morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2014-06-25
From: Beyond Old Speck Summit Juncion

To: Near Wyman Mountain
Miles today: 17.8
Weather: light rain

6594' gain7808' lossWe woke up to a little rain shower, but big enough that we both started with our rain jackets on. We quickly realized that we didn't need them.The drop down to Grafton Notch wasn't bad. It was mostly trail with just a few rock ladders. I was pleasantly surprised.The climb back up to Baldpate peaks wasn't bad either. It was steep but manageable stone steps were in place for most of the climb. Towards the top the trail went back into the alpine zone and the trail went over a really smooth rock face. And since we were so high it was misting - we were in the clouds. The smooth rock was really slick. I fell hard - like a sack of potatoes - right onto my back like a cartoon. My pack took the impact.The rain finally showed up after lunch. Nasty rain. Everything is slippery. I fell hard again and this time bent my pole. A half hour later Mike fell and bent his pole. We decided that was enough and stopped early.
Date: 2014-06-26
From: Near Wyman Mountain

To: Beyond Bemis Mountain Second Peak
Miles today: 17.4

5840' gain6404' lossIt rained all night last night. We had no puddles in the tent - yay! Today was supposed to be even worse for rain, but we had almost none all day. The trail was a creek in many places. In one stretch it was steady water for at least a mile.We're seeing a steady stream of southbounders now. We must be in "the bubble". They warned us about Sawyer Notch, but it turned out to be better than we were expecting.I fell a few times again today and broke the hiking pole that I bent yesterday. I have never snapped one before.Bemis Mountain was really pretty. It has rock gardens with pale green moss or lichen. It almost looked like snow. Very cool.
Date: 2014-06-27
From: Beyond Bemis Mountain Second Peak

To: Maine Highway 4
Miles today: 14.9
Weather: overcast clouds

3235' gain3835' lossBeautiful weather has returned!! The humidity broke and it was bright and sunny. At the Highway 17 road crossing we rose above the fog bank that had settled in the valley. It was like looking at an ocean.The trail went past beautiful lakes today. The mud is still pretty bad. And it's unavoidable. We just have to plow right through it.We got to Highway 4 and walked the 0.3 miles west to the end of the guard rail to hitchhike, as the guidebook suggested. It worked - we got a ride within 5 minutes.In Rangeley, Mike did the laundry and he had to run it through the washer twice because our clothes were so muddy.
Date: 2014-06-28
From: Maine Highway 4

To: Rangeley
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: light rain

We took a zero in Rangeley today. In the morning we were walking to the grocery store when a guy came running up behind us. It was a day hiker we met in the Whites and we chatted with for a mile or so while we hiked. He and his wife had biked to Rangeley for the weekend. What are the chances? We had a lovely dinner with them.The owner of the outfitter, Ecopelagicon, was awesome. She fixed my broken pole, for free, since it was under warranty. She told me the Leki will send replacement parts to hikers on the trail (for free). She also told me that Darn Tough will replace socks with holes. Good to know!!
Date: 2014-06-29
From: Maine Highway 4

To: Beyond Lone Mountain
Miles today: 16.7

6175' gain4518' lossLots of climbing today. Lots of roots and rocks. I feel like a broken record. Once we left the valley, the trail was nonstop roots, rocks, or both. I have to watch every single step. And my feet are almost never flat on a surface. Each step has my foot twisted or turned at some odd angle.The 360 views from Saddleback Mountain were fantastic. The trail was in the alpine zone for quite awhile so we had good views as we walked.
Date: 2014-06-30
From: Beyond Lone Mountain

To: Horns Pond
Miles today: 20.6
Weather: light rain

6375' gain6585' lossThe warm weather continued today. Probably one of the warmest days yet. The humidity is back too. It really drains my energy.A big milestone today - we crossed the 2,000 mile mark! How can that be?We saw some hikers today that we haven't seen since New York. They were saying how tired they are and are finding it hard to keep going. I know the feeling. I'm starting to see the appeal of a southbound hike - the hard stuff is early, when you're still feeling strong both mentally and physically.
Date: 2014-07-01
From: Horns Pond

To: Beyond East Carry Pond
Miles today: 22.1
Weather: scattered clouds

4892' gain6686' lossAnother hot and humid day. I sweat going downhill. We both drank a lot of water today but still feel dehydrated. And the mosquitos came to the party too.Mike slipped on a rock and landed on his tailbone. I think he may have bruised it. It looked painful.As we lay in the tent we could hear mosquitos buzzing outside. We can't let any part of our bodies touch the bug netting or they will bite right through it.
Date: 2014-07-02
From: Beyond East Carry Pond

To: Highway 201
Miles today: 9.8

689' gain1440' lossIt never cooled off last night. Neither of us used our quilts. And the mosquitos were waiting for us in the morning. We both started the day with our headnets on - the first time we have used them on this trip.We had to hustle this morning to catch the ferry across the Kennebec River. The river is dammed and water is released periodically and without notice, so fording is not recommended. The ferry is actually Dave, a guy that the ATC pays to shuttle hikers back and forth across the river in his canoe. And this time of year he only operates between 9 and 11 in the morning. We didn't want to miss him today because that would cost us an entire day. And looking at the river, I wouldn't have wanted to ford it. When water is released from the dam the current can get really strong.And yes, the ferry is the "official" route!On the other side of the river we saw Skywalker, a hiker we met on the PCT in 2009. He's easy to remember since he's so tall. The hiking world is small!
Date: 2014-07-03
From: Highway 201

To: beyond Bald Mountain Stream
Miles today: 21.8
Weather: clear sky

4682' gain4081' lossThe trail was much better today. Some roots and rocks, but also some nice open stretches. Even the climb up to Moxie Bald Mountain wasn't bad and we had beautiful 360 views from the top.We had to ford Bald Mountain Stream - about knee deep. While we were crossing we kept hearing loud splashing noises like something was jumping in the water. On the other side we could see what it was - a beaver! It was patrolling its domain.The mosquitos are still pretty bad. They bite right through my "insect proof" shirt.It felt a little cooler than yesterday but still humid. We were having lunch at the top of Pleasant Pond Mountain when a group of thru hikers showed up. One guy took off his shirt and wrung it out. It was like he just pulled it out of a washing machine.
Date: 2014-07-04
From: beyond Bald Mountain Stream

To: Highway 15
Miles today: 14.9
Weather: scattered clouds

2087' gain2018' lossWe set up the tent last night under clear skies. Sometime in the night massive thunderstorms came in. It rained so hard that the sound of the rain was almost louder than the thunder. Lightning was all over. Luckily we woke up to a mostly dry tent and the rain had stopped.This morning we had the biggest ford of the trail so far. All of the rain didn't help - the river looked deep. There was a rope tied across the river to use for stability. It really helped. The rocks were slick so having something to hold on to made it so much easier. The water was warm too, which surprised me. I look at rivers like that and I expect them to be frigid.We really hustled to get to town early. Today is a holiday and we thought lodging could be full. Right before we got to the road it started raining again. We were wet, which made for a hard hitch. No one wanted to pick up wet hikers! It took about 40 minutes.We were lucky and got a room at Shaw's. Unfortunately our resupply boxes have not arrived. We will check the Post Office tomorrow. This is our last resupply of the trail as we enter the Hundred-Mile Wilderness. The Lakeshore House will bring a 5-gallon paint bucket of our food to a point 52 miles up from Highway 15 for $25. We will probably do it.Mike isn't feeling well today. I hope he feels better tomorrow.
Date: 2014-07-05
From: Highway 15

To: Road After Wilson Valley Lean-to
Miles today: 11.1

3074' gain3238' lossThe hurricane brought rain all night long. We were so glad to be staying at Shaw's.Our resupply boxes were not at the Post Office. An injured hiker we met back in North Carolina was at the hostel and offered to drive us to the Greenville grocery. That was a huge help.In the morning we heard some hikers talking about an 11 mile slack pack so we decided to do the same. Starting out the Hundred-Mile Wilderness completely wet did not sound like fun. And Mike is still not 100%.All of the heavy rain meant that today's fords would be difficult. When we got to the first ford, Little Wilson Stream, there was a mini tent city of people who did not want to cross. A little upstream from the trail was a log that spanned the stream so we used it. We both scooted across.The next ford, Big Wilson Stream, was much more difficult. It was surging with an incredible amount of water. There was a rope strung across to help, and I don't think I could have crossed without it. The current was so strong that I could not move my legs at one point. I did as another hiker suggested and let my legs go and held the rope with my arms, Superman style. It was actually easier because I was wasting so much energy fighting the current. Luckily the water was warm-ish. On the other side of the creek my legs felt weightless.Back at the hostel we all exchanged stories. One guy lost his shorts. The stream ripped them off his body and downstream they went, gone. Some southbounders came back to the hostel because the ford we did yesterday (thigh deep) was chest deep today. The rain has stopped and I hope the rivers have crested.Here's an awesome video that Z took of the Big Wilson crossing:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SvSFdfmzQZc
Date: 2014-07-06
From: Road After Wilson Valley Lean-to

To: Katahdin Ironworks Road
Miles today: 18.7
Weather: broken clouds

5407' gain5650' lossThe rains have stopped and on our drive back to the trail we crossed over a bridge over the combined Big and Little Wilson Streams. Compared with yesterday, the water flow was way lower. A good sign! I was worried about the fords today. Long Pond Stream was not a bad ford. There was a rope and the current was manageable.The heat is also gone. It's still humid but nothing like it was previously.My lats, triceps, and delts are sore today from the crazy river ford yesterday!
Date: 2014-07-08
From: Crawford Pond

To: Wadleigh Stream Lean-to
Miles today: 24.5
Weather: overcast clouds

1581' gain2103' lossThe last thing I wanted to do today: hike through mud bogs with swarms of mosquitos with stream fords and eat trail food. But I had no choice. I felt weak but strong enough to keep going.Our food bucket resupply was right where they said it would be. And in it was a melon flavored Powerade. It's all I thought about all morning until we got there.Lucky for me the trail was nearly completely flat today. And we had some nice scenery - Nahmakanta Lake was a standout.The bugs are so bad that I finally broke down and put DEET on my shirt on my shoulders. It really works. The "insect proof" shirt I'm wearing does not.We are still seeing a steady stream of southbounders. Most are still enthusiastic and excited.
Date: 2014-07-09
From: Wadleigh Stream Lean-to

To: Hurd Brook Lean-to
Miles today: 19.6

2972' gain3084' lossA little bit of everything today - mud, streams, climbs, rocks, roots, and a gorgeous view of Katahdin. We thought about pressing on to be in position to finish tomorrow but I'm still a little weak and Mike's blister is back. The continuous wet feet doesn't help.The shelter is packed and there are tents everywhere. A feels a little like the start of the trip.
Date: 2014-07-10
From: Hurd Brook Lean-to

To: The Birches Lean-tos
Miles today: 13.4
Weather: broken clouds

1699' gain1060' lossEasy hiking today, all the way to Baxter State Park. We stopped at the Abol Bridge Store for some breakfast sandwiches and coffee. I really needed some town food. I've reached my limit with trail food.We heard that the campground was full and thought that the Birches Lean-to might be crowded, but as it turns out, it's just us and another hiker, Nugget. We plan on hiking Katahdin together tomorrow.We signed in at the ranger station - we were northbound thru hikers #22 and #23 for the year.
Date: 2014-07-11
From: The Birches Lean-tos

To: Katahdin
Miles today: 5.2

4780' gainWe had absolutely perfect weather today. I couldn't believe our luck. The three of us were the second group to sign in at the trailhead for Katahdin at 6:15 am. The climb was not as bad as I was expecting. The boulder field took a little time but it was kind of fun.The views from Katahdin were just stunning. The visibility seemed endless. We could see where we had been hiking the last few days - the lakes and streams, mountains and flats. There was a slight breeze at the top. The climb down wasn't as bad as I was expecting either. We had the climb up to ourselves but passes huge groups on the way down, including one group of 40. Wow. We saw a few other thru hikers on their way up, including Big Hungry, the little terrier who thru hiked the entire trail. She is one spunky little dog.We saw one day hiker who was carrying an old external frame pack stripped bare with a 45 pound weight plate strapped to it, just for the heck of it. He decided not to continue to the top.We descended back down to the park, collected our gear, and hitchhiked out of the park. The three of us got a ride with the second car. We sat in the back of the pickup truck watching Katahdin disappear.And just like that, our hike was over.
Date: 2010-10-24
To: AT outside of Grayson Highland SP
Miles today: 0.0

For several years, we dreamt about and planned a thru-hike of the AT. We both retired this past June, which will allow us to start our thru-hike in March 2011. In April 2010 we drove our pickup camper to Harpers Ferry to visit the ATC headquarters. From there, we drove down the Blue Ridge Parkway and did a fair amount of day hiking along the way as we traveled to Smokey Mountain NP. We put on the packs and did an overnight near Grayson Highlands SP on the AT. The overnight gave us a chance to try out our new Tarptent (Rainshadow2) and backpacks (Osprey Exos 58). The tent and packs performed very well on their initial run. We saw at least a dozen wild ponies during our short overnight. We have really enjoyed following various thru-hikers on Trail Journals the past couple of years and hope everyone will enjoy our journal as we hike from GA to ME. Thank you.
Date: 2010-10-25
To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0

We are enjoying the planning and preparation phase of the trip at the moment. In our preparations we followed several of the Trail Journal entries from the past couple of years, especially those who were successful. Our priority was to follow other couples who are near our ages in the hopes of emulating what they did to complete the trail successfully. A couple from 2009 who provided the most help through TJ entries was "Tagless and Tag-along." We owe a big "thank you!" to Dane and Connie Ward. In addition to the excellent daily journals, we really appreciated their post-hike entries and the advice they contained.
Date: 2010-10-25
To: Research
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: clear sky

In my previous posting I mentioned that reading through Trail Journals has been helpful in our hike preparation. Another useful tool has been reading various books written about hiking the AT. The first book we read was AWOL's book, which we thoroughly enjoyed. Since then we have read a couple of the Barefoot Sisters' books, "Nimblewill Nomads," Earl Schaffer's "Walking with Spring" and "Three Hundred Zeros," and Jeff Alt's "Walking for Sunshine." We have enjoyed all of them a great deal and they make us all the more anxious to get on the trail. We recently finished reading "Hiking Through" by Paul Stutzman (Apostle) who hiked the AT in 2008. Excellent book, Paul. We enjoyed your book very much. Less than five months to go...can't wait.Greenstone
Date: 2010-10-27
To: Canoe Trip to Voyageurs NP
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: clear sky

As mentioned previously, we spent a week in Voyageurs NP canoeing with our good friends, Steve & Leanne and Gary & Janet. Voyageurs is a boater's paradise with (I believe) close to 200 backcountry campsites. Each site usually contains two level tent pads, a picnic table, a fire ring, bear box, and privy. We had an enjoyable, relaxing week while paddling several miles a day. It gave us a chance to try out much of our gear that we will be using on the AT. The trip was our first chance to use our new Rainshadow Tarptent for an extended period of time. We were very happy with the Rainshadow's space, ventilation, and ease of set up.
Date: 2010-10-30
To: Enjoying Fall Colors
Miles today: 0.0

A few weeks ago we went on a two week camping trip across Michigan's Upper Peninsula (UP) to do some day hiking while enjoying the beautiful fall colors. We spent seven or eight days at Porcupine Mountain State Park on the west side.Porcupine Mountains Wilderness State Park (60,000 acres) is one of the few remaining large wilderness areas in the Midwest. Towering virgin timber, secluded lakes, and miles of wild rivers and streams make a visit to the "Porkies" a trip to remember. http://www.michigandnr.com/parksandtrails/Details.aspx?id=426&type=SPRK The park runs along several miles of Lake Superior as well and features many miles of hiking trails with several backcountry campsites for backpackers. There are also several backcountry rustic cabins and yurts that are available for rent. For the most part we had sunny, pleasant weather and the fall colors were outstanding.
Date: 2010-11-02
To: Getting Pack Weights Established
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: overcast clouds

Well, it's November and we are only 4 and 1/2 months from starting the trail in Georgia. We are finalizing the list of items we are taking with us. We are busy planning our drop boxes and recently loaded and weighed our packs (minus food, water, fuel.) Greenstone's pack weighed in at 20 lbs even and Thimbleberry's came in at 16.6 lbs. We are very pleased with these weights because it is very close to our estimates.
Date: 2010-11-13
To: Trail Names
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: overcast clouds

Isle Royale NP was the inspiration for our trail names (please review "trail names" section). We have made many trips to Isle Royale over the past 30 years, both hiking and canoeing. The island is located in the northwestern corner of Lake Superior and, because of it's isolation, is one of the nation's least-visited national parks. The overall tranquility and beautiful water is the biggest drawing card for us. The island is roughly 45-miles long and 9-miles wide. In addition, around 200 islands are situated around the main island. Most people arrive by one of the island's three ferry services: the Voyager II from Minnesota and the Ranger III and the Queen IV from Michigan's UP. A float plane service is available out of Hancock, Michigan along with a certain amount of private boats that make the trip as well. Occasionally, a few brave souls in kayaks paddle over from Grand Portage, MN¢¢a wilderness park that is mostly devoid of roads. The island's history includes commercial fisherman and their families along with a few small vacation resorts that were present before the island becoming a national park. Mining was also carried out on the island and some remnants are still visible around various sections of the island. The island contains many inland lakes with a few lakes containing backcountry campsites. The island contains around 165 miles of trails to hike and campgrounds that are located every few miles with either shelters, campsites, or both, available. They are usually located by an inland lake, on Lake Superior, or one of it's coves. It takes an extra effort to visit Isle Royale, but in our opinion it is well worth it.
Date: 2010-11-19
To: Preparations Continue
Miles today: 0.0

We continue to make final preparations for our 2011 thru-hike. Yesterday, we took time to go through our planned mail drops. We have decided that 12 drops will work out best for our hike. We have the mail drops separated into individual bags or boxes (the first few), and we believe we are about 95% finished. We are flying into Atlanta and will be staying at the Hiker Hostel the night before we start the AT. Our backpacks and most of our gear are being shipped to the hostel via UPS. With the airlines now charging for bags and because the bags often take a beating during airline handling, it seems to be best to use UPS. The cost-difference is a little bit higher, but, for the peace of mind, it seems worth it.
Date: 2010-11-23
To: Meeting Successful Thru-hikers
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: moderate rain

In April 2010, we did a day hike on the AT in the Great Smokey Mountains NP that headed out to Charlie's Bunion from Newfound Gap. We were able to enjoy a beautiful hike that day and had the pleasure of meeting quite a few thru-hikers. We really enjoyed meeting Ripple, Scaggs, and Dancing Wind on the short side-trail to Charlie's Bunion. All three hikers were extremely friendly and encouraging when we mentioned our desire to hike the AT in 2011. We appreciated the time they took to talk about their hikes up to that point. We followed Ripple and Dancing Wind on TJ throughout their hike and are very happy that both recently completed the AT. Congrats to you both! We also briefly met Krispy Kritter at the Ice Spring shelter on our way back down to Newfound Gap. Around three and a half months to go! We hope everyone has a great Thanksgiving holiday!
Date: 2010-12-01
To: Daily Hiking
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: light rain

It's December and we are getting closer to the great adventure. So far, in our part of Michigan's UP, we don't have any measurable snow on the ground; that can change very quickly though, and there are light flurries falling as I write this entry. We just returned from our morning hike. We have been trying to go out for a couple of hikes every day. We usually do at least an hour each time and try to hike at least 3 miles. We are blessed to have, in addition to our own acreage, several hundred, adjacent wooded-acres of state land. We normally like to go back on to the state land and walk the various two-tracks. We haven't been able to do this for the past 15 days because deer hunting season is officially open. Instead, we have been doing laps on our own hiking path in an upper meadow on our property. The path is around a third of a mile long and is mostly surrounded by trees. It sure beats having to use the treadmill! Rifle season ended yesterday so it will be nice to head back to the state land again this afternoon. We hope everyone is having a great day!
Date: 2010-12-12
To: Things you miss while on the AT
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: clear sky

It's Sunday and we are receiving our first real snowstorm of the season. Living in Michigan's UP, you never quite know when the first big winter storm will hit. Some years we have been hit as early as October and kept the snow cover right on through until the end of April. Some time ago, over on Whiteblaze.com, I believe Turtle Feet asked a forum (2011 thru-hikers) question asking, "What will you miss most while away on your thru-hike?" I don't think we will miss "things" (TV, modern appliances, computers, cars, etc.) all that much since we will be focused on the beauty and the challenges of being on the trail. What we will really miss the most will be family and friends. We will especially miss our two-and-half-year old granddaughter, Olivia. She brings a lot of enjoyment to us and at this age, she will be growing and changing so quickly. We fly to ATL three months from today...getting anxious to hit the AT!