morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2016-07-08
From: Eliza brook shelter

To: chest place, Lincoln NH
Miles today: 8.5
Weather: mist

The day started with everything wet from thunderstorms during the night and I went really slow on the rocks during climbing the Kinsman. It's amazing how steep these trails are in the Whites. Actually a lot of places there were 30 or 40 foot lengths of rock that you had to crawl up on all fours. That makes for easy climbs because it forces you to go slower but coming down, that just hurts.When I got to the hut, which is for the day hikers with money, I did buy a wonderful bowl of soup and then hustled down from the mountain while it still was not raining. I had half of my food sent forward from Glencliff to a hostel in Lincoln so I tried hitch hiking for an hour and half before someone picked me up. I really couldn't see anything from Kinsman so knowing that it was going to rain all weekend decided to zero again on Saturday and play it by ear for Sundays before I take off again. I don't want the same thing to happen as it did in the shanandoa trails where I didn't see anything because of the rain.Rained all afternoon and night so the hostel is filled but the place is comfortable. It is run by a nice guy that was injured 15 years ago the day before he was to do a thru hike so he started this hiker hostel to bless the thru hikers.
Date: 2016-07-11
From: chest place, Lincoln NH

To: Garfield shelter
Miles today: 15.2
Weather: overcast clouds

Hiked another mountain that gave us the wonderful view of a mile long waterfall. Unfortunately that waterfall was the trail and again lent a whole new take on slalom hiking. Stayed at a shelter that costs 10.00 for just an ordinary shelter but that's the Whites. The trails are so poorly marked and there are so many trails that it's hard to stay on the correct trail.
Date: 2016-07-12
From: Garfield shelter

To: Crawford notch
Miles today: 11.0
Weather: overcast clouds

After our initial 2500 footer we climbed which was one of those funny, straight up a mountain trails we had the rest of the day on an amazing smooth and soft trail. We didn't know what to make of it but I'm sure we were being setup for the 5009 foot climb tomorrow. When I stopped at the hut at mid day I bought a bottomless bowl of soup and that was great. I came across 3-jack again after 6 weeks so we hiked together again. I was going to stay at a hostel but wanted an early start so climbed halfway up Webster mountain and stealth camped for the night and it was an awesome night for camping.
Date: 2016-07-13
From: Crawford notch

To: Lake of the clouds hut
Miles today: 10.2
Weather: overcast clouds

Quite a climb today of 4000 feet to the lake of the clouds hut and still 1200 feet short of the summit. Had to try to stay here or else I would have to hike over the summit and go another 7, no way after this tough day. The hut system charges 140.00 for paying customers but for thru hikers you have 3 options here at lake of the clouds. I could do work for stay and then eat leftovers after the meal or pay 10.00 to stay in the dungeon or pay 10.00 to sleep on the floor but no leftovers. I did work for stay and did chores at 3:00 so I can leave early but the ones who get chores for the morning don't get started on the trail till 9 or so. It is supposed to rain tomorrow so not sure what I'll do. I don't think I can go 15 to the pickup spot for a hostel and the only other option is 6 miles to another hut but can't show up too early for getting work for stay so that means hiking in the storm at 5000 feet elevation, hmm mm not fun.
Date: 2016-07-14
From: Lake of the clouds hut

To: pinkham notch
Miles today: 18.0

Today hiked the second half of the presidential range and finished as a total the White mountains. Yesterday we climbed the mt. Eisenhower, Monroe, franklin, and today did mount Washington, Clay, jefferson, and monroe. Couldn't sleep again which is getting more common but woke at 3:30 and started hiking at 4:30 headed up the last 1200 feet of Mt Washington. It looked like I might see the sunrise but the fog moved in and when I got on top I couldn't see anything plus I was by myself and had nobody to back me up as to which trail was correct. I wanted to split the day up but I arrived too early at the next hut to wait all day and get a work for stay and knowing it would rain after 3pm I hustled out and climbed mount monroe which was a total rock scramble using hands and feet. After the top we had 8 miles of rock hopping down 4000 feet. Oh my aching feet and everyone said the same about how destroyed we were. While waiting for the hostel shuttle to pick us up the storm finally roared through and dumped the rain. Physical assesment; feet are pins and needles with 5 numb toes and calluses coming off the heel and a toenail that I will soon loose. Right calf muscle cramped and feels like might be slightly torn. Left thigh is numb or sometimes tingles like bugs are crawling on me. Hips are burning and both knees are swollen and stiff. Shoulders are raw from the pack but healthy and after eating a large pizza I'm satiated for the night.
Date: 2016-07-15
From: pinkham notch

To: rattle river
Miles today: 17.2

The wildcat mountain was tough beyond tough but for the first time I listened to podcast which took my mind off the climb. I saw my first moose today with a calf standing in a pond eating and that was so neat that I forgot to take a picture. Did way too many miles and now my calf is swollen and sore.
Date: 2016-07-16
From: rattle river

To: Gentian shelter
Miles today: 15.1
Weather: broken clouds

Picked up my food box today and luckily the weight didn't feel too bad but hips say different and my calf gets worse with amazing pain but God is good and the pain lessened. Been using a knee brace and I switch it back and forth. It seems my knees are doing better but maybe it's just my attention is on my calves. Had another moose sighting and this one would completely submerge to eat then come up to breathe. I think I got some good pics. At the shelter I couldn't stop eating, again. I put my food away and an hour later would have to get my food out from the bear box and have another meal. My weight is down to about 140 so when I called my wife to wish her happy anniversary I could tell her I also weigh the same as when we were married.
Date: 2016-07-17
From: Gentian shelter

To: full goose shelter
Miles today: 9.6
Weather: clear sky

Pulled up short on miles today so that I can do the notch tomorrow. The notch is supposed to be the hardest mile of the trail and takes most people 4 hours to do. Got up early today as usual and sat with my pack ready while it rained but still was on the trail at 5:45. Stopped raining at 10 and dried up good except for my shoes. I kept stepping onto bog bridges and they would sink into the mire before I could get to the next board. My socks dried in the sun but now smell like a dead animal.I've noticed a lot of hikers getting really fatigued and many are hiking like automatons toward Katadyn just to get done.
Date: 2016-07-19
From: full goose shelter

To: somewhere 
Miles today: 14.0

July 19Was not planning on big miles today and stuck to that but my total climbs came to 5000 feet so the 10.5 miles really took its toll. I've lost so much weight that as soon as I pull into camp I have throw on my long sleeve Patagonia midlayer and my puffy down jacket and a wool hat and put on my zippered legs for my pants. All this while the sun is shining although it was a decently cool day.Met up with 3-jack again at the shelter. He and I started our hikes on the same day in Georgia bit always separate then manage to meet up again at some point.I think I forgot to mention that I have had 3 moose sightings in 3 consecutive days and one day was able to get some good pics of a cow submerging itself to eat grass in a pond.
Date: 2016-07-20
From: somewhere 

To: somewhere
Miles today: 15.0
Weather: few clouds

Today completed the infamous notch, the hardest one mile on the trail. Took me 1:40 minutes and included many death defying acts of insane bravery and balancing skills, none of which include actual hiking. The temperatures in the bottom of the notch were around 40 degrees and there was still ice down in the pockets. Felt good about how long it took since most take 3 or 4 hours. Afterwards I did the Arm which is insanely steep and we estimated to be around 70 percent grade up rocks. As I started the next mountain I missed the trail for that shelter so I figured I would go the extra 3 1/2 miles but it started thundering and the top of a mountain is a bad place to be. Little did we know that the hikers 5inutes ahead of us saw a funnel cloud above us, so that was comforting.It waited till I got my hammock up before it poured and I just sat under my tarp and ate.I also have seen 4 moose so far.
Date: 2016-07-20
From: somewhere

To: Frye notch
Miles today: 14.0

Started today with a rediculous 70% climb up 1200 feet and then 2500 feet up medium slope the 50 foot ups and downs for 3 hours which was the most tiring.I started writing the other day about how tired people are getting. Most nobo's (northbounders) just want this to be over now and tend to just motor on like automatons toward their final approach. Others have started to yellow blaze which is hitching to bypass certain sections but that is #rowned upon if they are still calling themselves thru hikers. Today I did 14 miles and my calf held up fairly good. My calculations still show I only need 12.5 miles per day to finish on the 10 th.
Date: 2016-07-21
From: Frye notch

To: hiker hut hostel
Miles today: 13.4

Since the profile on the guide book looked decent I did an 18 mile day to get to the highway and hiked a short way to a hostel to stay the night. The profile did not show the roots, mud, rocks, and a thousand small ups. Had a good night sleep though and ate a good fish chowder and did a minor Resupply in town for food.
Date: 2016-07-22
From: hiker hut hostel

To: Poplar ridge shelter
Miles today: 11.0
Weather: overcast clouds

We nobo's are definitely meeting the main bubble of South bounds now. Probably crossed paths with 15 or so hikers and stayed at this shelter with all sobos. You can really see the lack of experience in these hikers with only a couple hundred miles compared with my fellow nobo's. I can watch them and probably pick the individuals that will never make the distance starting with the young kids all strung out on drugs and thinking this is a big party. One thing that really pissed me off is the school teacher who thinks these kids that are high and drunk are just so cute and precious.The shelter I am staying at is the last place that inch worm was seen alive at 2 years ago. She was an older lady hiker that got lost and was finally found 2 years later after having succumbed to the elements. It is quite evident that the section of trail in Maine had gotten just a bit, or much too much wild and overgrown and unmarked because there has been a lot of recent work and the white blazes on trees are all new and numerous.
Date: 2016-07-24
From: Crocker campsite

To: horns pond lean to's
Miles today: 18.6
Weather: light rain

Did a big day today even if I promised myself that I wouldnt. I wanted to give myself some cushion at Katadyn for figuring out how to get to the Bangor airport. I'm set up for doing the Bigelow tomorrow and getting excited to finish these mountains finally. The view from the shelter is the best yet and we look up to the peak of Mount avery. We can even see the sobos hikers up there. I've been continuing to switch my knee brace back and forth and it really helps to take the strain off going down the hills. Still being careful with not straining my calf on the right leg but it's just tired over the edge I think. Going to go to bed early and get up earlier to put in another big day.
Date: 2016-07-25
From: horns pond lean to's

To: West carry pond lean to
Miles today: 18.6
Weather: few clouds

I've been taking pictures for the last 2 days of the 4 signs saying we've gone over 2000 miles. The most accurate sign is the sign on the trail made from sticks and will probably be respected enough to not be messed with all summer. Got on the trail at 4:45 am and had 3 big peaks and 3 smaller and the views were phonominal from the tops of the bigalows. When I got to the top of the first and could see down to the shelter I screamed loudly just to see if anyone 1500 feet down would waken, yeah, I'm kinda crazy sometimes. The air high up was cool but coming down into the valley it was hot and the day turned out to be quite tough. I wanted to do a big day so that Monday I could reach the ferry crossing the Kennebec river before it closes at 2pm.Actually had a grumpy hiker at the shelter tell me that nobody who gets up at 4:30 should stay in the shelter so I invited him to get up with me and finally asked him to leave my shelter. A really odd attitude concerning his take on the trail community.
Date: 2016-07-26
From: West carry pond lean to

To: caratunk
Miles today: 14.0
Weather: clear sky

The trail today was just wonderful. Flat, soft, and even the mountain was easier than normal so I got on the trail at 5:15 and opened it up to do the 14 miles and make it to the Kennebec river and catch the ferry to the carat unknown side. Had no worries about making it and did the 14 by 10 o'clock. An awesome day. The carat unknown B&B where I stayed was beautiful and super clean. A truly wonderful experience. I did some supplementing with food to make it through the 100 mile wilderness where there is no food to be had, at least affordable that is.thos will be my last zero probably and I'll be still a day ahead of schedule so I will have to figure where to slow down. I would rather not slow in the wilderness because of food issues but we will see.I think I've managed to slow the weight loss but I'm sure my body is starting to consume my leg muscles now because even the small hills are killing me and talking to all the other guys they are experiencing the same. The women on the other hand rarely lose much if any weight and continue to get stronger as their natural fat reserves are transformed to muscle.
Date: 2016-07-28
From: caratunk

To: pleasant pond shelter
Miles today: 13.0

I have ore food than ever before for the 2 days to Monson and then the 6 days of the 100 mile wilderness and oh so heavy. Gotta eat down the heavy items or I'll collapse. I wore my knee brace, turned around and covering my calf muscle and keeping it warm seemed to really help. I was so tired that I almost didn't setup my hammock but the bugs convinced me otherwise. As warm as it was during the night I find that I still need my under quilt or my back gets cold with the air underneath the hammock.A couple of others that I hiked with 800 miles ago caught up to me so it was a nice reunion. Another guy that I met in Vermont has already summit ed Katadyn and re-hiked the 100 mile wilderness heading south.
Date: 2016-08-05
From: pleasant pond shelter

To: Abol bridge
Miles today: 120.0
Weather: light rain

With no phone signal in the 100 mile wilderness I have not entered anything for over a week so I will make a few wrap up entries.I stopped in Monson to get more food because even though I thought I would have enough I can't stop eating and in two days ate a quarter of my food already. Entered the 100 mile wilderness on leaving Monson where there are supposed to be no chance of Resupply in but right away we can see that there is no really sense of the word 'wilderness' here. All the roads we cross are privately owned but you can arrange for shuttles or food drops for a big fee. Also we see day hikers in droves every day. Every day we pass more people than any part of the trail. Most of the southbound hikers are past us and those we see and with so few miles on them really have that scared look, just like us when we were in Georgia. Of course we have learned that the hills never end and we had some challenging days. All the thru hikers are experiencing a lot of exhaustion so even the small mountains are killing our legs but we keep chugging. The weather is the warmest we've seen on the trail so that is causing mice and chipmunks to really be active and we desperately protect our dwindling food but to no avail and I lose energy bars or candy bars nightly.About halfway thru the wilderness we started seeing mt. Katahdin for the first time and when on whitecap mountain really saw how imposing that finish really was. Spent a lot of time in the mornings when I was the only hiker on the trail picking blueberries and fully intended on collecting them to eat later but that always turned into throwing handfuls of berries in my mouth.The wilderness trails were really intermixed with horrible roots and rocks and then sections of trail that felt like a carpet. I was really trying to slow down but a couple days where the trail was flat and in my eagerness would do big miles which was undoing in the end with being 3 days ahead of schedule.
Date: 2016-08-06
From: Abol bridge

To: Abol bridge
Miles today: 20.7
Weather: few clouds

These last days of the 100 mile wilderness were spent more as a stroll. I averaged around 10-12 miles and stopped at a lot of the ponds to rest and relax. even though i was doing so few miles I still felt that need to get out of the hammock early and still started on the trail each morning by 5:00 and would get to the next campsite around 12:00.It's amazing how beautiful this part of Maine is with the forests of pine and little undergrowth, the ponds and streams but there sure is little wildlife around it seems. Maybe the chipmunks scare all the other animals away because we sure saw some very aggressive squirrels and chipmunks. They would jump on our packs as soon as we set them on the ground and within seconds would chew through the backpack. It was getting tough to wake up to the birds since there are so few birds but the 6 hour internal alarm clock still works. if to sleep by 9 I still wake by 3 and lay around till 4:30.As far as the streams go there was still some tough spots where we would pass many places marked on the guide book as having water only to find a mud puddle or damp soil so I started carrying 2 liters all the time. As weary as I got to feeling, the last couple of mountains were still quite tame though those last South bounders told us how awful those hills were. All the while we catch views of Katahdin getting closer and more imposing.finally exited the wilderness at Abol Bridge and stopped at the store/restaurant and again met Jason who i've seen over the last 5 days. After eating we set up camp next to the river and had one last fight with chipmunks stealing food and chewing my bags during the night. At one point I grabbed my food bag down from the tree and slept with it figuring that bears were the least of my worries since the squirrels will surely scare the bears away.next day hiked the last 10 miles into Baxter state park and camped with 5 other thru-hikers for the night in anticipation of the summit on the Sunday.
Date: 2016-08-07
From: Abol bridge

To: Katahdin summit
Miles today: 5.2
Weather: overcast clouds

woke up at 3:30 and on the trail by 4:00 in the dark so the first couple miles I had to use my headlamp. I was so excited to be this near the end that I melted those 4500 feet of climbing away but then I suppose the fact that I took all my heavy stuff out of my pack really helped too and I have to admit it felt good not carrying 30 pounds for a change. I did carry 2 liters of water though and glad I did. It soon became cold enough to have to put on my fleece jacket and wool hat and gloves. When I got above tree line the wind was howling and the fog soaked me pretty quickly. This mountain had some pretty good false peaks and when the steep climbing was over there is still the 1.5 miles of table lands to hike until the real summit.It was so amazing to reach that sign and about 500 yards before the fog lifted and the wind started to abate to make for the best summit I could have imagined. It really was quite an emotional time to realize that finally, after 2189.1 miles I succeeded in this beast of an adventure that to be honest, really wondered if I could. Nahhhh! I knew that I would make it if I had to crawl to the finish but the feeling of joy at the accomplishment was wonderful. To make the ending even more sweet was that so many of the friends that I hiked with for hundreds if not a thousand or more miles had caught up and decided to summit the same day as me so as I descended I was able to say my good byes to so many. I literally flew down that 4500 feet of mountain and rested at the bottom while waiting for my ride to come down from his summit. Wow, talk about feeling lost suddenly when the goal has been reached and now what?I truly believe that it was not the miles or the monster mountains I climbed or the pain I endured and conquered over but the friends that became like family to me on the trail. Age and cultural differences, background with experiences or employment, none of that mattered when we all had a common bond with the trail. the time after the miles and when we pulled into shelters or met up in groups at stealth sites next to rivers and we talked about our day on the trail. Those are the times I will remember the most and relish the memories of how we came together to hike this thing called the AT.
Date: 2016-05-14
From: Deep Gap

To: Carter Gap Shelter
Miles today: 8.5
Weather: clear sky

A glorious first day of our 150 mile section hike. Since we arrived a day early in NC, we decided to start our hike a day sooner than planned. I'm hiking with Turtlestone/ Jenny. Her husband Tim drove us back the 6 mile dirt forest service road to start our trek. The forest was especially beautiful today and the trail was fairly easy. Spent all of the day above 4,000 ft. Our highest point was Standing Indian Mountain at 5,435 ft. Grand mountain views from the summit. Spending the nite in our tents by Carter Gap shelter. Tonight's forecast is 37 degrees with high winds.....good sleeping weather!
Date: 2016-05-15
From: Carter Gap Shelter

To: Long Branch Shelter
Miles today: 8.6
Weather: overcast clouds

Beauty all around...and then the killer climb to the top of Alberts Mt. Lots of precarious rock scrambles for my short legs. BUT we conquered... And our reward, a gorgeous view from 5,250 ft. Jenny climbed the fire tower for an even better look. I tried, but just couldn't get past the first flight if open stairs. The path beyond Albert was much kinder all the way to Long Branch Shelter where we spent the night. We were joined by a lovely older couple and then 9 young Baptist youth ministers who were in a bachelor party hiking trip. They serenaded us aound their campfire with harmonizing religious songs accompanied by a ukelele and tamborine. HEAVENLY !
Date: 2016-05-16
From: Long Branch Shelter

To: Winding Stair Gap
Miles today: 7.3

Still no open blossoms on the millions of rhododendrens, but lots of wild flowers of all colors. The deciduous forest was amazingly green and full of squirrels, chipmunks, and birds. Most of the rocks we encountered were near Rock Gap shelter where we stopped for a break. Only half of the shelter survived from a giant tree falling on it a few weeks back. Luckily no one was hurt. Found trail magic (food and drinks set out by a trail angel) shortly before finishing up at Winding Stair Gap where Tim picked us up to go to his campground down the road.
Date: 2016-05-17
From: Winding Stair Gap

To: Winding Stair Gap
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: overcast clouds

Taking the day off to get back on schedule, shower, do laundry, resupply our backpacks.....and relax our old bones! This is a good chance to mention that I am backpacking for a cause as well as for fun. I'm collecting donations for Steve Sanders, a friend and member of my church, who is battling cancer. Checks can be made out to Pittsfield Community Church with Steve's name noted. Thank you to all who support in this endeavor. Prayers are welcome too!   Pittsfield Community Church   17026 St. Rt. 58      Wellington, Ohio. 44090