruise into Atkins. Flowers are blooming finally and their fragrance is strong enough to cover even my own stench. About 8 miles into our hike was the Lindamood School, an old one room schoolhouse and the Settlers Museum. The schoolhouse was open and inside was trail magic of apples, crackers, cokes and t-shirts. Nobody was there just stuff for the taking. We got into town early this afternoon and did the usual town stop stuff. We are staying at the Relax Inn tonight. I've been thinking of my Mom a lot and want to thank her for a great day. Happy Mother's Day to all the moms out there.
Date: 2015-05-11
From: Atkins VA

To: Campsite
Miles today: 15.1
Weather: light rain

Today was awesome. The terrain wasn't easy and it was hot and humid but we had a great day. At around the 10 mile mark we sat next to a road (va 610) under a tree and ate lunch. It was a beautiful spot so we stayed about 45 minutes. Very relaxing. Then we went about 2 miles and came to a large stream and cooled down in the water. The river was full of fish and also had crawfish in it. When we had to pull ourselves away from the river we went about 200 feet and found trail magic. Cold sodas and pb+j sandwiches. Then we only had 3 more miles to go to find our camping spot. We took the first ones we found because thunder and dark clouds were coming in. Have been set up for 2 hrs but no rain yet. Today's milestone - We have hiked over a quarter of the way to Katahdin.
Date: 2015-05-12
From: Campsite

To: Jenkins Shelter
Miles today: 19.3
Weather: overcast clouds

Today the first 10 miles were what we expected. 1 medium size hill and one good size hill. We saw some beautiful views and got some great pictures. The next 9 1/2 miles looked fairly flat on the map but were anything but flat. The terrain was very rocky and it doesn't sound like much but when you climb up 100 feet in elevation then climb down 150 feet then up 150 then down 100 all afternoon it kicks your butt. We got in 19.3 miles but it took from 8:30 am until 7:15ish to do. Long day, sore feet, so I guess I'll say goodnight.
Date: 2015-05-13
From: Jenkins Shelter

To: Helveys Mill Shelter
Miles today: 15.3
Weather: clear sky

Hard to beat a perfect day like today. Walking in the green tunnel that the foliage has created is cool. The trail was fairly flat, dry and without rocks to climb over and the weather was sunny, cool and breezy. We found trail magic twice and we get to do this again tomorrow. The hike started with a short uphill climb this morning then leveled off before dropping down into Laurel Creek. Just before the creek was our first trail magic. A cold soda was the perfect thing to enjoy while soaking our feet in the cold creek. The trail then continued on without any big changes in elevation for the rest of the day. When we reached where the trail meets US 52, there was a hiker from last year offering rides to Subway in Bland, Va. We couldn't pass this up. So we got a ride to and from and scored Foot Longs for lunch. Another couple of miles and we were done for the day. We finished up early so we got a little down time before settling in for the night. Should be comfortable sleeping weather tonight.