morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2012-04-19
From: Pecks Corner Shelter

To: Davenport Gap Shelter
Miles today: 20.4
Weather: broken clouds

April 19Davenport Gap Shelter20.4 milesToday was my first 20 mile day! Since we must stay at the designated shelters in the Smokies, I had a choice of shelters at 13.4 or 20.4 miles. I arrived at the first shelter in mid-afternoon, which was a bit early to stop. The next shelter was 7 miles further - mostly downhill, so I pushed on. I don't feel too bad right now; I'll see how my body feels in the morning.After yesterday's rain, today's mix of sun and cloud was wonderful. For the first few hours, I hiked on the ridge, above the clouds which filled the valleys below. The views were spectacular. Most of the day was on the ridge, over 6,000 feet in various places. The final 7 miles was mostly a descent back down to 2,600 feet - from a dense coniferous forest on the ridge into a more open deciduous forest. Although the ridge is quite high, it is generally forested, so there are only good views at rock outcrops or other thinly treed spots. (The AT is called the 'long green tunnel' for good reason.)This final shelter in the Smokies is old style, with chain link fence across the front to keep the hikers and bears separated. It is also quite crowded, as it is only a mile or so from a road, and therefore easily accessible. It will be good to get back to the regular trail where you can camp wherever there is a large enough flat spot.
Date: 2012-04-20
From: Davenport Gap Shelter

To: Roaring Fork Shelter
Miles today: 18.7
Weather: overcast clouds

April 20Roaring Fork Shelter18.7 milesWe left the Smokies after about a mile this morning. Then it was 5 miles of uphill to the cleared top of Snowbird Mtn. Nine miles of ups and downs later, I reached another clear mountain top, Max Patch at 4629 feet, which provided great 360 degree views. The top of Max Patch is quite rounded - essentially a large meadow, great for relaxing in the late afernoon sun. Finally, a brisk descent to the shelter for tonight. I would have preferred to put up my tent; however, the forecast calls for thunder storms, so I prefer the crowded shelter (and inevitable snoring) to packing up a wet tent in the morning.P.S. Happy birthday, Colin!
Date: 2012-04-21
From: Roaring Fork Shelter

To: Deer Park Mountain Shelter
Miles today: 14.8
Weather: light rain

April 21Deer Park Mountain Shelter14.8 milesThere were a couple of mountains this morning, up to 4,686 on Bluff Mtn, followed by a 4 mile descent. A muscle in my left leg (near the shin) got quite sore on the descent - I may have strained a muscle. I hope that I haven't overdone it over the last few days.Fortunately, tomorrow is a town day - only 3.2 miles to Hot Springs, NC. I had planned to re-supply there and spend the night in a real bed. So, I will take a day or two off there and give my sore muscles time to recover. As well, there is a spa in town, so I will look into a massage. Other than that, there will be the usual chores: laundry, groceries, e-mails, etc.Otherwise, things continue well. I just beat a heavy rain to the shelter, so it looks like another night under cover. This shelter is quite small - it will be quite cozy with 5. I hope there will be no snorers tonight, but my ear-plugs are ready in any case.
Date: 2012-04-22
From: Deer Park Mountain Shelter

To: Hot Springs, NC
Miles today: 3.2
Weather: light rain

April 22Hot Springs, NC3.2 milesIt was a short hike into Hot Springs this morning, the last 2 miles sharply downhill. However, the leg muscle that was bothering me yesterday felt fine - no pain at all. While that is certainly a good sign, I will take an extra day off in Hot Springs to give it a better chance to heal.I am staying at Elmer's Sunnybank Inn - a hiker friendly spot. The price is right, $20/night; however, I spent any savings at the Hot Springs Spa. I indulged with a massage and an hour in an outdoor hot tub. Tomorrow, the forecast is for cold weather, so I may return to warm up in the hot tub.There isn't much to Hot Springs, but it does have almost everything a through-hiker would need - cheap accomodation, Dollar General store for supplies, diner, restaurant, pub, outfitter and coin laundry, all within easy walking distance. There appear to be more hikers wandering around town than locals, at least partly due to the cold, wet weather.I am hoping for better weather soon, but I will push on tomorrow in any case, as I need to 'make my miles'.
Date: 2012-04-23
From: Hot Springs, NC

To: Hot Springs, NC
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: light rain

Yes, I did stay here for another day of R&R and yes, I did re-visit the spa for a hot tub and massage. If all trail towns were like this, I would probably never reach Maine before winter sets in. However, back to the trail tomorrow. The weather forecast looks much improved - still some showers or thunderstorms over the next couple of days, but temperatures will rise into the 70s (in the valleys) by Wednesday.I have mostly finished my chores, so will do a bit of reading this evening. I found an old copy of 'A Walk in the Woods' by Bill Bryson in the hostel and am re-reading some of the more amusing parts. Many hikers have read the book and quite a few attribute at least part of their desire to hike the trail to the book. Interestingly, some 'serious' hikers absolutely loathe the book. Obviously, it is not meant to be a 'trail guide' in any sense. I find many of Bryson's observations to be quite accurate, for example, that one of the key attributes of hiking the trail is self-imposed deprivation. As well, although many of the scenes seem to be exaggerated, the book is undeniably very funny.Another random trail observation: many of the potential through-hikers are quite poorly prepared for a 5-6 month long strenuous physical activity (Bill Bryson and Katz come to mind.) A surprisingly large proportion have done little physical preparation and consequently struggle with the physical demands of the trail until they hike themselves into shape or drop off the trail. As well, there are quite a few who have never been on a backpacking trip (or on one lasting more than a few days) before hitting the trail. Finally, I have seen only one or two other hikers who make any effort to stretch either at the start or end of the hiking day. Many of the younger hikers can get away with jumping on the trail unprepared; however, I think that approach is very hard on the middle aged and older hikers. Oh well.For the moment, the sun is shining, so I will take a short stroll down the main street of town, perhaps indulge in a cold beer and enjoy my leisure.
Date: 2012-04-24
From: Shelter

To: Spring Mtn
Miles today: 11.0

April 24Spring Mtn Shelter11.0 milesToday was a realtively short day, only 11.0 miles out of Hot Springs, but mostly uphill. My leg felt fine, but tomorrow will be a better test, as there will be more downhill. The next few days are moderately challenging - around 15 miles a day, with the usual few mountains thrown in.Quite a crowd has gathered around the shelter over the afternoon and evening - Cackles, the Twisted Sisters, Cheba, Ogre, etc. The shelter only sleeps 5, so the rest are scattered about in tents and hammocks. The weather has been quite variable today, sunny and warm for 20 minutes, followed by clouds and sprinkles of rain. So, being in the shelter may save the effort of packing up a wet tent tomorrow morning.Leaving town is a bit of a shock, as you trade warm beds, showers and good food for the trail basics. However, once you get into the rhythm of the hike, the trappings of town are soon forgotten.
Date: 2012-04-25
From: Spring Mtn

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

April 25Jerry Cabin Shelter (tent)15.4 milesIt poured rain last night, but we woke up to only fog and mist. The morning slowly cleared until the sun broke through for a lovely afternoon. The day's highlight was an afternoon walk on a narrow ridge at 4,500 feet. This section of trail was rocky, rough and muddy - it reminded me of many hikes closer to home in the Adirondacks. Although it was slow going, there were beautiful and contrasting views to the east and west of the ridge. To the east were rolling, tree-covered mountains as far as you could see. However, to the west, the mountains quickly diminished in size, leading to a flat plain within a few miles, with roads, buildings, farm fields and small stands of trees. During the morning, I encountered quite a few 'slack-packers' heading to the south, back towards Hot Springs. Typically, these are through-hikers who have been driven to a trailhead and then hike back to town as a day-hike without their heavy backpacks. This allows them to take it easy, but still cover that section of trail. Needless to say, other through-hikers regard this as a type of cheating. Those who do not slack-pack (or commit various other through-hiker sins) are known as 'purists'. So far, I am pure, but only time will tell if I succumb or not.Tonight, there is still a chance of rain; however, I am back in my tent. I find the shelters crowded, noisy, dirty and often smoky, so generally prefer my tent.Finally, today's milestone - I hit 300 miles on the trail. Yay!
Date: 2012-04-26
From: Jerry Cabin Shelter

To: Hogback Ridge Shelter
Miles today: 14.7
Weather: overcast clouds

April 26Hogback Ridge Shelter14.7 milesToday was dominated by the weather. The tent was dry in the morning, despite a few showers early in the night. However, black clouds blew in as I was packing up and rain started just as I finished. I dasheid into the shelter, where about a dozen of us waited out the thunderstorm, as no one is keen to be hiking up a mountain with lightning flashing about. After an hour and a half, the storm passed, so we all got a late start. The rest of the morning was fine, with some good views from Big Butt Mtn. After lunch was the big climb of the day up to Frozen Knob at 4,579 feet. As I approached the top, another storm blew in and treated me to a steady rain, with some distant thunder and lightning. Needless to say, I sped up and raced down the other side of the rounded top. The rain kept up for the rest of the afternoon, but I am now happily settled into a warm and dry shelter for the night. Today's 'random' AT topic is trail names (i.e., the nick-names adopted by or given to most through-hikers. So far, among others, I have met Union Jill, Knoxville, Peaches, Crickets, Crazy Bird, Turbo Toes, Fizz, Carver, Young Buck, Wiggy, Count Chocula, Slayer, Desperado, Micro, Weatherman, Little Scrooge, Red Rover, Retread, Shadow, Cheba, Ogre, Cackles, the Twisted Sisters, Goldilocks, the Gruesome Twosome, Lazy Susan, That's Neat, Poco Poco, Funnybone, Animal, Just Walking, Hambone, T-bone, Ghost, Porkchop, Big Brother & Little Brother, Peppaboy, and many others.
Date: 2012-04-27
From: Hogback Ridge Shelter

To: Spivey Gap Campsite
Miles today: 15.8
Weather: overcast clouds

April 27Spivey Gap Campsite15.8 milesWe started with a damp, foggy day - but no rain! The weather improved through the day, and even the birds were happy, as their singing followed me while I hiked. As well, there were large stands of wildflowers, with many appreciative butterflies and bumblebees. Around lunch time, I passed over Big Bald, a meadow covered mountain top (5516 feet). There was a cool, brisk wind at the top, so I moved down the mountainside to a sheltered spot for lunch, where I basked in the sun. It was tough to get moving again after lunch. For the night, I set up my tent in a quiet camping area at Spivey Gap. There is no shelter here, so it is not crowded - there are only a few well spaced tents nearby. Tomorrow, I will reach the next town, Erwin, Tennessee, for re-supply and a night in a real bed. There will be enough commotion in town to make up for a quiet night tonight. I am told there is a bluegrass festival in town, with free food, music and camping. That should be enough to attract all of the hikers from miles around.
Date: 2012-04-28
From: Spivey Gap Campsite

To: Erwin, TN
Miles today: 11.2
Weather: broken clouds

April 28Erwin, Tennessee11.2 milesI was up early today, eager to get to town. The trail was well maintained and largely downhill, but not too steep, so I made good time. It was a very pleasant walk, but with few views until I was almost in town, where there were some fine views of the Nolichucky River. Weather was great, a sunny summer day in the valley - but with a nice breeze on the ridge.I arrived at the edge of town to discover a free BBQ for hikers being put on by a local Baptist church - perfect timing for lunch. Such trail magic really makes your day after 5 hours of hiking. At the BBQ, I met 2 more Australian hikers, for a total of 5 so far. As of yet, still no other Canadian through-hikers.For a change, I am staying at a B&B type of accommodation - Clayton's Dogwood Inn. The owners are very nice, driving me around town to get my chores done. I recommend the Inn highly! I had dinner at a local cafe which featured a Bluegrass band for entertainment. That added a good southern touch to my day.Tomorrow, I will finish my town chores and get back on the trail, but only a very short hike (4 miles) to the next shelter - a 'nero' (near zero mile day).
Date: 2012-04-29
From: Erwin, TN

To: Indian Grave Gap
Miles today: 9.3
Weather: clear sky

April 29Indian Grave Gap plus 1 mile9.3 milesI finished chores in Erwin, mostly food resupply, and was back on the trail by just after lunch. I had planned only a short 4 mile hike to the next shelter; however it was a lovely afternoon and the trail wasn't too difficult, so I pushed on another 5 miles to a small camping spot. That will also mean slightly shorter hiking days over the next two, which look to have a fair bit of uphill climbing.While hiking, I ran across Slowfoot, a fit German hiker. I had last seen him leaving Hot Springs as I arrived. As he often puts in 20+ mile days, I had assumed he would be far ahead of me. However, he sprained an ankle after leaving town and was forced to take 4 or 5 days rest in Erwin. Today, he was slackpacking a section of the trail back to Erwin to test his ankle. It will take him a few days to get fully back on track, so he may not catch me for a while.Further down the trail, I ran across a few rhododendron flowers in bloom - about a month or so ahead of their usual season. I haven't seen any others that have been close to blooming, so these were an exception. Rhododendron trees (shrubs?) are very common along the trail, so they should be spectacular when in flower, probably when I am in Virginia.Finally, I had my first bear sighting. This was a cub, which scampered off down the trail when it heard me. Cubs, of course, are no danger - it's Momma Bear that you have to be careful of. I took an oportunity for a rest at that point, to let any other bears evacuate the area. When I started hiking again, as recommended by the experts, I sang loudly as I hiked, so as not to surprise any bears. My loud singing should be enough to drive off any wildlife within earshot. (As well, my repetoire is quite limited, largely old field hockey/rugby songs from my distant youth.)All in all, it was an eventful day by trail standards.
Date: 2012-04-30
From: Indian Grave Gap

To: Clyde Smith Shelter
Miles today: 16.9
Weather: broken clouds

April 30Clyde Smith Shelter16.9 milesIt was a warm day, above 80 in the valleys, 70s on the ridges. In the morning, there was a 1,200 foot climb up Unaka Mtn. However, the top was covered in a thick coniferous forest - so no views at all. The afternoon was a bit easier, with smaller ups and downs. By the last mile, I was quite tired from the warm weather.Unusually, I saw no other hikers on the trail until 3:15 in the afternoon - almost the end of the hiking day. I think that was because I had camped mid-way between 2 shelters, where most hikers tend to stay (even if tenting). I arrived at the shelter and was deciding whether to tent or stay in the shelter. Some ominous rolls of thunder helped me make up my mind to stay in the shelter. Shortly after that, the heavens opened up. The rain was so heavy that the noise from the tin roof was deafening. Then, the hail started. So, a good night to be under a roof.
Date: 2012-05-01
From: Clyde Smith Shelter

To: Overmountain Shelter
Miles today: 14.5
Weather: broken clouds

May 1Overmountain Shelter14.5 milesI got off to an early start this morning - 7:30 on the trail. There was a big climb to Roan High Knob and I wanted to get it done while the morning was cool. As well, I wanted to be at the next shelter early in case of late afternoon thunderstorms.Roan High Knob is the last 6,000 foot mountain (at 6,275) until I reach Mt. Washington in New Hampshire. The climb was 2,500 feet, so fairly strenuous, to the highest shelter on the AT. The mountain top was densely covered with conifers, so no views. I didn't stop at the shelter for lunch, as it was located in a dark, damp stand of trees. The shelter itself had 4 walls (as opposed to the usual 3 wall design), so was dark and uninviting inside. To top it off, the trail down from the peak was badly eroded, largely a collection of small rocks, so hard on the feet and demanding full attention. All in all, not my favourite mountain.Fortunately, the trail then traversed 3 mountain balds, relatively easy hiking with great views. There were several miles of open hiking over grassy meadows, a nice change from miles of trail through closed forests. This section reminded me a little of hiking in the Pyrenees, which have many miles of open hiking over mountain passes and peaks. This was one of my favourite sections of the trail, so far.Overmountain Shelter, where I am staying tonight, is an old barn which has been converted into a large hiker shelter. However, the highlight was trail magic at the shelter. A local family, Courtney, John and their 9 month old daughter Grey, brought beer, venison burgers and salad greens to the shelter! It was wonderful.Today's wildlife sightings included: 3 small bright orange salamanders, 2 birds (hawks?) doing what appeared to be a courtship flight over the balds and a wild turkey (gobble, gobble).
Date: 2012-05-02
From: Overmountain Shelter

To: Mountain Harbour Hostel
Miles today: 9.2

May 2Mountain Harbour Hostel, Roan Mtn TN9.2 milesI was up early and on the trail by 7:30 this morning, eager to get to town for resupply and the comforts of a hiker hostel. As well, I was expecting a warm day, so wanted to finish hiking before the afternoon heat. The trail started uphill and crossed two lovely balds with great views (Little Hump and Hump Mtns). Then it was downhill through a luxuriant forest into the valley. A number of times recently, I have hiked through large swarms of small black grasshoppers, hundreds or possibly thousands of them rustling through the undergrowth surrounding the trail. On a few occasions, I have been fooled into thinking that it was starting to rain, by the sound of the grasshoppers in the dry leaves.The hostel was on the second floor of a nicely converted barn and was very welcoming - hot shower, fridge with cold drinks and a real bed. Unfortunately for some, it was fairly small, only 6 beds, so later arrivals had to make due with putting up their tents in the yard. The hostel also provided a ride into town for dinner and shopping. We convinced the driver to make a detour out of the 'dry' county to pick up some beer for everyone after dinner in the hostel.Tomorrow, it will be back to the rigours of the trail. The first day after a town stop can be a bit more difficult, as your pack will contain a full load of heavy food and the towns are usually located in a valley, so the trail invariably climbs steeply out of the valley into higher ground.
Date: 2012-05-03
From: Mountain Harbour Hostel

To: Moreland Gap Shelter
Miles today: 18.4
Weather: clear sky

May 3Moreland Gap Shelter18.4 miles The hostel provided a wonderful buffet breakfast, then it was back on the trail. Today was another great day with summer like temperatures. There was a brief afternoon rainshower, just enough to help cool things off.We started with a climb out of the valley, to the top of small bald. Then it was downhill into a river valley, the Elk River. The trail followed the river for a while, which provided a nice change, as the trail usually follows a ridgeline and does not see many lakes and rivers close at hand. The afternoon proceeded through fairly dense forest, so not many views. However, we did pass 3 lovely waterfalls, including the 100 foot Jones Falls and the interestingly named Hardcore Cascades. I didn't see any good campsites in the later afternoon, so proceeded 18.4 miles to a shelter where I have put up my tent. It was a long day, although there were not too many long climbs. Nevertheless, I am tired and will soon be ready for my sleeping bag.
Date: 2012-05-04
From: Moreland Gap Shelter

To: Watauga Lake
Miles today: 15.5
Weather: clear sky

May 4Watauga Lake15.5 milesThe day started cloudy and I could see black clouds and rain in the mountains a couple of miles to the west. However, the rain held off and the clouds gave way to sunshine by late morning.The morning's hike included a section along a river, which eventually descended into a deep gorge with a large spectactular waterfalls.There was only one significant mountain today, Pond Flats. However, that required a stiff 1,800 foot climb in the heat of a warm afternoon. Unfortunately, there were no views from the top as a reward.The day ended at Watauga Lake, a large artificial lake created by a dam. About a mile before my planned stop for the day, I came to an open area in the woods along the shore of the lake - a perfect spot for camping. So, I dropped my pack a bit earlier than expected, quickly put up my tent and went for a heavenly swim. You really can't ask for a better way to finish a hike.I was eventually joined by another hiker, B1, from New Hampshire. After dinner, we built a campfire and watched a couple of bats hunting for insects above our campsite.Today also marks my completion of 20% of the trail - only 80% to go.
Date: 2012-05-05
From: Watauga Lake

To: Iron Mountain Shelter
Miles today: 15.0
Weather: light rain

May 5Iron Mountain Shelter15.0 milesThe morning started with rain, but it let up so that I could pack up my gear relatively dry. My tent was still wet, but that was a small price to pay for staying in a lovely campsite.The trail followed Watauga Lake to a large dam where it headed up into the mountains. About half way across the dam, the rain started again. The rain fell for about an hour, but at least it was reasonably warm.I hiked uphill for most of the day, although usually at a reasonable grade. There were a few nice views of the lake below, once the clouds cleared to the east. The hike to the Iron Mountain Shelter was not too difficult, so I arrived earlier than usual, around 3:30, made my myself some tea and relaxed in my sleeping bag in the shelter.The rain started again before supper time, so it will be a shelter night - not a tent night. The shelter is now full, as usual for wet weather, and number of tents have started to go up in front. Tomorrow looks like another reasonable day, without the rain, I hope.