Appalachian Trail Thru-Hike Planner

Each year, more than 2,500 men, women and, occasionally, children set out to hike the more than 2,189 miles of the Appalachian Trail from Georgia to Maine (or vice versa). Good preparation is often the key to whether they become part of the 25-28 percent who make it. For this adventure of a lifetime, the Thru-Hike Planner will help you chart a course, work out a budget, choose gear, plan meals, get in shape and otherwise inspire. It comes with homework: charts and worksheets and checklists and forms, all designed to be ripped out and spread over the kitchen table and then stuck in your pack. This sixth edition brings together the up-to-date advice of recent hikers with the mileages and trends seen by the trail's managers. It advances the mileages and shelters to 2015 status and includes new tips, including advice on smartphones, GPS, Web sites, other books and other devices. The QR code on the back takes you right to the latest Trail conditions on the Appalachian Trail Conservancy Web site.

David Lauterborn A former editor at Lonely Planet, David Lauterborn now works and lives near the Appalachian Trail on the Virginia-West Virginia border.