April 15 is a smart time frame to start. At higher altitudes in Georgia and NC it will still be pretty cold at night in the 30’s. So you need a good sleeping bag and a puffy jacket. If it get’s super cold you can sleep in your coat. With all of the up’s and down’s in this area try to sleep at lower altitudes when it very cold. There is 15 or 20 degrees difference sometimes. For most hikers in this area who are hit by the big cold front they just go to town. That can be your backup plan everywhere except the Smokey’s. You will hit them about May 1st and for most of us there are no spots to bail in the first 4 days to Newfound Gap and the next 3 days to Davenport Gap. So pay attention to the weather report. Never enter the Smokey’s in the face of an impending winter storm. Ever. Most people spend about 5 grand on a 5/6 month thru hike. I don’t have much money so I pay much less. I live by the code for poor people. 1. eat cheap, 2. sleep cheap. 3. hitch hike. Purchase food in stores and cook it, if you must eat fast food…dollar menu only. As soon as you get to a hostel, ask about the hikerbox. The food you find in there is yours, don’t be shy or pickey. Most of it got in there because others ended up with more than they could carry or mom mailed too much in the resupply box. If people put food out for you or offer to give you food like trail magic, Accept. Never pay for a motel by yourself, always recruit room mates. Sleeping for 1/4 price on the floor ain’t so bad at the super 8. You have a sleeping bag…shower, TV, heat…not bad at all for 12 bucks and every once in a while you get the bed. That book you have is just fine. Remember that you won’t be hiking alone and someone on your team or hiking family will have better info if your book fails you. You won’t need any kind of bear can. In bear country they provide cables or a big metal box at shelters. If you need to hang your food you can bring some light weight cord. Cell service sucks in the mountains. High peaks work better than valleys, all in all you will be able to call home every few days except in Maine. In an emergency you will have your hiking family to help.
