morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2023-06-27
From: Carter Notch hut (1884.7)

To: Rt 2, NH (1899.9)
Miles today: 15.2

Long, tough day, but I AM DONE WITH THE WHITES!  Today¢s hike took me over Carter Dome, South Carter, Middle Carter, North Carter, and Mt Moriah. 5 mountains, zero views, 15 miles, 10-12 hours. Whew. But the theme of the day was water. Water, water everywhere. It misted the entire day, but thankfully no rain. The rocks were wet, making ascents a bit tougher and descents much tougher. The trail itself was underwater most of the day; my feet were soaked within the first 10 minutes and stayed that way for the rest of the day. There were lots of slab ledges today, and more exposed terrain. The wind was gusty at elevation, whipping through the tree tops. The toughest part of the day was the river crossings, particularly 2 crossings of Rattle River towards the end of the hike. The river was swollen and roaring, and the normal trail crossings were impassable. I bushwhacked upstream both times to find the least sketchy crossings, but they were not an enjoyable experience. Very happy to finish this day, this section, and the Whites. I am at a hostel now, and there are many hikers getting off trail. Some permanently, but most for 1-4 weeks while the weather settles down. Most of Maine is underwater still - there is a 30 mile detour in the 100 mile wilderness.  My plan is to complete the next section and take a call at that point.
Date: 2023-06-28
From: Rt 2, NH (1899.9)

To: Gentian Pond shelter (1911.7)
Miles today: 11.8

Today was the last full day of New Hampshire, and it was back to the green tunnel, just like the first two days in this state. A bit of a relief, to be honest, after the rocky cliffs and open traverses of the Whites. This section is part of the Mahoosuc Range, the climax of which (Mahoosuc Notch and Arm) we will hit in 2 days.   The trail itself has stepped up a bit in difficulty compared to early NH, and down a bit in terms of trail maintenance (broken bog boards, overgrown vegetation, limited erosion control). But after the Whites it seemed very doable. The weather continued misty in the morning, mostly obscuring views again, so my focus was on smaller things. A spider web catching the mistA new kind of lichen I had not seen before (Star-tipped reindeer lichen)Yellow lilies on a pondThe trail continues to be underwater, and my shoes are alternately slimed by mud as I slog through bogs and washed clean as I slop through streams. They continue to be perpetually wet; after multiple days of this I need to keep an eye on my feet to make sure the skin is not breaking down. The weather man swears that the weather system that has been causing all this atmospheric instability will clear up by the weekend. The repeated rain is dimming the spirits of the hikers around me, but each day of progress takes us closer to the end. We passed 5 SOBO hikers today, all of whom started in early June at Katahdin. All they know of the trail is rain, high rivers, and very difficult terrain, but they are forging south, fearless. They inspired me today. Rain started in earnest at 2:30, and I reached the shelter at 2:45, just before a thunderstorm rolled in. The shelter looks stormworthy and has a beautiful view that is obscured by mist now, but I am hoping will clear up in the morning.All my gear is hanging up to dry, hot chocolate is made, and I am satisfied with the day.
Date: 2023-06-29
From: Gentian Pond shelter (1911.7)

To: Full Goose shelter, ME (1921.3)
Miles today: 9.6

Maine!Halfway through today¢s hike I crossed into Maine, the 14th and final state of this hike, and its 282 miles of AT trail. Maine is notorious for the difficulty and remoteness of its trail, including the 100 Mile Wilderness. The exclamation point at the end is Mt Katahdin in Baxter State Park, the northern terminus of the Appalachian Trail. In switching weather systems, it seemed that Mother Nature could not make up her mind today. We saw cloudy skies, then blue sky, then rain. Then cloudy, then blue sky, then rain. It is raining now as I sit in the shelter, big puddles forming on the ground outside. But fingers crossed for tomorrow. The day started with a climb of Mt Success, and ¢¦success! I got a view.This was followed by a rollercoaster over the Goose Eye peaks. The trail stepped up another notch in difficulty today, with technical climbs and descents that were pretty challenging. Several required me to take my pack off or scoot down on my butt to work my way through. My progress was 1.1 mph, dismally slow compared to normal terrain. Maine finished my day by baptizing me in an alpine bog, where a floating bog board tipped up when I stepped on it and dumped me in waist deep. Ugh. Slimed. The good news was that I smelled bad enough that the bugs left me alone. Now partially cleaned up and warm in my sleeping bag, I am looking forward to tomorrow¢s entertainment, the Mahoosuc Notch, nicknamed the most difficult mile on the AT. Report tomorrow.
Date: 2023-06-30
From: Full Goose shelter, ME (1921.3)

To: Rt 26, ME (1931.0)
Miles today: 9.7

It was an amazing day, both difficult and iconic.  Today¢s entertainment was the Mahoosuc Notch, a 1 mile long pile of gigantic boulders that has been coined ¢the most difficult mile on the AT¢. Fear mongering is rife for this section, and it is a part of every thruhiker¢s resume. It is particularly challenging in the rain, so I attempted to time it for a rare non-rainy day. With success, thankfully. I teamed up with two other thru hikers, Surefoot and Splash, to navigate the maze of the Notch. It took us a little over 2 hours to navigate up, over, and sometimes under the boulders (removing our packs and handing them through crevices). With snow and ice still at the bottom of the Notch, it was also very atmospheric. Temperatures dropped palpably (15-20 degrees) as we descended. Emerging at the end, there was a 50 yard ford up to our thighs in ice cold (think snowmelt) water. But celebration once completed! The celebration was a bit dampened by the fact that the Notch is followed immediately by a backbreakingly steep (30% grade) climb up the Mahoosuc Arm to reach Old Speck. Happily, with the good weather, there was a view as a reward. The only other unique item of note today was our first crossing of a beaver dam, gingerly stepping across logs and branches gnawed down by the industrious beavers. Weather is still playing a huge factor in both planning and enjoyment of these scenic sections. New Hampshire had its 2nd rainiest June on record; Maine continues to report flash flooding and high river crossings in our area. Sunny days everything seems possible; rainy days require much more energy and determination. It is the Factor X of this thruhiker class. 10-12 hours to cover 9.7 miles. I was totally spent by the time we reached our pickup point for the shuttle into Bethel, Maine. Totally. But with a great sense of accomplishment, and one more challenge ticked off the list.
Date: 2023-07-01
From: Rt 26, ME (1931.0)

To: East B Hill Rd, ME (1941.3)
Miles today: 10.3

The next 2 days are ¢short¢ days, each about 10 miles/7 hours, to build energy back after the past 5 days of intense effort. Short but not slam dunks - today the climb went up Baldpate Mountain (both peaks), with some very challenging granite slab inclines and declines that would have been almost impossible in the rain. I had considered taking a zero today, but it wasn¢t raining - and right now in Maine, if it is not raining, I am hiking. I had lunch on Little Baldpate, the view above. Once again, a cairn on a rocky topped mountain with the sorrowful call of a sparrow in the background as mist rolls through (I don¢t know what it is about these summits, but they all seem to have a resident atmospheric sparrow). The last few miles of today¢s hike were blessedly normal. Rocky, rooty, but not death-defying or knee-jarring as we descended 2600 feet. Flashback to Virginia (or really any state except NH). The day finished at an unusual hostel - Human Nature - a geodesic dome purpose built to give thruhikers a place to chill. My evening routine now includes routine treatment of a number of small scrapes that, having gone swimming in the bog a couple of days ago, I am trying to keep from getting infected. So far at least a B+ effort. And now I am going chillin¢.
Date: 2023-07-02
From: East B Hill Rd, ME (1941.3)

To: South Arm Rd, Andover ME (1951.4)
Miles today: 10.1

Hiking the Appalachian Trail is a journey of the mind, the body, and the spirit. The mind - acquiring the skills and knowledge to successfully hike and camp for 2200 miles. Researching and testing gear, learning about the different sections and challenges, developing competence in areas as varied as water purification, tent site selection, food calorie efficiency, and hypothermia management. The body - getting in shape prior to the hike and managing fitness and energy levels for the following 5 months. Building trail legs, avoiding overuse injuries, and optimizing nutrition and recovery cycles. The spirit - maintaining the focus and determination to complete the hike despite trail friends dropping out, homesickness, exhaustion, the rain and the cold, and the occasional boredom. There was a lot I was able to do in advance on the mind and body front and, planner at heart, I did them. There¢s not a lot you can do in advance to know whether, when the crunch comes, your spirit will overcome the challenges you face. But I feel like I am at an inflection point. I estimate I have 18 days of hiking left and, short of a major injury (still an outsized risk for the next 10 of those days), I can see a path to completion. Despite the rain. Despite the flooding. Despite the stepped up challenge of Southern Maine. I¢ve now lost a cumulative 30 lbs on this hike (this is not all bad¢¦). Will develop webbed feet from continuous hiking on waterlogged trails. Am about to get my 6th pair of trail runners. Will need to burn some of my hiking clothing which has a deep, deep hiker funk smell. Will never eat tuna fish or peanut butter again. But I have yet to have a day that was all bad. I now have quads of steel. Have met many wonderful people, both hikers and members of the extended trail community (hostel owners, shuttle drivers, trail angels). Have engaged in a completely different way with nature (including bogs!). Have fine-tuned my McGyver problem-solving skills. Appreciate much more deeply the history, cultures, and geographies of the Appalachian Mountains. I think I am going to make it. Note: For today¢s hike: it rained again. Muddy trail and no views. But I knocked off another 10 miles towards the finish.
Date: 2023-07-03
From: South Arm Rd, Andover ME (1951.4)

To: Bemis Mtn Rd stealth, ME (1963.7)
Miles today: 12.3

It seems that every day for the past 2 weeks has started with a climb up a mountain, and today was no different - a 2100 ft climb up Old Blue that began the moment we stepped on trail. But we were fortified by a full pancake and oatmeal breakfast from the hostel before we started. One notable difference about today¢s climb was that it was not in the rain, and I even saw my shadow periodically. This was a welcome change, and brightened everyone¢s mood, including a number of SOBOs who passed and seemed thrilled that they were about to finish Maine. The trail was still wet, of course, and I slipped several times in the mud. Bog boards are also slick as grease. But the trail itself continued the pattern of the previous 2 days, slow but not crazy (still haven¢t broken 1.5 mph on a day in Maine).  I still feel a bit sluggish after the rigors of the past couple of weeks, but am slowly building back stamina and distance. We got our first view of Rangeley lakes today, enormous bodies of water surrounding the area we will be hiking to tomorrow. I have been hiking recently with a couple of NOBOs, Surefoot and Splash, whose pace and upcoming plans synch up well with mine. Splash¢s cousins drove up from Boston and took us out to dinner last night, a very kind gesture given that the 3 of us were dressed in hiker loaner clothes from the hostel that made us look like prison escapees. Tonight¢s camp is at a stealth site near a stream, which makes lovely white noise. The mosquitoes are hungry, so I am in my tent early. They seem to fear DEET more than Picaridin, and I have switched weapons.  We have had a brief splash of rain this evening (courteously held off until after dinner), but nothing serious. We didn¢t expect our clothes to dry anyway. Off to Rangeley tomorrow.
Date: 2023-07-04
From: Bemis Mtn Rd stealth, ME (1963.7)

To: ME Rt 4 (1977.8)
Miles today: 14.1

Float, my hiking companion for much of last fall, has been popping up recently with recommendations for places I should stay and things I should see as I trek through NH and ME. Acting almost an uber-air traffic controller for the part of the trail I think he enjoyed the most, he has made some great suggestions. Yesterday he pinged me about a particular viewpoint to see the Rangeley Lakes in Maine, a sweeping vista of some stunning lakes. The picture above is the one he took while in Maine at almost the same time last year. Here is my picture from the same spot today. Well, you can¢t get them all. Views did improve over the course of the day as the rain held off until mid afternoon, and I was able to get a good shot of the mountains ahead of us later in the afternoon.  Trails continue to be muddy, slippery, and rooty - very rooty.I passed a SOBO today who reported that he had hiked through the 100 Mile Wilderness in 8 days in 2019 and it had taken him 14 days this month due to the high water and mud. From his perspective, it had been a completely different hike. Speaking of SOBO¢s, I have a working theory about why so many I have passed have been upbeat. It is because anyone without a relentlessly positive attitude would have quit by now - almost a self-selection method for thruhikers that could tolerate 4 weeks of straight rain in difficult terrain their first month. I continue to have a great deal of respect for them. The elevation profile of today¢s hike was the most favorable in 2 weeks, and we made good time to Rangeley. I had a hitchhiker join me on my pack,and accidentally flushed several grouse. We continue to see lots of moose scat and fresh tracks, but have yet to spot one. I skipped ahead tonight to a hostel in Stratton, several days ahead so I could pick up some replacement trailrunners. Mama¢s gotta have new shoes.
Date: 2023-07-05
From: ME Rt 4 (1977.8)

To: Sluice Brook Logging Road, ME (1991.3)
Miles today: 13.5

Finally, a bluebird day. And a perfect day for it, as today¢s itinerary called for hiking over the Saddleback Mountains (Saddleback, the Horn, and Saddleback Jr). Similar to Franconia Ridge, this included a traverse in the Alpine zone with 360 degree views. The hike had all the components that make Maine a popular hiking destination - deep green and mossy forest trailsbeautiful pondsstunning mountain views. The treadway itself is still a bit soggy, but I managed to get through an entire day without totally submerging my brand new shoes in the mud. The climbs up were a bit technical and steep, but the sweep and scope of the vistas at the tops of each peak were spectacular, and really lifted my spirits. This is the first day that I think I have really ¢got¢ why so many AT hikers list Maine as their favorite state. Southern Maine has been very challenging in terms of both difficulty and weather, so it is a bit of a relief. The climbs down weren¢t nearly as enjoyable, particularly from Saddleback Jr, where steep butt slides were my go-to move to avoid breaking a leg or ankle. But another day clocked off, this time in style. Finally, I copy an entry from Ethermal on FarOut:According to fake AT lore, the difficulty gap between northern and southern Maine was so immense that a spiritual bridge was erected in these mountains to join the vast divide. They say that hikers must climb onto the horse¢s saddle to prove their worth and traverse the treacherous bridge between north and south. The horse will carry NOBOs into the magical lands of Northern Maine where they might catch a break from all the rocks. But SOBOs might find themselves entering a haunted region with struggles all its own¢¦I¢ve climbed the saddle. Crossing my fingers for a better ride ahead.
Date: 2023-07-06
From: Sluice Brook Logging Road, ME (1991.3)

To: Caribou Valley Rd, ME (2001.7)
Miles today: 10.4

2000 miles. Less than 200 to go. You can see everyone tightening down on their hike, honing the final details. From here there are only 4 objectives:Get to Monson (6 days, includes the Bigelows and the Kennebec river crossing, now open)Hike the 100 Mile Wilderness Climb Katahdin Don¢t screw up and get injured in this final stretch We reached the hostel this afternoon after climbing Lone Mountain and Spaulding Mountains and skirting Mt Abraham and Sugarloaf Mountain. The trail was kind today, and we made great time (although with only a couple of views). I did pause to watch a hawk soaring on the thermals by a cliff today - it has been a while since I have seen one, and I always find it uplifting. The party ended coming down Sugarloaf, another one of those tricky and technical declines that I despise because they have so many opportunities for (painful) failure. I actually took a tumble on this one, but was lucky enough not to meet a rock with my face on the way down. I got up, dusted myself off, and kept moving. Won¢t miss these sections at. all.We are still in search of our first moose sighting. We have seen lots of moose scat on the trail, moose prints, and my hiking companions heard one crashing through the brush just off the trail - but still no visuals. The forest is quite dense here, and it is easy to believe that the moose are silently observing us as we hike by. Speaking of the sense was and ruggedness of this terrain - today we hiked by the area where Geraldine Largay, an experienced 66 year old hiker, wandered off the trail in July 2013. Despite an extensive search effort, she died almost a month later 12 mile from the trail. Her remains were found 2 years later. The similarity of her profile to mine, and her story, have informed many of the safety precautions I take while hiking the AT - but it was a somber reflection today. The next two days are recovery days - a slackpack of the Crockers tomorrow, followed by a zero, prior to making the push to Monson. Crossing my fingers that the weather here continues ¢Normal¢.
Date: 2023-07-07
From: Caribou Valley Rd, ME (2001.7)

To: ME 27 Stratton ME (2010.0)
Miles today: 8.3

It was a day of small victories.At the very beginning of our slackpack of the Crockers, Splash spotted a small patch of ripe raspberries, our first berries of the season. We marveled at their sweetness. Maine, of course, will be covered in blueberries in a couple of weeks - just after we finish. Hikers from other years have raved about berry picking as they hiked the trail, but we will take what we can get. It was the 3rd straight day of hiking in sunshine. Of course, the sky opened up as soon as we got back to the hostel¢¦but we were able to return with dry shoes. While I am sure that ¢Raine¢ is not done with us yet, the slow drying of the muddy trails has really helped. No one fell. The entire section of trail was non-technical. Views were limited as both summits were largely wooded, but I was able to grab one shot. It was a short slackpack day, which allowed us to finish this section to Stratton, and have just 2 more sections to go: getting to Monson, and the 100 Mile Wilderness. Planning food and equipment needs is almost complete. Tonight¢s pizza (spinach/pesto/mozzarella/sausage) was excellent.
Date: 2023-07-08
From: ME 27 Stratton ME (2010.0)

To: Stratton, ME (2010.0)
Miles today: 0.0

One of the maxims of the thruhiker community is to ¢listen to your body.¢ My body is tired - 12 straight days of hiking in NH/Southern Maine will do that. So I am taking a zero today to rest mind, body, and soul before the final push. Of course there are errands to do - fine tuning food supply, sending excess gear home, spraying my remaining gear with Permethrin, making reservations with hostels up the trail. Obsessively refreshing the weather app as it alternates between a normal forecast and another Noah¢s ark scenario and back.  Tomorrow is a big day over the Bigelows, including the last 4000 ft peak before Katahdin.  But today will be lazy.
Date: 2023-07-09
From: Stratton, ME (2010.0)

To: Long Falls Dam Rd, ME (2029.5)
Miles today: 19.5

Today was a major milestone, as the trail went up and over the Bigelows, including the last two 4000 ft peaks until Katahdin in a couple of weeks. This section has been a bit of a psychological barrier, always appearing in peoples¢ whispers about how difficult Maine can be. And, in fact, the planned route registered more than 5000 feet of both elevation and descent. But coming off a zero day, fueled, refreshed, and with light packs, it felt like just another day at the office (although with some great views). In fact, things went so well that as a group we decided to push the day to 20 miles (more than 6000 feet up and 6000 feet down) to position ourselves better for tomorrow and the rain forecast. About 11-12 hours of hiking overall. It felt good to stretch to a 20 mile day again after so many difficult days in the Whites and Southern Maine with lower mileage. The most notable part of today¢s hike was that the trail was almost normal - no crazy technical climbs, no deep bogs, no death- defying descents, no rain, and only moderate mud - permitting a much more normal hiking speed as I was just dealing with (admittedly significant) elevation changes. Of course, the water is never too far away. These northern forests in Maine still retain a great deal of moisture, which shapes the ecosystem I hike through. But today, for once, I finished the day with dry shoes.
Date: 2023-07-10
From: Long Falls Dam Rd, ME (2029.5)

To: Kennebec River, ME (2046.6)
Miles today: 17.1

As one of my hiking companions, Surefoot, says, today was a ¢Git ¢er done¢ day. Our objective was to cross the Kennebec River this afternoon before a heavy rainstorm forecast for this evening (2+ inches) that could potentially prevent us from crossing for several days. The Maine AT has many unbridged river crossings, the widest (at 400¢) and most unpredictable (due to unscheduled dam releases upstream) being the Kennebec. Two hikers are known to have drowned in the past attempting to cross; the ATC now provides a canoe ferry to shuttle hikers across. The canoe ferry has been shut down twice this season already due to high water on the Kennebec. While we hoped to cross today, the ferry only runs 9-2 and it was 17 miles to get to the river. Surefoot found an after-hours Maine Guide willing to paddle us across when we hit the river at 3:30 and voila! We got ¢er done. Our string of no rain hiking came to an end today, as it drizzled on and off in the morning then shifted to consistent showered in the afternoon. The terrain was a mix of gnarly rootsand boardwalkand smooth trail,but mostly mud. Lots and lots of mud. Enough mud to represent a hazard (there was a thruhiker in our hostel last night who had broken her arm slipping in mud in this section). Enough mud so that you stopped trying to dodge it and just splashed through it for hours. We also had a number of other river crossings today besides the Kennebec, including a thigh level crossing of Pierce Pond outlet and an unusual 3 log bridge that required agility and focus as it was both slippery and wobbly. By the end of the day we were soaking wet, muddy, and very, very satisfied with the progress made to getting to Katahdin.