morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2004-08-02
From: Camp, Near South For k Hewes Brook, NH

To: Hexacuba Shelter, NH
Miles today: 15.8
Weather: clear sky

relaxing end to the day, I was in early, just before 7.00 and it felt good not to chase the last of the daylight. As the name suggests, this shelter is hexagonal, a really cool design. I was very much considering sleeping in when a school group of 12 teens turned up and I was out like a shot. They turned out to be nice kids, one even recognised my accent and there was some thoughtful discussion about the war and 'Are You Being Served?' It was a perfect evening temperature at the end of a hot day. In Vermont, when it was cool and muddy, I felt as if summer was ended and it would be a wet, cold, slog to Maine, but tonight is great, not even too buggy to sit outside in the dark and type this. I saw loads of snakes today. They looked like large Garter Snakes. One, in particular, was huge. They seem to grow big up here. After a long, hot climb I came out on Smarts Mountain with its rickety old fire tower. Normally, I don't spend too long on these things but the view was so spectacular I spent a while on the observation deck and on the steps below when that became too hot. After a while I was joined by Wizard and White Lightning. There was a long period without water today, it was a relief to eventually come upon South Jacob's Brook. ------------------------------
Date: 2004-08-03
From: Hexacuba Shelter, NH

To: Hikers Welcome, Glencliff, NH
Miles today: 14.7

A pretty easy day to prepare myself for the big change just ahead: the White Mountains. If the SOBOS are to be believed it's uphill all the way from here to Katahdin. I prefer to think they're full of.... I met up with Spearmint this morning, last seen in Maryland in early June. She'd missed out about 300 miles of trail and was still keeping to her low mileage regime. She seems to have had a lot of pain on this trip but is still gamely hanging on in there.I came out on the Glencliff road just as Wizard and White Lightning had successfully flagged down a ride to Warren, where there was a store and pub. There's a cliche you don't have to carry too much food in the Whites and that might well be true, but you do if you take 3 days to get there and eat most of what you have on the way.I jumped in the car with the guys and was soon in the bar in Warren staring at an ice cold Heineken. I was a little dehydrated as water was scarce on that last stretch and launching straight into a beer was heavenly. I made sure to follow it down with a water chaser as I could see how dehydrated boozing could be a short cut to hangover highway. We had 3 beers and ordered onion rings, salad and pizza, all good. It made for a nice afternoon only slightly spoiled by the thunderstorm and instant deluge White Lightning brought upon us by enthusing about what wondeful weather we were having.We walked to the gas station to resupply. Wizard called the hostel and arranged for them to collect us. We waited outside, me with a B&Js in the pouring rain, just to prove it wasn't just a warm weather thing.The Glencliff Hostel proved to be kinda basic. The outside walls apparently held in place by yards of black plastic. It was pretty ramshackle but friendly and welcoming, a mattress on the floor wherever you can find a space sort of a place. I decided to take one of 'house tents' all ready erected in the yard. There was a British guy, Recon, staying there who seemed to have had a nightmare in the Whites, almost starving to death. He appeared to have bought most of Walmart to avoid the same thing happening again in future. I ended up sitting up late talking to him, emailing and half watching Shrek.
Date: 2004-08-04
From: Hikers Welcome, Glencliff, NH

To: Eliza Brook Shelter
Miles today: 17.0
Weather: overcast clouds

It was a great moment to finally emerge above treeline on Mt Moosilauke for the first time in over 1700 miles. And fantastic weather! A panorama of mountains including Franconia Ridge just ahead, cutting through the sky like a jagged saw. I met up with White Lightning and Wizard on Moosilauke, they were chatting up Laura, the winsome summit caretaker. We all felt thrilled to bits to be there. Incidently, Laura had another of those dastardly: "You're dead to me now" messages to pass on to me from that evil posse I used to hike with for so long, before leaving the trail in CT.There is a tortuous path downhill from Moosilauke that was challenging in perfect conditions, but would have been practically suicidal in the rain. It featured some long granite slabs to slide down, a few of these were equipped with wooden 'steps' inset within the stone to walk on, a little scary. The words downhill boulder field comes to mind as an apt description for most of it and it was slow going. Probably the toughest mile of hiking on the AT....so far.We scored some Grade A trail magic at Kinsman Notch from some '94 Thru-hikers, Batch and his Scottish wife MMMB. Well, these two had brownies, queen cakes, twix, sodas, juice, bananas, grapes, you name it - but more than that they had tremendous energy and love of life. Batch and MMMB are in their late 70s having met when he was stationed in the UK during WW2. Incredibly, they are STILL hiking on the AT every year and seem to have done most of the national trails in Britain too. In them, I saw a picture of what I'd care to be like at that age, in fact, I'd settle for half their energy. I hiked with Wizard and White Lightning all day. By 8.00 PM, as it started to get dark and we were still miles away from Eliza Brook, it became clear we were gonna have to re-evaluate the old mileage thing here in the Whites. Finally, at 9.30 PM, after an exhausting 12.5 hr hike we pulled in to camp.
Date: 2004-08-05
From: Eliza Brook Shelter

To: Liberty Springs Campsite
Miles today: 11.4
Weather: scattered clouds

Yesterday proved to be a mammoth effort to make 17 miles, so today was much more relaxed, though I'd hoped to get a little further.A great day in the mountains. I'm so lucky to have the weather on my side, it's been bright, sunny, not too hot for hiking but warm. There were a couple of days back in VT when I feared we'd lost the summer altogether but I shouldn't have worried.More beautiful scenery today, fantastic views out over to Franconia Ridge from one particular look out. We walk most of this and it's been getting closer and more distinct ever since we emerged on the summit of Mossilauke. I can't wait. It's mostly above tree line and looks like a razor's edge from a distance, tough it's not like that.I made the decision not to go in to North Woodstock with Wizard and white Lightning. It would have meant a sub-ten mile day and I want to be doing a little more than that. I also didn't need to resupply and had an inkling it would be an expensive one by the time meals, beer and rooms were counted. It was a tough choice as I like those guys and I understand that a lot of folks are realising the trail is drawing to a close and slowing down to get the most out of what's left, especially here, in arguably the most spectacular section. The town experience and the bonds that come with that are also very important. Plus N. Woodstock has a brew pub...I did make a diversion to the Flume Visitors Centre on Franconia Notch but things were closing down when I arrived and I only got Chips, Ice-cream and coke.A chilly night. Maybe it was a good idea to pick up those winter clothes im Hanover after all
Date: 2004-08-06
From: Liberty Springs Campsite

To: Rough Camp Nr Guyot Campsite
Miles today: 13.2

I hadn't realised I was so close to the crest of Franconia Ridge at Liberty Springs last night, and was surprised to find a short spur trail not far from camp that led to Liberty Mountain's summit. I took it as I'd been observing this peak from down below the day before. It's profile is meant to resemble George Washington laying in state, with a little imagination I could see this, so I clambered up there so I could spend a few minutes disporting myself on the great man's nose. There were terrific panoramic views, the weather sharp and sunny. It felt great to be up there with an eagle's eye view of the world. First thing in the morning, I appeared to be alone; I'd been told hikers teem like ants across Franconia's spine but I saw nobody as I looked out along the chain of connected peaks and tiny cairns that receded to the North: Mt Liberty, Lttle Haystack Mountain, Mt Lincoln, Mt Lafayette.Later, I met up with Laura and Pablo hiking with a couple of friends. It was great to see them again, especially as they are the first people I have caught up with who were in Kent when I got off the trail for 9 days. Pablo is from Chile and was able to give me a few pointers on my proposed South American trip after the hike is over.As we stood on Garfield Mountain, the sky turned very black and streaks of rain appeared to be racing in from the East. We hurried from the summit but got lucky, the storm missed us and, although things got grey for a while below the treeline, it brightened up later for a pretty sunset.I visited Galehead Hut just to check it out, I've avoided them 'til now. It was dinner, so a bad time to pick up leftovers and chat up the 'croo', but I did buy 2 snickers for 2 bucks and scored a free bowl of thin soup. They offered me work for stay but it's the 'work' side of the equation I have a problem with. I just figure that whilst I'm carrying food around on my back that needs eating, there's little point cutting days short just for the 'experience' of doing dishes and mopping the floors for 90 hikers with more money than sense.I found a 'stealth' site tonight, just at the last moment before it got dark.
Date: 2004-08-07
From: Rough Camp Nr Guyot Campsite

To: Rough Camp Nr Mt Webster
Miles today: 15.2

My luck with the weather continues to hold, great sunny views when hiking and one hour of light rain spent in Ethan Pond Shelter whilst on a privy visit. Today's big surprise was easy hiking, well, easier. I had grown used to the terrible, trecherous trails here, very steep, often not much more than boulder fields requiring some hand over hand climbing or sliding on yer bum. They are kind of fun but so slow and in wet weather would be lethal. Having said this there is a big payback here in terms of great views from summits, smoky sunsets, gushing waterfalls, sparkling streams; all good mountain stuff. There are so many weekenders and day hikers here, but the terrain is hardly ideal for a little light walking with the family. I was talking to a ranger about this today and he said he didn't think most of them got very far. Well, today was the exception as the miles between Zealand Falls Hut and Crawford Notch were a doddle. The legs felt they had moved out of first gear for the first time in days.I visited the afore mentioned hut and spent 4 bucks on a bowl of soup and 2 snickers. I suppose the prices at the AMC huts aren't too bad if you consider most of the food has to be packed in on foot by the poor buggers that work there. No roads. In the Ethan Pond Shelter I was very surprised to find that Slainte and Stumblebum are only 3 days ahead of me. The figure was 6 days the last time I checked, not long ago. Either they've been doing work for stay at every hut or, more likely, somebody told Slainte there was a tiny bear cub at large in the woods somewhere within a 5 mile radius and he spent the past 3 days whimpering in the corner of Ethan Pond Shelter just like a little girl. The only other possibilty is that I am truly a collossol hiking terminator.I was so pleased to have nearly caught them up that I immediately decided to take the rest of the day off (?) From Crawford Notch, I hitched a ride to the AMC Highland Lodge. That place was packed out, the only vacancy the last bunk space for $69. Another fantastic bargain from the AMC. OK, it included meals, but I was thinking more along the lines of private bathroom, dial-up pizza and HBO. I called about 6 motels in the area but no joy. It was Saturday in the White Mtns in August and all of New England had decided to hit the woods.So, after a meal, it was back to the woods I went.
Date: 2004-08-08
From: Rough Camp Nr Mt Webster

To: Mt Washington/Inverdale Mote
Miles today: 0.0

Mt Washington is reckoned to have the worst weather in America - I believe it.Things didn't start out too bad, it was cloudy and cold out but not excessively so, a shame, but I've had such great weather so far in the Whites that I could hardly complain.I made good time along the ridge of the Southern Presidentials and was soon at the Lakes of the Clouds Hut, the largest, highest and most popular AMC place. I was pleased to find from the register that Chigger, who I saw in Kent just before leaving for NYC, had been there earlier that morning. After soup and snickers I pushed on to Mt Washington, though I could see nothing of the mountain as I approached, so thick was the cloud.I'm not gonna trash Mt Washington as a tourist trap as so many do because, although it is, it has also been that way for over a century. You see, there's a road and a cog railway leading to the summit, the first car made the trip late in the 19th Century, so people pour to the top only to discover it's freezing up there, eat a hot dog inside and head back down. In these respects it reminded me a lot of Mt Snowdon in Wales. This peak is the highest in the NE (6288 ft) the second highest on the AT and holder of the windiest place in the world record.The weather deteriorated rapidly whilst I was in the warm eating chilli and reading the register. I went out to get back on the trail only to discover a total cloud white out. I eventually located the AT and fell over on the rocks that had become slick with hale and rain. The wind was so strong it produced a below freezing wind chill (28F). I knew that the trail followed an exposed, high altitude northern ridge and felt like an accident waiting to happen. For once in my life I did the sensible thing, went back inside, blagged a ride down the mountain from a really nice family from Lexington, MA I had been talking with earlier.The family was kind enough to give me a ride all the way to Inverdale, a town 16 miles away where there's a selection of motels. They also paid for the tourist shuttle down the mountain we finally had to take. At the bottom, just as we left the car park, we spotted a large bear making it's way along the side of the lodge across the road. It was great to finaly see one away from the hot spots of NJ and Shenandoah. This motel is comfy. I got some handwashing done in the sink before showering and heading out to return with vast amounts of food to consume in bed watching cable.
Date: 2004-08-10
From: Mt Washington/Inverdale Mote

To: Rough Camp, Nr Carter Notch
Miles today: 13.7

I had good luck with Madison Hut for breakfast, they actually had the mythical left over pancakes I've heard so much about. I had 2 platefuls, hell, I even got maple syrup. The 'croo' there were very friendly, not that the were unfriendly elsewhere just 'businesslike' shall we say.It was a hard, rocky road along the ridge to Pinkham Gap. I left Madison at 10.00 and didn't make it 'til 3.00. It felt strange to be somewhere I visited the day before, my hike has been very sequential, continuous with no slackpacking or backtracking of any sort. I hung out at Pinkham Notch for just over an hour availing myselfof the limited food options. I'd mised the AYCE lunch. Actually, I did get a good egg salad wrap. I don't get many eggs these days, it seems. For some peculiar reason all the catering staff appeared to be Russians. I went somewhere the other day that was full of Russians. What can be going on?I hit the trail at 4.15 PM. Wildcat Mtn proved to be a tough one, but I was well fed and it's been great weather all day. I met 2 groups of southbound 'hut-to-hutters' who were having trouble with the tough terrain. One woman had been going since 10.00 that morning and had made about 5 miles all day, it was 5.30 when we met. I wonder how many people have been put off hiking for life as a result of their experiences in these mountains? Both groups doubted I'd make Carter Notch before dark, in fact they seemed to think I was crazy leaving so late. But evening hiking in the Whites is fun: the trails are uncrowded; the weather mild; there's great light softening and coalescing into fantastic sunsets. Of course, I wasn't actually going to the hut, especially when I remembered this one was self-service, so no food to score. It was just a point in the data book to aim for, as far as I'm concerned a piece of flat ground that shows up around dusk is as good a spot as any to camp. I like to keep them broadly in line with AMC rules and be aware of environmental concerns, especially the fragility of the alpine zone. However, finding one 200 feet from the trail is a chore as it's generally impossible to discern that far into the forest. Not many thruhikers on the trail today, in fact, I saw no NOBOS.
Date: 2004-08-11
From: Rough Camp, Nr Carter Notch

To: Rattle River Shelter
Miles today: 13.3
Weather: fog

Today was pretty hard over the Wildcat and Carter ranges, there were 5 mountains in the 3000-5000 feet range. As ever, it was the boulder strewn, granite slab ridden, vertical ski run of a trail that made things heavy going, especially on the downhills with the constant risk of falling.It rained in the late afternoon and a thunderstorm developed as I came out on the peak of Mt Moriah. Fantastic, always best to be on top of the highest point around carrying a couple of aluminum sticks in a thunderstorm. Luckily, the trail down was less treacherous than normal though the rocks were instantly slick and I fell a couple of times.It was a surprise to catch up with Chigger again. She'd ended up taking a zero at Carter Notch Hut yesterday as she wasn't feeling too hot. It was only us at the shelter tonight, I slept inside in case of more rain. I'm trying to decide between neroing in Gorham tomorrow, or pressing on with the intention of catching up with Slainte in the next couple of days.
Date: 2004-08-12
From: Rattle River Shelter

To: Rough Camp Nr Dream Lake, NH
Miles today: 13.0

Whilst Chigger and I were still sitting around in our sleeping bags drinking coffee, a trail angel appeared at the shelter offering us a ride in to town when we were ready.During the night I'd come around to the conclusion that I ought to forgo my precious nero in Gorham, enter Maine, catch up with Slainte and perhaps take a little time in Andover before really getting down to the serious business of putting this hike to bed. ----------- turned out to be one of the most thoughtful trail angels so far, he ferried Chigger and I all around town: to the PO, supermarket, chinese buffet, outfitter, library, shoe shop. We ended up getting all the things done we needed to and were ready to get back on the trail again at 2.00. I thought the least I could do would was buy the guy lunch.It started to rain just as soon as we began hiking, we soon had a muddy, slippery trail. The terrain was not as challenging as it could have been but that idea has become relative now. I think all of the country between the Whites and Katahdin is probably 10 times harder than anything south of that line. It's almost got to the point where I mean the chances of breaking a leg were slim in most parts of today's hike compared to most days.Because Chigger and I are both really tight-fisted we decided not to press on to the last shelter in NH, as it charged fees. Instead, we found some good stealth sites near Moss Pond. As we were setting up, Walk Softly put in an appearance and decided to stay. It was good to see him again. Crazily, he did a 21 mile slack pack from Pinkham Notch to Gorham yesterday.It rained pretty much throughout the night.
Date: 2004-08-13
From: Rough Camp Nr Dream Lake, NH

To: Full Goose Shelter, Maine
Miles today: 11.8
Weather: scattered clouds

Well last night's rain turned out to be a little more substantial than I initially thought. In fact, at some time during the night, the ground beneath my thermarest took on the feel of a water bed and I had the queasy feeling things were going badly wrong. My tent had never leaked before but I became aware there seemed to be a little water at the far end around my feet. I was cursing the tent and wasn't comforted by the sound of Walk Softly packing things up in plastic bags. I shone my head torch out the mesh and discovered I'd made camp in the path of one of those intermittent drainage streams that only pop up when it really, really rains. In fact, my alcohol stove was bobbing around in the current, threatening to head North on its own. I expected to see Chigger, who is only 5'1 float by on an uptured leaf. I considered various courses of action and decided to do nothing, as my minimal bath tub floor seemed to be just holding and if I did anyting too hasty I thought I might possibly upset the delicate equilibrium. This policy worked pretty well 'til about 7.30 AM when a late breach pretty much soaked my down bag, which as every hiker knows is a major catastrophe.The good news is that today we finally made MAINE, yes MAINE, a state that truly cries out for capitalisation: the 14th and final state; the state I've been hiking all these months to reach; the one that contains that once far-off peak, Katahdin. In the registers many hiker sign GA-ME after their names, they rarely mention that final mountain, so on that criterion we can all go home now and screw this final 280 miles.It has been a terrible day of more rain and dense cloud cover, so I cannot report accurately what this new state is like. First impressions? Wet and rooty.
Date: 2004-08-14
From: Full Goose Shelter, Maine

To: Rough Camp, Baldplate Mountain (West Peak)
Miles today: 12.8

It was nice to be in a shelter last night. Luckily, most of my warm clothes seem to have escaped the flood of Noah-like proportions that consumed the tent the night before last, so even though my bag is still pretty wet, I was able to pretty much sleep on top in the down jacket, thick socks and fleece hat. No, so far the long August nights have proved less than balmy here in soggy Maine.The Mahoosuc Notch has the reputation of being the tougest mile on the AT. I hiked all day with Chigger today and we soon found it, though the 5 miles to the next shelter did indeed prove the longest I've ever done. The Notch is really a long boulder field inside a deep cleft in the mountains. It's relatively flat but the huge rock formations are tricky to navigate, you have to scramble over, under and through various stretches. Curiously, there is ice permanently trapped in some of the deep holes. It's actually quite good fun, if relentless work and has been the first time I've had to throw my poles ahead and pass on packs to proceed down the trail. The Mahoosuc arm, the mountain that follows, is hardly easier going with some steep uphills up granite slabs slippery and lethal when wet.We almost caught up with Slainte today who got back on the trail after spending a couple of zeros meeting his family. We missed him by a few hours but got the trail magic sodas he left in a cooler. Nice one mate, but where was the fried chicken?It got dark as we made our way from Grafton Notch up to the first shelter; so dark that we both missed the shelter sign and found ourselves one mile further up on the summit of Baldplate Mountain. Damn, neither of us had done that before. What can I say? The trail was very wet and slippery and we needed all our attention on our feet.It was cold on top of the mountain but clear, so nice that the dense cloud that has obscured this state since I entered it had lifted. The stars were bright and imminent in the crisp, cold air. As luck would have it, 2 great places to camp popped up as soon as we realised our mistake.