morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2022-10-09
From: US 19E TN 395.3

To: Carvers Gap TN/NC 380.5
Miles today: 14.8

Best.hike.ever. Today¢s hike, in the Roan Highlands, was magnificent, certainly the best day so far of this trip. It started off at Carver¢s Gap, mid-way into the Highlands, as a reverse slackpack back to last night¢s hostel. The weather was mid-30¢s with gusts of 15-30 mph, making it quite brisk ¢¦I was wearing almost every piece of clothing I had. I had mostly recovered from yesterday¢s exertions and, after a remarkably good breakfast at the hostel, was ready to rock ¢n roll. Almost immediately the trail crossed three balds in succession - Round, Jane, and Grassy Ridge Balds, each featuring sweeping panoramas of the mountains on either side. Fall foliage changes have hit here, so these vistas featured mountains in all colors of the rainbow. Often AT hikers report no views at all as the ridge (at 5800¢) is often socked in by cloud, but we were fortunate today and had sunny skies. I made slow time, as the temptation to stop and take pictures at each step was overwhelming (note that these pictures never captured the actual beauty). Next, the trail progressed to Little Hump and Hump Mountains (Don¢t ask. Perhaps they were saving the ¢Big Hump¢ name for a future mountain?). Walking along the treeless trail to these mountains, with the ranges on either side, felt like walking on top of the world. Being a holiday weekend, I must have passed away 100 other hikers - yet it still felt like I was the only one there. Remarkable. I have blocked from my mind the last 5 miles of the hike, which were a rocky and steep descent back to the hostel. The first 10 miles were epic. On returning to the hostel, a group headed out to the local pub and swapped stories. Everyone felt very satisfied with the day¢s efforts. Tomorrow we return to Carver¢s Gap and head south, up and over Roan Mountain itself. I am crossing my fingers for more!***A brief note on state boundaries - while the trail officially crossed from TN to NC today, it crosses back and forth across state boundaries for a number of miles.
Date: 2022-10-10
From: Carvers Gap TN/NC 380.5

To: Cherry Gap Shelter TN 361.4
Miles today: 19.1

The shuttle dropped us off at Carvers Gap at 7:20 to continue the journey south, starting off with climbing Roan Mountain through a stand of fir trees whose aroma reminded me of Christmas. The shelter on top, at 6270 feet, is the highest I have passed by so far. To my surprise and slight regret, this side of Carvers Gap had none of yesterday¢s drama. The trail was more similar to the rest of Tennessee, a generally well maintained golden tunnel with only one foliage view.I continue to be fascinated by the way light streams through the trees, creating different moods depending on weather, time of day, and forest cover. It is difficult to capture well in photos, though.  It was a long mileage day to be able to get to Cherry Gap shelter, but manageable due to the terrain. Float and I arrived about 4:30 and were joined by two other flip floppers, Happy Dancer and Bee Balm. Happy Dancer is 72 and just out of a splint for her broken wrist (which she hiked with). What a warrior. With the aid of a little Purell, we lit a fire and enjoyed its warmth as temperatures started slipping. By 7:30 we were all snug in our sleeping bags. It occurred to me as I was walking today on my first full North Carolina day that, as an East Coast girl, I have personal associations with most of the states the AT passes through (with the exception of GA and WV). Virginia is where my oldest daughter was married, and Tennessee my younger daughter. My younger daughter went to school in NC and lives there now. I have lived in 3 states, and have family in others. Many of the threads of my life weave through these states just as the trail does, and memories are evoked every time I cross a state line. It makes for interesting reflections as I hike. Tomorrow we will hike into Erwin, TN for a resupply.
Date: 2022-10-11
From: Cherry Gap Shelter TN 361.4

To: Erwin, TN 344.3
Miles today: 17.1

I slept well last night, as there was little wind and the temperature remained around 40 degrees - conditions well within the capabilities of my sleep system (pad plus quilt plus clothing). I am hoping I will be good down to 25 degrees- and that it will not get colder than that before I finish in mid November. Today¢s hike was mostly a ¢get there from here¢ segment aimed at arriving in the town of Erwin, TN. It started with a long climb up Unaka Mountain, whose summit was covered by an ethereal stand of moss-covered evergreen tree trunks, like something out of Tolkien. It followed with a long downhill section, punctuated by ¢PUDS¢ (pointless ups and downs) along the way. The highlight was a viewpoint about halfway down known as ¢Beauty Spot¢ which provided long views of the mountains to the south, including our first glimpse of the Smokies, looming high and mighty in the distance.Awe-inspiring, to be sure. I¢ve mentioned that my Day 3 challenge was the Roller Coaster and my Week 3 challenge was The Priest. My Month 3 challenge is the Smokies, and I still have some work to do to figure out how I will approach them. The last 3 miles into the town of Erwin were slow and painstaking as I needed to navigate a very rocky trail. My feet and I were happy to arrive at our hostel for the night and even happier to see that my resupply package had arrived. Happy Dancer, Bee Balm, and Float are here as well.  The last week has been fairly heavy in terms of mileage, averaging 18 mpd. I plan to throttle back for the next couple of days to let my body catch up, then motor my way to Hot Springs.
Date: 2022-10-12
From: Erwin, TN 344.3

To: Spivey Gap 333.1
Miles today: 11.2

Today was a ¢Nearo¢, a short day that has allowed me to get my act together in terms of planning and resupply while giving my body a bit of a break. I reverse slackpacked 11 miles from Spivey Gap back to the hostel where I stayed last night, then spent the afternoon reviewing maps and making phone calls. Because my recent pace has been faster than planned, I have a lot of tangled reservations and appointments that need to be realigned. Plus I am rethinking my future plans, as some things that did not seem realistic before are suddenly feasible. It¢s a bit of a mess. The hike itself was quick, downhill, and mostly painless. As I was going in reverse, I passed a number of thru hikers I knew and stopped to chat. Thru hikers make up a stream heading south right now, and I was heading upstream. Towards the end, the hike opened up to some beautiful views of the Nolichucky River, which is a major watershed for western North Carolina and eastern Tennessee. Nolichucky is Cherokee for (choose one) Spruce-Tree Place, Rushing Waters, Dangerous Waters, or Black-Swirling Waters. The next 4 days are focused on getting to Hot Springs, where I will get another short breather before the Smokies. I am keeping a sharp eye on the weather, as snow is always a possibility. Gack.
Date: 2022-10-13
From: Spivey Gap 333.1

To: SamÃÂÃÂ¢ÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂs Gap, TN 319.7
Miles today: 13.4

My shuttle driver dropped me off at Spivey Gap to commence the 6.3 mile climb to Big Bald, approximately 3200 ft of elevation gain. It was a lovely warmup for the Smokies. Big Bald is, as you might expect, a bald at the top of a high (5500¢) mountain. The weather this morning was heavily overcast and windy and the bald itself was covered in mist, limiting views. No matter - I have had some great views from balds over the past week, and later in the day I would be treated to more great foliage views.  What surprised me is just how exposed I was to weather and wind gusts on the unprotected bald. With no trees to break the force of the wind, the 20-30mph gusts buffeted me around for a 12 mile. I had underestimated this, but had all the right clothing with me so was able to adjust. I will certainly treat these balds with a bit more respect in the future. Once clear of the summit, the weather calmed considerably as I made my way downslope. I have chosen to spend another night in a hostel as I needed to make some calls and wanted to be sure I had good service. The hostel, Nature¢s Inn, is excellent and spotlessly clean. One of the trail-associated small business segments that I have used a lot has been shuttles. Either provided by hostels or independent operators, shuttles are a lifeline for hikers trying to get from trailhead to town or (as in my case) to periodically jump to different points of the trail. Shuttle drivers need to navigate long winding roads up and down mountains, in all kinds of weather, at all times of day, often with smelly and dirty hikers and their gear. They provide useful word-of-mouth updates and tips. Their cars take a beating (probably 80% of the cars I have been in have had warning lights on in the dash). I have consistently had great shuttle drivers, and I am thankful to them all. Tomorrow I set out for a 3 day trek to Hot Springs. The weather is expected to be clear - I hope to arrive before the forecast rain arrives this weekend.
Date: 2022-10-14
From: SamÃÂÃÂ¢ÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂs Gap, TN 319.7

To: JerryÃÂÃÂ¢ÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂs Cabin Shelter NC 301.8
Miles today: 17.9

It was a classically crisp, sunny autumn day, beautiful weather for walking. The foliage continues to pop, creating natural artwork all around. As it was heading into the weekend, I ran into several groups of section hikers, some woefully unprepared (lost, no water, etc). I guess I now at least look experienced (or dirty) enough to be considered a reliable source of information. My objective was a stretch today, 18 miles and 5300¢ of elevation gain to Jerry¢s Cabin shelter, which sets me up well for the next couple of days. Tomorrow morning takes me over Big Firescald Knob, a rocky ridge with great views but a bit tricky if you are tired or it is raining. My strength and agility are at their best in the am, so I tried to organize this segment around that timing. I arrived at the shelter around 5 pm and scurried around doing camp chores (water, tent, cook dinner, etc) before dark. I was joined shortly after by a grandfather/father/ grandson set of section hikers. It was fun to see the exuberance of the grandson on his first hiking trip, and listening to the grandfather give him tips. Right now, as I am curled up in my tent, they are building a fire together. It is entertaining to listen to, but eventually they succeed. The firelight plays through my tent fabric, just as moonlight does on a full moon. I am tired and will crash soon, aiming for at least 9 hours of sleep to let my body recover. And then do it all over again tomorrow! Only about 300 miles left to Springer.
Date: 2022-10-15
From: JerryÃÂÃÂ¢ÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂs Cabin Shelter NC 301.8

To: Rich Mountain Tent site 283.3
Miles today: 18.5

It was a perfect October day, evocative of so many memories - raking leaves, fall football games, watching our daughters¢ soccer and field hockey games - and the burnt oranges and reds of the foliage continued to suffuse the trail with a golden glow. First off for the day was Big Firescald Knob, a 2 mile rocky section of trail that required a bit of agility but provided wonderful views. The rocks/boulders were sometimes large, uneven steps; large slabs tilted at 45 degree angles that needed to be navigated carefully; or pure rock piles that needed to be scrambled over. Somewhere in the middle there was a plaque honoring Howard McDonald, master trail builder. My first reaction was to wonder how bad this section had been before he had worked his magic. Curious, I looked him up later to discover that he had worked on many of the western NC trails and had volunteered for over 30 years. Amazing. The rest of the day was a bit more conventional from a trail perspective, winding up and down forest paths. Today was also evocative of Halloween. First, the treats: TWO trail magic encounters! The first popped up when I spotted a sign tacked to a tree with an arrow pointing down the driveway of a private home. ¢Homemade Oatmeal Cookies¢ it said. I turned left without hesitation and found on the porch of the home cookies, water, and Halloween candy. The husband and wife were both outside, and I chatted with them for several minutes before moving on. The second came a mile later when I emerged at Allen Gap to discover Marlene the Trail Angel dispensing drinks and food, as well as a sympathetic ear. I scooped up a Gatorade and more candy. I certainly felt recharged after both these unexpected encounters!The trick part? Just as I used to dress in costume each Halloween, I think I might actually be slowly morphing into a thruhiker. All of us start with the intention to be thruhikers, but aren¢t really on day one. But last week I stood at the food bar at a local grocery store for dinner and realized I could happily eat my way through everything there. Salad bar AND fried chicken AND pizza AND deli food AND¢¦you get the idea. Check for a thruhiker. Yesterday I ambled up to a shelter to stop for lunch and, under the gaze of another hiker, unselfconsciously made myself a lunch that a 1st grader would have loved - a peanut butter/honey/granola tortilla rollup, chased by a Snickers bar. Check for a thruhiker. Today I got to my destination (15 miles) and realized there was more daylight left that I could hike. So I did, another 3 miles, and tented instead of staying at a shelter. Check for a thru hiker. And most noticeably, I no longer deprecate my lack of experience. 750 miles is enough to give me a point of view. I am sure that more changes will come, but it is fascinating to watch. Tomorrow - Hot Springs!
Date: 2022-10-16
From: Rich Mountain Tent site 283.3

To: Garenflo Gap NC 268.3
Miles today: 15.0

I have never been graceful on my feet. When I was young, my parents enrolled me in ballet classes to try to add a bit of grace to my movements. Epic fail. As an athlete in college and later as an adult, I have rolled ankles more times than I care to count, and my footwear choices for this hike were influenced by finding options that gave me enough heel stability to avoid sprains. Had I not been ¢Kidding¢, ¢Twinkle Toes¢ would have been an apropos alternative trail name. One of the side effects of the wonderful fall foliage is that fallen leaves scatter across the trail. Pretty to look at on one hand, but treacherous on the other, as they hide root and rock trip hazards. I have gone from tripping maybe 1-2 times per day to at least 10-15 times per day. Usually these are just painfully stubbed big toes, but sometimes I find myself scrambling for balance.  So far, I haven¢t gone down¢¦but it feels like a matter of time. In the meantime, I think I will be donating my big toe joints to science. Today¢s hike had 2 segments: hiking into Hot Springs in the morning, then reverse slacking from further south back to Hot Springs in the afternoon. Both hikes were downhill and relatively well graded, so I was able to make good progress both ways. I ended up in Hot Springs at Laughing Heart Lodge for 3 nights - in what looks like a great decision. Both the town and the lodge look to be perfect places to spend a couple of days. Like Damascus, the AT goes straight through town, with sidewalk markings replacing white blazes. There are outfitters, restaurants, and a Dollar General. Nirvana for hikers. One additional feature Hot Springs offers is the chance for a hot mineral bath at the Hot Springs Spa and Resort (NB - as proof that marketing did not start in the 60¢s, Hot Springs changed its name from Warm Springs in 1886). I tried it out this evening - the experience is like a high end hot tub, but I do feel much more relaxed. I am 3 days from entering the Smokies, and all weather forecasts show a significant cold front coming through this week. This is NOT good news, so I am scrambling around it. Clingman¢s Dome, the highest point on the AT, is showing a windchill of -4 degrees in 2 days. Brrr. I caught up with Float and Captain Hook at Laughing Heart. Float is going to start into the Smokies in 4 days - I haven¢t decided yet how to handle it.  Stay tuned! And send warm thoughts my way.
Date: 2022-10-17
From: Garenflo Gap NC 268.3

To: Max Patch Rd 254.3
Miles today: 14.0

I reverse slackpacked today¢s hike, working around the weather (it ended up getting to 20 degrees tonight) and some telecons I needed to join in the evening. I started off at the base of the iconic Max Patch, famous for its views. The picture above was taken by Float from Max Patch at 3pm today. Unfortunately, I got there at 10:30am, and the view I got was:Oh well. Can¢t get them all. It had rained overnight, so lots of leaves came down from the trees, making a lovely, if somewhat slick, pathway. Interestingly, the rain made the leaves less ¢fluffy¢ on the trail so it was easier to spot roots and rocks, so I had many fewer unfortunate encounters. I am going to take a zero day tomorrow, the first in more than 2 weeks. Whee!
Date: 2022-10-18
From: Hot Springs, NC

To: Hot Springs, NC
Miles today: 0.0

I shopped for resupply and reorganized/repaired my gear, plus did several business telecons. Combing through my pack I stripped out everything I won¢t need for the next week so I don¢t need to carry it up the steep approach trail into the Smokies. I¢ll mail it ahead and it will be waiting for me when I exit at Fontana Dam. The hostel I am staying at is packed with cold hikers taking refuge. Happy Dancer and Bee Balm arrived, and Float returned after 2 days out (he reported that his water froze overnight). Everyone is speculating about the weather!Tomorrow I will finish up the last section to Davenport Gap (entrance to the Smokies). Then we¢ll see if it is warm enough to attempt the Smokies the next morning.
Date: 2022-10-19
From: Max Patch Rd 254.3

To: Davenport Gap 239.1
Miles today: 15.2

Today¢s hike started off quite chilly, with a hard frost on the ground and wind gusts making the cold temps seem even colder. I was wearing a tshirt, long sleeve merino shirt, hooded fleece, down jacket, merino buff, and heavy gloves - and felt perfectly comfortable. There was a lot of clothing tweaking throughout the day to avoid sweating on the uphills and overcooking on the downhills, but it all worked. The hike itself was very similar to previous days, with nice views of foliage and generally well graded trails. I was glad to be going SOBO over Snowbird Mountain, as the climb NOBO was pretty brutal. This was the last segment between Hot Springs and the Smokies today, and I am now positioned to enter the Smokies tomorrow. Float will also be starting at the same time and we will try to complete this section together.  It should take 5 days, with the first day being the difficult climb into the park - 50% more elevation gain than I have ever done. Tomorrow will still be quite chilly, but the expectation is that the weather will warm considerably after that point. There is a backlog of thru and section hikers getting ready to descend on this area, given the peak foliage right now and the approaching weekend. I had mentioned before my Day 3, Week 3, and Month 3 challenges. Month 3 is all about licking the Smokies, then finishing up NC and GA. The mountains are more rugged, but I feel I am ready. Fingers crossed!
Date: 2022-10-20
From: Davenport Gap 239.1

To: Tricorner Knob shelter 223.4
Miles today: 15.7

Today was the big day - a 5800 ft elevation hike over 16 miles to enter the Smokies, from Davenport Gap to Tricorner Knob shelter. This was more than I had ever done¢¦and I had been sweating this since I started planning my hike almost a year ago. But the trail was very well graded, with steps and switchbacks, which kept the average grade reasonable (eg 10-12%). I was well rested from the time in Hot Springs, and my stripped-down pack was relatively light. And I made it!  I hiked in with Float, who did a good job of pacing. In theory, all hikers are required to stay inside the shelters in the Smokies due to bear activity and to minimize the impact on the environment. But post-COVID, there has been a bit more flexibility regarding tenting - just precious few tent sites at some of the shelters. But a tent has the advantage of an extra 5-10 degrees of warmth when it is cold, and better wind protection. Happily, we got there minutes before other hikers and snagged the only 2 flat tent sites. And it was cold. By the time we were approaching the shelter (at 5900¢), we were hiking in snow that had fallen several days before. As we moved from the sun side of the mountains to the shadow side, the temperature would drop 15 degrees. The shelter itself was of stone construction with a fireplace. It also had the first accessible privy I had seen, with a ramp and grab bars. At first I thought this was a bit odd because the only way a hiker in a wheelchair could have reached this shelter is by helicopter¢¦but subsequently I learned that horses can also be ridden on trails in many areas of the Park, and that this is a means for the disabled to reach some of the more scenic points. Kudos to the AT and National Park Service for working to make the wilderness more available to all. There were 8 or so section hikers staying at the shelter; one group of section hikers whipped up a batch of chocolate covered strawberries and shared them all around. This was, as you can imagine, a very welcome treat. Night-time temps dropped to the low 30¢s overnight. It took me a long time to get warm in my sleeping bag as I tweaked clothing and sleeping bag configurations. I finally dropped off around 1am, having discovered the secret to my quilt setup. Overall, quite a day.
Date: 2022-10-21
From: Tricorner Knob shelter

To: Newfound Gap 207.7
Miles today: 15.7

Today was expected to be easier than yesterday, with lower elevation gain, but it did not pan out that way. It was very cold when I awoke, high 20¢s to low 30¢s. A trick that I¢ve learned is to stick a couple of key pieces of gear in my sleeping bag when the temperatures cool off: my filter, so it won¢t freeze (which ruins the filter), my lighter so that it will strike easily to light my stove, and some of my electronics. Everything survived the night well. My breakfast of hot tea and oatmeal did as much to warm my hands as fill my stomach. I was a bit tired when we started off, due to not sleeping well, and it was soon evident that the combination of higher elevations, ice, and multiple ups and downs were going to make the day tough¢¦surprisingly tougher than yesterday, which was supposed to be the killer. Fortunately, there were many more views today as we emerged out of the forest at several points.The trail was packed with day hikers taking advantage of the foliage views, particularly around Charlie¢s Bunion. An interesting fact about the AT through the Smokies - The AT essentially rides the state border between Tennessee and North Carolina, so as you walk southbound on the trail Tennessee is on the right side and North Carolina on the left!By the time we reached Newfound Gap, our planned end point, both Float and I were spent and delighted to be heading into town for showers, resupply, warm beds. Gatlinburg, the town that we got off into, was jammed with tourists, as it was ¢Leaf Week¢, but most of the tourists I saw looked like they were there for Dollywood and Ripley¢s Believe It or Not. Gatlinburg is kind of an alternative universe, and it was a bit odd to be there, to be honest. It was also eye wateringly expensive for a 2 star hotel (that looked like the 2nd star was a gimme).  But I ate a great cheeseburger and slept like a log - so mission accomplished.