Newbie questions about Springer/BMT day hike.

[awlawl]

I have a free day coming up soon and I'd like to do a Springer AT/BMT loop that I found on Atlanta hikes: http://www.atlantatrails.com/hiking-trails/springer-mountain-loop-appalachain-benton-mackaye-trails/


I have only been hiking for 2 years now, but I'd like something more challenging than my usual metro Atlanta day hikes. It would be nice if I could do it sometime within the next few weeks, I have my choice of a few days before the end of the month. I have never hiked in the Georgia Mountains so I had a few questions:




Is this even a good idea for this time of year? I was thinking that I wouldn't even go if the day time high was below 40F, if there was a chance of rain, or had been snowing on the previous days.
Would I be ok on forestry service road 42 this time of year in a 2 wheel drive sedan?
I heard that I have to be more careful of bears and snakes on the BMT, will that even be a concern in January?


Thanks!

[AO2134]

I have a free day coming up soon and I'd like to do a Springer AT/BMT loop that I found on Atlanta hikes: http://www.atlantatrails.com/hiking-trails/springer-mountain-loop-appalachain-benton-mackaye-trails/


I have only been hiking for 2 years now, but I'd like something more challenging than my usual metro Atlanta day hikes. It would be nice if I could do it sometime within the next few weeks, I have my choice of a few days before the end of the month. I have never hiked in the Georgia Mountains so I had a few questions:




Is this even a good idea for this time of year? I was thinking that I wouldn't even go if the day time high was below 40F, if there was a chance of rain, or had been snowing on the previous days.
Would I be ok on forestry service road 42 this time of year in a 2 wheel drive sedan?
I heard that I have to be more careful of bears and snakes on the BMT, will that even be a concern in January?


Thanks!

That is a good hike to start with and that atlanta trails website is amazing. That website helped me get into hiking.

Your weather question is completely up to you so no advice there.

The forest road is fairly well maintained. I get my sedan up there pretty easily in normal conditions. It is a long drive on the forest road though. Check the weather if it has rained a lot in the past few days, I may consider a different hike.

Bears in GA don't hibernate, so I guess they are always a potential threat. As a general rule black bears are more scared of you then you are of them. I have yet to see a bear and I have hiked over 400 in the last 4 months.

If forest road is a concern, I want to suggest a different hike. Do Blood Mountain Loop instead. It takes you up the highest mountain on the GA AT, blood mountain. It is also a loop trail using the Byron Reece Memorial trail, AT, and Freeman trail.

[awlawl]

Is this the loop you are talking about: http://www.atlantatrails.com/hiking-trails/blood-mountain-loop-hiking-appalachian-trail-freeman-trail/#directions

I wanted to do Springer because it is Springer but I had thought about having backup plans ready, so this will be one of them.

Thanks