morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2013-05-19
From: fingerboard shelter

To: graymoor spiritual lofe center
Miles today: 21.9
Weather: light rain

Today I awoke at 5 to a light rain. I drank a carnations breakfast then packed up my stuff, hiked up the hill and found arrowhead just getting ready to leave. We hit the trail at 645 and headed out into the foggy abyss. We descended off the mountain and climbed up several small steep peaks until descending to the William Brien memorial shelter, which is made of stone and built directly against a rock slab. There we met some hikers from west point who unloaded on us a serious load of trail magic in the form of extra food. This was an awesome treat and really boosted our morale given the rainy conditions...We climbed back up a steep rocky peak and followed a ridge for a short while before descending sharply to a road then beginning the long climb up bear mt. The first section of the climb was strenuous and very steep like jacob's ladder, but thankfully not as long. Then it levels out some before climbing up steeply again. Once at the top of the ridge we climbed up and down several times before hitting a road where we saw the tail end of an ironman bike race. We wound up and around the mountain for quite a while before eventually reaching the summit, where we found the finish lime people packing up drinks and were able to score a 2 liter of coke for each of us. At this point we were quite pleased but also very wet and cold and in desperate need of warmth and shelter. We descended the mountain a s stopped outside the inn to eat some food and warm up. Then we walked through the zoo and museum before crossing the Hudson. From here we climbed a few peaks then descended and encountered a surprise gas station complete with pizza and subs. From here it was only a short walk uphill to graymoor.
Date: 2013-05-20
From: graymoor spiritual life center

To: RPH shelter 
Miles today: 18.8

Today began in the fog after raining some overnight. Arrowhead and I tried to dry out our tents last night in the pavilion, but a light mist persisted through the night and everything remained wet. We set out early in the morning, as we needed to hike 8 miles to meet my friend Justin from college for a ride into town and some hiking company. After pepperin' the first few miles, the fog lifted and the sun began to appear. By the time we reached the road it was nice and sunny, and we took the opportunity to dry out our tents while we waited for Justin.He arrived not too long after and I enjoyed a pleasant reunion with him after a whole year without seeing him (he lives in Utah now for the winter). He gave us a ride into town and we enjoyed the impressive selection of supplies at WalMart as well as some McDonalds before heading back to the trail...By the time we made it back to the road the day had transformed into a scorcher! Justin locked his keys inside his truck but luckily his gear was in the back so he decided to leave the problem for later. We set out into the woods, enjoying the bright like green foliage, small steams and root-ridden earth. Before long we encountered a lake that we wished to swim in and noticed a sign indicating a beach in one mile. We hiked and hiked and must have missed the turnoff so unfortunately we missed out on swimming. But soon after we reached the RPH shelter, which had a nice brook nearby that I was able to bathe and do some laundry in. It was nice to be refreshed! ...The shelter is a concrete building compete with bunks and a covered porch. We shared a great night together and relaxed at the shelter before heading to bed...
Date: 2013-05-21
From: RPH shelter 

To: Morgan Stewart shelter 
Miles today: 9.0

We relaxed in the morning and took our time enjoying breakfast with Justin. I really had a great time getting to see him and have him log some miles with me. But I must keep heading north, so we said our goodbyes at the shelter as he headed back towards his car... The weather was very hot once again, and as arrowhead and I began climbing up the ridge we grew equally tired and stopped for a long break at a shaded overlook. We decided to take it easy and stop after only 9 miles...
Date: 2013-05-22
From: Morgan Stewart shelter 

To: Wiley Shelter
Miles today: 16.6
Weather: scattered clouds

We awoke in the morning and continued along the ridge before descending into the valley. We enjoyed a nice display of different flowers before reaching nuclear lake, where we stopped for a snack and to take a dip in the cool water. The temperate outside wasn't overly hot, and it made for a nice day to hike. After climbing slightly uphill we crossed some boggy areas before reaching the telephone pioneers shelter for a snack. We descended back down to the valley and soon reached the RR crossing, followed by the landscape center where our packages awaited us. We licked us our crucial resupply loaded up with plenty of extra honey buns and assorted junkfood, as there was no stores nearby. More critically, we retrieved our shipment from Salomon containing two new pairs of shoes. We thought about camping at the center to juice our electronics, but the impending rain storm and new squeaky shoes motivated us to push up the mountain to the next shelter...
Date: 2013-05-23
From: Wiley Shelter

To: Mt Algo Shelter
Miles today: 12.4
Weather: light rain

We awoke in the morning and much to our surprise the rain never arrived in the night as we had expected it to. Unfortunately we didn't quite get out as early as we had hoped, but nonetheless we made our way back out onto the trail for some hiking....We made our way down the hill, enjoying the last few miles of NY before entering CT at a road followed by a pretty swampy area with a stream. We spotted a few flowers we hadn't seen before and stopped for pictures, but as soon as I pulled out my camera I felt some rain drops coming down. It began as merely a drizzle and picked up slightly at times as we made our way up the ridge. Arrowhead's pack had ripped along the seam in several spots all along the side. He decided to call up granite gear, and they happily agreed to send him the new updated model, a crown 60. His current pack called the vapor trail no longer is made, so he lucked out. We headed along the ridge and soon it began to pour. By the time we reached the mt algo shelter we both agreed to stop for the night. Arrowhead headed the .3 then .8 into Kent to pickup a care package and grab some sodas and chips while I remained at the shelter. I enjoyed some tunes on my harmonica then relaxed to my kindle. Arrowhead returned before long with a sewing kit to mend his pack, and some energy drinks. We stashed the sodas in the nearby stream then relaxed and enjoyed the rain pounding on the roof...
Date: 2013-05-24
From: Mt Algo Shelter

To: Pine Swamp Brook shelter 
Miles today: 17.3

We awoke to find our sodas had traveled downstream in the storm surge, but we were able to recover and drink them, with only one casualty. The storm had mostly subsided over the night and it was only sprinkling as we set out in the morning. We climbed up out of the shelter onto the mountain side, traversed some rocks then descended back to the valley down st johns ledges, a steep and slippery set of rock 'stairs' and ledges. At the bottom of the valley the trail parallels the Housatonic river for quite some time. We noticed it was flowing quite high due to the recent rain.. We stopped at the shelter for a much needed lunch before continuing along the river then climbing back up into the mountains. By the time we reached the first peak it had begun to sprinkle and it knew we were in for some more rain.. We pushed through a few more small climbs and descents before ascending through a rock squeeze similar to lemon squeezer right before the shelter. We arrived to find it already full, so we had to set up our tents in the pouring rain and endure a muddy nights sleep..
Date: 2013-05-25
From: Pine Swamp Brook shelter 

To: Pine Swamp Brook Shelter 
Miles today: 0.0

I awoke in the morning to the rain continuing its battering against the walls of my tent. The mud had splattered against the body of the tent all night, and I could see mud covering the floor of my tent as well. Everything was truly soaked. I called out to arrowhead from my tent and we both agreed on sleeping in then staying at the shelter once the current occupants left.After the people finally left we spread out our stuff in the shelter to dry as best as we could, then climbed into our sleeping bags and relaxed. In the evening a pleasant couple from Connecticut, Greg and Anna arrived to celebrate their anniversary in the woods. We enjoyed talking with them and Greg especially enjoyed the many stories from our hike, as he hopes to thu-hike the trail one day...
Date: 2013-05-26
From: Pine Swamp Brook Shelter 

To: Limestone Spring Shelter
Miles today: 12.3
Weather: overcast clouds

We awoke in the morning to foggy but relatively cool air. The wind was blowing occasionally in gusts and causing some battering on the roof from the dripping branches, but the bulk of the storm had already subsided. We left the shelter shortly after Greg and Anna, and soon passed them on the trail and wished them the best for their hike. As we traversed the ridge the weather brightened up and the sun suddenly appeared in full force. By the time we reached the valley it had become a pleasant day for hiking, and after crossing several fields we reached the turnoff for falls village, where we hoped to grab some real food at the local caf©... After the long 0.3 mile trek into town we stumbled upon Greg and Anna unloading their car, having just rented a room at the inn. They graciously offered us to use their shower and for a ride into Salisbury for some lunch and resupply, which we accepted. After getting clean we headed to town and enjoyed a nice lunch at the grocery market before heading back to the trail. It felt great to have a shower and I was humbled by Greg and Anna allowing us to shower before they had and to take time out of their anniversary weekend to help us out.... After hitting the trail and hiking along the Housatonic for a short ways we stopped at great falls to enjoy the views and take in their impressive magnitude. Due to the recent rains the water was flowing pretty high and the water made quite a roaring sound as it rushed over the rocks. We hung around and relaxed at the awe inspiring falls for quite a while before heading up the hill towards the shelter. As we climbed the forest became littered with tall trees and ferns on the forest floor. It was quite an enjoyable hike, and when we reached the shelter turnoff we headed down a steep ravine while following a stream to the shelter. The shelter was nestled near a crystal clear spring which came directly out of a limestone cave and had a drying line already set up which we used to finish drying our tents in the evening breeze...
Date: 2013-05-27
From: Limestone Spring Shelter

To: Hemlocks Shelter
Miles today: 17.5

We awoke early in the morning and managed to hit trail around 7am hoping for some good mileage. We descended into the valley and into the shining sun as we crossed a field. We passed over a few roads and up the next ridge, back into the cover of the shaded woods. We made our way up and up slowly, enjoying small stops here and there to grab some photos. Soon we found ourselves on lions head, where we enjoyed some great views of the valley and of the upcoming peaks. We stopped by the Riga and bassie brook shelters and headed up bear mountain for the final ascent in CT. The views atop bear mountain were great, but the summit was slightly crowded so we headed down towards sages ravine. The descent was one of the steepest I've hiked so far on the trip, and the rock slabs were littered with small streams and trickles which made the rock quite slippery. But se managed fl make it off successfully and soon found ourselves in the Ravine, where the trail follows a brook for white some ways. The brook very scenic and littered with many waterfalls, and I even stopped at one to take a dip.We climbed out of the ravine and celebrated the beginning of MA as we made.our way up race mountain. Around 2/3 up the mountain I heard what sounded like a waterfall off to the side of the trail overlooking a steep ravine. Arrowhead and I hiked over to investigate and sure enough we were right. What we did not anticipate was the magnitude of the falls. After beginning to climb down along the side of the falls we soon realized they must have been well over 200 feet tall in combined height. We kept climbing down and down until eventually we reached the bottom of the main falls and were able to capture some impressive shots. We enjoyed the isolation of the falls and wondered how seldom it must be visited by others. We climbed back up then made our way to race mountain, which offered excellent views along the ridge. We descended then made the steep climb up Everett mountain before heading down the mountain to the shelter...
Date: 2013-05-28
From: Hemlocks Shelter

To: Tom Leonard Shelter 
Miles today: 14.4

We woke up early in the morning and started making our way down the mountain towards the valley. Arrowhead and I were feeling a little worn out from the previous days hike and decided we wanted some real food so we hiked the 1.2 miles into south egremont once we reached the valley floor... We arrived at mom's country caf© looking forward to their bottomless coffee and to enjoy a nice filling meal. What we did not anticipate was having to struggle to have our coffee refilled and to receive any service. Needless to say we had an awful experience there, and I would recommend future thru-hikers avoid the caf©... After leaving the caf© disappointed from our costly meal we casually made our way across the Valle and over several swampy areas with lots of mosquitoes. We came across a monument for Shays' rebellion and decided to look for arrowheads in the plowed field where the battle took place. Within minutes both Arrowhead and I found one broken arrowhead each, but the next hour or so of searching turned up empty. We mustered up our strength and made the climb up the next ridge to the shelter. Dark clouds were rolling in and we knew a rain storm would be arriving that night...
Date: 2013-05-29
From: Tom Leonard Shelter 

To: Upper Goose Pond Cabin
Miles today: 21.1
Weather: few clouds

I awoke several times during the night to the pounding of rain on the roof but by early morning it had ceased and fog settled in. As we began our descent we passed by the famous ice gulch, a narrow rift in the rocks with cliffs on either side. The addition of the fog added an almost prehistoric feel, especially with all the ferns that were growing there. As we descended further the fog lifted some but rain began the drizzle down on us. We stopped at the Wilcox south shelter for a snack and as we headed back onto the trail the rain picked up. When we reached Wilcox north shelter only 1.8 miles north the rain coerced us into taking another break. As we snacked the rain lightened, and shortly after leaving the shelter it stopped and the sun emerged... We made our way down then back up, crossing many bogs and mud pits filled to capacity from the recent rain. Thankfully as our feet began to tire the terrain became more flat. We reached upper goose pond road where we spotted some geese with their young, then continued along for another few miles before eventually reaching the turnoff for the cabin. The cabin is a large red converted summer home complete with bunks featuring mattresses for sleeping. There were two friendly caretakers there who we talked with for a while before heading onto the lake for a short canoe ride. The pond was very peaceful and as we paddled out to a small island we spotted two bald eagles nearby. Soon we returned to the cabin and settled in for the night, and just as I closed my eyes a giant thunderstorm rolled in...
Date: 2013-05-30
From: Upper Goose Pond Cabin

To: Dalton
Miles today: 20.6

I awoke in the morning, packed up my stuff and headed downstairs for the pancake breakfast complete with coffee. It was delicious! .... After breakfast we headed back onto the trail for a muddy 20 mile day to Dalton. The sun came out and it became very hot, but we were mostly in the shade throughout the day. We stopped at the shelter for and snack then continued until we reached the cookie lady's house. The husband was there and we bought some boiled eggs and ice cream and he graciously gave us some fresh cookies. We made our way across the mud and over a few small mountains into Dalton in hopes of camping in Tom Levardi's yard and showering at the community center... When we arrived he surprised us by offering us a room in his house complete with shower and laundry. It came as a real shock to us and his kindness amazed me...
Date: 2013-05-31
From: Dalton

To: cheshire - dalton
Miles today: 8.8

Today arrowhead and I awoke in the morning to fresh coffee and bagels courtesy of Tom. After breakfast we headed over to the post office to retrieve our mail drops and for arrowhead to finally get his long awaited new pack from granite gear. Arrowhead was excited to receive his new crown 60, however granite gear did not include a return postage in the box and we were unsure if they had forgotten to include it. We got back to Tom's place and called granite gear who explained they would email a packing slip. We waited for several hours and received no word from them, so Tom offered us a ride to Cheshire for a nice slack pack. Before we left Tom gave arrowhead a buzz cut, and I opted to receive a Mohawk.We accepted the offer, and when we arrived at the post office we were greeted by my cousin Alyssa and her boyfriend Will. We had missed a chance to catch them back in Virginia, and the timing and convenience were perfect this time to meet them...Arrowhead and I were treated to a great meal and a beer at the pizza joint in town for which we were very grateful. We said our goodbyes then hit the trail for a nice southbound hike. He climbed uphill, passing by a trail maintenance worker planning out a wooden staircase. We continued up into the woods, climbing the steep grade easily without the weight of our packs. Soon we reached the cobbles, which offered excellent views of Mt. Greylock and the hoosic river valley. From here I decided to jog most of the way back into town..After enjoying a pleasant run I soon found myself back at Toms, where I relaxed and decided to tent in his yard for the night...
Date: 2013-06-01
From: cheshire - dalton

To: wilbur clearing shelter
Miles today: 11.7
Weather: clear sky

Today arrowhead and I awoke in Tom's yard, packed up our stuff and headed inside for some coffee and bagels. Tom gave us a ride to the post office in cheshire, where we hopped onto the trail and made our way up mt greylock. As we climbed we stoped at the mark noepel shelter for a snack then made the final push. When I reached the pond before the summit I stumbled into my aunt uncle and two cousins who traveled to meet us from Vermont. I expected to meet them on the summit and was surprised to see them early. We had a pleasant reunion, and I enjoyed a home cooked brownie before we hiked together up to the top for some lunch. My aunt and uncle treated arrowhead and me to a delicious burger at the lodge, and we enjoyed sharing stories and chatting. When it came time to leave arrowhead and I posed for some photos with them, then said our goodbyes and headed down the mountain. We reached the shelter in good time and relaxed for the evening with a section hiker who had hopped onto the trail in harpers ferry heading to Katahdin...
Date: 2013-06-02
From: wilbur clearing shelter

To: congdon shelter
Miles today: 17.1
Weather: few clouds

Today began with an early start in the morning. We took the side trail back to the trail and headed downhill towards the road to williamstown. Both of us were looking forward to stopping at the stop and shop in williamstown for some real food and a few items for resupply. The selection at the store was superb, and we stocked up on our goodies and also bought a loaf of artisan bread and cold meat for some sandwiches. We hung outside and prepared our sandwiches, eating one and taking the other for lunch on the mountain. We made the climb uphill in the excessive heat of the sun, sweating quite a bit along the way. Eventually we reached the top of the climb and arrived at last to the border of Vermont. We celebrated briefly as we were forced to continue due to an onslaught of hungry mosquitoes...We continued along the muddy and buggy ridge for many miles before passing by the seth warner shelter to enjoy our sandwiches. We descended slightly to a pond before making another small climb and descent to several smaller ponds. We wanted to have a longer hiking day but the heat took its toll and we stopped at the congdon shelter for the night..
Date: 2013-06-03
From: congdon shelter

To: kid gore shelter
Miles today: 18.7
Weather: few clouds

Today we awoke to another pleasant day of sunshine. We packed up and headed down the trail along the ridge towards the steep downhill to VT 9. The descent featured a series of rock ledges and stairs which were surprisingly slippery, but after a few minutes of knee joint attack we found ourselves at the road. From here we climbed back uphill, which was rather steep but not quite as steep as the descent. After the initial climb the trail slowly continued to rise towards glastenbury mountain. We stopped at the goddard shelter before the summit for a quick snack before heading up to the top to climb the fire tower. The views from the top were excellent and we could see for many miles in all directions...Directly in front of us we could spot the nearby stratton mountain and fire tower. The sky was a deep dark blue with clouds in the distance which blocked some of the distant peaks, but we could see great views towards most of the green mountains as well as the distant killington peak. After soaking up the view we headed down the mountain and soon found ourselves at the kid gore shelter for the nights stay...
Date: 2013-06-04
From: kid gore shelter

To: spruce peak shelter
Miles today: 22.9
Weather: broken clouds

Today began with a spectacular sunrise. The kid gore shelter is nestled into a wedge in the mountain with a clearing in front of it that offers views towards the valley with a few small peaks in the distance. As the sun started to make its way into the sky it immediately made its presence known by shining straight into my eyes and waking me up. But it did not bother me, as the red and pink hues of the light bouncing off the clouds made up for the lack of sleep that night...I quickly made breakfast then headed out up the trail, arrowhead opting to sleep in for a little longer..I knew he would catch up before too long. I headed down the mountain and into the flat depression between glastenbury and stratton. This section was pleasant and easy hiking, and the weather had cooled down from the previous few days so I wasn't sweating too profusely...I made the long and gradual climb up stratton, looking over my shoulder periodically expecting to see arrpwhead on my tail. As the trail neared the summit the scenery transitioned into a boreal forest dominated by spruce and lichens, as well as droppings of moose. There were many different kinds of flowers and ferns sprouting up from the soil, including the beautiful painted trilium..The trail became quite gradual at the top and I really enjoyed walking along the shoulder of the mountain to the summit. When I arrived I was greeted by a local man who hikes to the summit every week. He explained how there was a freak snowstorm over memorial day weekend which dumped several inches on the summit and that other areas in the green and white mountains had received even more accumulation. I climbed to the top of the windy fire tower, which offered incredible views of the surrounding mountains. When I came down I ate some lunch then hung around until arrowhead showed up...Before long we headed down the mountain and made our way to stratton pond where we enjoyed a snack and sunshine. We mustered up our strength then continued the push along the boggy terrain to the spruce peak shelter...