morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2013-03-11
From: cosby knob shelter

To: groundhog creek shelter
Miles today: 17.6
Weather: few clouds

Today was long and tough going but it felt good to finally leave the smokies, although I will miss their beauty (certainly not the weather). When I reached davenport gap I came across a tub of trail magic. Someone left a congratulations checklist for completing 200 miles, clingmans dome and first interstate crossing, along with some snickers, chips, and soda. This gave me a nice boost of energy to make it up snowbird mountain. I stopped for a snack near the top and ran into arrowhead. We trucked up to the top of the peak, which followed an old road and the summit offered a good view back towards the smokies. However I could see rain clouds moving in so I quickly hurried down the mountain to the shelter. When I arrived, Flo showed up soon after despite that he said he probably would not make it to the groundhog creek shelter. At the same time the rain started picking up, and a group of seven frat students showed up to the small shelter. They ended up being pretty nice guys, but we squeezed 9 people into a '6' man shelter, so the living space was terrible.
Date: 2013-03-12
From: groundhog creek shelter

To: roaring fork shelter
Miles today: 8.2
Weather: few clouds

Today was pretty easy terrain, but the fog made any views nonexistent. When I made it to max patch, a large round balded peak there was a dense coating of mist which reduced visibility to only about 50 yards or less. When I reached the shelter I started cooking some lunch and waiting for Flo as planned. Once he arrived he said we wanted to camp short of hot springs the following day to allow a long day in town. If we went to the next shelter, such a short hike would tempt us to continue to town and stay longer, so we decided to stay at the roaring fork shelter after only 8 miles of hiking. The sun came out and melted the coating of snow which had fallen on the tops of the trees overnight, and I was able to use my solar panel to charge up some batteries. Arrowhead arrived around 530, as he had a very late start from his tent site at groundhog creek. He wanted to try pushing another 15 miles, and his spirit convinced me to push to hot springs the next day. I caught two mice during the night, so my count is now at 4!
Date: 2013-03-13
From: roaring fork shelter

To: hot springs- Elmer's Inn
Miles today: 18.4
Weather: few clouds

Today was a good day of hiking, and was a good mix of challenge and motivation to hike into hot springs. I left early in the morning and said my goodbyes to Flo. We have been hiking together since the nearly the beginning, but now that I've become stronger I want to start challenging myself a little more with some big mileage days, which Flo is not necessarily up for. I made it the 5 miles up over the mountain and to the walnut mountain shelter in only an hour and a half, and found two campers who said a man had come in during the night and left early in the morning. I knew this must be arrowhead, and it motivated me to push on fast in hopes of catching him. He has thru-hiked the trail before and is quite knowledgeable about the terrain and I enjoy chatting with him. I continued onward over bluff mountain and made my way towards town, and arrived in the afternoon. After finally finding where Elmer's Inn was, I checked in and found the atmosphere very hiker friendly. It is run by a man who hiked the trail back in the 70's and he staffs the inn with former thru hikers as well. The two guys currently working both completed a SOBO thru-hike last year, and I enjoyed exchanging stories and answering questions. I did some laundry in town and swapped out my ursac minor for a lighter dry sack for my food, as the warming weather warrants that I hang my food up high to protect against bears. Much to my surprise I ran into Flo showed up in the evening, and so the journey continues...
Date: 2013-03-14
From: hot springs- Elmer's Inn

To: spring mountain shelter
Miles today: 11.0
Weather: overcast clouds

Today started with an awesome waffle breakfast with granola and fruit from Elmer's Inn. Afterwards, I packed up my stuff and was surprised to find my pack weight at 60lb. With a base weight of 25, that meant my food and water added up to a staggering 35lbs. Crazy as that seems, I decided to keep everything from tbs mail drop and hike on. The trail was pretty steep and slow going right out of hot springs, as it ascended near a cliff band along the French Broad river. As Flo came up behind me I gave him some snacks to lighten up my pack, and I also stopped frequently to gorge. Eventually after many roller coaster ridges I arrived at the shelter to find Flo, Arrowhead and Daypack building a fire. I was excited to try out the cheap lightweight saw I bought at the outfitters, and it ended up working pretty well even though the blade got a little bent. I set up the mouse trap again and success again, bringing the total to 5.
Date: 2013-03-15
From: spring mountain shelter

To: jerry cabin shelter
Miles today: 15.4
Weather: overcast clouds

Today was a fun hike with great weather. We scaled the camp creek bald mountain which had a lookout tower on top that offered some good views. The best part of the day was the terrain after the bald, as the trail follows an exposed ridge for about two miles. It gave the trail an alpine feel and it was fun to skip around on the rocks and look back as I made my way north away from the bald. I was considering pushing to the next shelter but since Jerry cabin has a stone fireplace, I couldn't resist staying. Caught another mouse, count is up to 6.
Date: 2013-03-16
From: jerry cabin shelter

To: hogback ridge shelter
Miles today: 14.7
Weather: overcast clouds

Today was pretty challenging but the trail magic halfway through the day helped give me a nice boost. We (myself, Daypack, Flo, and Arrowhead) set out in the morning, and after a good climb up big butt Mt and a nice steep descent we reached the flint Mt shelter for lunch. I checked the shelter journal and saw an entry for today from some people painting blazes who left sodas in the stream nearby. This made for a great and refreshing lunch, and I've been using the soda bottle for mixing batches of Gatorade. After lunch we traveled along what seemed like endless knobs and ridges, working our way up and down and eventually back up to the hogback ridge shelter. Another mouse was captured, totaling now 7 mice.
Date: 2013-03-17
From: hogback ridge shelter

To: no business knob shelter
Miles today: 20.7
Weather: overcast clouds

Today was a pretty long one, and by the end my feet were quite sore and a little blistered. Daypack and I set out early in the morning before the sun came up, and after the first 3 miles we reached sams gap where we decided to walk 3.5 miles down the road to a cafe. Unfortunately we arrived only to find it closed, but a man next door said there was a gas station just around the corner. We soon arrived to find it too was closed, and a man sitting in his truck said "the fellow who runs this place ain't ever on time...I've been waiting twenty minutes already and I'll I need is a damn mountain dew." luckily the store clerk soon arrived and Daypack and I enjoyed a breakfast of burritos Danishes and other sweets. We started heading back towards the trailhead hoping to hitch and out of nowhere a car pulled over with ATC bumper stickers on the back and offered us a ride. They were a couple from Hiawassee and ATC members who do trail maintenance but were up in the area doing some day hikes with friends. Surprisingly when I told them my name they said they have been following my journal...pretty coincidental! Daypack and I said our thanks and hit the trail again, climbing our way up big bald. We were greeted at the top by excellent views of the area, including a nearby ski resort which still had some snow left on a few trails. What really struck me was looking back toward camp creek bald and being able only to barely make out the towers atop its summit. I felt accomplished to see I had made it so far in only two days, and it made me stop and marvel at just how long the trail really is. We pushed down the mountain and made our way past the shelter towards no business knob, stopping a few times to enjoy some views. We reached camp shortly before dark after many frustrating minutes of winding around a mountain. Soon after Arrowhead arrived and then two southbound thru-hikers about 45minutes later. We shared stories and questions about the upcoming terrain. It was nice to hear from people who had already hiked such a long ways and were nearing the end of their journey. I set up the mouse trap and caught one, apparently by the leg (I was sleeping). When I awoke in the morning, there was no mouse or trap to be found.
Date: 2013-03-18
From: no business knob shelter

To: uncle johnny's hostel-erwin tn
Miles today: 5.8

Easy 6 mile hike into town. Uncle johnny's was friendly and Daypack Arrowhead and I rode bikes into town to get all-you-can eat pizza at Pizza Plus. Surprisingly I found the salad bar the most appetizing part of the buffet...I never knew fresh vegetables could be so delicious on the hiker palate. After heading back to Uncle Johnny's we were greeted by an an ensuing rain storm. Shortly after Flo arrived..His pack strap had broken on him earlier that morning and he was forced to make an emergency stop at the hostel. We washed some of our garments in the sink and hung them in front of the wood stove, then headed out for town courtesy of the free shuttle. We first visited dollar general and walgreens, where I picked up some liquid skin for covering my blisters. We enjoyed a filling meal at Azteca, the mexican restaurant famous for its endless tortilla chips and salsa just in time for our return ride back to Uncle Johnny's. When we arrived we found fellow hikers Solo and Pilgrim, who had hitched from Sams Gap to avoid the downpour. Everyone relaxed in the bunkhouse for a few hours and I was able to enjoy a few pages of No Country For Old Men, which Flo had given me a few days before.
Date: 2013-03-19
From: uncle johnny's hostel-erwin tn

To: Cherry Gap Shelter
Miles today: 17.5
Weather: clear sky

Today's terrain was a mix of mostly rolling ups and downs, and allowed for a great day of enjoying the many stream crossings and surrounding foliage. When I left the hostel I said my goodbyes (hopefully temporary) to Daypack and Flo. As I departed I saw Flo, Solo and Pilgrim doing work-for-stay outside Uncle Johnny's. Flo was frustrated because he had to wait for Uncle Johnny to receive the shipment of packs from Granite Gear, which wouldn't arrive until 7 that night so he was forced to stay an additional night. Daypack was waiting for some fellow hikers to catch up who he hadn't seen in several weeks, and Arrowhead was planning to hit the trail shortly after my departure. I crossed over the Nolichucky River and back into the woods, soon crossing over a set of railroad tracks. Trains seem to frequent Erwin quite often, and I could even hear faint sounds of the whistle from the shelter at cherry gap. After the railroad tracks the trail slowly worked its way uphill, crossing many streams and winding around the folds of the mountains, towards the days final uphill of Unaka mountain, whose summit is covered in a dense forest of spruce trees. Before Unaka the trail passes over beauty spot, a small bald clearing which offers good views of the surrounding mountains including the 6217' Roan High Knob which the trail passes over. As I worked my way up Unaka Mountain I noticed the foliage slowly changing into the spruce forest which dominates the summit, and I felt almost like I was in the forests of Europe. After descending I eventually arrived at the shelter and was soon greeted by two other thru hikers. For the purposes of this journal I will omit their names, but from the getgo I noticed something strange about the hikers. They just seemed a little unprepared to me, especially considering they were carrying 30 and 40 liter packs. When I asked where they came from, they responded "oh we're thru-hikers." Turns out they started march 1st...pretty shocking. I felt a little more relaxed and continued cooking my dinner, but when one pulled out a pair of broken glasses and then proceeded to fix his thermarest with duct tape I knew something was up. Soon Arrowhead arrived and immediately he began scanning the area looking for arrowheads (as he does so well). As he set up his tent nearby I went in search of a tree to hang my bear bag from, and when I finally got a line stung and returned to cook my dinner I quickly realized the two "ultralights" would not be hanging their food. So I finished my meal and set up tent near Arrowhead.
Date: 2013-03-22
From: Mountain Harbour Hostel

To: Moreland Gap Shelter
Miles today: 18.4
Weather: overcast clouds

Today was pretty slow going and tough at times, and I had to deal with a few setbacks that slowed me down. Herb and I ate breakfast at the B&B house owned by the hostel, and it was incredible. They prepared a whole breakfast buffet, including some amazing french toast and an interesting egg dish with pierogies. I finally hit the trail around ten and pushed forward at a blazing pace. The trail was pretty moderate and mostly rolling, and after some climbs with views early in the hike, the trail descended to the partially frozen Jones Falls followed soon by the Elk River before climbing uphill again towards the mountaineer shelter. I stopped at the shelter for a long lunch before continuing on towards moreland gap. After continuing for what seemed like a very long time I stopped for some water at a stream that I estimated to be 2 miles south of the shelter, since I knew the water availability at the shelter was low. I discovered right away that the cap to my aquamira had come undone and I lost almost all of the solution. Luckily I still had enough for a few more liters. Soon after putting my pack back on I heard a snapping sound resonating fr om my pack. I checked all the straps but couldn't find anything so I kept on going. Sooner than I expected I arrived at the shelter, where I decided to build a fire to roast a bagel pepperoni and cheese sandwhich along with my dinner, and to help ward of any animal threats. Thankfully I found a good tree to hang my bear bag from. I had run into a lot of trouble finding a tree a few days before at the cherry gap shelter, and the easy find at Moreland Gap was a welcome relief. After I enjoyed my dinner by the fire, I set up my tarp in the front of the shelter as I noticed a few flurries falling and I didn't want my gear covered in snow. Soon I retired to my sleeping bag and a few pages of my book before falling asleep for the night.
Date: 2013-03-23
From: Moreland Gap Shelter

To: Hampton TN
Miles today: 8.9
Weather: overcast clouds

Today proved a lot more frustrating than it could have been. The terrain was great and mostly downhill but some setbacks with my gear made the day tough mentally. When I left camp in the morning I discovered that the snapping sound I had heard the day before was the snapping of the metal support pole on the left side of my pack. It still functioned, albeit a little uncomfortable. I also noticed the elastic cordage of the housing pouch for my SPOT had become a little frayed, but I figured it would survive until town where I could find a suitable replacement. I pushed on the trail at record speeds, jogging on the downhill sections and keeping a brisk pace on the short uphills. I reached the turnoff trail for coon den falls after an hour and a quarter to find I had traveled over 4 miles. I kept racing onward, and eventually I came to dennis cove road, three miles from where I planned to meet up with my dad who had drove down to visit and hike with me. I took off my pack to take out my harp, as the terrain had become almost completely flat. I immediately discovered my SPOT had busted out of the housing and was lost. I became pretty distraught and was worried that my dad would see the signal not moving somewhere on the trail and may try to head towards another road, but I figured he would wait in Hampton as planned so I pushed forward. After passing the falls and stopping for some lunch I reached the side trail and hiked the mile to the parking lot, where my dad was waiting. I explained my lost and broken gear and we decided to try and find the SPOT and head to the outfitters in Damascus to see if the pack can be fixed or repaired. We were able to locate the SPOT signal stagnant near the shelter that I had started at, and when I logged online and saw we have a replacement program for it we decided to move on. As we headed toward Damascus we saw a small outfitters outside Bristol and we decided to check it out. I was able to find the updated version of my osprey pack, but the store clerk said he would need to verify with osprey, which does not open until monday. So I will just have to deal with a broken pack until then...
Date: 2013-03-24
From: Hampton TN

To: watuga lake shelter
Miles today: 7.8
Weather: overcast clouds

Today turned out to be much better than I had expected. My dad and I decided to head to the trailhead at Dennis Cove Rd to try and locate my SPOT, as I was able to see a transmission coming from there both in the evening before. We enjoyed some breakfast at the hotel, then head out into the rainy weather towards the trailhead. When we arrived at the road we looked for several minutes but were unable to find the SPOT. Then I remembered the Kincora hiking hostel was just up the road, so we drove over in hopes that someone might have brought it there. As we walked up the porch to knock on the door, I recognized Herb's pack sitting amongst several others. When we got inside sure enough there was Arrowhead with my SPOT. We stayed for several minutes chatting with the hikers about our whereabouts the past several days, and Bob Peoples gave me a history lesson on the Mountain Harbour hostel and about some of the trail work he has done.My dad and I eventually made our way to the trailhead at US321, stopping by subway to pick up some sandwiches for lunch on the trail. As we climbed our way up pond flats the rain and fog steadily increased in intensity, as did the grading of the trail. When we reached the top of the mountain the terrain flattened out and the rain picked up quite significantly. But soon we found ourselves descending the other side of the mountain, and as we made our way down through the forest of rhododendrons the weather lightened up. After what seemed like only a few minutes we came upon the road and were greeted by a few scattered rays of sunlight. The wind picked up in spurts, and we found a pavilion on the shore of Watuga Lake to eat our subway and then depart our separate ways. As I departed along the shoreline of the lake I ventured back into the freedom of life on the trail, my father back towards his civilized existence. On the trail there are no obligations we must commit ourselves to. In contrast to the stone carved schedules of societal life, each day on the trail takes us further and further from commitments. The only thing which remains constant on the trail is the steadfast summit of Katadhin, the final and sole destination for the northbound thru-hiker. Each day is an opportunity to place one foot in front of the other and travel whatever distance one chooses. No one forces us to wake up each day and battle through blisters, sore heels, snow drifts, or whatever other hardships we may face along the trail. It is this pure essence of choice that drives the gears of life on the trail and brings us together as a hiking community. I arrived at the shelter to find a group of 4 departing for the shelter ahead. Soon after I was joined by hiker Dry Bones. He started the trail last year at Springer but was forced of the trail at Hampton due to knee injuries, and is back this year for some more hiking. We settled in and after dinner and some reading I went to sleep. I awoke several times during the night to the thudding sound of rain on the roof...
Date: 2013-03-25
From: watuga lake shelter

To: Iron Mountain Shelter
Miles today: 14.0
Weather: snow

Today was a flashback to Roan for me, as the wind proved the driving force of my discomfort. When Dry Bones and I awoke in the morning, we were greeted by a light snowfall with a small dusting on the ground. I decided to take my time in the morning and relax a little, and I prepared a nice breakfast of hashbrowns with eggs on a bagel. The air had a slight crisp feeling to it, and my laziness kicked in and I couldn't help but climb back into my sleeping back for a short nap. In the mean time, Dry Bones had packed up his belongings and headed out onto the trail. Part of me wanted to wait in the shelter in hopes that Arrowhead or Flo might catch up, but eventually boredom forced me out of my bag and I headed up the trail. After winding around the lake to the dam and up into the mountains the snow slowly picked up, as did the wind. Just before reaching the ridgeline, which I would find myself on for the next several days, I ran into Solo and Pilgrim. They had been up at the next shelter for two days and were headed back south to Franklin for trail fest. I was warned of the wind, but I did not think it would be quite as bad as what I ended up enduring. The wind on the ridge was quite battering, and to make it worse the snow continually stung against my face like a box of needles. I was pleased to see the party of 4, who were headed back to the lake. They had been wearing cotton clothing and I was concerned they may be in danger, and despite looking discomforted I knew they would make it to safety. At the shelter, I found Dry Bones huddled around back in his tent. The wind was blowing directly into the shelter, and I knew right away it would be better to push onward. After quickly eating some snacks, Dry Bones and I continued down the trail towards the Iron Mountain shelter. The wind picked up heavily and continued the battery against my cheek and nose. When we finally made it to the shelter the wind had dies down significantly, but I set up my tarp (the find from way back at Wayah Bald) over the front as a shield from the wind. It worked like a charm, and I soon found myself in the comfort of my sleeping bag..
Date: 2013-03-26
From: Iron Mountain Shelter

To: Double Springs Shelter
Miles today: 7.6
Weather: scattered clouds

Today was not filled with too many miles, but the wind made up for it. Dry Bones and I set out in the early morning after awaking to several more inches of snow on the ground. The wind had blown some overnight and lightly coated the ends of our bags with a few flakes of snow, but nothing too bad. We headed out onto the trail and soon found ourselves battling against the wind and the new element of big snow drifts. The drifts were moderate compared to those I encountered in the smokies, but they still made the going slow. After making the 7.6 miles to the shelter we decided to camp for the night, despite reaching the shelter early in the afternoon. Physically I could have pushed the 8 miles to the next shelter, but Dry Bones knee was bather him and I decided to stay in company rather than venture in the snow alone. After eating most of my remaining snack food followed by dinner, we were soon greeted by a surprise visit from Arrowhead. He had traveled from the wind-facing Vandevender shelter, and was desperate to reach town. He wanted to push the 18 miles into Damascus, but eventually decided to settle only for the 8 to the next shelter, which would leave him with only a short trek into town.