morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2013-04-15
From: Winding Stair Gap

To: Wayah Bald Shelter
Miles today: 11.0
Weather: clear sky

We caught the first shuttle out of Franklin and were back at Winding Stair Gap before 10:00 am. We had been hearing about how hard the climb out of the gap would be, but it turned out to be pretty typical.We came across the first 2 of many "balds" today: Siler Bald and Wayah Bald. No one really knows why the balds formed, but it's pretty cool to come across the tree-less areas. From the tower at the top of Wayah Bald you can see the mountains we crossed days earlier, and, the Great Smoky Mountains ahead of us.
Date: 2013-04-16
From: Wayah Bald Shelter

To: Wesser Bald Shelter
Miles today: 10.6
Weather: few clouds

More awesome views from over 4500 feet today.We saw a lone car parked at Burningtown Gap; we figured it was day-hikers out for a few hours. About halfway up the mountain, we passed a guy coming down the trail with an empty backpack. As he went by, he told us to hang out at the Cold Spring Shelter at the top - he'd be right back up with some trail magic. There were about 10 hikers waiting at the shelter when we got there. 2 thru hikers from last year started a business dealing with hiker foods and were at the shelter sharing samples; the homemade jerky was awesome.
Date: 2013-04-17
From: Wesser Bald Shelter

To: Nantahala Outdoor Center
Miles today: 5.9

We've been watching our daily mileage a little closer over the past few days so we'd be able to meet-up with Matt before heading into the Smoky Mountains. Rather than spend 2 nights at Fontana Dam waiting for Beth to drop Matt off, Stephen and I decided to catch a shuttle back to Franklin where we could rent a car and drive home to Charlotte. It would save Beth from driving ~4 hours each way with Matt, plus it gave us an opportunity to schedule some doctors' appointments for both of us on Friday. We got home around 7:00 pm.Matt will meet us in Charlotte on Sunday. We'll drive back to Franklin very early Monday morning, catch another shuttle back to the NOC, and be back on the trail before noon on Monday.
Date: 2013-04-22
From: Nantahala Outdoor Center

To: Sassafras Gap Shelter
Miles today: 6.7
Weather: clear sky

Matt joined Stephen and me on the trail today; he plans to hike with us through the Smokies before he has to return to school in early May.We left Charlotte at 4:00 am so we'd be able to drop the rental car off in Franklin, catch a shuttle back to the Nantahala Outdoor Center (NOC), and be back on the trail before 10:00.The climb out of the NOC didn't start out that bad. By looking at the elevation rise (1749 feet to 4400 feet over a 6 mile stretch) we were expecting a tough hike. The first 2-3 miles seemed to go pretty quickly and easily, but the last 3-4 were really tough.Our feet felt much better after a few days rest at home, but Stephen couldn't seem to catch his breath for most of the day. I felt good all day, and Matt only had some stiffness in his knees.We saw several lizards and a strange looking moth-like thing. Besides that, the most strange thing we say was a barefoot hiker walking past us. Nuts!
Date: 2013-04-23
From: Sassafras Gap Shelter

To: Cody Gap
Miles today: 12.0
Weather: overcast clouds

We started the day with hopes of making up some ground after yesterday's short day. The first ascent to Cheoah Bald was steep, but the views at the top were awesome. Cheoah Bald was the largest bald we've come across so far.After leaving the bald, we went downhill (mostly) for 5 miles and found some picnic tables at Stecoah Gap where we rested for a while. We didn't know anything about Jacob's Ladder just ahead, but it turned out to be a very difficult section of the trail.We arrived at Cody Gap just as the sun was beginning to set. We had just enough time to set up our tents, get some water, and cook dinner before it got too dark to see.
Date: 2013-04-24
From: Cody Gap

To: Fontana 28 AT Crossing
Miles today: 8.6
Weather: overcast clouds

Today was a tough day. Another decline (roughly 2000 feet) over the final 3 miles of the day took its toll on Matt (knee and ankle) and Stephen (breathing). Rather than hike to the Fontana Dam visitor center before catching a shuttle to Fontana Village Lodge, we were lucky to see a shuttle arrive at the Route 28 crossing. There's no way we could have gone another mile or so.All three of us were impressed with the village - and especially the lodge. Once the workers' village while the dam was being built, the resort had lots of interesting history. There were a couple nice restaurants, a general store, and laundromat.
Date: 2013-04-25
From: Fontana 28 AT Crossing

To: Fontana 28 AT Crossing
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: few clouds

Matt spent the day putting ice on his ankle and knee. Stephen was able to get a prescription for an inhaler, so he and I got a shuttle over to Robbinsville and the nearest pharmacy. The shuttle driver was very interesting. Gene (age 85) was born and raised within a few miles of Fontana Dam and had lots of stories about bear hunting, the building of the dam, etc.Sometime during the afternoon determined that his boots were causing the pain in his ankle. We ended up cutting the side of his boot (there's a huge hole there now) in order to relieve the pressure on his foot, but it didn't help much. His knee pain goes back to a surgery he had after returning from Australia, and it bothered him most going downhill.Fortunately for Matt, Stephen had a pair of lightweight New Balance Minimus camp shoes. They turned out to be just the right fit to eliminate most of his ankle pain.It rained all day, so we were glad to spend the day in the lodge. We head into the Great Smoky Mountains National Park tomorrow morning.
Date: 2013-04-26
From: Fontana 28 AT Crossing

To: Mollies Ridge Shelter
Miles today: 12.2
Weather: few clouds

We finally reached the Smokies! We've been looking forward to crossing the Fontana Dam and crossing into the Great Smoky Mountains National Park (GSMNP) for weeks, and we finally arrived.The dam was pretty cool. The AT goes across the top of the dam so you could see hundreds of feet down to the river on the left, and the huge lake on the right. We heard that the dam was closed to foot traffic a few weeks earlier, so hikers had to take a couple-mile detour.We walked along a road for about a mile before officially entering GSMNP. We deposited the bottom-half of our permits in the thru-hiker box and began the climb from 1700 feet to 4600 feet. We hadn't seen much wildlife over the past few weeks, but within the first hour of entering the park, we walked within 10 feet or so of a doe who was eating on the side of the trail. (Two hikers that were about an hour behind us saw 5 bears (momma bear with four cubs) where we stopped for lunch, but we missed them.)Matt liked the rock formation that looked like a throne. Another highlight was going up Shuckstack fire tower. It was rickety and probably hadn't been updated in many years, so it made it fun to get up the stairs. The views of the lakes and the mountains ahead of us were awesome.Another milestone was crossing into Tennessee. We're not done with NC since the AT runs along the TN/NC border for many miles.In the Smokies, you're required to stay in the shelters. (We prefer to stay in our tents.) We reached Mollies Ridge Shelter just as it started to rain.
Date: 2013-04-27
From: Mollies Ridge Shelter

To: Spence Field Shelter
Miles today: 5.7
Weather: light rain

It rained hard all night. We stopped to talk with two Ridge Runners (guys who walk the trail helping hikers, giving advice, and making sure the park rules are being followed) - one suggested that we stop at Spence Field Shelter instead of pushing ahead another 6 miles to Derrick Knob Shelter. One of the ridge runners said that 6-mile stretch was probably the toughest stretch in the entire park. By the time we reached Spence Field, we were soaked and freezing.The condition of the trail wasn't too good - we were walking in a river most of the time; when it wasn't a river, it was just mud. I was walking behind Stephen and Matt, so neither of them saw me fall in the mud. I landed on the side of my leg and my forearm, but was back on my feet in a second. Falling with a full backpack was fun.The shelter was packed and the roof leaked. Yesterday, Matt said the Smokies were his favorite part of the hike so far; today, we didn't have a favorite.
Date: 2013-04-28
From: Spence Field Shelter

To: Spence Field Shelter
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: light rain

It was still raining hard in the morning, and the forecast showed 100% chance of heavy rain all day. We decided to stay dry and warm in the (leaky) shelter so we took a "zero" day to wait for better weather.Matt and Stephen spent a good part of the day gathering wood, cutting it up with a knife, and keeping a fire going for several hours.It was pretty funny to watch Stephen and Matt build a bird trap out of a bandana and some string. They sprinkled some granola into the center of the bandana and waited for the birds to hop to the center. The granola sounded like a good choice, but it wasn't until they used a piece of homemade jerky did they actually snare a bird when pulling the string.
Date: 2013-04-29
From: Spence Field Shelter

To: Silers Bald Shelter
Miles today: 11.8
Weather: overcast clouds

The mice were crazy at Spence Field Shelter last night. Stephen saw 3 at one time during the night; I woke up Stephen and Matt when I brushed a mouse off my face.The first 6 miles of the day were as tough as the ridge runner has said. Rocky Top and Thunderhead Mountain were awesome.The next 5 miles weren't too bad and we made it to an empty shelter. A while later, only 3 other guys showed up so we had lots of space. We saw mice before it got dark, but none bothered us during the night. We think.
Date: 2013-04-30
From: Silers Bald Shelter

To: Clingmans Dome
Miles today: 4.8
Weather: overcast clouds

As soon as we stepped onto the trail this morning, a large deer walked 20 feet or so from us. He didn't seem too concerned that we were there.Somehow we convinced ourselves that today's hike would be a long, gradual incline. It wasn't as easy as it looked, however.We reached Clingmans Dome and went up the tower. We had great - and very unusual - weather for the dome area and could see for many miles. It was cool looking back at Fontana Dam and several peaks that we'd crossed over the past week.We walked down the paved path to the visitors center. Just as we were about to check our guidebook and make some calls, a shuttle-driver dropped off a few hikers and was about to pull away. She was heading back to Gatlinburg, TN, but she agreed to take us over to Cherokee, NC instead. We'll spend the night in Cherokee and wait for Beth to pick us up tomorrow. Matt needs to get back to school and Clingmans Dome (near Newfound Gap) was the best place for him to get off the trail. Stephen is going to go back to a doctor for his breathing, so I'm going to take a few days off the trail, too.
Date: 2013-05-04
From: Clingmans Dome

To: Icewater Spring Shelter
Miles today: 10.7
Weather: clear sky

Beth and Stephen dropped me off at Clingmans Dome this morning. It was weird to get started without Stephen or Matt with me.It was very cloudy with a light rain most of the day. I didn't really see too many nice views because visibility was poor and I had to focus more on the wet, slippery trail. I was walking a little quicker than usual, too, because I didn't want to risk a spot in a shelter in bad weather.The first 7 miles of the day were almost all downhill - from the highest point on the AT (Clingmans Dome) down to Newfound Gap. The last 3 miles weren't too bad. Even though it hadn't rained too hard during the day, I was completely soaked and cold. There was only 1 other person in the Icewater Spring Shelter when I got there - he ran out of food on the 2nd-to-last day of his hike so I gave him a few candy bars and a pack of Raman to get him through another day. (He gave me a pack of instant coffee.)The shelter filled up before dark.
Date: 2013-05-05
From: Icewater Spring Shelter

To: Tri-Corner Knob Shelter
Miles today: 12.6
Weather: heavy intensity rain

It rained hard all night and looked like it was going to rain all day today. It did.I was the first NOBO (north bound) hiker to leave the shelter this morning. I didn't see another person all day, and was the first to arrive at Tri-Corner Knob Shelter. It was only about 2:15 in the afternoon, but I didn't want to go another 7 miles to the next shelter. I changed into dry clothes, crawled into my sleeping bag, and warmed up.The A.T. Guide showed several great spots for views/pictures, but visibility was only a couple hundred feet at best so there wasn't much to see. I stopped at Charlies Bunion to take a few pictures anyway.
Date: 2013-05-06
From: Tri-Corner Knob Shelter

To: I-40 Underpass
Miles today: 17.6
Weather: light rain

Today was mostly a downhill hike out of the Great Smoky Mountain National Park. The goal for today was to stop at Davenport Gap Shelter (14.8 miles from Tri-Corner Knob), but with Standing Bear Farm Hostel only another 3 miles ahead, I decided to keep going. I was excited to finally reach the the north (east) end of the GSMNP.I was expecting another day of rain, but the sun came out by 9:30 and started to dry things out. With nice weather and no steep uphill climbs, it was pretty easy to do 18 miles.
Date: 2013-05-07
From: I-40 Underpass

To: I-40 Underpass
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: clear sky

Kevin is driving home from Tuscaloosa today. Once he gets settled and has his gear ready, he'll join me on the trail. Because I was at I-40, and Kevin can come home via I-40 instead of I-20 (it's about an hour out of the way), I asked Kevin to swing by Hartford, TN to pick me up. I'll go home with him for a couple of days before we start up again.I look forward to the opportunities to return home whenever possible.
Date: 2013-05-20
From: I-40 Underpass

To: Brown Gap
Miles today: 10.6
Weather: overcast clouds

Kevin, his dog, Dixie, and I finally got back on the trail today. We were delayed quite a few days because I wasn't feeling too well.Stephen - who still isn't feeling well enough to come back to the trail - dropped us off at I-40 where I left off on the 7th. Kevin and I began the climb up Snowbird Mountain with enough food to get us to Hot Springs, NC. Dixie did pretty good - she would go ahead of us for 30 feet or so and then turn around and wait for us to catch up. She didn't seem to be bothered by her backpack.The top of Snowbird was another bald. There was an FAA tower at the top and great views in pretty much every direction. We met 3 people at the top - 2 had thru-hiked all the way to Maine last year.We finally made it to Brown Gap where there were a few clearings big enough to camp. Kevin and I switched from tents to hammocks to see how we liked them. I think they're actually a little heavier than our tents, but setup and tear-down time went a little quicker.
Date: 2013-05-21
From: Brown Gap

To: Walnut Mountain Shelter
Miles today: 10.2
Weather: broken clouds

We left Brown Gap before 8:30. The 4 miles up to Max Patch was harder than it should have been due to sore joints and feet. i had heard and read a lot about Max Patch, but I didn't realize that it was so big. We heard that the winds at the top can reach hurricane-force, but it was just a stiff breeze when we were there.Today was another good-weather day so the views from Max Patch were great.
Date: 2013-05-22
From: Walnut Mountain Shelter

To: NC 209 + 25/70 (Hot Springs, NC)
Miles today: 13.1
Weather: few clouds

I thought we were going to get to test the hammocks in the rain last night, but we only got a few sprinkles and a little thunder during the night - just enough that Dixie climbed in the hammock with Kevin. We stayed dry, but I did get cold.We only planned a 3- to 3.5-day hike this week so we could get to Charlotte for graduations. Kevin and I figured another 10-mile hike today with plans to stop at Deer Park Mountain Shelter, but we reached the shelter by early afternoon. Bluff Mountain was the only significant climb of the day so we made good time. We ran out of water an hour or so earlier, so it felt good to sit by the stream near the shelter, re-fill water bottles, and rest over lunch.We could stay another night in our hammocks, or push ahead another 3.2 miles to town. Dark clouds were moving in, and we still had plenty of daylight, so we moved on. We made it to Hot Springs just as the rain started coming down. Fortunately, the hostel was less than 50-yards from the trailhead. We were tired and ready to spend a night inside. Kevin and I left Dixie in the room while we headed into town for dinner.
Date: 2013-05-23
From: NC 209 + 25/70 (Hot Springs, NC)

To: French Broad River, US 25/70 Bridge
Miles today: 0.4
Weather: overcast clouds

Today we only walked from one end of Hot Springs to the other. We had breakfast in the diner and waited for Stephen to pick us up.Hot Springs is a pretty interesting place. We'll start here at the French Broad River when we come back early next week.
Date: 2013-05-29
From: French Broad River, US 25/70 Bridge

To: Spring Mountain Shelter
Miles today: 10.6
Weather: few clouds

Scott joined Kevin and me for a week of hiking. Stephen dropped us off at the French Broad River in Hot Springs at 9:00 - the weather report was showing at least 4 nice days coming up. Kevin left Dixie home this week so her paw had time to heal.Most of the day was filled with uphills. There were some great views back into Hot Springs and the river below. Probably one of the more interesting spots of the day was the pond.We were all beat by the time we reached the shelter. We were the first ones there, but by dusk, there were about 8 others. I decided to use the hammock this week, again, to see if I could get used to it. Scott used my tent, and Kevin used his hammock.
Date: 2013-05-30
From: Spring Mountain Shelter

To: Jerry Cabin Shelter
Miles today: 15.4
Weather: scattered clouds

We started the day with a plan to walk another 10-miles. We hiked the first 5 miles (mostly downhill) by 10:30 or so, and had time to stop in a small country store where the trail crossed TN 70/NC 208 for some Cokes and snacks. The store owner said the next section of the trail was a hotspot for rattlesnakes and copperheads but we didn't see any.We stopped for lunch at Little Laurel Shelter -- 8.6 miles from where we started the day. We decided to go another 7 miles in the afternoon. The map showed a pretty level trail after the first hour, but it didn't turn out to be flat. The rocky ridge-line over Big Firescald Knob was really cool with great views into TN and NC.
Date: 2013-05-31
From: Jerry Cabin Shelter

To: Big Flat Campsite
Miles today: 12.5

Not too much interesting today.Kevin saw a fox running down the trail toward him. The fox must have been surprised when it finally saw Kevin because it dropped whatever it had in its mouth, turned, and ran back up the trail into the woods. Kevin thought it dropped a bird or something, but when we got to that spot, we found 5 dead chipmunks!
Date: 2013-06-01
From: Big Flat Campsite

To: Bald Mountain Shelter
Miles today: 12.3
Weather: few clouds

We left the campsite this morning with no water, but we only had to go about 3 miles to get to the next water source (at Hogback Ridge Shelter).Another nice day weather-wise -- the 4th consecutive day of sunshine and temperatures that weren't too bad.We heard that there were bears from Sams Gap to Big Bald, but again, we didn't see anything. About halfway up to the bald, we passed a southbound hiker who said there were bears ahead; Scott saw a big deer and a few salamanders -- that's it for wild animals today.Big Bald and Big Stamp were the highlights of the day. I thought the views from here were even better than at Max Patch.
Date: 2013-06-02
From: Bald Mountain Shelter

To: River Rd, Unaka Springs Rd, Erwin, TN
Miles today: 16.4

Our biggest day of the week -- but wet! It began raining during the night, stopped by morning (I thought it was going to clear up), but then started again just as we left the shelter. It poured all day, but it really wasn't too bad because we were warm. It wasn't like the days coming through the Smokies!There were only a few climbs today; most of the hike into Erwin, TN was downhill so 16 miles wasn't bad at all. Plus you don't seem to think about the hiking when you know there's a town with food and a place to sleep just ahead!!The views coming down into Erwin were awesome: the Nolichucky River, the train bridge, and the clouds rising up between the mountains. The rain stopped just long enough to get a few pictures.Except for the views into Erwin, the highlight of the day for me was getting dinner at the Mexican restaurant!
Date: 2013-03-21
From: Hiker Inn

To: Hawk Mountain Shelter
Miles today: 8.1
Weather: clear sky

Got served a nice breakfast at the hostel. Then, we were shuttled to the Trail Head (TH). The two 'Monks' were dressed up pretty weird. Flowing robes, one had wicker basket backpack. Looked strange. Anyway, once we got the TH, we got out and walked back the 0.9M to Springer Mountain. Once there, a bunch of picture were taken - group and individual. Then, we retraced out route back the TH. It was quite chilly that morning. We met some hikers that had camped out that night and said that it had gotten down to 14 degrees that night. I had to keep moving to stay warm. I didn't want to wear to many clothes to keep from sweating. I kept a brisk pace for the entire day. I got to the shelter @ 2:30. There was still room in the shelter so I grabbed a spot. It filled up completely. All the tent sites got full as well. I hiked a total of 9 miles but only 8.1 of it was actually the trail (out & back to Springer Mtn from the TH).
Date: 2013-03-22
From: Hawk Mountain Shelter

To: Big Cedar Mountain
Miles today: 14.0

Cold night. Sub 20 degrees for sure. Water didn't freeze in shelter. Hiking @ 8:27. Due to expected bad weather the next day, I went further thsn Gooch Gap. Hiked 14 & stopped on Big Cedar Mnt. Camped solo.After Hike Note: The monks turned out to be completely unprepared for their hike. I woke up during the middle of the night to pee. I saw the heavy set monk sleeping on the floor of the shelter (no sleeping pad) & was covered with a thin Mylar sheet. The other monk was sitting by the fire trying to stay warm. When I woke the next morning, the monk was still by the fire. Turns out, neither one of them had a sleeping pad, sleeping bag, knit cap, or gloves. I later learned further down the trail that they didn't even have any food. They weren't going to eat food unless someone else offered them food while they were on their 'Pilgrimage.' 2-Speed saw them on their second night emerging out of a cave. They ended their hike on the third day.
Date: 2013-03-23
From: Big Cedar Mountain

To: Neels Gap
Miles today: 9.7

Rained the night before. Hard around 4. Light rain all morning. Very foggy. No views. Got to Mountain Crossing @ 1:20. Got a bunk in the hostel. Washed clothes & me. Church group came by & served us chili. I made paracord dragonflies for the youth.
Date: 2013-03-24
From: Neels Gap

To: Low Gap Shelter
Miles today: 11.5
Weather: overcast clouds

Rained hard last night. Glad I was in the hostel. Stopped at 7:30 am. Started hiking at 8:07. Alternated between mist & no mist. Hooked up w/Travis & we hiked quickly hoping to get one of the 7 shelter spots. We hit the shelter just in time. We were 5 & 6. Later, Raider (retired Marine) showed after doing a 26 M day. He did in 2 days what I did in 4. Impressive
Date: 2013-03-25
From: Low Gap Shelter

To: Tray Mountain Shelter
Miles today: 15.4
Weather: overcast clouds

Cold night in full shelter. Started to snow @ 7:30. Snowed all day. Cold wind as well. At Unicoi Gap, a church group were serving hamburgers, hotdogs, & other snacks. Hit the spot. Continued long hike to shelter. Raider, Zack, & Travis were there. Another couple w/ 2 dogs were there as well. Hangman showed up later. I got there @ 4:30. Very cold.