morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2017-03-24
From: dismal falls

To: View Entry
Miles today: 36.0
Weather: clear sky

Hiked 15.8 mi today, but i've the section between highway 52/77 intersection and dismal falls several times so i'll be staying at dismal falls with my gf who's hiking with me for the weekend and we'll aim to hike to pearisburg, va by sunday. Some great views today over the valley from the mountain side. Meet several hikers today, lazurus NOBO starting jan 24 and another NOBO who's trail name i can remember because it was a long german word. Two run ins with trail magic today including soda in a cooler on the side of the trail and a hitch hike into town (bland) from hwy 52
Date: 2017-03-28
From: pine swamp branch shelter

To: View Entry
Miles today: 12.6
Weather: overcast clouds

Ignored quite a few shelter closed due to standing dead trees related to gypsy moths signs and stayed at this shelter, looking forward all week to this one because of the indoor fireplace place, but alas the first migraine of my thru hike, not counting the one during my aque blaze, arrives right on cue... next time! 3 other NOBOs, hawk, 4 season, and shay also ignoring the signs and staying here tonight
Date: 2017-03-30
From: four pines hostel

To: View Entry
Miles today: 19.6
Weather: scattered clouds

Foggy/rainy almost all day temps in the 40s and 50s, passed some SOBOs and met another NOBO, fish, who started on Feb 24... almost 700 miles in 5 weeks is nuts. Reports of T storms tomorrow, got a shuttle to Four Pines Hostel, might zero tomorrow. Great AYCE dinner at "The Homeplace" perfect end to the day
Date: 2017-04-01
From: pig farm campsite/campbell shelter

To: View Entry
Miles today: 10.4

Mcafee knob day, passed a packeeddddddddd parking lot and a bunch of day hikers on the way up to "the knob". Amazing and epic views at the top no question best spot yet ln the AT for me. Hiked and camped with Beena today. Joined at the shelter/campsite by about 900 other people making it the most crowed night of camping yet on my trip
Date: 2017-04-02
From: super 8 - daleville va

To: View Entry
Miles today: 15.4

Northside of the knob to daleville today with Beena, including Tinker cliffs which definately rival mcafee knob for coolness and great views. Climbing on hay rock with awesome views of carvins cover reservoir. Lots of day hikers and a couple of thru hikers including a SOBO, former SOBO, and a NOBO named Tarzan on the trail today. High in the 60's sunny almost no wind, perfect hike today
Date: 2017-04-06
From: thunder hill shelter

To: View Entry
Miles today: 10.2

Pretty much all uphill today from bryant rodge shelter to apple orchard mtn. Left my rain jacket in my gf's car last weekend, so waited out the thunderstorm leaving the shelter by noon, after getting visited by a handful of NOBO's already 13 mi into their hike and a ton of section/week hikers stopping at the shelter for lunch. Hail and rain up the mtn, by the time i got their around 3:30 the small shelter at the top was already full... tenting it up for the night-- hope it stands up to the predicted 50+ mph winds expected tonight-- wind chill to be in the single digits!
Date: 2017-04-07
From: glascow shelter

To: View Entry
Miles today: 32.6

Trek down from apple orchard mtn to the james river, really nice bit along the river at the end. Shuttle ride into glascow, stayed at a shelter built by a local boy scout troop/church, ate at Scotto's italian restaurant. Skipping a previously hiked section from the james river to a gravel road my gf and I did last year.
Date: 2017-04-08
From: super 8 - lexington va

To: View Entry
Miles today: 20.1
Weather: clear sky

My favorite-- slack packing and taking care of big miles Hiked a section my gf and I should have hiked last year, mostly up on the ridge and a big descent at the end hiking north to south, ran into a bunch of thru hikers including impala, chef, the yoddler, spice girl, leah, and honey bun, and a few other weekend hikers. Enjoying a nice hotel stay tonight!
Date: 2017-04-09
From: the priest shelter

To: View Entry
Miles today: 4.3

Took a "nearo" day today with the gf, went to a car ride safari place near lexington and went out to eat at a diner before getting back onto the trail from spy rock rd, hiked several miles in the moonlight before setting up camp at the priest shelter. Ran into Justin a section hiker I spent most of the climb up to apple orchard with.
Date: 2017-04-10
From: devil's backbone brewery 

To: View Entry
Miles today: 15.5

Entire hiking day spent descending the priest mt, and ascending then descending three ridges almost 2 miles total elevation gain/loss. Hitched a ride to a famous brewery near waynesboro with a makeshift campground and a hiker breakfast and free shuttle ride back to the trail the next day. Thanks for the hitch Matt!
Date: 2017-04-11
From: stanimal's hostel - waynesboro va

To: View Entry
Miles today: 19.1

Amazing breakfast this morning at the brewery, met a section hiker--one step-- and got a ride back onto the trail, awesome views today from humpback rocks lots, tons of people out on the trail, mostly day hikers, feels like a saturday though it's only tuesday... rolling hills relatively easy day, staying in waynesboro tonight-- ran into Justin again, hiker prepping for the PCT in May, met a couple of section hikers and a former thru hiker, gun runner. First day in the 80's since i've been on the trail and the trail is getting greener everyday
Date: 2017-04-18
From: teahorse hostel

To: View Entry
Miles today: 20.9

Something special about today-- great weather, gradual rolling hills at rhe beginning, then downhill and flat, slackpacked, ran into one step and 4 seasons today, crossed into WVA (leaving VA!), registered at the ATC center in harper's ferry-- number 38 for 2017 NOBOs
Date: 2017-04-19
From: dahlgren backpack campground

To: View Entry
Miles today: 16.8

Leaving harpers ferry today, moving into state #6, maryland. Superrrrr flat leaving harpers ferry for about 3 mi out of town across a rail road bridge and along the upper potomac, then getting pretty rocky for the rest (twisted me ankle twice and 1/2 fell down), tons of flip floppers (hikers starting midtrail and hiking one direction before returning and hiking in the other direction... one guy I met during lunch has the trail name "hands and mouth"... due to being a massage therapist and eating a lot.
Date: 2017-04-20
From: cobblestone hotel - waynesboro pa

To: View Entry
Miles today: 24.8

Another day full of cool stuff, finished with state #6 (maryland) and entering state #7 (PA), saw a bunch of historic stuff in MD along the trail including the original washington monument, saw my first rattle snake ever, actually almost stepped on it but heard its rattle a few feet away... now i just gotta check off a bear, a moose, and a bald eagle off the list. Super rainy this afternoon, to the extent that my "waterproof" jacket and pant soaked thru in less than 10 minutes. Passed tenacious d and boo boo NOBOs 32 and 33 and ran across a bunch of section hikers, day hikers, and flip floppers today.
Date: 2017-04-22
From: birch run shelter

To: View Entry
Miles today: 7.4

Easy day hiking with eric and kurp, drizzly day with temps dropping into the low 40's. Got to the shelter early and claimed good sleeping spots before 40 other folks rolled in that afternoon, got a great fire going from 2pm that was still smoking the next morning-- we actually had to move the fire (still alive) further away from the shelter due to how wet the wood was causing the shelter to film up with smoke... crazy process
Date: 2017-04-23
From: ironmasters mansion

To: View Entry
Miles today: 9.9

Big day, reached the official halfway point, 1095.15 mi, and successfully completed the 1/2 gallon challenge in 49 min with 1.5 quarts of strawberry cheesecake and .5 quarts of peach ice cream (1/2 gallon total)... followed by 1/2 a chicken fajita wrap and a large pizza later on in the night
Date: 2017-04-24
From: super 8 - carlisle pa

To: View Entry
Miles today: 27.1

Amazing terrain today, flat for a mile or 2 out of pine grove furnace state park then thru bolder fields then flat for 10+ miles through farm lands and pastures thru the town of boiling springs and into carlisle. Ran into boo boo and tenacious d and several flip flop hikers today.
Date: 2017-04-26
From: the doyle hotel - duncannon pa

To: View Entry
Miles today: 17.3

Well rested, perhaps too well rested, today felt easy initially flat through farm lands and across several roads, then back into the woods, a couple of climbs, tons of rocks and a few nice views especially ones the cloud cover started giving way... I hear the real "rocksylvania" rocks begin tomorrow and stretch well into new jersey--- let's rock and roll
Date: 2017-04-27
From: peters mtn shelter

To: View Entry
Miles today: 11.4

Left duncannon this morning after a great breakfast at a local restaurant across the street from the doyle, ran into a few flip flop hikers, foghat, smitty, deet, and aleve, as well as another NOBO, hawk who I hadn't seen since at the four pines hostel, lots of rocks today, 1 nice view before the shelter, a few people at the shelter tonight most of them camping near by.
Date: 2017-04-30
To: Port clinton pavilion
Miles today: 23.9

Crazy rocky today, a view or 2 along the way, ran into cowg/hydraulics, story teller, whale, tinker among other flip flop hikers, 60's and cloudy-- 501 shelter caretaker Borderline offered to take a few packs down to port clinton so was able to slack pack today :)
Date: 2017-05-02
To: Bert's restaurant & hostel
Miles today: 25.2

Tough day for the feet, boulders and rocks strewn about the trail for much of the day, a couple of highlights-- knife's edge, a rocky mountain ridge apex stretch for a quarter mile that's literally on the tip of the rocky ridge, and bear rocks, a side trail/climb ro the [scary] top of a large pile of boulders with 360 views of the PA landscape with all its farm lands and barns, a view snakes along the way :) pizza dinner at the palmerton hotel :)
Date: 2017-05-03
To: Leroy smith shelter
Miles today: 15.7
Weather: clear sky

intense rock scramble up the north side of lehigh gap, maybe 45 min to summit the mile climb, maybe 3 miles of rockless hiking today, the rest as jagged and boldery as ever, ran into NOBOs idaho bones and boo boo/yogi and a few other section and flip flop hikers, nice campfire tonight, lows in the 30's
Date: 2017-05-04
To: Church of the mtn hiker center - delaware water gap pa
Miles today: 20.1

last day in PA! Excited about the next 3 weeks heading thru new england to vermont :) ran into cowg and story teller at the hiker center in DWG, zero day tomorrow to recover from the rocks, get a new pair of shoes (PA killed my current pair of 3 weeks...), resupply, and wait out the t storm and rain expected tomorrow
Date: 2017-05-05
To: Church of the mnt hiker center 
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: overcast clouds

R.I.P. pair of hiking shoes #2 (April 16 - May 5, 2016).  zero day in DWG :) Ran into flip flop hikers lobo cowg spot dream catcher and nobo's whale johnny tsunami story teller long haul snap and fjord
Date: 2017-05-07
To: Rutherford shelter
Miles today: 29.0

Drizzly day raining off and on, glad I didn't send home my ski mittens came in hand with the temps in the 40's plus wind and the rain easy to get numb useless hands.  Still rocky terrain, hiked into the night getting to the shelter 9:30ish, longest day yet @ 29 miles :)
Date: 2017-05-08
To: Appalachian motel - vernon nj
Miles today: 23.5

Whew. 52+ miles in 2 days.  Passed thru NY for a second today, then into NJ for a little bit longer, moving into NY tomorrow hoping for CT by the end of the week.  Lots of swampy terrain today, at least 6 miles, with a few on boardwalks-- beats rocks ;)
Date: 2017-05-09
To: Wildcat shelter
Miles today: 17.2
Weather: overcast clouds

Super chill day hiking, 50's and partly cloudy, "stairway to heaven" aptly named climb from rt 94 trailhead up to a peak with nice views all around, a couple trail magic water jugs/coolers with gatorade on the trail today, ran into a few section hikers.  Crossed into NY officially today!  Flip flop hikers mother of dragons, section hiker firecracker among maybe 10 others at the shelter tonight, heard Snap (NOBO) is 1 day behind me.
Date: 2017-05-11
To: Graymoor spiritual life center - hiker campground
Miles today: 21.8

Early start this morning getting up around 5:30 to set out before 7am, great views of manhattan skyline (visible in the pic above the hill just to my right) from black and bear mtns, passed thru a zoo (saw 2 bears :), stopped for lunch at the bear inn cafe and dinner with resupply for the next few days at the appalachian market. Caught up to long distance call and red bud at the graymoor campground
Date: 2017-05-12
To: Morgan stewart shelter
Miles today: 27.9

Beautiful day, 60's and partly cloudy, up at 5am-ish with the sun, rolled in to the shelter just before 9:30, probably got in over 30 miles today with going south 0.4 mi this morning after leaving camp before realizing it (oops...), a half mi walk to a NY state park with a lake/beach for lunch, and hitting up a pizzaria for dinner about 1/2 mi off the trail, ran into snap and red bud at the RPH shelter, bush meat and spear chucker at the graymoor campground and hiked a bit with long distance call.
Date: 2017-05-13
To: Ten mile river shelter
Miles today: 20.6

New state-- Connecticut!! Rainy and 40's, easy ups and downs in the woods with increasing number of coniferous trees.  Some pastures and lake side hiking with tonsssssss of swampy muddy parts without boardwalks, so shoes are muddy and soaked along with everything else worn today-- going to feel great to put those on tomorrow morning ;)  Stopped at a deli for lunch, hiked with bush meat and spear chucker today, full shelter tonight.Ps: biggest week yet with 154 miles
Date: 2017-05-14
To: Bearded woods bunk and dine hostel
Miles today: 19.8

Roller coaster day climbing and descending a bunch of mtns, with one flat section along the houstonic river, partly cloudy and cool, stayed at a hostel near salisbury tonight.  Feet pretty sore from shoes/socks being soaked from yesterday and the trail being pretty muddy with a bunch of flooded stream crossings.  Hiked with bush meat and spear chucker most of the day.
Date: 2017-05-16
To: Jess Treat Hostel/B&B
Miles today: 20.6

Slackpacking again :) Beautiful day, upper 60's and sunny, several summits including bear mtn, mt race, mt everett, among others, pretty much uphill the first 11 and down hill/flat the second half, staying in sheffield, MA tonight (hello MA! 3 states left)
Date: 2017-05-17
To: Berkshire lakeside lodge - lee, MA
Miles today: 29.1

Long day- some fields and boardwalks, but tons of uneven rocky and rooty terrain, plenty of ups/downs, too many bugs (used a bug net head cover most of the day), pretty hot out highs in the mid to upper 80's.  Slackpacked and made it to the lodge just before dark. Pizza/wings delivery and a queen size bed at the end of the day :)
Date: 2017-05-18
To: Shamrock village inn
Miles today: 19.4
Weather: broken clouds

Whoo.  Long day.  Supposibly a high of 91 deg... sure felt like it at least.  Climb out of Lee, MA this morning late start (9:30am) so I missed the cool morning hours.  In the afternoon I stopped at the house of the "Cookie Lady" and her husband off of hwy 8, who have been making cookies for AT hikers for 30 years, talked with "Mr. Cookie Lady" (pic'd above) for a bit while I dined on cookies :). Trail magic later in the afternoon by way of ice cold bottled water from Michelle, a local physical therapist and her daughter Morgan hiking on the AT.  Dinner at Paddy's in dalton, MA.
Date: 2017-05-19
To: Willows motel
Miles today: 23.1

Fantastic day :)  Insane trail magic this morning, breakfast at a local cafe, courtesy of Michelle, a day hiker I met on the AT yesterday, who also helped me slackpack from dalton to williamstown.  Thanks a ton Michelle if you're reading this!! Passed thru chesire for lunch (several bottles of juice and some ice cream), summited mt greylock, first peak over 3000' since VA. Partly cloudy and low 70's, able to see NY, VT, and even NH from the summit.
Date: 2017-05-20
To: Goddard shelter
Miles today: 28.5
Weather: overcast clouds

1.5 mile walk back to the trail head, climb back up to elevation, ENTERED VERMONTTTTT, eventually climbing to near the top of glastenbury mtn racing the sunlight in the PM arriving at the shelter just after 8:30pm.  Weekend hikers also at the shelter, cool night into the 30's, overall beautiful day :)
Date: 2017-05-21
To: Spruce peak shelter
Miles today: 27.2
Weather: overcast clouds

Woke up @ 4:30 and climbed to the top of the glastenbury observation tower for a spectacular sunset, equally great view from stratton mtn, mtns and lakes/ponds as far as the eyes can see.  Met up with bush meat and spear chucker, as well as serena williams (supposibly another january NOBO) and the goose from down under (flip flop).  Rainy night, staying in a fully enclosed cabin-like shelter near manchester center VT
Date: 2017-05-24
To: Mnt meadows lodge
Miles today: 21.8
Weather: clear sky

Beautiful day, 60's and mostly sunny, breakfast at the yellow deli then a taxi ride back to the trail from rutland, about a 3500' climb to the summit of mt killington, killer views from the top, ran into a few day hikers and then story teller at the lodge tonight in addition to mulberry, a flip flopper-- both tell me there is another "billy goat" on the trail in the south who's a serial hiker.  Passed the 1700 mile mark today! Less than 500 miles to katahdin!!
Date: 2017-05-25
To: The lookout
Miles today: 13.3

Tough day with lots of climbing and uphills, one part actually including a ladder.  50's and raining with tons of wind, rain gear soaked through within minutes making for an insanely cold and grueling hike... but ended with an amazing shelter which is an enclosed privately owned cabin near the trail open for use by AT hikers, equipped with a fireplace :)  Needless to say my clothes are now dry ;)  Sharing the cabin with Catch up and Wait up, an older couple section hiking the AT
Date: 2017-05-26
To: Trail angel's - short & sweet/graybeard (norwich, VT)
Miles today: 27.3

Another rainy day, gear soaked thru within an hour, trail super flooded and slippery-- many falls today :) One creek fording with a metal cable strung across between 2 trees, water up to mid-shin.  Trail angels short & sweet and graybeard hosting myself and another hiker, greeter (flip flopper).  They had a son complete the AT a few years back.  They insist we "pay it forward", the trail magic, at least once during the remainder of our thru hike :)
Date: 2017-05-27
To: Fire warden's cabin @ Smarts mtn
Miles today: 25.6

First hour of today on the roads of norwich vt and hanover nh before heading into the woods again, was sure to stop at the fire station in norwich for an $8 AYCE breakfast and a starbucks ON THE TRAIL before leaving the last town the AT crosses thru heading north.  Walked thru dartmouths campus after crossing into state #13, Made it to camp right at sunset able to see from the fire tower, connor a section hiker and several weekend hikers also at camp
Date: 2017-05-28
To: Hikers welcome hostel
Miles today: 20.1
Weather: overcast clouds

Up at 4:45am for the sunrise at the fire tower on the summit of smarts mtn, also summited mt cube and ore hill and mt mist today, avg'd maybe 1.5 mph today with the ups and downs, rock/root hopping, mud/bog negotiating.  In addition NH has black flies and ticks galore-- what a state :)  Entering white mtn national forest tomorrow :)
Date: 2017-05-29
To: The notch hostel 
Miles today: 9.3
Weather: light rain

Started at 6am this morning to get mt moosilauke in before the rain, cool transition from deciduous trees to pine forest to little tiny pine trees to eventually no trees working above to the summit above tree line, weather got progresively worse from 50's and calm with patches of blue sky to 20's with 50mph winds and crazy fog/mist with minimal visibility at the summit.  Snow still on the trail and as far down as 2900' on the north face of the mtn
Date: 2017-05-31
To: The notch hostel
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: mist

Forecast predicting T-storms, stayed an extra day at the notch hostel, work-for-stay helping the hostel with laying down electrical line pipes, cutting up tree branches, and placing granite steps, worked off 3 days stay :) Ended up being a really nice day with plenty of sunshine until 5pm when an intense hail t-storm came through for about an hour.
Date: 2017-06-01
To: Galehead hut
Miles today: 13.1
Weather: broken clouds

Set back out on the trail early this morning, climbing almost 4000' from franconia notch to mt lafayette, crossing over little haystack mtn and mt lincoln on the way, spending about 2 miles above tree line, with amazing views in every direction making today officially my favorite day so far on the AT (5 month anniversary today since setting off January 1!), summited mt garfield also today with great views back of franconia ridge and forward of south twin mtn, work-for-stay at galehead hut on their 1st day open for the year.
Date: 2017-06-02
To: Mizpah hut
Miles today: 21.1
Weather: scattered clouds

Almost an amazing day with $3 lunch at zealand falls hut, mostly down hill after summiting south twins peak, relatively clear, until the climb from crawford notch at 1000' to mt jackson at 4052', with many steep exposed rock wall climbs, 50mph winds and wind straight into the mtn side-- very slow going with a couple of near death experiences :)
Date: 2017-06-03
To: Lakes of the clouds hut
Miles today: 4.6

Short climb from mizpah this morning, climbing close to mt pierce's summit getting to lakes of the clouds hut, @ 5000'+, before noon. Up to 3in of sleet/snow, steady wind 35-50 mph winds gusts up to 70 mph, wind chills down to 5 deg forecasted today at the mt washington summit, tomorrow morning supposed to be partly sunny with 10-25 mph winds... summiting tomorrow :)
Date: 2017-06-04
To: White mtns lodge & hostel
Miles today: 15.0

Giving myself a pat on the back for not pushing ahead yesterday with summiting washington and heading to madison springs hut.  Weather cleared up a lot this morning, mostly just foggy with occasional breaks in the fog, tons of ice build up and snow increasing towards the summit from lakes of the clouds hut, no views from mt washington but increasing sunny skies as the day progressed crossing past jefferson and summiting madison, stopped at madison springs hut for lunch, hiked with flip flop hiker GI Joe, and section hikers jag happy, who I saw back in luray, va when I was aqua blazing the shenandoah river, and re-direct.  Up to today this was the best day on this trip with amazing views that 2 and 3 fold top everything else :)
Date: 2017-06-05
To: White mtns lodge & hostel
Miles today: 21.2

Slack packed from pinkham notch to gorham, summiting wildcat and the carter mtns and skirting around the mt moriah summit, 40's and raining with strong winds on the summits (perfect hypothermia weather :), tough climbs with plenty of rock climbing and puddle/bog maneuvering, scooting up/down steep rock faces on all fours/butt, and fording a couple of rivers (actually the rattle river, twice), took about 11-12 hours to complete this 21 mile hike with a stop at the carter notch hut for lunch.  Ran into foxtrot, another january start NOBO today at the hut, otherwise not another soul on the trail today.  The section in the picture above involved wedging between the 2 rock wall faces and pushing between the hands/feet and the back to work up to the bolders wedged at the top to then use them to climb the rest of the way up-- pretty scary with the cold rain and slick rock surfaces and being on an exposed area on the top side part of wildcat mtn