morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2004-08-21
From: Gordon Pond

To: North Woodstock, NH
Miles today: 13.0

We got our normal 6 o¢clock start after packing up our wet tents and gear. It had rained most of the night but we felt lucky to get packed and started hiking for a short while before a torrential rain started again. Today was not a lot of fun because the trail was all wet and muddy and we were wet and cold. They also wanted to test us by running us up and down all the rocks on Mt. Wolf and we weren¢t even rewarded by any pretty views. We then struggled up a lot of boulder climbs up both peaks of Kinsman Mountain and hurried over the summits because of the cold winds as well as having only clouds for views. On the way down from the mountain we stopped at Lonesome Lake Hut where we stopped for 30 to 40 minutes to get warmed up before going the final 3 miles to New Hampshire 3 and our ride into North Woodstock where we planned to get clean and warm.After the first mile, we came to Cascade Brook that we needed to cross only to find the bridge washed out and the rocks that some were able to cross on just 2 hours before were now under 8 to 10 inches of raging water washing very fast downstream, much too strong to cross. We took our only option and that was to bushwack through thick brush and areas of mud that went over our ankles along the raging muddy water. After struggling for almost 2 hours, April Showers, Krispy Kritter, Cat Dog, Papa Bear, Badger, and me finally got to the road that would lead us to town. We were very lucky that a pickup truck was soon leaving and piled us all in the back and took us into town. It was about 4 PM when we clean and warm in our hotel. We hurriedly got laundry going while we resupplied and then went to dinner and bed.
Date: 2004-08-22
From: North Woodstock, NH

To: Garfield Ridge Campsite
Miles today: 10.3
Weather: clear sky

The weather was now promised to be good (but cold) fore the next 4 to 5 days, so we were happy to get going right after breakfast. We had a long, 3800 foot climb up to Mt. Lincoln where we had beautiful views in all directions. We could see the mountains in the distance we had climbed for the last 2 days and all the way in the other direction to Mt. Washington where we would be later in the week. We then went another mile to the summit of Mt. Lafayette where the views were different but just as great. The weather was almost perfect with only a few clouds to give character to the skies. Both mountains had lots of day hikers and many AT hikers that happened to be there today. We got as many of our friends together for a group picture shot around a cairn with Mt. Washington in the background. After lunch on the mountain, we started hiking down the mountain towards the tent site we planned to camp at for the night. About 12 way down the mountain on the Skookumchuck Trail April Showers was just ahead of me and I herd her yell out in pain. When I got around the corner she was laying on the trail and crying in pain saying, ¢I¢ve come all this far and now my trip is ruined.¢ April Showers already had her pack off and was rubbing her left ankle but was afraid to move it because she thought it was broken. I gave her all the encouragement I could and told her it was probably just a bad sprain and that she probably just needed a few days rest to heal and get back on the trail. Now or Never (a physician) was 10 minutes behind and also gave her support. We had her tighten her boot laces on her bad foot to keep the swelling down and give additional support for her ankle. We then helped her stand to see if she would be able to hike without her pack the final 4 or 5 miles to the Garfield Campsite. Within a few minutes she was first able to hobble and then even slowly hike with people in front and back for support. Now or Never and Cat Dog each took some of the weight of her pack and I started carrying her lightened pack on top of my pack. We had gone a couple of miles when Majawes and Diesel came along and helped carry the pack and some of the weight over Mt. Garfield and to the tent site. April Showers was able to call her husband they planned to meet in 2 days and get off the trail for a few days and hoped to complete her hike if all was well. April Showers had taken 4 Ibuprophen at the time but was offered other pain medications if it was needed. It was dark and getting very windy and cold by the time we set up our tents and cooked dinner for a short night of sleep.
Date: 2004-08-23
From: Garfield Ridge Campsite

To: Zealand Hut
Miles today: 10.0

We slept in late to recover from the long day yesterday and the anticipation of a hard day today and because of the cold weather (48*) last night. We were happy to see that April Showers is able to hobble about and to see a much bigger smile than yesterday. We had the usual ups and downs before we got to Galehead Hut at 9:30 AM where we were able to have cold pancakes, pumpkin pie, and lemonade tat was left over from the visitors breakfast. You get less picky on what you eat when you¢re on the trail. WE had some more great views of the surrounding mountains that change at each new peak. We were all tired as we got to Zealand Hut at 3:30 and were happy to pay the $10 that would allow us to sleep in a bunk and eat after the higher paying guests had their fill. Some of the hikers did work for stay but they wound up working about 3 hours to save the $10. This included super and breakfast sot it ¢s a good deal for everyone since the camp croo would have to pack out all left over food. We were even happier to be inside when it decided to rain hard for about 2 hours in the evening. Zealand Hut is the only facility on the AT that is powered by hydroelectric, getting it¢s energy from a rapidly flowing nearby stream.
Date: 2004-08-24
From: Zealand Hut

To: Crawford Notch
Miles today: 8.0
Weather: clear sky

We couldn¢t eat our breakfast until 8:15 but were hiking by 9. We planned a short day of hiking to recover from 3 hard days ant to hitch to a motel to get cleaned and rested for the next hard days. We stopped at Ethan Pond, a very scenic body of water and set at the edge on some rocks while we had a snack. We got to Crawford Notch at 2 PM and 6 of us were lucky to get a hitch to a motel 8 miles away and get a late lunch at a general store. We just had time to do our normal cleaning up, rest, resupply, eat, and bed for an early stat in the morning. We¢re now about 12 way through the White Mountains with the tallest, hardest, and most beautiful yet to come. We have a shuttle arranged for 6 AM that will take 6 of us to the trailhead that will cost $35 for the bunch. We start with a 1000 foot climb up Webster Cliffs.
Date: 2004-08-25
From: Crawford Notch

To: Lake of the Clouds Hut
Miles today: 11.2
Weather: scattered clouds

Our ride showed up on time and we were at the trailhead at 6:30 on a chilly but very pretty day. We finished the hardest part of the day within 2 hours and then spent the rest of the day starting over the Presidential Mountains. The views were again fantastic as we crossed over the top or near the top of 6 mountains. The day was long and hard but the scenes of all the surrounding mountains were well worth the effort. We finished hiking at Lake of the Clouds Hut where we agreed to do work for stay. We don¢t know what we¢ll be doing yet but usually it involves dishes and we will get to eat dinner and breakfast for free and sleep on the dining tables. There¢s a pretty lake by the hut and we are directly below Mt. Washington just 1.4 miles away. As it turned out all we had to do was refill salt and sugar bottles while others wiped the tables down after dinner. Guess the 5 or 6 croo members think they are more efficient since they cooked and cleaned the dishes themselves.
Date: 2004-08-26
From: Lake of the Clouds Hut

To: Madison Hut
Miles today: 7.0

We had a late breakfast, eating after everyone else was finished but got on the trail at about 8:30 and got to the Mt. Washington summit at 9:30, just a nice climb. We spent a couple of hours eating, checking out the gift shops and observation deck on the summit before moving on to Madison Hut. On the way down the mountain, the Cog Railway went by a couple of times and as tradition dictates, we ¢mooned¢ the train. I don¢t think it offends anyone but also, as is tradition, the fireman on the train threw coal at us-he came very close and I wasn¢t sure if he was a good shot or bad. The whole trip was over rough rocks, which wore you out as much as they did in Pennsylvania. We again hope to work for stay so we can sleep in a warm place and carry less food as we go thru the Whites. We were lucky that they again let us work for stay as the croo was very busy feeding the 50 or so guests. We stet the table and then washed the dishes before we were able to eat. The cook had even fixed me some vegetarian dishes along with the peas and rice that everyone else ate and toped it off with a brownie. The bunks were all full again so we set up our sleeping bags up on the tables for the night.
Date: 2004-08-27
From: Madison Hut

To: Pinkham Notch
Miles today: 7.8
Weather: mist

We left at 6 in the morning because to wait for breakfast would keep us from the trail until 9 or so. We had a lot of rocks to navigate most of the morning, including a 500-foot climb straight up Mt. Madison and then a lot of big rock scrambling for most of the rest of the morning before getting to a better path for the last couple of miles into Pinkham Notch. We were able to eat lunch at the visitor¢s center when we got to the road and then got a ride to Gorham with Doat, a nice section hiker who did lots of trail magic. We got a room at the Hikers Paradise and got cleaned up and resupplied before turning in for the night.
Date: 2004-08-28
From: Pinkham Notch

To: Imp Tentsite
Miles today: 13.1

We got on the trail at 6:30 to start the hard trip thru the Wildcat and Carter Mountains, both some of the hardest mountains on the trail. The tough 2000-foot climb up to the first (of 4 peaks) Wildcat Mountain set the stage for what was to be a long hard day. The hardest part was a 800 decent after the Carter Mountains that was made up of a dozen or so 10 to 25-foot rock slides that took a long time to navigate since the drops were near vertical and the few hold made sliding down on your rear the common mode of travel. There were several with holes in their britches at the end of the day. We finally got to Imp Tent Site 13 hours later where we just had time to set up and cook dinner before dark and bedtime. There were several hikers who came in at 9 and 10 PM. Sweaty Pig finally made it at 1 AM and he had to use his headlamp to get down the dangerous places, even going thru the rain that started at 10 in the evening.
Date: 2004-08-29
From: Imp Tentsite

To: Gorham, NH
Miles today: 15.2
Weather: fog

We got a 6:30 start out of the Imp Campsite and finished going over Moriah Mountain before some steep descents for the next 3-4 miles. We then had a nice gradual down for the final 2 miles when we got to Hwy 2 at 11 AM and another ride back to Gorham. We celebrated getting to town as well as having under 300 miles to go to Katahdin. We spent the rest of the day and the next doing our routine of getting ready to hike out the next day. The town was scattered so we were glad to have rickety bikes to ride (you bought them for $1 for liability reasons). A nice solid bike wasn¢t possible so you just looked for one with brakes and without flat tires. It was raining hard as we went to bed-again glad to be warm
Date: 2004-08-31
From: Gorham, NH

To: Gentian Pond Shelter
Miles today: 12.0
Weather: overcast clouds

We finally got started on the trail in the rain but with a good forecast later in the day and for the next several days. We had a hard day of hiking and were glad to get into Gentian Pond Shelter at about 4. The shelter was filled with 9 college students from Hayes College who were doing an orienting class for school. When we want down to the pond for water, we were happy to see our 1st moose. She was about 100 yards away and seemed unconcerned about us since she would put her head under water to feeding for a minute or more at a time. We are now in some of the hardest part of the AT with a lot of vertical movement and not much horizontal which means slow going and short miles each day. That¢s supposed to get better in 3 or 4 days.
Date: 2004-09-01
From: Gentian Pond Shelter

To: Full Goose Shelter
Miles today: 9.0
Weather: broken clouds

I celebrate the start of my 6th month on the trail today as we head out at 7 AM. After 4 miles of hiking we are happy to see the New Hampshire-Maine borders as we enter the 14th and final state-hurrah! We are able to make it to Full Goose Shelter by 3 but it was a hard 9 miles. The college group got in at 6:30 and we were glad to be ahead of them so we could get a tent site. We had to go down the mountain a ways to get our water for the night. Tomorrow we tackle Mahoosuc Notch, one of the hardest parts of the AT.
Date: 2004-09-02
From: Full Goose Shelter

To: Speck Pond Campsite
Miles today: 5.1
Weather: clear sky

We started hiking at 7 to get over Mahoosuc Notch and Arm-the single hardest part of the trail. The climb thru a gorge that is over, around, and under moss covered boulders that were the size of a house for about 1 12 miles which is both dangerous and hard. At some places you had to jump from boulder to boulder with a 15-foot fall if you missed and in 2 places you had to take off your pack to squeeze thru the narrow openings. In some places, you had to study which way was the best route for you to go since there was more than one way to go, none of them easy. Some compare it to a precariously hard adult jungle gym without any safety nets. I managed to fall only 1 time and was lucky to only scrape a knee and bruise my cheek bone and hip. The going was slow and hard and I was glad to be done at about 1 PM on the 5-mile day. I was also looking forward to the easier trails and longer mileage days that are now promised for the rest of the hike. We stayed at a nice campsite called Speck Pond that had clear, beautiful water in the small lake below the shelter. This was one of the campsites where you had to pay a fee but we were glad to set up on tent platforms to keep clean and dry. Later in the day there were more college students that set up on one of the platforms and as was common for the young they stayed up late into the night.
Date: 2004-09-03
From: Mt. Katahdin

To: Andover
Miles today: 14.9
Weather: clear sky

We got an early start from Speck Pond since we wanted to get to Andover by the end of the day. We had a lot of climbs and descents but thank heavens we were now moving forward as well. The hardest part of the day was doing the 2300-foot climb of Baldpate Mountain that was barren rock that allowed the 40 MPH or so wind to almost blow you off the mountain. The views were great but the wind and cold made my stay on top a short one. I was glad to get to the road that goes to Andover. We were also happy to see a note from Hawk and his wife Peggy that they were in the area and would try to get together. We got places to stay in a hostel called the Cabin and even lucky to get fed all we wanted to eat for a late dinner. There were a lot of familiar hikers in town and it¢s always fun to compare hiking adventures with our 2004 family of fellow hikers.
Date: 2004-09-04
From: Andover

To: South Arm Road
Miles today: 10.0

9/4 After a nice breakfast we got a shuttle back to the trail where we hiked for a short 10-mile day to South Arm Road where we were met by Peggy and Hawk. They took us back to the cabin early in the afternoon to rest and cleanup again for the night. We again had all we could eat for dinner and again for breakfast before getting a ride back to South Arm Road.
Date: 2004-09-05
From: South Arm Road

To: ME 17
Miles today: 13.3

We planned to hike another short 13 miles the next day where we again met Peggy and Hawk at the next road crossing-ME 17. Cat Dog and I were especially happy to get a ride with them back to their motor home at a travel trailer park where we got cleaned up and had a nice dinner of chicken, vegetables, and salad that Peggy fixed for us. Desert was a birthday cake (Hawk¢s birthday is Monday) that tasted especially good since it was the first (and only) home make cake that I had on my AT travels. We talked into the night before we all spread out in the motor home for a great nights sleep.
Date: 2004-09-06
From: ME 17

To: Piazza Rock Lean-to
Miles today: 14.9
Weather: overcast clouds

We got up at 5 in the morning but by the time we had breakfast and drove back to the trail it was 8:30 when Peggy and Hawk finally dropped us off. We had looked at the profile of the trail and were happy that the mountains for today were due to get smaller. We passed several pretty ponds along our hike. While we were happy to have smaller climbs, the easier hiking was slowed by muddy trails. We tented at Piazza Rock Lean-to later in the day ready for the next 2 days of harder climbs.
Date: 2004-09-07
From: Piazza Rock Lean-to

To: Spaulding Shelter
Miles today: 15.8

We have 2 more days of long hard climbs before getting to Stratton and we needed to go 15.8 miles before tenting for the first night. We had nice views at Saddleback Mountain but it wasn¢t quite clear enough to see Mt. Katahdin, just over 200 miles away. We got to Spaulding Shelter at 5:30, tired and hungry. Scarecrow and Needs a Hug came in while we were setting up and 10 Harvard students came in for their orientation hike while we were cooking dinner.
Date: 2004-09-08
From: Spaulding Shelter

To: Stratton, Me.
Miles today: 13.5
Weather: light rain

We had light showers in the night and a cold drizzle came down for the first 3 hours before the sun finally made an intermittent appearance. We wanted to make sure we finished with the 13.5 miles to Hwy 27, the road to Stratton since more rain is promised in the evening and another 2 inches or more rain is said to be blanketing Maine tomorrow from the remnants of Hurricane Frances. We got to the road at 2:30 and got an immediate ride to town as soon as we put out our thumbs. We were happy to get a room in one of the 3 hotels since a lot of hikers were staying in town to get out of the rain tonight and tomorrow. We had a nice evening meal with the restaurant full of almost all hikers. The rain started by dark and was still coming down when we went to bed later in the night.
Date: 2004-09-09
From: Stratton, Me.

To: Stratton, Me.
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: moderate rain

We got wet as we went to breakfast and as promised, the rain came down all day. We did our town chores thru the rainy day and were again happy to be clean and dry. We still plan to hike out in the morning, even as the showers diminished. The main problem with all the rain over the last 36 hours will be how muddy and slippery the trails will be for the next few days.
Date: 2004-09-10
From: Stratton, Me.

To: Little Bigelow Lean-to
Miles today: 15.3
Weather: overcast clouds

We got on the trail from Stratton at 8:30, just after breakfast and the hitch to the trail. It had rained well into the night and we now had a cold wind but at least no rain as we start out. We soon warmed up with our 2400-foot climb up Bigalow Mountain that was aggravated by a lot of mud on the trail all from all the rains they had thru the summer. The cross over the top was cold but the trees still shielded us from the wind. When we climbed the added 300-feet to the West horn of Bigelow, it was above tree line and the 50 MPH or so wind made staying on the trail very difficult. I had to lean steeply into the wind and had both hiking poles planted to try to keep braced against the wind and stay on my feet. The clouds made visibility between 10 and 20-feet at times to add to the stress of slowly going over the open top of the mountain. I was glad to get back in the trees where the protection broke the wind and allowed me to get warmed up. I was very happy to be done with that climb and the next [Avery Peak] that was almost as bad. We only had Little Bigalow Mountain to finish before getting to camp and that was just a lot of rock climbs with many ups and downs. The best part of the day was our celebration at Little Bigelow where we passed our 2000-foot mark into the hike, 174.1 miles to go. But who¢s counting?
Date: 2004-09-11
From: Little Bigelow Lean-to

To: Pierce Pond Lean-to
Miles today: 17.3
Weather: clear sky

We left Little Bigelow Lean-to at 6 AM for a planned long day of hiking to get to Pierce Pond Lean-to, 17.3 miles away. After we went 1.4 miles we came to a lot of tents where a former thru-hiker had set up for trail magic-including breakfast. There were 8 to 10 other hikers who were there so we stayed for breakfast, delaying our start by 112 hour. The day went quickly with few mountains to climb and the walk was made hard only by rocks and mud. We got to Pierce Pond Lean-to at 4:30 behind 4 or 5 other hikers. The setting was beautiful with the lean-to up about 50 feet from the huge lake, a prime place to view a great scene. Cat Dog and I each found a spot to set up right above the lake. Since the sun was still up several of us went for a cold swim to get cleaned off a little and to rinse out our clothes. There were a few boats along the opposite shore and a sea plane took off later in the afternoon. We all enjoyed a peaceful evening along the shore and were serenaded by the mournful calls of loons all night.
Date: 2004-09-12
From: Pierce Pond Lean-to

To: Pleasant Pond Lean-to
Miles today: 9.7
Weather: few clouds

We delayed our start until 7 because we only had 4 miles to hike before coming to the Kennebec River that we had to cross by canoe. Steve Langley provides canoe crossings at no cost for all hikers since the river is too dangerous to ford. He told us that yesterday a 48- year old man with a heart condition had died when he fell out of his boat due to rapidly rising water when they had opened the turbines up stream. After crossing the river, we hiked into Caratunk to the Northern Outdoor Center where we hung around until lunch. We left at 1 on this Sunday afternoon just as the football games were beginning which made it hard to leave. We only had 5 12 miles to go for an easy hike to our next camp, Pleasant Pond Lean-to that was a long way from the water. While we had an easy day of hiking, we were sorry to not be on a lake tonight.
Date: 2004-09-13
From: Pleasant Pond Lean-to

To: Moxie Bald Lean-to
Miles today: 13.1
Weather: broken clouds

We got a 6 AM start from Pleasant Pond Lean-to with 2 final mountains to climb before we get to Monson, Me. The trail is drying out a little more each day and the morning 1000-foot climb up Pleasant Pound Mountain was fairly easy. We stopped for lunch at a lean-to before climbing Moxie Bald Mountain where we think we got our first view of Katahdin. We hope to be seeing a lot more of the Big K in the next 10 days when we should be ready to summit. We finished the 13.5-mile day at Moxie Bald Lean-to and again camped next to a pond with hopes of listening to loons again. We saw 1 more moose earlier in the day. On to Monson tomorrow.
Date: 2004-09-14
From: Moxie Bald Lean-to

To: Monson, Me
Miles today: 16.7
Weather: scattered clouds

The weather is still nice each day as the leaves continue to become more and more colorful and then fall. We have 16.7 miles to go today but the terrain is fairly flat and only the roots, rocks, and mud slow us. We get to Hwy 15, the road to Monson at 2:30 and a 4-mile ride to Monson shortly after we started hitching. The popular Hostel is Shaws so we got set up there and went to the post office before it closed at 4. I had enough supplies sent to me that I didn¢t need to buy anything except breakfast and lunches.
Date: 2004-09-15
From: Monson, Me

To: Monson, Me
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: broken clouds

Since this is the last town it is the last chance for a 0 day. We did the usual resupply, clean, clothes, eat, and rest. There are many hikers in town and it¢s fun to talk about the journey we¢ve been thru and how and when we all plan to finish. Shaw¢s is a nice place to stay and we had lots of food at breakfast and dinner, lunch was on our own in town. We arranged to get a ride to town right after breakfast by one of the Shaw sons.