morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2023-07-08
From: Gren Anderson Shelter

To: High Point State Park HQ/Mosey's Place Hostel
Miles today: 11.3
Weather: scattered clouds

Today was not as hot as yesterday, but it didn't seem to matter much because the humidity is still so high. It didn't take long before I was completely soaked through from sweating so much. It certainly didn't help that my clothes were still damp from sweating so much yesterday. But, I'm staying at a hostel tonight, so I'll get to at least get my clothes clean before they get soaked again tomorrow. Though they are calling for storms tomorrow and it looks like it might drop the temperature for a few days.The hike wasn't terrible, but it's going to take some time getting used to carrying my full pack again. I had to stop and take a few breaks because I was so hot and tired. There are also some things inside it that I would like to get rid of once I get to a place that has a post office. That will hopefully help with the pack weight a little bit.The other thing I may reconsider is sleeping in shelters. I used to prefer them because it made the mornings a little more hassle free. But, that was back when there were no biting flies, gnats, and mosquitoes I had to worry about. All night long I had bugs flying around me and on me. I tried to put myself under my sleeping bag, but it was so hot out that it quickly became uncomfortable. So, I'll probably start tenting instead of sleeping in the shelters so that I won't get chewed up while I'm trying to sleep.Breakfast: Two Kind bars. One was milk chocolate almond. I don't know what the other one was.Lunch: Fries, a large oreo blizzard, and a root beer. I was also supposed to have a triple hamburger, but they gave me the wrong sandwich and I didn't realize it until we were already at the hostel.Dinner: Beef and broccoli, pork fried rice, and an egg roll from Good Friends chinese restaurant. I also drank a 52oz bottle of Simply Lemonade. I think I'm trying to make up for all the years I didn't drink the stuff.Dessert: Watermelon. It was decent, but not as flavorful as I've had before.
Date: 2023-05-01
From: Amicalola Falls State Park 

To: Black Gap Shelter
Miles today: 7.3

A journey of 2198 miles begins with 2.198 steps. Or rather, 8.8 miles worth of steps. That's the length of the approach trail from Amicalola Falls before I even made it to the At. I'm way more out of shape than I anticipated, making it only 7.3 miles before I stayed at Black Gap shelter. It was a nice hike, the falls were definitely worth the 600 something steps to get there. But I was tired and the temperature was dropping so I set up camp. Spicy ramen for supper in my little pot. Slept cold. Got up and started hiking before daybreak. Hiking really warms you up. I'd taken off my coat and base layer before getting even a mile in. And that brings me to the southern terminus of the At at Springer Mountain. Beautiful view. It's a clear day. I can see for miles and miles. I'm getting cold staying still though, so I don't linger long before I set out on the greatest hike of my life... so far.
Date: 2023-05-02
From: Hawk Mountain Shelter 

To: Gooch Mountain Shelter 
Miles today: 7.6

Woke up before sunrise this morning to cook breakfast, only to find out that I'd forgotten to put my trail mix with the rest of my food in the bear box. Bears hadn't gotten into it, but mice sure had. Little suckers chewed through the bag and ate about half of my trail mix. The couple that had been in the shelter with me started calling me Ramen Noodle Guy because of my preferred choice of food when I get to camp. Setting out from Hawk Mountain I realize I somehow lost my bandana, which among other uses, serves to filter dirt and junk out of my water. I was too far down the trail to consider backtracking. Arrived at Gooch Mountain Shelter and there was an abandoned bandana waiting for me, as well as 6 pounds of chocolate covered hazelnuts and almonds. I took about a pound to replace the trail mix, and the rest of the nuts made other hikers happy as well. The trail provides. About 20 people camped at the shelter that night. Met a guy named Gratitude who carries mouse traps in his pack and sets them in the shelter when he sleeps. He said the previous night he caught 8. Good for him. Any dent in the shelter's mice population is greatly appreciated, especially having lost food to them already. I also met a marine called Dogface who gave me a tiny bottle of tobasco and a muffin from an MRE in exchange for some beef jerky I had. Good trade. Tobasco really spiced up my meal. Hammock camped today.
Date: 2023-05-03
To: Tentsite
Miles today: 17.8

Woke up cold well before sunrise, packed, and started walking down the trail. Can't be cold if you're moving. Today was going to be a long day. The closest two shelters were in a zone that required hard shell bear cans, which I did not have, just a bear resistant sack. I figured it would be a challenge to hike all the miles, but not too bad. And it wasn't, at first. 5 miles in at Woody Gap I decided to cook breakfast. It was extremely windy, so I ended up setting up my stove behind the restroom to use it as a windbreak. Going up Blood Mountain was somewhat strenuous, but worth it for the views at the top. Coming down Blood Mountain was a whole other story. It was strep rock scrambles the whole way. I didn't have any knee pain before the mountain, but I definitely did by the time I got. I was hiking downhill very slow and carefully. What kept me going was the promise of hot food and a resupply at the store in Neel's Gap at the bottom of this descent. I got off the mountain, crossed the street, and was greeted by a fellow hiker who informed me the store had just closed. The disappointment. It wasn't a total loss tho. The store had a hiker box outside and I was able to score some Cajun trail mix and a packet of crushed red pepper that I put in my pasta that night. The store also had an outdoor spigot with fresh water, so that was nice. I had intended to make it to the Whitley Gap shelter, but after reconsulting with my guidebook and my legs, I decided to camp in a small tentsite about 2 miles past Neel's Gap. For the first time this trip I would be camping alone. Didn't get the 22 miles I was hoping, but still logged 17, which is an achievement when previously averaging about 8 miles a day.
Date: 2023-05-04
From: Tentsite

To: Blue Mountain Shelter
Miles today: 16.6

Once again I woke up cold around sunrise and began my hike. I ate breakfast a mile later, and soon beyond that it had warmed up enough I needed to strip off some layers. So I stopped at a very scenic rock and while I was shedding layers I met a hiker without a trail name yet who ended up hiking with me most of the day. In Hogpen Gap, my hiker friend was telling me about how he hadn't received any trail magic yet, and as if on cue a very nice couple, former thru hikers and long time trail angels pulled up in a red suv and struck up a conversation with us. Towards the end of the conversation the lady offered us a banana and a couple tangelos. That was an offer we couldn't refuse. We accepted them gratefully and the journey continued. I don't really even like bananas but that was a really good piece of fruit. This put me in a good mood that lasted a while. Lunch was at Low Gap. Filled up on water, ate some snacks, and felt better getting back on trail. At some point fatigue had caught up to me, and my fellow hiker needed to hike his own pace, so he continued to the shelter much faster than I could. The last couple miles were uphill through rock fields, and in my tired state I was getting fairly discouraged. As soon as I sat on a rock to check my maps, a bear came crashing through the brush and across the trail. Soon after the mama bear followed, and sat on the trail. My phone only had 2% left, but I wasn't going to miss a picture of the first bears I'd seen this hike. I snapped a few shots of mama bear, but couldn't get any of the cub as it was wandering around out of sight but not out of mind. This improved my mood greatly as I made it the rest of the way to the shelter.
Date: 2023-05-05
From: Blue Mountain Shelter

To: Tentsite
Miles today: 3.1

Walked 2 miles down the mountain to the road crossing. Found a geocache while waiting for a shuttle to town. Resupplied food, bought a sleeping pad, and went to Taco Bell where I filled up my Nalgene with Baja Blast for the trail. Got a ride back with a guy called Encouragement who runs his shuttle based on donations. Camped about a mile up the trail with Legless, Thing 1, Thing 2, and their mom who made good company. Slept cozy with the new pad and for the first time this trip defeated CBS (cold butt syndrome).
Date: 2023-05-06
To: Dick's Creek Gap
Miles today: 17.0

Woke up comfy so took a long time getting out of bed and packed up. Eventually left camp planning on an easy day. It was not to be. The Taco Bell from the previous day had hit my colon, and I was miles away from the nearest privy. Guess I brought a trowel for a reason. In general I recommend saving it for a privy. My aunt had texted me wanting to meet at Dick's Creek Gap, which was about 6 miles past where I was. Going to camp. I booked it, best I could being the slow hiker I am. Eventually made it after dark and they had brought Taco Bell and bottled water for me. Greatly appreciated. We hung out for a while until they had to leave. Set up my hammock by the picnic tables cause there was no way I was gonna go any further that night.
Date: 2023-05-07
From: Dick's Creek Gap

To: Muskrat Creek Shelter 
Miles today: 11.8

Once again I enjoyed my newfound comfort in my hammock and got up late. Stopped for lunch about 5 miles in and took a nap. This would later prove to be a slight mistake. Crossed the GA/NC border into North Carolina. Major morale boost. Immediately after entering the state there was a very steep climb up the mountain. Welcome to NC I guess. A couple miles from shelter the thunder I'd been listening for started to sound really close and a few drops of rain hit my nose. I unlocked a pace I didn't know I had and raced to the shelter. It got dark in this time. About the time I got to shelter the downpour started and I wasn't feeling having to set up in the rain. Unfortunately the shelter was full, but this style shelter had a picnic table under the roof, so two other guys who also got to camp late set up our pads and slept under the picnic table.
Date: 2023-05-08
From: Muskrat Creek Shelter 

To: Carter Gap Shelter 
Miles today: 12.5

Woke up with everyone else and cooked my oatmeal breakfast and coffee before starting down the trail. I was hiking with a guy named Marcus who was a section hiker and it was his last day. He informed us that his brother would meet him at Deep Gap with donuts for everybody. True to his word, Marcus's brother Travis arrived with a load of Krispy Kreme and cold coconut water. It was amazing. After thanking them profusely we began the climb up Standing Indian Mountain. Not a terrible climb, but I was very sleepy when I summitted so I ended up setting up my hammock and taking a nap. This nap went longer than expected and I ended up at Carter Gap after dark. Set up my hammock but didn't set up the rain fly so I could see the stars. It was great, until I woke up to rain. Set up the rain fly and was dry once again.
Date: 2023-05-09
From: Carter Gap Shelter 

To: Long Branch Shelter
Miles today: 8.7

Yet again, slow start to my day. Albert Mountain was the main climb, and it was definitely a challenge. I almost had to out away my trekking poles and rock scramble on my hands and feet. The tip was worth it though. Albert Mountain had a fire tower, and incredible view, and both a traditional ammo can cache and an earthcache. After a long lunch on Albert Mountain, I started the descent and passed the 100 mile mark on the AT. When I reached Long Branch Shelter I went to sleep happy, until a loud guy with a loud dog showed up. Oh well.
Date: 2023-05-10
From: Long Branch Shelter

To: Moore Creek Campsite
Miles today: 8.0

Woke up on time and hurried to make my oatmeal and coffee. I had 7 miles to go to get to the gap where I could catch a shuttle to town for resupply. Those 7 miles went quick, probably the fastest I've hiked so far. It helped that most of it was downhill. Hiked into the gap around the same time as Stoke and Jason. As I walked across the parking area this guy offered trail magic, and I couldn't refuse. He had a load of snacks in the back of his pickup, and as we were eating crackers he said he runs a shuttle too, at the same price as the bus. We took him up on that offer. He introduced himself as Lightning. Great guy. Definitely obvious why he's called Lightning. Got into the first outfitter and found a pack that was half the weight and the suspension system felt way better. So I got it. Went to Ingles for my food resupply and moved on to the next outfitter. Got some new Topos to replace my Lone Peaks. I made the mistake of listening to the internet for my shoe choice. Those shoes kinda sucked. Got some more cushiony shoes with 5mm drop and they work great. I also went down to the hiker lounge and did my laundry. Final town stop for the day was a brewery that had a food stand inside run by this guy Redneck Ricky, who makes some really good boiled peanuts. Got the boiled peanuts, a black bean burger, and some chips. Was an amazing meal, that I didn't have to rehydrate. Had a good conversation with some of the locals there. By the time I was finished with dinner, it was getting late. I didn't really want to stay in town so I called up a shuttle service and hoped they would still be running. In a stroke of good luck, Brian answered and told me he'd pick me up in 15 minutes, despite the time of night. Yet another nice person I've met. Got back on trail and hiked about a mile to Moore Creek Campsite to set up my hammock and then I slept like a baby.
Date: 2023-05-13
From: A random spot in the woods

To: NOC
Miles today: 13.7

Finally put a bigger mile day in today to get to the NOC, Nantahala Outdoor Center, a whitewater resort that the trail passes right through. The trail off the mountain into the gap was very steep, in some places seeming to drop off a steep cliff face but then suddenly making a sharp switchback. Definitely needed some vitamin I after that descent. Upon arrival to NOC I picked up some snacks and drinks, planning on setting up camp by the river after I charged my phone and relaxing. While I was charging my phone a trail angel named Janet struck up a conversation and ended up buying me a meal from the restaurant. It was great hiker food, a pile of stir fried veggies on rice and barley topped with ginger sauce. After thanking her profusely I found a good spot in the river bank to stealth camp and spent the rest of the evening chilling.
Date: 2023-05-14
From: NOC

To: Tentsite
Miles today: 2.5

Due to a funny story that I'm not going to go into here as it would probably disappoint my mom, I only made it 2.5 miles up the mountain from NOC. I found a really nice campsite backed by a cool rock formation that may or may not have had a bear living in it at some point. Set a campfire to keep the bugs away while I cooked up my ramen. Climbed in my hammock and played games on my phone till I fell asleep to a light sprinkling of rain.
Date: 2023-05-15
From: Tentsite

To: Brown Fork Gap
Miles today: 13.5

Woke up ready to hike. 26.5 miles to Fontana, and I was planning on making it. It quickly became obvious that there was no way I was going to manage to hike quite that far. Met several thru hikers today, one of whom gave me a butterfingers bar. Trail magic is always appreciated. By the time I arrived at the shelter I could barely walk, my feet hurt so much. Didn't even bother setting up my hammock, just crashed in the shelter and passed out.
Date: 2023-05-16
From: Brown Fork Gap

To: Fontana Hilton 
Miles today: 13.0

On the hike today I saw a large black snake laying on a tree by the trail. After determining it was a safe snake, I proceeded. At long last I made it to the Fontana Marina which had a surprisingly good selection of food for resupply. It wasn't the cheapest, but I didn't have to go off trail and pay for a shuttle so it worked out. Bought some microwavable bagel bites and some drinks and sat on the dock for hours talking to other hikers. Sat out a rain storm and then finished the day hiking to the Hilton. It's not a real hotel, but for hikers, it may as well have been. Most shelters are small and sleep 6-12 people. This one was built way nicer and could easily sleep 28. It also had a bathhouse up the hill with running water, power outlets to charge phones, and best of all, hot showers. This spot definitely earned the nickname the Fontana Hilton.
Date: 2023-05-17
From: Fontana Hilton 

To: Fontana Hilton 
Miles today: 0.0

I fully intended to leave camp and get to the Smokies today. However, I wasn't in any hurry to get out of camp, so when PJ and Texas arrived in camp and wanted to go to the Fontana Village for lunch, I went with. First stop in town was the restaurant with the best veggie burger I've ever had, made in house from locally sourced vegetables. We had a great conversation about how out hikes have gone, the reasons we are out here, and other things. People hike for many reasons, but most don't have a concrete this is exactly why I'm out here. I don't either. I've always wanted to attempt a thru hike, but so have many other people and the never did. It's been great for my mental health, I wanted a break from work, ect. I've found the best way I can sum up why I hike is because I'm trying to live the life I'd be jealous of. We went to finish resupply, and then just sat in town meeting the other hikers who came through. Saw a group that I haven't seen in over a week. By the time we were ready to head back to the Hilton, the shuttle had closed down for the day but the lady on the phone said she'd call maintenance for us. Several minutes later a guy shows up in a white Ford ranger and tells us to hop in the bed. We do, and he takes off down the road, us in back, wind whipping through our hair. We got back to the Hilton, where I stayed in the shelter again. It was a great zero, and some good rest from hiking.
Date: 2023-05-18
From: Fontana Hilton 

To: Mollies Ridge Shelter
Miles today: 11.8

The climb into Great Smokey Mountains National Park was brutal. All uphill, all day. Climbed from about 1700 ft to over 5000. There was a good view from a fire tower on the way, or so I'm told. I walked to the fire tower, decided it looked somewhat sketchy, and chickened out, eating lunch at the base. By the time I reached Mollies Ridge, I was cold and tired, so I cooked some mashed potatoes and slept in the shelter.
Date: 2023-05-19
From: Mollies Ridge Shelter

To: Derrick Knob Shelter
Miles today: 12.1

One of my favorite days on trail so far started with Texas and I leaving camp around 10. About a mile into the hike, we saw a mama bear and two tiny adorable bear cubs. The cubs were carefree, playing in the trees, while mama bear sat giving me the stink eye. After taking the obligatory pictures from a safe distance, we continued on. The summit of Rocky Top was beautiful. It was a clear day, visibility went for miles, and we could see where we'd come from and where we were going. We took a break at the summit and cooked some Rocky Top Ramen and played Rocky Top on Spotify. There was also a virtual geocache that I'd seen at the summit. Unfortunately I hadn't read the description and to log the cache, I needed information from a benchmark 0.7 miles back south on the trail. Not wanting to miss this log, I left my pack with Texas and hiked all the way back to get the information, gaining nearly a mile and a half of bonus miles. Oh well, the things I do for a smiley on the map. Arriving at Derrick Knob shelter we quickly realized we weren't going to get any shelter space, so we set up camp. The smokies had way more hikers than I anticipated.
Date: 2023-05-20
From: Derrick Knob Shelter

To: Mount Collins Shelter
Miles today: 13.0

Texas stayed in bed till nearly 11, so we didn't get out of camp till noon. Just like every other time I've been up to Clingmans Dome, it was cold, rainy, and visibility was about 50 feet. Not quite the view one hopes for when summiting the highest peak on the trail, and the second highest in the eastern US. Wandered into the gift shop about 5 minutes before closing, where I overpaid for some trail mix because I was hungry and out of snacks. Hiked down to where the map said Mount Collins shelter was and were greeted by a sign that said the shelter was half a mile down a side trail. Racing the dark, and trying to get warm from the rain, we sped down the trail to a predictably full shelter. After cooking supper, I once again set up my pad under the roof on the dirt by the picnic table, and had a dry night of sleep.
Date: 2023-05-21
From: Mount Collins Shelter

To: Ice Springs Shelter
Miles today: 8.0

Leaving camp uncharacteristically early for how I have been hiking recently, we cruised down the trail to Newfound Gap, where we took over the rock monument area with out gear, setting it out to dry in the sun. My aunt met me at the gap and we went to Gatlinburg for Mexican food and ice cream. I ditched some more gear, including my hammock, to save weight in my pack. By the time I made it back to trail, I only had about 3 hours of daylight left so I wasn't going to make the 11 more miles I'd planned, so I settled for 3 miles to Ice Springs shelter and sheltered there for the night.
Date: 2023-05-23
From: Tri-corner Knob Shelter

To: Davenport Gap Shelter 
Miles today: 14.6

Today was a longer hike than I would have liked, due to a shelter in between where I started and where I ended being closed because of bear activity, but it helped keep me on my 6 day schedule getting through the smokies. Saw some hikers that I hadn't seen in a while. The last two miles were down hill, and a good song came on, so I ran down the trail. Davenport Gap Shelter is unique because instead of bear cables to hang food on, there was a chainlink fence covering the open side of the shelter to keep bears out. A lot of people didn't like it, but it's probably one of the safest shelters out there. Ate the last of my food except for some energy bars I was saving for breakfast.
Date: 2023-05-24
From: Davenport Gap Shelter 

To: Standing Bear Hostel
Miles today: 3.8

Coming off the mountain, I had to hike across an underpass with I40 roaring overhead. Under that bridge was a trail angel named Clayton handing out donuts and drinks to hikers. A great way to start the day. After enjoying the donuts I hiked off to Standing Bear Hostel to resupply, and got sucked into the vibe there. A lot of hikers I knew were going to be staying the night here, so I hung out with them until bedtime. I ended up spending the night in the bunk room for a very reasonable price.
Date: 2023-05-25
From: Standing Bear Hostel

To: Groundhog Creek
Miles today: 6.9

Somehow, the hike from Standing Bear was even more difficult than the climb into the Smokies, prompting me to stay at the first shelter I found. Pops, Rosko, and Maps were there, and had added a new hiker to their group, Sherpa. We sat around the campfire cooking marshmallows I had packed from my last resupply, and I met a hiker all the way from Poland. The weirdest part of this shelter was the privy. It was tiny. Seated, the walls didn't even go up far enough, so you could see everything around you while doing your business. And then if you weren't careful, even as short as I am, you could end up giving some unsuspecting hiker a show. It was still better than having to dig a hole in the woods though.
Date: 2023-05-26
From: Groundhog Creek

To: Roaring Fork Shelter
Miles today: 8.3

Highlight of the day was Max Patch. A popular bald and spot for the locals, it is currently protected and camping is banned in the area due to the damage the spot had sustained over the last couple years. I tried to take a nap there, because I wanted to watch the sunset, but as more and more people arrived to party, I decided to move on and camp at the shelter.