Financial Insight for a Thru-Hike

[Texaco]

Friends,

As a member on the A.T. Class of '14 Facebook page, I've noticed a lot of people asking about financial information for a thru-hike as they plan for 2015. A year ago, I was in the same position, wondering what would need to be spent and how much I'd have to have in reserves for cash to make it through. As they say, there are many who get off the trail due to lack of finance.

I went through my credit card statements when I returned from Katahdin and broke all the information down into spreadsheets to share on my blog as readers often asked about money spent. I'd like to share that information with you guys as you prepare for your own hikes. The following is based on ON TRAIL EXPENSES ONLY! Not the buying of gear beforehand. I took 114 days to get from Springer to Katahdin, with 5 of those being zero days. I stayed in many hostels, from ToG to Kincora, Wood's Hole to Chet's Place. 3 nights were spent in a hotel room, none of which were paid for solely by myself (split with fellow hikers).

If there's any more information you're interested in, I wrote a very detailed and picture-heavy blog - www.2180miles.com

Hopefully this can help some of you out. Best of luck.

Texaco


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Total A.T. Thru-Hike Expense: $2,101.10
Restaurants: $615.51
Resupplies: $864.80
Post Office: $45.96
Gear: $199.92
Movies: $31.50
Lodging: $203.85

[CarlZ993]

Impressive documentation of your hike's expenses. You had a quick thru-hike as well. That also helps keep your expenses down (less time on the trail to spend money).

I'll give an example of someone who took a little longer to hike (3/21 to 8/19/2013; 152 days) & spent more on lodging (36 nights in hostel & 27 nights in a motel). All told, my expenses were just above $6,600.

The further I went along on my hike, the more likely I was to seek places to get fed, dry, & clean. My hiking mantra became, "I'm spending my grand children's inheritance.' I even wrote that in the shelter journals. That got some chuckles from other hikers.

Congrats on your hike & your documentation of your expenditures. It will undoubtedly be useful to other hikers.

[Slo-go'en]

Your resupply costs seems to be really low and not very frequent. Did you get subsidized by packages from home or eat really poorly?

[Old_Man]

Your resupply costs seems to be really low and not very frequent. Did you get subsidized by packages from home or eat really poorly?

It seems like the restaurants kind of even it out?

I thought the figure seemed low too but that is a pretty quick hike and the travel and gear bought before hand aren't listed. I'm planning a flip-flop on a shoestring budget and this is pretty encouraging.

[garlic08]

My costs in 2008 for a 106-day hike were very similar. I spent a little more on restaurants, a little less on trail food, but substantially more on lodging since I'm a middle-aged guy with a credit card.

[rickb]

That must have been a heck of of a meal in Hanover!

[Mags]

Not quite ~$800/mo. About in line for a disciplined thru-hiker. Anyone who does a 3 month thru-hike probably falls into that category.

[Tuxedo]

That must have been a heck of of a meal in Hanover!

that Hanover co-op on the trail did cost alot when I went thru but so worth it. Including a 1lb Delmonico I hiked in to the next shelter

I spent 3or4x on restaurants I also did a steak dinner every state crossing as a reward. Food I never carried was well worth the cost!

but re-supply was half and mail cost more. Hostel and hotel bill I know was more but not much more. My bill was closer to $3300ish I'd guess since I didnt keep methodical record. I just know if I had to I could live on $10 a week once I had pre bought food and drops. Really lived on $80 a week. The Doyle alone was over $80 for example cause we partied like a rock partied like a rockstar, lunch and dinner and enough Yuengling to float in. I'll AT hike avg. about 125mi a week with 1nero and 1zero

[rocketsocks]

Nice shootin' Tex...that clears up a long standing question with that very figure (2 grand) that seems to come up pretty often and is congruent with many Original Posters saying, and after much discussion that they could do it on $2,000 when apprised that $4-$5 at a minimum is pretty standard.

[Slo-go'en]

Well, he did just admit it was probably more like $3300, which is a more realistic figure.

[rocketsocks]

Well, he did just admit it was probably more like $3300, which is a more realistic figure.

aaaah now I see, thought maybe I mis-read it. Your talkin' about Tux, I was refering to Tex.

[rocketsocks]

o'coarse doin it in 4 months is key.

[Texaco]

Your resupply costs seems to be really low and not very frequent. Did you get subsidized by packages from home or eat really poorly?

No mail drops, and I wouldn't say I ate poorly. Solely as an observation, and in no way a pat on my own pack, I don't think it's possible to hike 25-30 mile days for weeks on end unless I was eating at least somewhat nutritionally. Along those same lines, by hiking faster (100 miles every 4 days for the most part) I could stretch out my resupplies. When I slowed down to hike with a group between MA and the Maine border, I had to resupply more often and therefore spent more in the same distances.

I thought the figure seemed low too but that is a pretty quick hike and the travel and gear bought before hand aren't listed. I'm planning a flip-flop on a shoestring budget and this is pretty encouraging.

I figure enough people talk about travel and gear costs, but despite speculation and guesses, not many document the actual on-trail expenses. I just wanted to provide that aspect, from my hike time, to people planning. It at least is some kind of reference, which I'm glad you find encouraging for your own hike.

My costs in 2008 for a 106-day hike were very similar. I spent a little more on restaurants, a little less on trail food, but substantially more on lodging since I'm a middle-aged guy with a credit card.

I don't think I fiscally fall in line with most my age, so it wasn't a matter of penny pinching to stretch through, but am frugal and focused on spending my days hiking. I wasn't as keen to get off the trail and go into town... it always felt like I was cheating on the A.T. haha.

That must have been a heck of of a meal in Hanover!

I lost a bet and bought dinner for myself and two other hikers... and now that I think about it more, the bleu cheese stuffed meatballs were amazing!

[Texaco]

Well, he did just admit it was probably more like $3300, which is a more realistic figure.

Usernames seem to have thrown you off there. Your comment references Tuxedo, I- the OP, am Texaco.

[rocketsocks]

...not fur nothin' Texico, but you may want to consider turning that info into an article here, seems solid, and I think many would benefit from it....now could they implement it with discipline it took to attain, Dat be a whole nother question?

[jawnzee]

I don't think I fiscally fall in line with most my age, so it wasn't a matter of penny pinching to stretch through, but am frugal and focused on spending my days hiking. I wasn't as keen to get off the trail and go into town... it always felt like I was cheating on the A.T. haha.



I lost a bet and bought dinner for myself and two other hikers... and now that I think about it more, the bleu cheese stuffed meatballs were amazing!

Thanks for the detailed report!

What was the bet?

[Scooter2]

Thanks for the report Tex. Followed your site and key to your low cost seems to be that you stayed on the trail with few zeroes.

[Texaco]

Thanks for the detailed report!

What was the bet?

You're quite welcome... bet wise, I couldn't even begin to remember.

Thanks for the report Tex. Followed your site and key to your low cost seems to be that you stayed on the trail with few zeroes.

I agree completely... best way to save money is not to spend it in the first place. I certainly had a more "focused" hike than some others, HYOH and all, but still very much enjoyed every aspect of the trail. If you followed the blog you probably picked up on that. I always replied to the "you don't get the full experience" comments with "I couldn't blog 2,000 words a day if I wasn't experiencing the trail"... many memories, many experiences.

[ctebeau]

This is incredibly helpful! thanks!

[Skye15]

On-trail finances have been an area i'm stressed on, thanks for the post, super helpful!