Cost of a Thru-Hike

[minnesotasmith]

I don't smoke or use drugs, rarely drink, and have only stayed in a motel one night so far (if you count the Doyle as a hostel, as I do). I have not pink-blazed at all yet, either. Over half my hiking food is mailed to me via maildrops. My largest gear purchases after I have started my hike have not been out of the funds I carried with me (new pack when Dana proved to be a lousy pack when used for actual hiking, 3 pairs of trail runners, some of my maps, some of my Aqua Mira, etc.) I eat considerably fewer restaurant meals than do most other thrus I have observed, often just getting 5 bucks or so worth of cheap canned goods (per day in town) from the local dollar store to eat while in a Trail town. I have already run through over $2K. I would say that anyone who budgets less than five grand for a thruhike is planning very unwisely, that their odds of completion are thereby considerably lowered. Too, their hike's enjoyment level will be much reduced as well.

My advice? Raise your income and/or lower your expenses enough to have at minimum 3x as much money saved as you are planning.

[The Old Fhart]

Fantasy and reality are two different things. The AT is gonna show you that.

Well, lets see based on your post I should save up $12,000.00 and stay at every hotel and hostel I come across and maybe bring my 90Qt. marine cooler with me.

Or, mabye you are one of those people that feel the need to attack others. Because you have no dreams, fantasies, or ambitions of your own. Hmmm I think you are.

Your comments on Lone Wolf's post are actually quite funny. I see nothing in his post that should have triggered your personal attack on him. I've known LW for years and disagree with him on lots of stuff but what he said is a truism and that's about as polite as LW gets. Anyone who knows him will tell you he does a lot for thru hikers, and, if you ask nicely, he may just let you use HIS marine 90 qt cooler!

I wish you luck when you hit the trail. Like LW said, it can be an eye-opener for some. That partially explains the low completion rate, even for those with lots of similar experiences.

[1Pint]

Thanks for your advice Laura, but I wasn't exactly asking for any. I'm not the one who needs a bigger "emergency cushion" -- I was just responding to Strebor's question about why I was budgeting $10K for my thru.

Terrific, glad you won't need it. But maybe the information will help someone else. Sorry if I wasn't clear.

The WORST thing you can do for your student loan debt is go into deferment when you can actually continue to pay it off (which I fortunately can). Of course, the kind folks at Sallie May won't recommend against it because the longer you defer your loan, the more money they make.

Actually, deferment's not that bad. Especially deferment on subsidized student loans where the gov't picks up the interest. Now, that's sweet. The WORST thing you can do is pay extra on a student loan debt that's sitting at 2.75% when instead you could use it for paying off a mortgage that's sitting at 5.75% or earn 3.5% if you invested it. That's just good debt management.

[stranger]

I have had some decent time on the trail over the years, dating back to the early 90's when I first started doing some week long hikes. In 1995 I had $3300 for my thru-hike and ran through about a grand by the time I quit, which was right about the 1/3 mark. Granted we were having fun and hitting heaps of towns.

In 2001 I spent close to $1000 hiking from Waynesboro to Vernon NJ (500 miles), again we hit heaps of towns and I found this to be a very urban section of trail so therefore very expensive. I remember resupplying every 50 miles or less in most parts and hitting all those little stores near the trail. I wouldn't hike that section in the same manner again, it was a bit too party party for me.

What I've noticed over the years is the following in general:
- Most long distance hikers either run out of money at some point or have money problems to some degree (ie going into debt, use credit cards)
- Most hikers I've met freeze their A$$ off at some point in the South cause they underestimated the weather.
- Finally, no matter what you budget, plan, etc...it tends to go out the window before you get outta Georgia.

Money is a big issue on the trail, don't underestimate the power of a hotel after many rainy days, or the lure of the cheeseburger after 62 packets of Ramen, or the reality of life which might mean unexpected circumstances along the way all of which will cost money, and potentially cost heaps of money. All of which have been talked about previously in this thread by people who have walked the walk.

People here are just trying to help you understand how much money it actually does cost to hike the trail. And there are always those who are the exception and can get by with considerably less, but I doubt many of them like hiking that way...it's probably more of a necessity than a choice.

Also I notice that you seem set on sticking to your budget, which is cool however...the AT is not a place to be set in your ways, you will need to learn how to take a punch and roll with a punch...you will need to be able to deal with change, negative change and unexpected circumstances, the bs doesn't end just cause your on the trail.

Good luck with your hike

[fiddlehead]

Also I notice that you seem set on sticking to your budget, which is cool however...the AT is not a place to be set in your ways, you will need to learn how to take a punch and roll with a punch...you will need to be able to deal with change, negative change and unexpected circumstances, the bs doesn't end just cause your on the trail.

Good luck with your hike

Well said!
It will be interesting to see Strebor's comments on this thread or subject AFTER his hike.
If you don't roll with the punches, chances are you will not finish.
I remember when blowdown's used to get me down. Now, i don't even think about them too much, just immedietly start looking for the easiest way around them.
no need to get upset.
what good does that do you?

[Blue Jay]

OK, you've established the relative costs of a thru, different for most people. Now establish the cost of NOT doing a thru. Living your life without a dream, why bother. You might as well be a cabbage (anyone know where that came from) .

[Rain]

I started reading through the various replies to your thread but stopped once I saw it turn less from your original question/topic and more towards a debate on what is and what isn't a trail experience. You CAN hike the trail with just $2000, though I highly doubt that will be the total once you finish (sorry, just coming from personal experience here). If it truly is your wish to try for that limit, I would make a few suggestions. When you do decide to break at trail towns, buddy up with a few people overnight. I've spent the night with eleven other hikers in a small two bed room (very cozy, snuck in one dog too, a hiker's dozen). Also, when in town, sift through the hiker boxes (many a hiker has gotten a majority of their meals from these boxes). If you don't get sick of Ramen, more power to you. Good luck and happy trails. =)

[Time To Fly 97]

I have not pink-blazed at all yet, either.

What is pink blazing? Slack-packing?

TTF

[StarLyte]

What is pink blazing? Slack-packing?

TTF

I am assuming pink blazing is the actual color of a blaze marking a trail off the Appalachian Trail. Many park systems have different colors, and some of those trails intersect the AT. Pink is just one color of many. If I'm wrong correct me. You'll encounter this is PA and NJ. I believe Minnesota Smith is encountering this frequently now.

Slackpacking is being able to hike, most likely for one day, without carrying your backpack. Of course you'll need to carry water, food for that day, raincoat or whatever. Someone holds your backpack for you (in their vehicle, home, business) and usually gets you to the trailhead, and will then meet up with you at the end of the day or designated time and return your pack to you. It's a REAL treat. Most shuttlers offer this service but with a friend or family member it's free

It's not in the thru hiking purist's book of ethics though.

Most thru hikers take advantage of slackpacking as much as possible, from what I have seen.

[hammock engineer]

What is pink blazing?

Pink blazing could also involve the ladies. That tends to get costly.

[QHShowoman]

StarLyte: Thanks, I didn't know what "pink blazing" meant, either. I'm familiar with "blue blazing" to describe hiking along side trails, but I'd never heard the term "pink blazing" before. What an interesting lexicon this thru-hiker world has!

[Alligator]

I am assuming pink blazing is the actual color of a blaze marking a trail off the Appalachian Trail. Many park systems have different colors, and some of those trails intersect the AT. Pink is just one color of many. If I'm wrong correct me. You'll encounter this is PA and NJ. I believe Minnesota Smith is encountering this frequently now.

...

Pink blazing is when a guy adjusts his hike to keep pace with a woman of interest, expanding some on what HE said.

[The Solemates]

Pink blazing is when a guy adjusts his hike to keep pace with a woman of interest, expanding some on what HE said.

Correct. It is not the color of a blaze.

[Lone Wolf]

What is pink blazing? Slack-packing?

TTF

Simply, it is a guy trying to get laid on the trail.

[Time To Fly 97]

I am certainly guilty of pink blazing. : )

I think pink blazing should refer to slack packing though!

TTF

[StarLyte]

DARN.

I was afraid it was that.

Give it another name will ya ???

However, there ARE trails marked with pink blazes

[Skyline]

I am certainly guilty of pink blazing. : )

I think pink blazing should refer to slack packing though!

TTF

Hey TTF I concur--if it means what Soulmates or Wolf say it means, you did some serious pink-blazing in Virginia in '97. But as I recall you slowed down instead of sped up. :-)

How have you been?

[Skyline]

DARN.

I was afraid it was that.

Give it another name will ya ???

However, there ARE trails marked with pink blazes

That's OK Starlyte. I made a similar mistake when someone referred to another hiker Rainbow Blazing. I had a COMPLETELY different thought in mind--but it actually refers to doing a little white, a little blue, a little yellow . . . you get the idea. LOL not that there's anything wrong with that...

[Time To Fly 97]

Hi Skyline,

Yes...very good memories of Virginia. I waited a few days for K to show up, then hiked with her off and on up to Troutsdale. My whole thru-hike was like that - I'd take series of zeros here and there for fun (4rth July in DC, Jersey with friends and family, couple days for pink-eye, etc.) and then pull a bunch of big days to catch up, so to speak. Ended up summitting on Oct. 23rd in total snow and hail and 18 degree nights. Good stuff!

New daughter on the 10th (first child), Madeleine...seems like everything else that was priority just kinda slipped away. Enjoying these times. My wife Evelina is in my profile pic.

Things are great Skyline. How about you - it is good to hear from you!!

TTF

[Jack Tarlin]

I also have great memories of '97, one of the all-time best Trail years ever.....including being ditched and dropped flat after Trail Days by TTF, who evidently discovered someone who proved to be a more enlightened hiking and conversation partner!

In that this was damn near a decade ago, I've long since forgiven him.

Very happy to hear he's doing so well with wife and new baby; in the vast Pantheon of people I've hiked with, or who somehow were unfortunate enough to have had to put up with hiking with me, TTF was always at the very top of the list. He did his miles, always had a smile, never seemed to be angry or upset with anyone or anything, and never complained. He was the kind of guy who could do twenty in the rain with a bum leg, and still come into camp in the dark, singing.

Hiking partners like this come along about every ten years.....if you're really lucky.