morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2004-08-19
From: Zealand Falls - AMC Hut

To: Mizpah - AMC Hut
Miles today: 14.1

Tale of Two MountainsMileage Countdown: -338.6The night was pleasant, with no snorers in our bunkroom for 14 people (except possibly me :-) and a cool breeze coming through the window along with the sound of the falls less than 50 yds away.The first 8 miles of today's hike, into Crawford Notch, were either nearly flat, or fairly gently downhill. This is probably the easiest stretch in The Whites. Just as I was getting to the Notch, I bumped into Stumpknocker. When I first met him, he was northbound, doing his third thru-hike, and I was southbound. Now we have both switched. He has done everything from Springer to Glasgow, VA, and everything from Katahdin to Crawford Notch. In a week or so he will take off for a few weeks to hike the John Muir Trail in California, and then will head south again to finish sometime in December.The last 6 miles were a different story altogether. First was a climb up to Webster Cliffs, a little over 2000' in a little under 2 mi. That was pretty straightforward, constantly stepping up until the top was reached. No prblem except it was a humid day and I was completely soaked by the time I reached the top of the climb. Then for over a mile I was climbing up Webster Cliffs themselves. They are an ascending series of half peaks, where the side toward Crawford Notch is a pretty sheer cliff. Each peak had some parts almost as challenging as Garfield, but it was worth it because each afforded good views into the Notch and of the Willey Range on the other side.The last and highest of these half peaks was Mt Webster, named after NH's most charismatic politician, Daniel Webster. Surprisingly, at 3910', Webster is not in the 4000' club.A little over a mile later I went over my only 4000 footer of the day, Mt Jackson, barely 150' higher than Webster, and much less impressive. But a member of the 4000' club nevertheless. From there it was mostly a downhill walk into Mizpah Hut.[Note to A!A: In order to avoid being chided for today's high mileage, I just wanted to let you know that I am counting the first 8 mies as regular AT miles, so using a conversion factor of 1 regular mi = .7 White Mtn mi, I really only walked 11.7 WM miles today.]4000' Club - Peaks Bagged: 1 (Jackson), Left to Bag: 11
Date: 2004-08-21
From: Madison Springs - AMC Hut

To: Pinkham Notch (Joe Dodge Lodge)
Miles today: 7.8
Weather: fog

Pinkham NotchMileage Countdown: -319.0I had intended to start off today by going back a bit and climbing Mt Adams, since it was only a mile away and I wouldn't need to do my work for stay job until later in the morning. But I abandoned that idea when I woke up to a heavy rain pattering on the hut windows.The work-for-stay was pretty easy. First, I wiped off the tables, on top of which we thru-hikers had spent the night. Then I helped set the tables for the paying guests. After waiting for them to finish, we were invited to help ourselves to the leftovers. They had obviously figured the overload of WFS people, because there were enough leftovers to fill everyone. After breakfast we had to sweep up and make sure the blankets were folded properly, then were free to go.When I left, the wind was blowing almost strong enough to knock me over, but the rain had let up. The Trail started straight up Mt Madison, whose summit was .4 mi away. Just keeping my feet was tough enough, and I had to climb on top of that. By the time I had reached the summit, all the younger people had passed me (But it turned out that two went the wrong way at the top, went 5 miles out of the way and finished 3 hrs after me.).Fortunately the wind abated on the other side of the peak, but soon a drizzling rain started up. The descent from Madison to the treeline, well over 1000' and steep, was over a series of smaller peaks, each of which was a loose pile of rocks covered with green lichens. When I was about to step on one of those rocks I never knew whether it would be tippy, slippery, or both. Needless to say progress was slow, very slow. I was glad to get to treeline, since then the rocks had soil between them to keep them in place. But the rain became heavier, and for the rest of the climb down, the trail was covered with an inch or more of mud but was still quite steep. The only respite came the last two miles, where the trail was an old roadbed and the rain almost ceased. This was one of my tougher days of hiking.When I got to Pinkham Notch my friends had not yet arrived, but I was able to check into the bunkroom they had reserved in Joe Dodge Lodge (the flagship of the AMC hut system). A hot shower never felt better, so I was feeling much more human when my friends got there just before dinner.4000' Club - Peaks Bagged: 1 (Madison); Peaks Left: 8
Date: 2004-08-22
From: Pinkham Notch (Joe Dodge Lodge)

To: Carter Notch - AMC Hut
Miles today: 5.9
Weather: few clouds

WildcatsMileage Countdown: -313.1Today started rather late (for me), at just past 8:30 after a good night's sleep and a very ample breakfast. And there wasn't a cloud in the sky, a welcome change after yesterday's damp trudge down from Madison.As is often the case, the hike for the day started uphill almost immediately. But today, the slope has the reputation of being one of the toughest climbs on the Trail. And it was (I'll bet the climb up So Kinsman was tougher, but I went down it so can't compare them.). However, Sue, Phil, Trish and Sarah are all experienced White Mountain hikers. Being also younger than I and with only day packs they were much faster. On the other hand, they appear to be much more accomplished lolligaggers, so we leapfrogged on the Trail all day long. Being with them, with only 6 miles on my plate for the day, also allowed me to relax a bit and enjoy the sun, the scenery and their company.We got to the point where our trails separated, less than half mile from the hut, by mid-afternoon. I had very much enjoyed having them hike with me. Thanks, Sue and company, for accompanying me on such a gorgeous day.The Carter Notch Hut is unique among the AMC huts in that they don't serve meals there. (Joe Dodge Lodge is also unique, being the only one on a road. But they still charge the same $1.00 for a Snickers bar. Go figure!) But they do have a well-equipped kitchen, open for the guests to use, and had a huge pot of water simmering on the gas range all evening. That meant that we didn't have to fire up our own stoves and wait around for things to heat up, making dinner preparation much simpler.At other huts the Croo is known for its high energy, making a performance out of almost all interactions with the guests. But the Croo at Carter, Annie and Neil, were much more laid back and interacted with those of us there in a very relaxed maner.In fact, even though today had two of the steeper climbs (1 up, 1 down) I have done so far, it was also one of my more relaxed days, and I was asleep before the light had faded from the western sky.4000' Club - Peaks Bagged: 2 (Wildcat D, Wildcat A); Peaks Left: 6
Date: 2004-08-26
From: US 2, Gorham (Merrimack, NH)

To: Gentian Pond Lean-to
Miles today: 11.8

What's NextMileage Countdown: -286.1After two zero days at home I was driven back to Gorham by former colleague, Julie. She had the time because she just left a well-paying job with good benefits in order to make a career change. She will be going back to school after being out of school for over a decade, in a field she has never studied before. I really have to admire her for her bravery and for being willing to take a chance on herself. Thanks, Julie!I also realized that I forgot to thank Bill and Linda in my last entry for coming all the way up to northern NH to pick me up and then taking me all the way back to southern NH to deliver me right to my front door. Thanks you two.The trail out of Gorham was quite moderate compared with what we encountered in the Whites (The Whites continue on east into Maine, but we have moved a bit north into the Mahoosuc Range.). But as always, when leaving town the pack is at its heaviest, and after a zero day it feels even heavier.Soon after I left town I ran into Tree Frog and Palm Tree, and later Boonie. Shortly after I caught Pilot and Poler and walked with them for a while until we got to this shelter. All six of us are at the shelter tonight, and will probably travel roughly together until we go through Mahoosuc Notch day after tomorrow. Also here are Beater and Wife, and Allegheny, whom I haven't seen since the deep south.Tomorrow I will enter Maine, my last state. As seems to be traditional, talk turned to what we will do after the Trail. As for me, I have two or three long road trips planned between now and December. But before the election I plan to become quite involved politically, because I am very alarmed with the direction the country has taken under the present administration, and feel that there is more at stake for the country in this election than in any other during my lifetime.But most of all I am looking forward to a long bicycle ride that I will be starting next spring. I will talk more about the ride in tomorrow's entry.
Date: 2004-08-28
From: Full Goose Pond Lean-to

To: Speck Pond Shelter
Miles today: 5.1
Weather: broken clouds

MahoosucsMileage Countdown: -271.4Today was a day I have been looking forward to since starting the Trail. I have to admit it was with a bit of apprehension because I still have a bit of shell shock from the boulder scramble ups and downs going through the Whites.Mahoosuc Notch is a very deep valley between two steep mountains. It is filled with house-size boulders that have fallen down into a jumble at the bottom from the valley sides. So the Trail through the Notch is a 1.5 mi scramble over, under and through this jumble. It was definitely challenging, and I learned a lot of new moves, but it wasn't as nerve-wracking as say standing at the top of a 15' slippery rock with no immediately visible hand or foot holds coming off South Kinsman. When I got through I was quite exhilerated and had a feeling of real accomplishment, with some sore muscles and joints, but not at all tired.The tiredness came a few minutes after I started up Mahoosuc Arm, a steep climb lasting about a mile and a half. I had started the day with the idea of hiking to the second shelter, if I got to the first (this one, Speck Pond) one by noon. But at noon I was still going up the Arm, and didn't get to this shelter until around 1, so decided to stay here. Today has been shorter than some of my nero days on the Trail, but I'm definitely not counting this one as a nero. I was so worn out by the time I reached here that after a quick lunch I spread my sleeping bag and took a nap. That is a first for me, I think. Tomorrow I will be taking off early and try to make it into Andover for some town food and maybe a sleep in a bed.
Date: 2004-08-30
From: East B Hill Rd (Pine Ellis B&B,Andover, ME)

To: South Arm Road (Gull Pond Lodge, Rangeley, ME)
Miles today: 10.1
Weather: overcast clouds

Muggy MaineMileage Countdown: -246.4I expected Maine to be getting into fall now, and maybe even see a little bit of snow before getting to Katahdin. But in fact, except for the first 15 minutes each day, all my time in Maine has been spent completely soaked in perspiration. It is actually muggy here, even on the tops of mountains. I hear that there are the remnants of two hurricanes moving along the coast, which could bring Caribbean air even this far north. But this is not what I expected of Maine.I was going to be meeting my friend, Elizabeth, a native Massachusettsan and former Maine legislator, at East B Hill Rd today at 4, in order to be shown some of the off-Trail sights of the state. The problem was that I got to the meeting place yesterday. So, to keep the plan intact, as well as to follow my custom of walking south between two successive town nights, I started today at South Arm Rd and walked to East B Hill Rd. One reason for this strategy is that I get to meet people who are within a day ahead of me. That certainly worked today. I met Caterpillar for the first time, as well as Critter, Smack and Megabite, whom I haven't seen since about Front Royal. Then I met Just Do It, an 03 thru-hiker who broke his wrists somewhere around this point last year, and went back to start all over again. I last met him just north of Roan Mtn.Then I ran into Allegheny and Suffering Bastard (S.B. from now on), a long distance section hiker who has been leapfrogging me for the last few days. I don't remember if I mentioned this before, but Allegheny is the hiker who got bitten by a rattlesnake in CT last month. He seems completely recovered now.Then I met Pilot and Poler, who are being slackpacked by a friend for a few days. Finally I was overtaken by Beater and Wife, who were slackpacking southward as well, but moving a lot faster than I. Just as the three of us were nearing the trailhead, the long mugginess came to its natural conclusion, a sudden, drenching downpour.I didn't meet Tree Frog, Palm Tree and Boonie, since they were planning to spend most of the day in town, after hiking in from the nearest shelter. The one surprise was Mouse. I figured she was right behind me, so expected to see her somewhere today. Maybe she got off in town too.The plan to meet Elizabeth worked well. I got to the trailhead at 3 as the rain was subsiding, she at 3:30. We headed off to the Gull Pond Lodge in Rangeley, where she got to experience staying in a hiker hostel bunkroom (She certainly was a good sport about that.).We ended up not seeing many of the Maine sights, because I had hiker town errands (laundry, groceries, etc) as soon as we got to town, and she has to get back to Augusta tomorrow by noon, leaving just enough time to drop me at the trailhead after breakfast. But my college class e-mail group will be interested in the fact that on the way to Rangeley we came upon a magnificent fog-shrouded view of Mooselookmeguntic Lake. Yes, such a lake really exists up here in these Maine woods.
Date: 2004-08-31
From: South Arm Road (Gull Pond Lodge, Rangeley, ME)

To: Bemis Mtn Lean-to
Miles today: 8.7
Weather: overcast clouds

Sun Again But...Mileage Countdown: -237.7Elizabeth dropped me at the trailhead on her way to Augusta, and I started hiking up Old Blue. Straight up. And I was again soaked in sweat almost immediately. All before 9:30. The weather report this morning was for a high chance of rain all day, followed by several days of good weather. So I was expecting to spend another day walking in the rain. But just as I was going over Old Blue, a dramatic change took place. The overcast sky turned to partly cloudy, with patches of white clouds in a blue expanse. A breeze came up and the air became noticeably drier. And the sun came out!But it didn't get warm. Quite the contrary. With the wet clothes, the dry air and the breeze, I got distinctly chilly, especially because I was headed down hill and not working nearly as hard so wasn't generating heat any more. I got a little warmer as I worked my way around Elephant Mountain and up Bemis.But I was still feeling cool when I pulled into the shelter around 3. Even a short stint in my sleeping bag only helped a little. It was only after I had a double serving of hot pasta that I began to feel normal. The others at the shelter all remarked at the sudden change in the weather. Wife became so chilly that she headed for her tent even before sundown, and Beater soon followed.In addition to the three of us there were several others at the shelter. Netman is section hiking, going southbound to Gorham. When he gets there he will have hiked everything from Harpers Ferry north, except for the 100-mile Wilderness and Katahdin. He will save them for the last part of his hike. He will continue south from HF well into the fall. Also at the shelter was section-hiker Aquaman, who has suffered a long fall, dehydration, lost glasses and a severely stubbed toe, all in the last two days. Finally, SB pulled in to the shelter after dark, just as I was falling asleep.But I must say that this is more like the weather I was expecting of Maine in the late summer.
Date: 2004-09-01
From: Bemis Mtn Lean-to

To: ME 4 (Gull Pond Lodge, Rangeley, ME)
Miles today: 17.7
Weather: broken clouds

Long But EasyMileage Countdown: -220.0I had my longest day so far in Maine, nearly 18 miles. I also had a meeting time at the end of the day, which normally puts time pressure on me. But since today's walk was nearly all downhill, with very few steep slopes (according to the profile), I figured I could easily make the distance in the 12 hours I had allotted. (My former standard for an average speed was 2 mph. No longer! Since getting to NH my new standard is 1.5 mph.)By the time I had gone the 4 1/2 mi to ME 17 and had climbed the steepest slope of the day, I was sure that I had ample time to meet my 6PM ride at ME 4. So I indulged in a bit of lolligagging (at least for me). I had a long lunch at Long Lake, eating at one of the two small picnic tables that the MATC had set up on the shoreline there. I took an extra 15 minutes when I stopped to take on water at South Pond, and even considered taking out one of the canoes that were on the bank there. And I took a full half hour to chat with Neon, a flip-flopper on his southbound leg from Katahdin to Harpers Ferry.But I still got to the road by 5. Since I was so early, I decided to hitch into town, to save Bob O'Brien, owner of the Gull Pond Lodge hostel the trouble of coming out to get me. Many cars went by with no one offering to pick me up, so as it was approaching 5:30 I decided to hitch one more car, and then wait for Bob to come. That car picked me up. We chatted as we rode the 8 mi into town. When I mentioned that I was staying at this hostel, the driver told me that she had recently taken a computer course with Bob, and by the way, 'There he goes the other way!'. With some embarrassment I allowed as how I was hitching in order to save Bob the trouble of coming to pick me up (as well as to avoid waiting myself, oneof my least favorite passtimes). Immediately she turned around and chased Bob, catching him just as he was getting to the meeting place. I don't think I would have seen that very often in MA.Bob runs a very hiker-friendly hostel. For $20 a nite, with breakfast and shuttles all around town and to the Trail included, it is hard to beat. Even though it had been crowded last night, there is only one other hiker here tonight, Millipede. This is not the same Millipede whom I met in Georgia and who came whizzing by me in VT, but a thru-hiker from last year who just wanted to redo some of the more rugged sections of the Trail just north of here. (I found out later that Pilot & Poler, Allegheny and Postcard were in town, but had opted to stay in the much more expensive Rangeley Inn.)
Date: 2004-09-02
From: ME 4 (Gull Pond Lodge, Rangeley, ME)

To: ME 4 (Gull Pond Lodge, Rangeley, ME)
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: clear sky

Rangeley ZeroMileage Countdown: -220.0Not much to say about today. I did all the usual town things: laundry, town food, groceries, outfitters, town food, Internet, post office, town food. I also did some things that are not a normal part of a day in town: canoe ride, nap in a hammock, impromptu thru-hiker party in front of the supermarket.Now, I've got to go off for more town food. Hiking the AT is tough.
Date: 2004-09-03
From: ME 4 (Gull Pond Lodge, Rangeley, ME)

To: Poplar Ridge Lean-to
Miles today: 10.7
Weather: clear sky

Dry Trail / Maine RootsDate: September 3Start: ME 4 (Gull Pond Lodge, Rangeley, ME)Destination: Poplar Ridge Lean-toMileage: 10.7Hike Mileage: 1964.8Mileage Countdown: -209.3Bob dropped me and sectin hiker, Yellow Jacket, at the trailhead just after 8. We leapfrogged all day until this shelter, where he moved on. Most of the day was spent going over the Saddlebacks (Saddleback, The Horn and Saddleback, Jr). The trail was either moderately graded or a walk up rock slabs parallel to the slope for most of the day. I was thankful for that. I was even more thankful that the mud we have been encountering since getting to Maine seemed to be drying up (Nevertheless, I took a pretty spectacular spill in one of the spots with wet mud, and got quite covered with the stuff.). That meant that I could walk most of the day with a regular gait without having to rock/root hop over the mud, so made steady progress.Besides the Maine mud, people are always talking about the roots in Maine. They are indeed more numerous and larger than at most other places on the Trail. But for me, they haven't been much of a pain so far. In fact where there is mud, roots often provide convenient paths around. And with my new normal speed of 1.5 mph, I have time to pick and choose my foot placement on the roots, whereas at 2 mph I probably wouldn't.No northbound thru-hikers here tonight. There are three SoBos, and two people out on a weekend hike.Milestone: Today I passed the 90% mileage point, so have less than 10% of the miles to go to get to Katahdin.
Date: 2004-09-04
From: Poplar Ridge Lean-to

To: Crocker Cirque Campsite
Miles today: 14.2
Weather: overcast clouds

AutumnMileage Countdown: -195.1The weather has become quite fall-like the last few days. Not only has the temperature dropped (I doubt if the daytime high up in the mountains has gotten out of the 60s since the day I went up Old Blue.), but it is constantly windy. Last night the shelter was near a creek, and the wind was gusting all night long. With all that white noise it was very easy to fall asleep.Tonight should be even better. Again I am beside a creek, but this one is bigger and closer. Not only that, but I will be in my tent tonight (my original one), for the first time since mid-May. I feel very comfortable in this tent, so should be out in dreamland before twilight fades.Despite the cool, breezy, weather, I saw a snake each of the last two days. I thought that I had seen the last of them, but I guess not. Yesterday's snake was what other hikers are calling a 'black racer'. He moved away from me pretty quickly. Today's snake looked very similar, but was more brown in color, and fatter and longer. He was stretched out on the trail between two trees, and I almost stepped on him except I stopped myself with the trees. He moved away also, but not nearly as fast or as far.Here in the campsite tonight are Zipoff and Just Do It, flip-floppers, Grey Wolf and Angel, two SoBos whose names I didn't get, and a couple hiking for the weekend (She is town executive of the town I just moved out of, Groton.).Milestone: Less than 200 mi to Katahdin
Date: 2004-09-05
From: Crocker Cirque Campsite

To: Horns Pond Lean-tos
Miles today: 12.4
Weather: broken clouds

The PullMileage Countdown: -182.7Today's hike started out going straight up the Crockers, a pair of 4000' mountains. I was rushing a bit because I had heard that there was a breakfast buffet in Stratton, where I was going for a short-term resupply. The trail down the Crockers was fairly gentle, so I was able to move right along.I got to the buffet before 11:30 so was looking forward to an AYCE feast. But as I walked through the door they were carrying off the last of the breakfast food. So I switched to lunch mode, had a cheeseburger with lobster bisque, and also got a sandwich to go for dinner. After a light resupply and quick hitch I was back on the Trail in less than 3 hours, heading up the approach slope to the Bigelows. This shelter is the chilliest I have been in for a while, being well over 3000'. So I will probably get in the sleeping bag early to get well rested for the hike over the Bigelows (the last 4000 footers until Katahdin, I think).Recently I have been starting to get impatient to finish, as I am feeling the pull of the things I want to do and the people I want to see when I am done. Also, my feet are really tired. As for the landscape, I really enjoy the views of lakes and mountains, and get quite engaged with the steep ups and downs. But I'm afraid I'm getting tired of the endless walking through the green tunnel, particularly where it's paved with mud.Here tonight with me are The Abominably Slowman, Jilan-Jilan and three section hikers.