morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2014-07-06
From: Manchester Center

To: Little Rock Pond
Miles today: 19.8

Back on trail today after a busy but enjoyable zero in lovely Manchester! I set foot on the AT at around 8:30 and was caught off guard by how tired I felt. The full food sack, perhaps? I felt like I was hiking through molasses, and I didn't make very good time. Still, the weather was nice (cool and dry) and I enjoyed a great view from the top of Bromley Mountain, which is a ski resort during the winter. At the top of Bromley I encountered a large group of Long Trail hikers who were laying scattered about the peak in what resembled a mass casualty situation. It was weird! Further on I ran into Seabiscuit, with whom I've been leapfrogging since Duncannon, and later ran into Evenstar (AT thru-hiker now on the Long Trail) and Whiskers (AT section hiker). I'm spending the night at Little Rock Pond, which is actually a mountain lake. I took the Green Mountain Club canoe out for a spin after dinner, and enjoyed watching the sunset from my vantage point in the middle of the lake. Not a bad way to end a short but strangely tiring day!
Date: 2014-07-07
From: Little Rock Pond

To: Cooper Lodge Shelter
Miles today: 23.7
Weather: few clouds

It stayed dry overnight and I enjoyed waking up in my tent without the rain fly. The Mosquitos were relentless though, so I packed up as quickly as possible and hit the trail. I felt depleted almost immediately and soon learned it would be a challenging day. I've found that my second day back on the trail after a zero is often more difficult, and this was no different.The day's hiking took me over Bear Mountain (I swear every state has one), up a rock scramble past Rutland, and through a section of trail under construction before Governor Clement Shelter. It poured torrentially immediately before the latter, and I slipped and fell on my rear down a muddy embankment where trail workers were placing new rock steps. It was special. There was also a section of rerouted trail beginning at Upper Cold River Road to prevent hikers from having to ford a stream, the bridge over which was destroyed during Hurricane Irene. I ignored the reroute and pressed ahead, intent as always to pass every white blaze on the trail! The stream was high but passable by rock hopping, but just barely. I'm glad there weren't any trail workers there to turn me around!The crux of the day was the climb up Mount Killington, which felt much longer than its 2,000 feet. The climb was steep and the trail narrow in places, with a lot of slick rock and exposed roots. I suspect it wouldn't have been as challenging earlier in the day and were I not feeling drained, but it was over quickly enough.I spent the night at Cooper Lodge, a fully-enclosed shelter at the top of Mount Killington where I met Crankenstein and Chad, two SOBOs who jumped from Monson, Maine to Vermont to avoid high waters and long weather delays up north. They're good guys and I wish them the best on their journey!
Date: 2014-07-08
From: Cooper Lodge Shelter

To: Winturri Shelter
Miles today: 26.2

Today was one of those days on the trail when nothing leapt off the guidebook page and gave me something to look forward to. It may not be the best mentality, but after 1,700 miles it's something I'm grappling with. That said, there were a couple highlights of the day including reaching Maine Junction, the point where the Long Trail diverges from the Appalachian Trail, and "discovering" The Outlook, a privately-owned cabin with a stellar view that's available for thru-hiker use. The Outlook is listed in the AWOL Guide but AWOL doesn't advertise that hikers can stay there. It's a new fully-enclosed cabin with a fireplace, loft, screened windows, and a seating area on the roof to enjoy the view you see at left. I would have stayed had I known, but I didn't pack in water. Fellow thrus, I strongly recommend you stay here!I'm spending the night at Winturri Shelter with NAMI, The Greatest of All Time, and two other guys whose trail names escape me (sorry guys). Not a bad spot, but farther off the trail than advertised in AWOL. I'm setting my tent up in the shelter to avoid the bugs and hedge against a nighttime storm!
Date: 2014-07-09
From: Winturri Shelter

To: Hanover, New Hampshire
Miles today: 26.3

I'm glad I set up my tent in the shelter because it rained torrentially overnight! I loathe packing up a wet tent, and I was happy to avoid it. Yesterday was a long day--I find mid-20s are getting as hard as 30s once were thanks to the terrain--but I'm so sick of getting rained on that I was intent on reaching Hanover, New Hampshire by evening. The day brought a lot of climbing, but the footpath was largely smooth for the first time in weeks and I made good time. I was surprised by numerous stretches of open fields; it drove me crazy in the early going as the grass was wet and I got soaked every time I came across them, but it was wonderful when everything dried out. There was one moment when I was walking across a field, watching the grass wave in the wind as the shadows of clouds scuttled across the hills, that I held out my hands and felt the stalks slip through my fingers and it felt as close to perfect as anything on this trail has.Then Vermont bade me farewell by soaking me in another thunderstorm! Oh well, thru-hiking is all about taking the good with the bad. I reached lovely and historic Norwich, Vermont around 5:30 PM and savored my walk across the Connecticut River into Hanover, New Hampshire, my thirteenth and second-to-last state on this journey.
Date: 2014-07-11
From: Hanover, New Hampshire

To: Fire Warden's Cabin
Miles today: 23.3

Today was a tough day, and not just physically. I'm feeling very homesick, and while I've long anticipated returning home my desire to do so is growing ever stronger the closer I get to the end of this journey. I have nothing but time to think, and on days like today my mind wanders home and REALLY wants to stay there.The day's hiking included three large climbs, the longest of which (Smart Mountain) fell at the very end of the day. The climbing is more direct here, with fewer switchbacks and steeper grades. I suspect this foreshadows what I'll encounter beginning with Mount Moosilauke on Sunday. New Hampshire has also been generous with vistas; I think I saw more unobstructed views during today's 23 miles than I saw in the whole of Vermont!The highlight of the day was eating dinner in the fire tower atop Smart Mountain. It was breathtaking, with the setting sun splashing alpenglow across the Whites as a full moon rose on the horizon. It may very well have been the best view to-date of my thru-hike attempt, but I still would have traded it for time with loved ones.
Date: 2014-07-12
From: Fire Warden's Cabin

To: Jeffers Brook Shelter
Miles today: 21.0

Today's miles passed quickly. I got off to a slow start and didn't hit the trail until after 7:00, but the long descent from Smart Mountain meant good time. The day's first challenge was the climb up Cube Mountain, which involved a lot of exposed rock and some scrambling. My legs felt tired after several days of increased climbing, but I was rewarded at the summit with a great view back to Smart Mountain and ultimately to Mount Killington in Vermont (I think).The trail after Cube Mountain was unremarkable save for the poor starts of its maintenance, particularly over Ore Hill. In many places the wooden beams placed to help hikers navigate muddy stretches had rotted away, leaving only the metal rods placed to secure them. These were buried under the mud and I stepped on several. Painful! Blazing was also inconsistent, and there were so many social trails hikers created to bypass the mud pits that vegetation along the AT was being destroyed. Sounds like a job for the Dartmouth Outing Club!Around 4:00 I stopped by the Welcome Hikers Hostel in Glencliff, where I charged my phone, drank three sodas, ate four ice cream sandwiches, and took a shower. I was sorely tempted to stay, but thought it best to cover the remaining mile tonight rather than tack it onto tomorrow's ascent of Mount Moosilauke. I ran into Geared Up, Reroute, and HTK at the hostel (I stayed with all three last night on Smart Mountain) and enjoyed a trail beta-heavy conversation with two SOBOs (Gilligan and Hungarian Revolution) once I arrived at the shelter.Up and over Moosilauke tomorrow, the first big climb of the White Mountains. It'll be challenging, but what really concerns me is the week of forecasted storms and the approaching polar vortex, which could make the Whites dangerously cold. I'm praying for good weather!
Date: 2014-07-13
From: Jeffers Brook Shelter

To: Eliza Brook Shelter
Miles today: 15.9

Boy, they weren't kidding when they said the Whites would be tough. I've had my first taste of these mountains, and it's clear the next 200-ish miles will be the hardest of my entire thru-hike!I hit the trail a bit before 7:00 for the biggest climb of the day: Mount Moosilauke. At just a hair over 4,800 feet, it was by far the tallest peak since Roan Mountain in Tennessee. The climb was long but easier (relatively speaking) than I anticipated, and I found myself on the summit ridge after about 2.5 hours. It was great being above treeline again! I ate breakfast in the lee of some boulders at the summit and began the descent.I have a lot of respect for SOBOs, because the other face of Moosilauke is BRUTAL. It's a long, punishing scramble over slick rocks, and it took me nearly as long to descend it as it did to climb the other side (descending is generally far faster than climbing). It's so treacherous in places that trail maintainers have bolted in steps and placed rebar to help hikers navigate the greasy rock. It was easily my hardest descent to date, and it's only the first peak in the Whites!The day's second act was a long climb over Wolf Mountain. I would have enjoyed the scrambling more if I hadn't been worried about the rain, which held off until around 3:00. I was pretty damp when I rolled into my shelter for the night at 4:15. It feels strange to stop so early, but better to stick with my goal for the day than try to go over Kinsman in the rain. Hopefully it will stop by tomorrow morning!
Date: 2014-07-14
From: Eliza Brook Shelter

To: Liberty Springs Campsite
Miles today: 11.5

I slept in the shelter last night, but not well. The area was buggy and the shelter packed, and I woke up throughout the night to the sound of rain falling on the roof. At least I was dry! I hit the trail early (6:15) and was on top of Mount Kinsman by 8:30. The cloud ceiling was low, so I was blessed with a lovely view of the Whites towering above the clouds. I ate breakfast on the summit then hightailed it down to Lonesome Lake hut where I devoured leftover pancakes (gratis), a piece of coffee cake ($1) and ferreted out the latest weather report. I love AMC huts!The forecast called for afternoon rain, and since I needed to get into Lincoln for resupply I hustled on my way. En route to Franconia Notch I broke the tip off my trekking pole, yet another reason to stop at the outfitter in town. The descent to the notch took less than an hour, and I found myself in Lincoln by noon. I picked up some cold weather gear at Lahout's Summit Shop, ate a couple slices of pizza and drank a soda that exploded all over me, and resupplied at Price Chopper before setting foot back on the trail at 2:00 for the long climb to the night's campsite.As luck would have it, I beat the rain. After speedily setting up camp (one never knows when the weather will turn), I chatted with the caretaker and some section hikers then did some manual labor to earn my Work For Stay. I hope to do that again tomorrow night at Zealand Falls Hut, but the 17-ish hard miles I'll need to cover in the rain may prevent me from reaching my goal. We'll see!
Date: 2014-07-15
From: Liberty Springs Campsite

To: Zealand Falls Hut
Miles today: 17.1

I awoke early this morning and upon poking my head out the tent flap was stunned to see a clear sky. Not wanting to miss out on a potential view from Franconia Ridge, I broke camp and was on the trail by 5:45 AM. I find climbing seems to be a bit easier in the morning, and so it was with the ascent to Franconia Ridge. Within a short time I was on the ridge, and the views were stunning. Being above treeline is unlike anything the AT has offered up in the past 1,800+ miles, and as always it was intoxicating. Clouds scuttled by far below, and off on the horizon rose the massif of Mount Washington, capped by a lenticular cloud. I hiked through krumholtz and alpine tundra, and savored every minute of it. The summits of Mount Lincoln (5,089) and Mount Lafayette (5,291) were socked in by the time I arrived, but getting that view from the ridge was a treat.The rest of the day was really epilogue. I went up and over Mount Garfield (4,500), stopped at Galehead Hut for some delicious AMC baked goods, topped out South Twin Mountain (4,902), and made a long ridgeline descent to Zealand Falls Hut where I'm doing my second work-for-stay (the first was at Liberty Springs). I should probably mention the AT runs down a waterfall after Mount Garfield. Not a seasonal or intermittent stream, an honest-to-goodness cascade. It is slippery and incredibly treacherous. What purpose this serves is beyond my understanding!I'm writing this update from the porch of Zealand Hut, with another hour to go before I get to eat some leftovers and help do the dishes. Then I'll rack out on the floor of the dining room. Not a bad arrangement! I have reservations at Mizpah Spring Hut tomorrow night, so that's something to look forward to. Then it's the Presidential Ridge and Mount Washington; fingers crossed for good weather!
Date: 2014-07-16
From: Zealand Falls Hut

To: Mizpah Hut
Miles today: 14.3

My alarm clock this morning was the Zealand Hut "croo" getting breakfast ready for the hut's guests, and the other thru-hikers and I scrambled to get our kits together before folks started filtering in for coffee. We received leftover PB&J sandwiches for breakfast, and I sipped coffee while watching the rain fall outside. It was clear we were in for more than just a brief shower (considering it rained all night), so I summoned what fortitude I have left and headed out into the rain.The day's initial miles followed an old railroad bed and passed quickly. Despite the fact the trail was utterly flooded and was more a flowing stream than anything resembling a footpath, I covered the roughly 7 miles from Zealand Falls to Crawford Notch in a little over two hours. The fact it was raining probably helped speed me along! Then came the long ascent from the notch to Webster Cliffs, Mount Webster, and Mount Jackson, all of which were unfortunately socked in. There was a surprising amount of scrambling required, including some pitches I'd consider Class 4 (i.e., significant physical harm from falling). It rained the whole time, and the wet rock made things more...adventurous. The rain finally stopped when I reached the top of Mount Jackson, and I was at Mizpah Hut less than an hour later.Hut life isn't bad! As a paying customer I get all the coffee I want, along with dinner and breakfast. Mizpah is a large hut and the place is packed, and though I'd sleep better in a tent it's nice to have a roof over my head, running water, and a composting toilet just down the hall. I'll be turning in shortly. Tomorrow brings one of the highlights of the AT: the Presidential Ridge and Mount Washington. I think I'll stick around for breakfast to wait out the forecasted fog and hopefully get an unobscured vista in the Whites.
Date: 2014-07-17
From: Mizpah Hut

To: Madison Springs Hut
Miles today: 11.8

Today was my 4-month "anniversary" on the AT, and there's no way I would rather have marked the occasion than traversing the Presidential Ridge. I was up and out of my bunk by 5:30 and joined my fellow thrus drinking coffee in Mizpah's dining room. Breakfast was served at 7:00 and I was out the door 45 minutes later for the day's climb up to Mount Pierce and the Presidential Ridge. The day's hiking was in all likelihood the best of my thru-hike. All of it was above treeline, with nearly continuous views of the White Mountains and its Appalachian brethren marching off to the horizon. Clouds rose over the ridge and dissipated in the sun. The sky darkened only to be wiped clean, revealing an expanse of brilliant blue above a pristine tableau of alpine tundra, krumholtz, and granite. It was sublime and awesome in those words' fullest sense. As far as I'm concerned it is the crown jewel of the AT, at least the 1,858 miles I've hiked.I'll spare you the play-by-play, but I will say the hiking wasn't as challenging as I expected and the summit of Mount Washington was shockingly crowded. There was actually a line of people waiting to take photos of the summit sign! Most of these folks disembarked the cog railway, queued to photograph the sign, then went to the summit shop to buy tchotchskies. We hikers looked very out of place! I really, REALLY hope Katahdin is less crowded should I be so fortunate as to reach it.I'm writing this entry from my bunk at the lovely new Madison Hut. Tomorrow I'll hike the short distance to Pinkham Notch, where I'll overnight before meeting Britta there on Saturday for a brief escape from the trail. Then back to the trail Monday, and Maine (!) before the week is out. Unbelievable.
Date: 2014-07-18
From: Madison Springs Hut

To: Pinkham Notch
Miles today: 7.8

Note: This is the most recent of eight new journal entries corresponding to my traverse of the Franconia and Presidential Ridges. Read 'em all! Also head over to the URL below for links to multimedia from the past week. Thanks for following along!I woke up at my customary 5:30 this morning and slipped out of my berth at the Madison Springs Hut to join Grasshopper, Mosey, and Mosey's daughter in law for coffee in the hut's dining room. Breakfast was oatmeal and pancakes, which I enjoyed with some lovely folks from Boston and Washington DC, and I ate more than my fair share before finally leaving the hut at 8:45 (!) for the slightly less than eight mile descent into Pinkham Notch.The descent itself followed a ridgeline down to and across the Great Gulf Wilderness, and was uneventful save for my worst fall since beginning the AT. I was cruising along at speed (think of a slow jog) near the Osgood Trail Cutoff when my foot slipped on a rock and my trekking pole punched through the trail (which happens maddeningly often here). Unable to stop my descent, my forward momentum pitched me forward and brought me down head-first on a rock! Needless to say I was shaken and possibly concussed, but I hiked out and save for the battered right side of my body I'm no worse for wear. I'd like to avoid a repeat of that!I reached Pinkham Notch around 1 PM, checked into my room at the Joe Dodge Lodge, took a shower, recharged my phone, and spent the afternoon relaxing. Britta arrives tomorrow and I'll be off the trail visiting with her until Monday, when I'll head up into the Wildcats bound for Maine!
Date: 2014-07-21
From: Pinkham Notch

To: Carter Notch Hut
Miles today: 5.9

Short day today. I stepped back on the trail around 1 PM after a lovely weekend with Britta. There is a rich story that began long before I set foot on the AT that will never be told in this journal. It's a story of selflessness, patience, forbearance, tenacity, and courage. It's Britta's story. She is an uncommon woman and I am deeply blessed to have her in my life. Enough said.The climb out of Pinkham would have been tough under any circumstances (very steep), but it was especially challenging with six days of resupply in my pack! The trail took me up and over several of Wildcat Mountain's peaks, which offered fantastic views of the neighboring Whites. The trail was poorly blazed beginning with Wildcat Mountain Peak D, but after an initial unmarked trail junction there wasn't really any possibility of error. I arrived at Peak A around 3:45 and enjoyed a fabulous view down into Carter Notch, which I reached by 4:30 after a steep but very well engineered descent. Good job, AMC!I'm writing this update in my bunk at Carter Notch Hut. Someone left the door open and there's a mosquito flying around in the dark trying to get me! Outside the window I can see a rock field on Carter Dome, bathed in alpenglow, punctuated by boulders the size of this hut. Tomorrow will be my last full day in New Hampshire. Maine or bust!
Date: 2014-07-22
From: Carter Notch Hut

To: White Mountains Lodge & Hostel
Miles today: 15.3

I got a late start today, largely because I could! I was out of my bunk at Carter Nktch Hut by 6:00 AM and spent about an hour drinking coffee and chatting with the other hut guests before a breakfast of cream of wheat, cinnamon rolls, scrambled eggs, and hash browns. Delicious. I hit the trail around 8:00 and managed the steep climb up Carter Dome rather slowly, given I hadn't begun digging into my large food supply. The trail was mild until the descent, which involved a lot of rock slab and took me a long time to complete. I'm probably being overly cautious in light of last week's fall, but I can't help thinking about it when my hip continues to complain!The afternoon brought a stop at Imp Shelter and the climb up Moriah, which offered fabulous views of the Whites to the south and east and the Mahoosucs and Maine to the North. Then a long and punishing descent to the Rattle River Shelter, my destination for the night. However, once I arrived I noticed there was a hostel right on the trail only 1.6 miles further, and I elected to push on in order to get a shower and reduce tomorrow's miles (I'm hoping to avoid a forecasted afternoon thunderstorm). The hostel is nice and clean and run by Minnesotans! I'll be turning in early to facilitate a prompt departure in the morning.After today's hike I've effectively completed the Whites, at least as a contiguous series of high peaks. From here the elevation decreases, but that doesn't mean the trail gets any easier! Tomorrow I head into the Mahoosucs, and by the end of the day I'll be in Maine. Wild.
Date: 2014-07-23
From: White Mountains Lodge & Hostel

To: Carlo Col Lean-To
Miles today: 17.0

Whoever said the Mahoosucs were more challenging than the Whites weren't kidding. Yikes. The climbs are steeper with far more exposed slab, which can only really be climbed by smearing up the rock. I felt like I had to fight for every inch of trail, which doesn't bode well for the coming days!I was on the trail by 7 AM and after a short road walk began a series of ascents and descents leading ultimately to the Mahoosuc Trail and the day's high point, Mount Success. The day was hot and the hiking challenging.As the day wore on it became clear the weather was deteriorating, and it culminated in a severe thunderstorm just as I was cresting the summit of Mount Success. I dove under a rock overhang just as the sky opened up and sheltered there for about 45 minutes waiting for the rain to abate. It finally did, but shortly after I resumed hiking another rain band rolled through and soaked me to the bone. I made my way down the mountain as quickly as I could, passing the New Hampshire/Maine state line as I went. I paused there to contemplate what reaching this final state meant, but only briefly on account of the deluge. I finally pulled into Carlo Col Lean-To (WAY off the AT down a steep side trail) and found the shelter full of SOBOs who fortunately were able to make room for me. Not the welcome to Maine I had been hoping for!