morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2008-04-04
From: Tray Mountain

To: Dick's Creek
Miles today: 11.0

From Tray Mtn we dropped 900¢ to Addis Gap and then rose 1,000¢ to Kelty Knob in 1 mile (tough!) and then dropped 1,600¢ over 14.5 miles(hard on the feet!).   I hiked alone until about 10:00 when I caught up to Jacob and family and stuck with them all the way to Dick¢s Creek. Then I went with a group to the Hiawassee Inn. This evening we caught a ride to a Mexican Restaurant. The beer and food were excellent. It rained on us most of the day and expect more of the same tomorrow. At least I head out with dry gear and a full stomach at 9:30.   I hooked up with Gypsy tonight. He had caught a ride into town and slacked from Tray to Dick¢s today. Rain and thunderstorms expected for tomorrow. Most people are taking a zero tomorrow, but I¢ve got to get to NOC by Saturday, so I must hike out in the morning.
Date: 2008-04-05
From: Dick's Creek

To: Muskrat Creek
Miles today: 11.7
Weather: light rain

Strayed at Hiawassee Inn, went to Mexican place for dinner then back to motel. Got a ride back to Dick¢s Creek in the morning, it started to rain. It rained off and on all day. Reached the GA/NC line and made a picture of the famous ¢Kwarlly Oak¢. The climb out of Bly Gap was a new experience in going up ¢ toughest climb yet. The total climb went on for four miles. For the first time I stayed in the shelter. It was crowded, but okay.
Date: 2008-04-06
From: Muskrat Creek

To: Carter Gap
Miles today: 12.5
Weather: overcast clouds

The hike today wasn¢t bad, but I was tired from yesterday. Part of the trail was boulders, part mud, but the rest was really nice. The climbs and descents were moderate. I started today at 9:00 and arrived at the shelter about 5:00. I walked alone the whole day ¢ it¢s nice not having to wait or catch up to someone else. The shelter will probably fill up with the hikers who were at Muskrat. It¢s nice to wake up in a shelter if it rains ¢ no wet stuff to pack. For the past two nights I¢ve been sheltering with Adam and wife, a young couple attempting a thru, and Chewy and Everclear, two young Israelis. We had a good discussion about their and my views on the Israeli-Palestinian problems.
Date: 2008-04-07
From: Carter Gap

To: Rock Gap
Miles today: 12.1
Weather: clear sky

Passed the 100 mile mark today. The hike started with a moderate, if not rocky, trek. Then things got really intense in the climb up Albert Mtn. This was about 500¢ elevation gain over about a mile. There were no switch-backs except those provided naturally by the passes through and over boulders. Some places the hiking poles had to be swapped for hand-over-hand climbs - many opportunities to flip backwards if you lose your balance. The view from the top was fantastic. There was a fire tower to climb for an even better view of the mountains we had just climbed over the past few days. Past the peak, the trail was moderate on into the Rock Gap Shelter. Staying again with Adam and wife, Chewy and Everclear and three other males (Bones and two others). Trying to get up early tomorrow to get to Winding Stair to catch a ride into Franklin.
Date: 2008-04-08
From: Rock Gap

To: Franklin
Miles today: 3.8
Weather: scattered clouds

Got up early and hiked to Winding Stair Gap to get picked up by Ron Haren for a stay at his motel. We showered and went for a Mexican Buffet lunch. After lunch we visited an Indian artifacts museum. Went for takeout pizza for dinner and ate in the room with a bottle of Riesling wine. Next morning, ate the rest of the pizza and caught the 9:00 shuttle back to Winding Stair Gap.
Date: 2008-04-09
From: Winding Stair

To: Weyah Shelter
Miles today: 11.0

The main feature of today¢s hike was the two balds, Siler and Weyah. The balds are clear of trees and offer 360° view from the peaks of the mountains. There was a tower at Weyah so that we could see back to Albert Mtn and forward to Clingmans Dome. The climbs up to the peaks were steep, but not too bad. I got to the shelter at about 4:00 and was the first one there. The shelter is a new one and is really nice. The shelter filled up with four or five tents as well. We built a fire and had a nice time talking and watching the fire.   The fire keeps away the bugs, which are getting bad since the weather has warmed.
Date: 2008-04-10
From: Weyah Shelter

To: NOC
Miles today: 16.3
Weather: clear sky

Most got up early to get to NOC. I left at 8:00 intending on an easy 10 mile hike to Wesser Bald. On the way I hooked up with an outbound group of kids as we descended from Jump-up at 4,000¢ to NOC at 1,740¢. A couple of the kids were strong hikers and we left the group. The kids dropped off at Telleco Gap and left me for the trip into NOC. Finally got into NOC about 3:30, signed up for a bunk, took a shower, and went for the food. I still can¢t hold as much as I¢ve read about other hikers eating, but it was enough for me. Had a few beers with a couple of the other hikers and returned to my bunk. A former hiker was there with ice cream as his trail magic offering. We ate his magic and talked some more, then to bed.
Date: 2008-04-12
From: NOC

To: NOC
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: clear sky

Taking another zero to meet Barbara and Brian, they should be here about 10:30 am. There was rain last night, so I was happy to be inside. I moved from the bunkhouse to a private room. Collene, BS, Isan and I stayed in a four bed bunk room Thursday night. They moved on Friday morning. I spent yesterday shopping, eating and planning the trip through the Smokies. I bought a Huba tent that weighs a pound more than my Luna Solo, but is more likely to keep me dry in a rain storm. The solo is a single-wall tent that, under high water pressure, leaks enough to keep everything damp. Barb is bringing me my Osprey pack to replace my Six Moon Design. The SMD pack is optimized for ultra-light (I¢d say 20 lb. limit). The shoulder strap pads aren¢t adequate for my 30 lb. load. So I¢m adding another pound there also, hoping for a more comfortable fit. I¢m sending a layer of upper and lower clothes home with Barb, it doesn¢t weigh much, but I haven¢t needed it and don¢t expect to, even through the Smokies. Barb and Brian will be kayaking today - I¢ll be relaxing on the shore. They usually camp out on these trips, but, because of expected rain, they will get a motel room. I¢ll get one also, and we¢ll have dinner together tonight. They and I will leave tomorrow about noon. My next stop is in a couple of days at Fontana. I¢ll get there late afternoon and start out early next morning so as not to lose more time. Fontana is the entry point for GSMNP. Going through the Smokies I¢m hoping to be getting 16-18 mile days. Hope I¢m up to it. There are not alot of re-supply opportunities, so I don¢t have much choice. Adminishing food supply is a great incentive to keep hiking past shelters. I hope it warms up from the impending chill before I hit the higher elevations. The climb out of NOC is pretty fierce ¢ 1,740¢ to 5,062¢ in about 8 miles. Then back to mid 3,000' before the plunge to 1,810' at Fontanna over just 2.5 miles. Then a big step up to 3,800¢ in 3 miles followed by a steady climb to 6,643¢ at Clingman¢s Dome (highest point on AT).
Date: 2008-04-13
From: NOC

To: Sassafras Gap
Miles today: 6.9
Weather: broken clouds

The nearly monotonic descent into NOC was mirrored by a nearly unremitting ascent out. There were climbs to Wright Gap, Grassy Gap and Swim Bald. Then a mild descent to the shelter at Sassafras Gap. The day started late as I left Barb and Brian at NOC about 1:30 and finished about 5:00. The hike started in warm weather and finished with snow flurries. There's a totally new group at the shelter - a little more raucous than before. I'm hoping for a peaceful night, but we'll see. I'd like to do a 15 tomorrow, but I'm not sure I can last. If I can I'll have a short 5.5 miles into Fontanna on Tuesday, if not the trip will be 11.6.I have to say that NC mountains are different than GA. The latter are up-down-up-down. NC is up-level-up-level-up-down. There are far fewer switch-backs in NC. I wonder what the Smokies will be like.
Date: 2008-04-14
From: Sassafras Gap

To: Brown Fork
Miles today: 9.1
Weather: light snow

We woke up today with snow on the ground, the temp was 31°. As we hiked out, the snow started again and covered the trail at 5,000'. As we descended, the snow fall lessened and the temp rose into the mid to high 30's. The trail was moderate with loose rocks and ups and downs until Stecooh Gap where the trail started an incredible climb with almost no switch backs. I learned that the perfect training for mountain climbing is ballet. One of the females I was following was the result of such training and the final ascent without stopping. I had to stop about 10 times. This was an impressive feat to me. We got to the shelter about 2:00. The next shelter is 6 more miles. I was way too tired to continue so I stopped. We built a fire and tried in vain to stay warm. Tomorrow should be warmer for our 11 mile trek into Fontanna.
Date: 2008-04-15
From: Brown Fork

To: Fontanna
Miles today: 11.6

The trip today was a roller coaster with a big descent at the end. I got out early, about 7:30. The weather warmed but not as much as expected. The two fast females, Bone Lady and Oatmeal caught me about noon and we leap frogged all the way in. We got a ride from Sgt. Rock in Fontanna Village. I went to the PO for my mail drop. I kept a few items and sent the rest to my friend Barb. I'll ask her to mail me the summer bag and the trail runners later. I kept the trail meals that I received as a going away gift and put in the box. There's a lot of variety there I haven't had so far. The pack I exchanged at NOC has proven to be a good choice. The new pack feels much more comfortable than the old one. My feet are getting tougher and don't ache at the end of the day as much as earlier. Tomorrow I'll begin the Smokies. I know they'll be as tough as anything I've seen so far. I'm just happy to still be on the trail.
Date: 2008-04-16
From: Fontanna

To: Birch Spring Gap
Miles today: 7.0

Sweat Hog and I left out of Fontana Village about 12:30 on a shuttle back to the trail. The dam is being repaired, so the AT is routed around it (making it a couple of miles longer). Our objective was to get to Birch Spring ¢ a campground without a shelter, the only one in GSMNP. The first shelter was too far for an afternoon¢s hike. I got to the campground about 3:30 and was all by myself. I had passed two guys and two gals on the way up, so I¢m sure they¢ll show up later. The climb out of Fontana was intense at times ¢ the altitude gain was from 1,700¢ to 3,800¢ at the peak of Shuckstack Mountain. I was satisfied to stop after 7 miles. The bad thing about getting to camp early is the bugs. They constantly swarm about your head, even with Deet on, but they don¢t land. The camp site is convenient with a fire ring and spring at the center and tent platforms spread about. There¢s no privy, so cat holes are the only choice. The sites were impressive today as I watched the dam get smaller as I ascended. No rain predicted until the weekend. Tomorrow, Rocky Top at 5,440¢.
Date: 2008-04-17
From: Birch Spring Gap

To: Derrick Knob
Miles today: 17.1
Weather: broken clouds

I had planned to stop at Spence Field but I got there at 2:30, so I decided to soldier on. The trail to Spence was mild with long switch backs and an easy grade. After Spence, that was another story. The climb up to Rocky Top was designed by the ¢full frontal assault¢ school of trail routing. There was another steep climb to a peak not rating a mention in the guide. And then the final climb onto the knob put the final touch on a long day. I saw my first major animal life form today, a wild pig. I heard rustling in the leaves near the trail, looked around, and was being stared down by the black creature. Not wanting to incite a charge, I quickly moved down the trail. By the time I got my camera out, the pig was long gone. The other incident I encountered today was a posse of 10-15 horsemen, sent out to rescue a woman with a bad knee ¢ a little overkill I thought. The shelters in the park have stone fireplaces ¢ a nice touch. There are five people here tonight in the shelter built for twelve or fifteen. Tomorrow may be another long day, or maybe not.
Date: 2008-04-18
From: Derrick Knob

To: Mt. Collins
Miles today: 13.5
Weather: scattered clouds

Today I saw the top of the AT. By all rights the top should be Katahdin, but Clingman¢s Dome is taller. No matter what Katahdin is like a mystical pyramid thrusting up from a flat glaciated plane and Clingman¢s Dome is one peak among many, just a bit higher. I won¢t bore you with the details of the climb except to say that the trail followed the geodesics formed by the rivulets of rain water as it descends the mountain. The view from Clingman¢s Dome was, of course spectacular. While there, I met future thru-hiker Trail Gnome, who was extremely interested in the details of a hike. Best of luck for your future hike, Gnome. Also there were two young Israelis who were hiking 18-20 miles a day. They had done in two weeks what it has taken me three to do. They are with us tonight at the shelter along with Word and one other (and me). There¢s a nice fire going in the stone fireplace and everyone is getting settled in. The prediction is for rain tonight and tomorrow. We have a five mile hike to the road, where we will hitch into Gatlinburg. In the hike to Clingman¢s Dome it was sad to see the stands of dead firs, killed by the Japanese blight. In a global world, I don¢t suppose there is any way to prevent disaster.
Date: 2008-04-19
From: Mt. Collins

To: Newfound Gap
Miles today: 4.5
Weather: light rain

Last night was marked by high winds and rain. Just happy that the shelter was not close to the trees, because of the rain we were forced to cook breakfast in the shelter. I set out about 8:00 and walked through a river on the trail. I reached the road to Gatlinburg about 10:45. After taking some photos at the observation deck and talking to some of the visitors who were interested in thru-hikers, I stuck out my thumb, trying to look very sad and very wet/cold. Many cars and pickups zipped by as I waited on my special trail angel. There he appeared in a BMW 720i. I got in and he proceeded to tell me all about his youth as he inherited and expanded a hotel shopping mall empire in North Carolina and TN area. According to Mr. Cuthbert he owns 30% of the casino in Cherokee (he was irritated that he could have had 100% if he were Indian). The casino clears $2M a day so he is enormously wealthy. He loved talking about himself and his family. I of course led him to one subject to the next as we drove to Gatlinburg. He ended up driving me all over town searching for the Grand Prix Motel were the others in our group planned to stay. Thanks Mr. Cuthbert! I arrived at about 12:00 and the motel was closed for lunch (very informal place). I had lunch, did some shopping and came back to check in. Word and Sweat Hog are here. I¢m showered and fed and have my provisions to last me through the rest of the Smokies. Hiking through this area is like Christmas everyday. The scent of the firs just triggers that response. So far, though, the beauty of the trail hasn¢t dominated the physical aspect of getting over and down the mountain peaks, straining to get to the shelter. The time alone with your thoughts without the usual mental stimulus must eventually lead to a Zen-like state, where your mind is essentially emptied of mental activity and only the sensory inputs are to be dealt with. Your usual day-to-day concerns are replaced with a focus on getting your body from here to there, resting, feeding and doing it again tomorrow. After awhile, you must have examined every problem you have from every conceivable viewpoint, so maybe the mind just gives up and eliminates all those thoughts, and results in a mental state that lives entirely in the present. That¢s my theory, and I¢m sticking to it (until I come up with a better one). Tomorrow I get up, have breakfast, and head back to the gap. If I¢m lucky, the rain will move out and the sun will come back, and life will be good (and simple).
Date: 2008-04-20
From: Newfound Gap

To: Peck's Corner
Miles today: 10.4

Got out of Gatlinburg about 11:00 after a sizeable breakfast. Got a hitch in the bed of a pickup to a high traffic point; got another hitch the rest of the way in a SUV with three young men out for a day hike. The trail was almost pleasant today, sometimes wide and soft, sometimes narrow and rocky. The rocks appeared to have been brought in as an anti-erosion device. I had originally intended to hike only to the first shelter. But, because there was no sign, I walked past it. It was too early to stop anyway, so I kept going to the second shelter. The views today were the best yet. The trip over the Charlies Bunion was spectacular. The Bunion is a large rock jutting out of the peak of a mountain. If you stand on it, you are perched, as if on a very high diving board, with nothing but space all around you with a glorious view of the valleys very far below. I, of course, stayed a respectable distance off the bunion. Heights such as that do not seem very friendly to me. After the peak, the trail descended gradually about 600¢ down to the shelter. But tomorrow I gain all that altitude back and more.
Date: 2008-04-21
From: Peck's Corner

To: Cosby Knob
Miles today: 12.9
Weather: few clouds

The trail was moderate today, alternating from soft turf bordered by green moss and rocky/muddy. The climbs and descents were not severe. The sun came out for brief intervals, but couldn¢t quite dispel the overcast and fog. Last night the shelter was full, so I set up my tent. The temperature fell below freezing outside, but it was a toasty 40 degrees in my tent. I got up at 6:30 and was hiking by 8:00. The morning was beautiful and the hiking easy. I stopped at TriCorner Shelter for lunch. After lunch the hiking got tougher and my energy flagged. I stopped for an M&M break and felt better into the shelter. The shelter filled up again, but I got a space. I¢m not sure I wouldn¢t prefer tenting, the crowd may be noisy.
Date: 2008-04-22
From: Cosby Knob

To: Green Corner Road
Miles today: 10.4

Well, I made it through the Smokies. There weren¢t as hard as I had imagined, but my joints are glad to be through the sustained downhill. This morning, I was at 5,000¢ and at 2:00 I was at 1,800¢. Stepping over the anti-erosion trail blocks is hard on the knees. The highlight of the day came just after leaving the park. The trail led through a beautiful gorge with a creek running at the bottom. The gorge must have been 200¢ deep and narrow. There were trees that raised from the bottom of the gorge to above the ridges on both sides. The first branches appeared above the ridge line, making the trunks around 200¢. I saw the tallest dogwood I¢ve ever seen. At the floor of the gorge, flowers of every imaginable color were blooming. The creek fed cascades of waterfalls. The flowing water babbled as the birds sang and the butterflies flitted ¢ a scene out of a Walt Disney cartoon of the 40¢s. I took lots of pictures and may have used up the batteries. After the idyllic scene of the gorge, the trail descended to cross I-40, the first interstate I¢ve seen since I started. The trail then climbed up to the Standing Bear Hostel. I¢m staying in a bunk house after a shower. Rumors of a beer run later is circulating.
Date: 2008-04-23
From: Standing Bear

To: Roaring Fork
Miles today: 15.4
Weather: scattered clouds

The walk out of Standing Bear Hostel was up-up Snowbird Mountain. The climb was from 1,800¢ to 4,263¢ and continuous. I climbed for an hour and a half before reaching the peak. To my surprise there was an FAA antenna farm there, used to guide airplanes. There was a truck there and a guy came out to say hello. I thought he might be trying to warn me away from the facility, especially since I was taking photos. But he was just interested in hikers. We talked for a while and then I moved on. The top of the mountain is cleaned of all trees and the view is great all around. From there I descended to Deep Gap at 2,850¢, from Deep Gap I ascended to Max Patch Summit at 4,629¢. Max Patch is a large area at the top of a mountain that has been completely cleared of trees and brush, leaving only a grassy area. The original purpose for the bald was to graze cattle in the summer (the top of a mountain is the nearest thing to flat available in this terrain). Since then the Parks Service purchased the land and routed the AT through it. There is also a road access and parking lot, so that non-hikers can drive up and enjoy the view ¢ a sort of poor man¢s Clingman¢s Dome. After taking more photos, I resumed my hike, descending to 3,950¢ at Roaring Fork Shelter. When I arrived there, three people were packing up to move on. The shelter register warned of a bear menacing the occupants recently, showing up several times during the night and staring into the shelter. There were also reports of damaged tents and a stolen pack. This was enough to make me want to move on also. I loaded up on water, intending to find a spot to camp up the trail (I really didn¢t want to walk the five miles to the next shelter). I am now camped by a creek at a spot near the trail, my food back securely hung in a nearby tree. I¢m probably a mile up the trail from the shelter ¢ I¢m hoping I¢m out of the bear¢s range. Tomorrow night, Hot Springs.
Date: 2008-04-25
From: Hot Springs

To: Rich Mountain
Miles today: 8.2

I left Hot Springs about noon after doing my laundry, food shopping, and having lunch. The climb out was very steep and that, combined with the 7 days load of food, a heavy lunch, and two beers, was enough to make me want to turn around and head back to town. But I persevered, thinking I was only going 5 miles to the nearest camping spot. However, when I got there I didn¢t like the looks of the water source, a lake. The sky had clouded over and the air became cooler as I climbed, so I kept going, aiming for the next camping spot. I got there about 5:30 only to find that there is no water source. After searching for awhile, I decided to camp anyway, since I didn¢t feel up to the 3 plus miles to the shelter. I just won¢t cook my dinner or breakfast and save my water for the hike to the shelter tomorrow morning to get water. I hung my food really high in a tree too thin for a bear to climb (and I hope thick enough that he can¢t push it over). Rain is expected tomorrow, I hope it holds off until I get packed up. The total climb today was from 1,326¢ to 3,600¢ and I¢m tired.
Date: 2008-04-26
From: Rich Mountain

To: Little Laurel 
Miles today: 11.4
Weather: few clouds

Last night I climbed the fire tower at Rich Mountain to watch the sunset. It was windy and chilly, but the sunset was beautiful. It looked like a storm was coming in from the northeast, but we got only a few short showers out of it. The hike today was pleasant to start with, but the heat got oppressive as the day wore on. Since I was nearly out of water I planned to stop at Spring Mountain shelter to cook breakfast. Upon getting there, a flurry of activity was in process ¢ several people calling 911 to report an emergency. A large fellow sitting at the table was having problems. He was quite overweight and apparently had other medical problems. He was three days into a hike and was at the point where he could go no further. Fortunately there was an RN at the shelter who took charge of the treatment. The 911 callers had problems telling the operator where they were. They finally got an emergency crew on the way. I filled up with water, cooked my breakfast and was on my way. I planned on going 15 miles today, but the heat wore me down and I settled for 11. Tomorrow is another day to try for more miles.