morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2014-03-24
From: Lance Creek, GA

To: Wolf Laurel Top, GA
Miles today: 11.0

We rose early (Gordon, Broken Compass and I) to knock out Blood Mountain and make it to Neels Gap by lunch time. Neels Gap has Mountain Crossings Outfitters right on the trail. They cater to the hikers with hiking gear, hot showers, a hostel and most importantly lots of high calorie foods! I got there a little before noon and hit the showers. It was great to get the grime off. Gordon and I had two large pizzas between us. The one great thing about this long distance hiking is the "eating campaign". You burn some serious calories each day. The daily activities include not only hiking, but regularly getting your water from near by streams and springs, taking down and setting up your tent sites, cooking, and simply keeping warm. The little taste of civilization was reinvigorating. So with belly full and body clean we (Gordon and I) left Neel's Gap for a campsite another 4 miles up the trail. Broken Compass decided to remain at Neel's Gap Hostel for the night because of the impending stormy forecast (i.e., snow and significant drop in temperatures). Arrived at Wolf Laurel early evening, set up camp and prepared for the storm. Also check out the photos of the discarded hiking boots hanging from the trees at Neels Gap and other trail photos.
Date: 2014-03-25
From: Wolf Laurel Top, GA

To: Campsite South of Blue Mt Shelter
Miles today: 14.7

We woke up to a good dusting of snow on the ground. The snow started around 3 am and the temperatures steadily dropped as the day went on. Gordon and I packed up and got on the trail to keep warm. About 2 miles down the trail there was a huge trail magic set up at at Tesnatee Gap. King Tut and Jay were serving up hot chocolate and lot of goodies. What at treat! The folks in Georgia are awesome. We would have stayed longer but you have to keep hiking to keep warm. At the trail magic we meet up with another hiker (Bran48). Bran is a Geology professor taking some time off to hike a large section of the AT. He joined us as a braved the falling temperatures and high winds. The wind picked up as the day went on, pushing upward of 40 mph on some of the ridges. We stopped at a sheltered campsite just short of Blue Mountain shelter. I knew from my section hike back in October we did not want to camp at Blue Mountain Shelter because it sat atop a hill and would be exposed to the high winds. We set up camp, made up a hot meal and hunkered down by 7:30.
Date: 2014-03-26
From: Campsite South of Blue Mt Shelter

To: Sassafras Gap, GA
Miles today: 13.3

Started the day with temperatures around 15 degrees. Everything was frozen! I knew from experience that when it gets bitterly cold anything electronic (phones, batteries, UV filters, headlamps, etc.) needs to be kept with you in your sleeping bag or you run a good risk of it not working. Also you water bottles need to be covered and in the tent or you may not have use of them for the coming day. We did not eat breakfast because it was just too cold. The way to keep warm was to pack up an hike. So down we go off of Blue Mountain. However, as luck would have it, we are greeted by the Off-the-Grid ladies at Unicoi Gap (GA 75) with lots of trail magic. We feasted on sweets and biscuits. Then we headed up Rocky Mountain, down Indian Grave Gap and up Tray Mountain. At Tray Gap we were met once more with Georgia hospitality. John and Cathy Villines had cooked up hot dogs for the thru-hikers. The hot food on a very cold day kept us going. Atop of Tray Mountain the weather began to clear up. We made it to Sassafras Gap about 5:30 and were joined by other thru hikers (Spice, UB, the son and father team "Hike for Heros").
Date: 2014-03-27
From: Sassafras Gap, GA

To: Bly Gap, NC
Miles today: 15.3

It was a perfect day for hiking. I actually was able to pull out some shorts for most of the days hike. It was hard to believe it was so cold only two nights prior. We put in a long day since the weather forecast for the upcoming two days called for lots of rain. We originally had planned to stop a little short of the Georgia/North Carolina line but we pushed onward taking advantage of the weather. In all we were on our feet hiking about 6-7 hours.
Date: 2014-03-28
From: Bly Gap

To: Carter Gap Shelter
Miles today: 15.3
Weather: moderate rain

We woke up to lots of rain. There was nothing to do about it but pack up and get on the trail. It is cold and wet but you are warmer walking. As we pushed on we determined if we could knock out 15 miles today we would be able to possibly pull out for my planned resupply (and zero day) one day earlier than planned. So we pushed hard with only one break for lunch at Muskrat Creek shelter. BTW a "zero day" is a day off the trail to clean up, resupply and recoup... That is serious motivation when you are cold and wet with more rain in the forecast.All three of us (Gordon, Bran48 and I) were all in favor of this plan. The three of us work well as a team. Although we all have only met a few days prior it seems like we have been friends much longer. Also I have not mentioned much about Gordon. He is a Scotsman. He dreams of conquering the AT this year and then the Pacific Crest trail in the near future. Like me he is using his hike as a way to raise money charity (children's cancer). See other pictures of the trail under the photos button.
Date: 2014-03-29
From: Carter Gap Shelter

To: Winding Stair Gap (US 64)
Miles today: 15.9
Weather: moderate rain

We woke up before sunrise to get an early start. We were on the trail by 7:30 and sloshing our way to Hwy 64 and our planned pick up by family. Lots of water on the trail. The hardest section of the trail was Albert Mountain which is a section of vertical rock that you must climb. It was tricky in the rain but after about 1/2 hour of climbing we finally reached the top. Usually the mountain provides spectacular views but today only mist and clouds were visible. It was just a well as we all had one thing on our mind and that was reaching Hwy 64 and the opportunity to get out of the cold and rain, eat hot food and sleep in a warm bed. We arrive at Hwy 64 at 5:00 sharp and were greeted by family. We will be back on the trail Monday.
Date: 2014-03-30
From: Winding Stair Gap (US 64)

To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0

We spent Sunday cleaning up our gear and shopping for some gear items. My GA support team really helped my out! Thanks Bonnie and Fred (see photo) The zero day is a great time to reflect back on the prior days on the trail. First I am very fortunate to have met up with Gordon and Bran48. They are great guys to hike with. Additionally i think it is funny I am out in the middle of the sticks here on the AT and I am hiking with a Scotsman.... Go Figure... Fortunately I recently spent time over there so I understand the language. :-). How does the saying to, "two countries divided by an ocean and separated by a common language..... Second my feet appear to be holding up and believe it or not the snake oil (I.e., cobra venom analgesic going by the name of nyloxin) which I have been rubbing on my feet religiously 3x a day appears to have relieved the pain from my planar fasciitis. Crazy but it seems to be working (knock on wood). Third my gear appears to be working well. I am traveling light compared to many hikers with my full pack with water, food for 5 days and all other equipment I am carrying less thAn 32 lbs. I am real pleased with that weight and this includes some extras I picked up during the zero day. I picked up another pair of lightweight shorts and shirt that I will seal up in my bag to be used after I clean up only when I get to towns. This way I have something to wear when I am cleaning up my hiking closes. The alternative would have been to strip down to my buff and wear my poncho when I wash all my clothes but I did not think that would go over well in the local laundromat. The other thing to note was that I noticed my north face trail runners were starting to separate at the toe area so I went by REI where I purchased them. They replaced them on the spot which was awesome. So I am sporting some new shoes. Only drawback is I have to break them in. The foods that I have made up are working well. No issues at this time. All in all beside the crappy weather things went well. I am looking forward to the coming weeks. The upcoming 4 days will be in NC as we head towards the Smokies Mountains and the next week will be 6-7 days crossing the Smokies.
Date: 2014-03-31
From: Winding Stair Gap (US 64)

To: Licklog Gap
Miles today: 12.5
Weather: broken clouds

We departed from winding stair gap around noon and headed out toward the shelter about 10 miles up the trail. On the way we broke for lunch atop Siler bald summit. The views were spectacular from all directions. We pressed on to the shelter. However when we arrived the shelter and all available camping areas were full. There folks camping all along the trail also. It was like a hiker traffic jam! The reason for the large group of thru hikers was due to a trails day festival that went on in Franklin, NC during the weekend. So all of those hikers were getting back on the trail at the same time. So we looked at the map. It looked like better pickings 2 miles down the trail at Licklog Gap. We arrived to watch the sun set. It was a perfect site with no one else there. The lights of the city of Franklin could be seen off in the distance below us. Not a bad half day hike and it set up up to make it to Natahala Outdoor Center (NOC) tomorrow where we can get a cabin, a shower and some burgers and brew.
Date: 2014-04-01
From: Licklog Gap

To: NOC
Miles today: 14.5
Weather: few clouds

We awoke early just as the sun came up over the distant mountains. We wanted to get on the trail before the crowd of hikers we passed the day before start coming through. We had two 1000 ft elevation changes plus a few lesser changes and then a 4.5 mile down hill push to NOC. We made it there by 4:30 just before the general store closed giving us a chance to raid the drink coolers and munches as well as get set up with a three bed cabin for Gordon, Bran48 and I. The day's trek was much like the prior days but our team did have one close call on the trail. One of the team stepped into a soft patch that was covered with leaves at the edge of the trail. He went down toward the trails edge. A root from a fallen tree caught him or he may have gone over the side of the mountain. It was a very steep slope like many parts of the trail. As he moved to get up the root snapped and I grabbed his arm. It got out hearts racing as you could imagine. It is easy to stumble along the trail as roots, rocks and lots of mud are at every turn. It is always good to have folks around on the trail to be on the watch just in case. You realize very quickly how vulnerable one can be on the trail. It only takes one mis-step.
Date: 2014-04-02
From: NOC

To: Sweetwater Gap
Miles today: 15.3
Weather: broken clouds

We woke up after a comfortable stay at NOC. We were clean and well rested. However the path out of NOC consisted of a 6.5 mile upward ascent. It took me three hours to make it up and out of the valley. Once atop the ridge, there were great views of the valley and river below (see photos). We broke for lunch after the climb and pushed on but we were all spent after the climb and the day grew hotter. Our goal for the day was to get within 14-15 miles from Fontana dam so that I can stay a night at the Hiker Inn and get my mail drop. Late in the day we finally made it to Sweetwater gap but there wasn't much that was sweet about the location and there was no water to be found. We did reach our goal which put us 14 miles from Fontana dam. We were all shot, tired and aching from the days effort. We set up camp, downed some hot food, hung our bear bags and called it a day. The forecast calls for a chance of some early morning showers. I hope they come after we are packed up. No fun packing up in the rain.
Date: 2014-04-03
From: Sweetwater Gap

To: Fontana Dam
Miles today: 14.0
Weather: overcast clouds

Today I was up and on the trail a little before sunrise starting out about a half an hour before my hiking mates. I had 14 miles to cover and I needed to be in Fontana before 4:00 for my pick up to the Hiker Inn. Gordon and Bran48 were going to stay at the Fontana Shelter (nicknamed the Fontana Hilton because it has bathrooms and showers). I would link up with them the next day as we headed into the Smokey's. After picking up some water at one of the shelters, I ran into Gone For A Walk and we shadowed each other much of the approach to Fontana. He is an interesting fellow as he thru hiked the AT back in 1973 when he was 23. He is attempting it again but he said the only way he can do it is with a very light pack. His pack weight is less than 25 lbs which is pretty impressive particular given the cold weather and the extra gear needed to keep warm. The approach to Fontana was scenic with the wild flowers just starting to pop up in the lower elevations. I arrived at Fontana with plenty of time for the pick up for the Hiker Inn. The proprietors, Jeff and Nancy took great care of me. My mail drop was waiting for me. I cleaned up and they took me in to town for dinner and supplies. One item I needed to get was a permit to hike into the Smokey Mountain Park. The trail guide I had said you could get one at the Dam visitor center. However, this is not the case. So I had to scramble around trying to figure out how to get a permit (which is suppose to be printed) before my hike into the park. While in town I accessed the permit website via my Iphone and paid the $20 and got my permit number. However, I had no way to print it. They want it printed so that you can place half of the permit at the park entry and the other half you keep with you. So I simply wrote the permit info on a piece of paper and figured that would have to be good enough... You know the only people that have to pay to enter the park are hikers. For all other visitors it is free.
Date: 2014-04-04
From: Fontana Dam

To: Russell Field Shelter
Miles today: 13.5
Weather: overcast clouds

I was dropped off at the dam where I finished my hike the previous day. Rain was forecasted that day and the weatherman was spot on. Two minutes after being dropped off at the dam it started to pour and continued through mid-afternoon. Gordon and Bran48 were nowhere to be found so I assumed they headed on and I would meet up with them on the trail. There is no cell coverage in Fontana. To get into the Smokey's you cross the dam, enter the park (and drop off your permit) and then begin an 8 mile long ascent to Doe Knob. When I got to the park entrance, Bran48 and Celtic Flash (Gordon's new trail name) had left me a note indicating they were about an hour up the trail. I placed my improvised permit in the park drop box and started the ascent, sloshing all the way up. I caught up to them about 10 miles up the trail. My first questions was how did they come with Celtic Flash for Gordon.... It appears Gordon did not want to be confused with the American Flash Gordon, hence Celtic Flash... We pushed on to the second shelter along the trail. The shelter was full when we arrived which suited us just fine. It was kind of funny because as we made our way to the second shelter there were a few hikers essentially running to try to get to the shelter before it filled up. Some folks live for the shelters. The only time I prefer a shelter is if it is raining during the tent set up or take down. Else the shelters are often cramped and noisy.
Date: 2014-04-05
From: Russell Field Shelter

To: Silers Bald Shelter
Miles today: 14.7
Weather: overcast clouds

During the evening we were hit with another round of rain storms and high winds. With the winds came the cold. The tent was covered in ice when I awoke. We were also visited by a park ranger who was checking for permits. Now I was going to see if my "electronic" permit was going to fly or not. It did! Actually he could read my permit better than Celtic Flash's since Flash had left his permit in his back pocket and it was in tatters due to the rain. We were all good to go and we packed up and headed further up into the Smokey's hoping that the clouds would break so we could take in the views. By mid-morning we got our wish. We reached Thunderhead mountain and were above the clouds that lay to the west. To the east it was clear and you could see the ice covered trees along the western sides of the mountains. Some clouds would whisk between the mountain gaps as we looked down. We pushed on as the trail snaked through the frozen trees and all at once the ice on the trees began to break free and float down upon us. I laughed as more of it rained down upon us. It was like a scene from a Disney fairy tale.... Truly magical. The photos unfortunately don't do it justice. We pushed on to Silers Bald shelter and settled in for the night, this time in the shelter since there was space available.
Date: 2014-04-06
From: Silers Bald Shelter

To: Newfound Gap
Miles today: 12.5
Weather: overcast clouds

Another cold morning greeted us as we packed up from the shelter. As I mentioned in the park you must stay in or around the shelter at nights. The big plus of this is much of the areas along the trail is pristine with large grassy openings and wild flowers. However, the areas around the shelters tend to be a mess since so many folks congregate at these locations. The high point of the day was reaching the highest point on the AT, Clingmans Dome standing 6655 ft. The approach and decent from Clingmans was pretty cool as it traversed through dense spruce trees. It reminded me of the dense forests of southeast Germany. Along the decent there were hundreds of these trees that have been toppled by high winds, essentially ripping the roots out of the thin layer of soil. Check out the photos of the fallen trees. You can see how large the trees and their root systems are in the photos as we stand next to them. As a result of the fallen trees, the trail maintainers are very busy along this stretch of trail (see photos of the log walkways). As we descended down to Newfound Gap we had to cross over a couple of hog fences. These are set up by the park in an attempt to keep the wild pigs out. In conversations with the park ranger, he indicated they have full time personnel hunting the pigs. Because the pigs have no predators they flourish in the wild. We arrived in Newfound Gap around 3:00 and were picked up by Bran48's wife. It was a happy occasion as we all look forward to cleaning up and eating some good food. However, the sad part is Bran48 is leaving the trail for now due to other commitments. He completed his section hike as he planned. We are hoping to see him again possibly in New England as he has plans to be up there this coming summer. He has become a great friend and he has taught both Flash and I a lot about the Geology along the trail. We now look at rocks a bit differently then we did... :-) Flash and I will take a zero day in Gatlinburg to rest and recoup before finishing up the Smokey's.
Date: 2014-04-07
From: Newfound Gap

To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: light rain

Looking back at the last week we covered a lot of ground. We are another 100 miles toward out goal and midway through the Smokey's. We are close to completing 10% of the trail. Georgia seems like a distant memory even though it was only two weeks ago we were starting out on Springer Mt. I have made many new friends along the way including Smokey, Mad Jack, Northstar, Quirks, Gone for a Walk and may others. All great folks from all of the place with varying backgrounds. My feet are doing OK with only twinges of pain typically during the later part of a long day. My legs are constantly stiff but I think that I am very slowly getting use to the trail. I have noticed that my appetite has greatly increased since the first week on the trail. I am now starting to supplement some of my food mail drops with additional proteins like beef jerky, tuna and chicken as well as high calorie snacks. After I finish a meal on the trail I find that not long after I am already thinking about what I am going to eat for my next meal. Even though I am eating like a pig, I am pretty sure I have lost a bit of weight, probably around 4-5 lbs. I look forward to finishing up the Smokey's and the onset of Spring with leaves on the trees and blankets of wild flowers.
Date: 2014-04-08
From: Newfound Gap

To: Tri-Knob Gap Shelter
Miles today: 15.6

All packed up and full after a visit to an all you can eat breakfast place. We piled into a minivan taxi for our drive out of the tourist town of Gatlinburg back up to the mountains. It was warm in town so I was I was in shorts and a short sleeve shirt but as we climbed up to Newfound gap the temperatues plummeted. When we arrive at the gap the winds were blowing and the temperatues were near freezing. Shorts and a short sleeve short were not working for me so I made a b-line to a near by restroom to change into some warmer clothes. Live and learn. It is "cold in them there hills" and I better remember that! The remainder of the day was cold and icy. Also the clouds blew through the ranges we walked obscuring any possible views of the landscapes below. We pushed on to tri-knob gap shelter. This would set us up to potentially depart the Smokey Mountain park tomorrow. The smokeys are a splendor but during this time of year it is very cold and hit and miss whether you will get to see anything due to the weather conditions. The trail can be a bit tricky also during these times. Looking forward to better conditions tomorrow (fingers crossed).
Date: 2014-04-09
From: Tri-Knob Gap Shelter

To: Standing Bear Hostel
Miles today: 18.4

During the our last night in the Smokeys I sleep in the shelter next to a "human chainsaw" or at least it sounded like that. Fortunately I had some audio books on my iPhone which I turned up and eventually fell asleep. The shelter was full (12 folks on a top and bottom rack shoulder to shoulder) as it was at all of the shelters in the park. We awoke to sleet on the ground and a heavy layer of clouds and wind. We were looking to do a long push and get out of the park and to lower elevations where there the temperatures are more mild and there is no more snow or ice. Much of the days travels were downward descending approximately 4500 feet. At about mid way down the mountains we finally got some breaks in the clouds so that we could view the distant hills and valleys. At many of the gaps the mountains tend to funnel the winds which cause frozen swathes. All trees, plants and rocks in these areas are coated with snow and ice and the gusts blow you from side to side as you push forward along the trail. By the time we reached the park boundary we were down near 2000 ft elevation, temperatures allowed for shorts to be worn and there were even a few wild flowers beginning to bloom. There was a road a few hundred yards from the park boundary and a number of us were getting out of our cold weather gear. A car came by and Celtic Flash said to me wouldn't it be great if we had some trail magic. Yeah sure wishful thinking I said ... and then that same car turns around and comes back and three trail angels (Stacie, Linda and Peanut) open their rear trunk and shower us with food and drink. After 16+ miles we ate and drank everything that was offered (cinnamon rolls, candy bars, apple and bananas, crispy cream donuts and lots of soda). It was awesome. Linda and Stacie are planning to walk the AT in 2017. We gave them tips based on out recent experiences and wished them the best of luck and of course thanked them so much for brightening up our long day. The group of us including old smelly dog, dr zoom, Celtic flash and I. We were all headed to the standing bear hostel for a warm bunk, a shower, some hot chow. When I got there I ate an entire large pizza and had some cold beer. It was a great ending to a long day.