morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2011-08-23
From: Long Pond Stream Lean-to

To: East Chairback Pond Campsite
Miles today: 13.5
Weather: broken clouds

Back to the MountainsYesterday was all about the water, but today it was back to the mountains. We went over five mountains today. None were very tall--the highest was 2600 feet--but put all together, they definitely gave us a workout. The day started with a long climb up Barren Mountain, the tallest of the five. With its open ledges, we had beautiful views of the many mountains, ponds and lakes in this wilderness area. Form there we descended to the Fourth Mountain Bog. As we approached the bog, there was a sign--to protect fragile vegetation, please stay on the bog bridges ( planks of wood laid on log supports that allow you to stay above the wet and mucky bog). We would have been happy to stay on the bog bridges--if only they had been functional through the bog. Unfortunately, many of them had deteriorated and broken in the middle, leaving us to try to leap from one piece to another. Even more unfortunately, leaping sometimes caused the plank to sink deeper in the water. Not surprisingly, we exited the bog with wet feet. After the bog, we climbed again--to the summit of Fourth Mountain. Then it was back down and back up to Third Mountain, and then to Columbus Mountain, and then to Chairback Mountain. At that point, we were tired from our day, but glad to have climbed all the mountains and looking forward to the two miles down to the campsite. But this is Maine, and nothing is ever easy. Shortly after leaving the summit of Chairback Mountain, we found ourselves looking down what seemed to be an almost vertical slide of large boulders and rock slabs--with a white blaze indicating that we had to go down it. It was after six when we finally got to our campsite by Chairback Pond--later than we like to get to camp, especially now as the days have gotten so much shorter. But here we are, in a beautiful spot. I can look out the door of my tent and see the pond. And if we are lucky, maybe the loons will serenade us tonight.
Date: 2011-08-24
From: East Chairback Pond Campsite

To: Logan Brook Lean-To
Miles today: 14.5
Weather: few clouds

The ViewingToday was another mountain day, but one that started with an easy ford across the West Branch of the Pleasant River--a wide river with a pretty gentle current. Then there was a long, slow easy climb most of the way up Gulf Hagas Mountain. The rest of the way up Gulf Hagas was characteristically steep, followed by climbs up and down three more mountains, all over three thousand feet. This was our last multi-mountain day. We have two more small mountains between here and Katahdin, but mostly it will be flat terrain. This was evident as we came down the open summit of White Cap Mountain and turned towards the north. There we saw it, rising above the lakes and lowlands surrounding it--Mt. Katahdin. We certainly couldn't see the exact path we will follow, but we could see the geography between here and there and, except for our last day, our climbing days are pretty much done. I sat for a few minutes, looking at the mountain. This is where we have been heading for the last five and a half months. It has been an amazing journey--and now the end is literally in sight.
Date: 2011-08-25
From: Logan Brook Lean-To

To: Cooper Brook Falls Lean-To
Miles today: 11.7
Weather: overcast clouds

An Easy Maine DayWe knew we were having a short day today, so there was no reason not to sleep in--which meant staying in our sleeping bags until seven. Also, it was cold last night and damp and foggy this morning, so getting up was not that inviting. It was cloudy and threatening rain most of the day, but the rain held off until late afternoon--when we were already in the shelter. In the meantime, we had a delightful day, hiking mostly flat terrain or going slightly downhill. Finally we got to the easy part of Maine. As we get closer to summit day, all the talk is about the weather and the approaching hurricane. Will it actually hit Maine or blow out to sea?  Will it move through quickly, with sunshine quickly following?  And what day will it be here, anyway?I start to worry about the weather and what to expect on Tuesday, when we hope to summit. And then I remember that important thruhiker lesson--there is much I can't control, so I might as well relax and trust that whatever happens, it will all work out.
Date: 2011-08-26
From: Cooper Brook Falls Lean-To

To: White House Landing
Miles today: 14.1

Post for August 26Start. Cooper Brook Falls Lean-toDestination. White House LandingMiles. 14.1 Hunger Clutch and I have both been feeling it the last few days. We have been so hungry. The food that we have been eating on the trail the last five months no longer seems adequate and we want more. Clutch thinks it's because we have gotten used to more in-town meals to give us additional calories and that opportunity has decreased. I'm not sure what it is--I only know I want food. There is one hostel here in the 100 mile wilderness (which isn't actually that wild)--White House Landing.  You take a side trail off the AT for about one mile and that takes you to a dock. There is an air horn you blow once, and one of the owners picks you up and takes you over in a motor boat--which is a very different way of traveling than hiking. They serve dinner--a choice of a one pound hamburger or pizza, with a chocolate brownie for dessert. We'll also have an all-you-can-eat breakfast in the morning. They also sell resupply food. We have two more days in the wilderness, so we each got three snickers bars and three bags of M&M's. Hopefully that will see us through. The hurricane remains a big concern and a big unknown. We are hearing it will hit on Sunday, one of our last hiking days before we get to Katahdin. There is no way we can really prepare for it, so we'll just keep moving forward as long as we are able.
Date: 2011-08-27
From: White House Landing

To: Rainbow Stream Lean-To
Miles today: 15.5
Weather: broken clouds

Unpredictable PlanningSeveral weeks ago, wanting to give possible summit dates to Denise and Mary Ann so they could make plans to meet us at Katahdin, we looked ahead in our guide book pages to try and figure out when we would finish. We thought August 30, 31 or September 1 were the most likely dates.  We needed to have a range because, as always, there are so many variables to consider. As we kept hiking through New Hampshire and on into Maine, it kept looking more and more like August 30th would be our date. I have been loving this hike and, at the same time, I can't wait to be home. The idea of finishing on the 30th became increasingly compelling. As we entered the 100 mile wilderness, we knew--and we told Mary Ann and Denise--that we were on for the 30th, weather permitting. At that time, we were thinking of the regular wind and rain issues that can delay a Katahdin summit. We were not thinking about a hurricane. But now we are, as Irene comes closer to Maine, predicted to hit here later on Sunday and into Monday. Baxter State Park has closed all trails to Katahdin for Sunday and Monday, including the 10 miles from Abol Bridge to Katahdin Stream Campground, where the 5.2 mile trail up to the summit starts. Tonight we are spending what will be our last night out, tenting by a shelter 30 miles from the summit. Tomorrow we will hike 15 miles to Abol Bridge, where we will go into Millinocket to stay at a hostel. There will be no hiking on Monday, as all the trails will be closed.  We will be hoping, along with all the other thruhikers who are ready to summit, to do the 10 miles to the Katahdin Stream on Tuesday and go to the top on Wednesday. Of course, this plan, too, depends on the weather--which means planning for the unpredictable, something we have become increasingly skilled at. We are both ready, in so many ways, for whatever the next few days bring.
Date: 2011-08-28
From: Rainbow Stream Lean-To

To: Millinocket
Miles today: 14.7
Weather: clear sky

A Soggy EscapeWe had just under 15 miles to hike today to get to Abol Bridge and, from there, to Millinocket, where we would wait for the storm to move through. From what we had heard, we were expecting the rain to start in the afternoon and go through the night, into the next day. We got up at 5 am so we could get an early start and be out before the storm. There were a number of other hikers (some thruhikers, some section hikers) at the shelter, all with the same thought. The rain started at 5:30, as we were eating breakfast. We quickly finished up and got on the trail, as the rain changed from a light drizzle to a heavy rain. We didn't know if this was Irene arriving early or anticipatory rain. We just knew we were going to get wet. Over the last couple of days, the trail varied from flat and relatively rock and root free to little ups and downs with lots of rocks and roots to navigate.  Today, although we were hoping for flat and easy, we got the roots, mud, muck and water. Walking through roots means having to plan each foot placement to avoid slipping and falling. I quickly decided that was enough to think about and, since my boots were quickly getting wet from the rain, I was just going through the puddles and mud--they weren't going to slow me down. We made good time--for us. But we were still behind the other thruhikers heading to the same hostel. It's almost 20 miles from Abol Bridge to Millinocket. We knew we could call the hostel for a shuttle, which would mean waiting for it to come get us. We didn't know if there would be any other cars on the road to make hitching possible. We had forgotten about trail magic. When we got to Abol Bridge--wet, cold and tired--there was the shuttle, already filled with our thruhiker friends, but waiting (for at least a half hour) for us to bring us to town. The others thruhikers knew we were coming and wouldn't leave without us. Now we are safe and warm.  And it looks like the storm is not as bad up here as predicted. Tomorrow we will find out if they reopen Baxter and whether we can go back to the trail for our last 10 miles before Katahdin.
Date: 2011-08-29
From: Katahdin Stream Campground

To: Abol Bridge
Miles today: 10.2
Weather: overcast clouds

On the EveWe woke up today to cloudy skies, but no rain--and sun predicted for the afternoon. The trail between Abol Bridge and Katahdin Stream Campground (KSC) was opened, so we decided to hike our last 10 miles before we summit Katahdin. Clutch's partner, Mary Ann, had come to town to summit with us, and was ready to shuttle us from one end of the trail to the other today. The woman at the Baxter information office told Mary Ann the park road to KSC was a mess, so we decided the three of us should drive to KSC together so we could check out the road (in case it wasn't drivable). The road was fine, and Mary Ann dropped us off at KSC, where we would hike the 10 miles southbound to Abol Bridge, where she would pick us up. The trail was beautiful, as we hiked much of the afternoon along the Penobscot River. There was a lot of water in the river and in the streams, and the falls and rapids along the way were incredible--and a reminder of the power of nature.  Some of the footbridges were under water or floating on water, so we had several opportunities to take off our boots and wade across. Since we started today in Baxter at KSC, we checked in with the ranger. He had us do our paperwork for our summit tomorrow--registering us and giving us our numbers. I am thruhiker 223 and Clutch is 224. He also gave us our forms to send into the Appalachian Trail Conservancy to register as 2011 thruhikers. That's when I started to feel giddy--and to really believe that I was truly almost done. We start tomorrow at mile 2175.8 with 5.2 AT miles to the summit. I am a bit in shock, a bit too excited to sleep, a bit relieved and a lot full of deep joy and happiness.
Date: 2011-08-30
From: Abol Bridge

To: Mt Katahdin Summit
Miles today: 5.2
Weather: scattered clouds

On Top of the WorldMt. Katahdin is a fitting end to an Appalachian Trail thruhike--especially on a clear and sunny day. From the top, you can see the mountains and the wilderness in all directions, including far to the south, where we had so recently been. It is also a very tough mountain. Although I suppose it is more accurate to say it is a fine mountain with one incredibly grueling and difficult mile--the one where you gain 1700 feet in elevation in a mile. A thousand feet in a mile makes for a steep trail; 1700 feet means you are pulling yourself almost straight up boulders and rock slabs. The thought of having to come down this trail pretty much terrified me, so I didn't think about it. Instead, I kept thinking that I have never heard of a hiker stuck on Katahdin forever because s/he couldn't get down. Mary Ann was hiking with us and the three of us coached each other through the most challenging parts.  Once we finished that section, we were on the Tableland, an open section above treeline that takes you pretty gently to the summit, 1.6 miles further. As we hiked along, we could see the little dots on the summit get larger--these were the thruhikers who had already reached the top. As we got even closer, we could hear the whoops as another thruhiker summited. When we got even closer, we couldn't wait any longer, and Clutch and I started to run up the last bit of the trail--it was our turn to be greeted with the whoops and cheers of those on top.  We were there, on the summit of Mt. Katahdin. We had hiked the entire 2181 miles of the Appalachian Trail. There were ten other thruhikers up there--all people we had met at different points in our hike, from beginning to end. There was much high-fiving and snapping of pictures and joy and disbelief. I don't think any of us could quite believe we were done hiking. Well, not quite done hiking. We still had to go down.  Mary Ann led the way, and we mostly slid down the steep sections. It was far easier than I anticipated.  However, after five and a half months and over two thousand miles, the shorts I have worn every day finally started to rip. Denise met me at Katahdin Streams and now we are back in Millinocket. Tomorrow we drive home. I am--and have been for several weeks--so looking forward to returning to my home, my family, my friends, my life. I am also so aware of what a gift I have had. With the support of so many, I have been able to go on a journey and live a life I have dreamed about for years.  Right now I feel like the luckiest woman alive.
From: noc

To: NOC
Miles today: 0.0

We had a great day yesterday with a great view from the Wesser Bald lookout tower which gave views of the terrain ahead including the Smoky mountains. It was also the first day my legs got seriously tired but Gypsybear was going very strong. Today was the biggest decent on the trail so far and we have reached our resupply stop at the lovely Nantahala Outdoor Center where we are holed up in a nice cabin to rest our bodies after that long climb down. But we held up well on a section that can be very hard on the joints and it was very beautiful with the forest all leafed out at these low elevations and with many lovely wildflowers as well. We will do a zero day tomorrow as the weather is supposed to deteriorate and also if we move on we will get stuck in Fontana Dam waiting for the post office to open on Monday.
Date: 2010-04-07
To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0

Well here I go again. In one year my wife and I will start my third (her first) thru hike attempt. I wonder sometimes why it seems to be so necessary for me to start over at the beginning, on Springer Mountain, rather than simply picking up where I was stopped the last two attempts by illness (Lyme Disease) in Duncannon, Pennsylvania in '07 and Port Clinton Pennsylvania in '08. It certainly isn't a rational thing. Getting Lyme disease twice? In almost the same place? That's crazy. I was thinking I should change my trail name to "Tick Magnate". There is a tremendous amount of pain and misery involved in hiking the trail, there can be no doubt of this, but somehow my love for the trail life, the incredible intensity of the experience of long distance hiking, and simply a sense of belonging on the trail and feeling at home there, makes all the suffering well worth it. Deep down I am sure of this. Plus it seems that I really have no choice as the trail just won't leave me alone. It's powerful pull is calling me back. And I'm listening.
Date: 2010-06-04
To: longings
Miles today: 0.0

It's been almost two years now since I got off the trail in '08 due to illness, and the intense longing to get back on the trail and the deep nostalgia I felt for the trail life has finally subsided. For over a year memories of the trail would flash into my mind on a daily basis and I would feel that powerful desire to return. Now the emotional pull is muted and my life circumstances has changed as well. I'm happy as a clam in my current circumstances, having at long last found the love of my life and married her, so I don't feel the need to escape anything which was not necessarily the case before. Certainly I don't need to escape the environment that I live in. We are lucky enough to live in a cabin in Grand Teton National park and are surrounded by incredible vistas and many large lovely animals that roam freely though our yard.    So things have changed. But one thing hasn't. The trail is still calling me back. When you plan a thru hike, life has a way of throwing obstacles in your path and we have our share of those, but as of now we plan to be on top of Springer Mt in early April heading north. But as they say, if you want to make God laugh, tell him your plans!
Date: 2010-06-07
To: The perfect pillow
Miles today: 0.0

Now, I'm not much for gear talk, as I figure it's each to his own, but I just have to mention my most recent purchase. I've been looking for the perfect backpacking pillow for quite some time without much success. But on my last foray into Teton Mountaineering, where we were looking at an Osprey Ariel 65 backpack for Gypsybear I noticed a new inflatable pillow by Exped and I had to try it out. So far so good and it may be the backpacking pillow of my dreams. We will see this summer when I take it for a test run in the back country. But if feels great.   This being the third entry, this journal should now pop up under 2011 but I found it interesting that the first two entries where already up on the link on my 2008 journal. Anyway, our intentions are now more official, and time will tell but I hope to see all you 2011'ers out there next summer. Best of luck too you all!
Date: 2010-07-16
To: Two years later
Miles today: 0.0

It's been two years to the day that I got off the trail in Port Clinton Pennsylvania. I wasn't the rocks, poison ivy, heat, humidity, air pollution, or those annoying bugs buzzing in my ears that did me in. I could handle all of that, but the combination of Crohns disease and Lyme disease was a bit too much.   But if that tick hadn't bit me or if I'd found it in time, they say you have 24 hours before the Lyme infection sets in, and if I hadn't left the trail when I did, then it's very unlikely that I would have ever have met Gypsybear. So you never can tell. What seems bad may turn out good. Or the other way around. Now I have the opportunity to try the trail again but this time with the love of my life. You just never know.
Date: 2010-08-11
To: What's in a name?
Miles today: 0.0

We finally got in a shakedown backpack trip in the Wind River Mountains and everything went well after recovery from various injuries and other obstacles. It was a beautiful overnight trip except, of course for the mosquitoes which covered our tent in the evening. We took our little dog Jackson who is a great hiker and loves to be on the trail. Unfortunately, he is a little to old and temperature sensitive to take on the thru hike next spring. It was a warm day and Kristine decided to change her head gear from a hat to a bandanna which also changed her trail name from Hummingbear to Gypsybear. The bandanna is much cooler for her. Gyspybears new Osprey Ariel 65 pack worked out great for her and the Exped inflatable pillows were perfect.
Date: 2010-08-17
To: wind river mts
Miles today: 0.0

I just had an amazing four day trip into the Wind River Mountain high country. What was really amazing to me was the lack of mosquitoes up there. Usually in the summer time they are very thick and aggressive and in over 30 years of hiking in this range I've never seen so few. It made the trip all that much more enjoyable. And the wild flower display was also the best I've ever seen. Unfortunately, my wife had business with family matters and couldn't come along.   I think I also have my sleeping system as light and comfortable as it is possible to get with a Western Mountaineering 15 degree bag, which kept me warm with temperatures in the mid 20's overnight and I'm a very cold sleeper, and the new last year Thermarest NeoAir pad plus my new Exped air pillow. Very comfy and very light.   Another amazing thing was to see it snow for a half an hour and I wasn't even above timberline at the time! All in all a great trip with very few people about in the most spectacular back-country you can find. I'm going to upload a video I took to check the camera's sound quality which may be barely adequate and may factor into which camera I end up taking on the trail.
Date: 2010-08-30
To: Devils Stairs
Miles today: 0.0

We had a great second shakedown hike, a three day trip in the Teton range. Because we had our dog Jackson with us we had to hike in the west side of the range which is outside Grand Teton National park where no dogs are allowed on the trails. So we went up Teton Canyon and up the Devils Stairs in a circle hike through Alaska basin. The wild flowers were spectacular with good weather except for the wet snow that came in on the second night with a cold front. Every thing went well and things are looking good for a successful thru next year.   On another note, I've been thinking about changing my trail name to Goose which is what my wife calls me anyway. It's just simpler than Buddhafoot and for me in a trail name simple is better. So I think it's going to be Goose and Gypsybear for now anyway.
Date: 2010-09-21
To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0

OK this is the last trail name for me I promise! It's Goose forever more. First was Bhikkhu which took to much explanation, then Monk which worked well but now doesn't fit my married life, and then I thought of Buddhafoot to replace it but Goose is the best since it's what my wife calls me everyday anyway and it fits me and I like it! It's origins started on a beach on St John in reference to the children's game duck duck goose.
Date: 2010-10-06
To: Last shakedown
Miles today: 0.0

Do to a little luck with a work schedule change and a great weather window for this time of year we took off for a three night four day backpack in the Wind River high country. I was afraid we would run into a bunch of hunters up there it being hunting season, but we saw no one at all for three full days. It was warm, sunny, and completely deserted and we were using the most popular trail head in the entire 100 mile long mountain range. We hiked by so many lakes we lost count. And the fall light was quite beautiful. So if you are looking for solitude try the Wind Rivers in October. All in all it was a great last shake down hike for our thru attempt next April. I'm starting to get pretty excited about returning to the trail one more time!