Cost of a Thru-Hike

[strebor]

I have read the help on this sight in regards to costs of actually doing a thru-hike. I have done some figuring on what my actual costs might be.


I will post it here and everyone can tear it apart and give it their comments. This is for a estimated 7 month trip. I included the seventh month as a saftey.

$35.00 per week for food x 4 weeks x 7 months = $980.00

$500.00 for the trip for replacing/repairing or buying new gear.

$500.00 for town visits restraunts/hostels.

I plan on hiking and staying out of towns unless I have no other choice. Of course resupply.

I have seen figures on here where people have spent $12,000.00 on a thru-hike.

I have planned on $2000.00 for my hike and that will be all I take with me. This is not including the rides to and from the A.T.

[QHShowoman]

You've only budgeted yourself $1.67 a meal? Does this amount not include mail drops? If that's all you're budgeting per meal, mail drop or not, that's still pretty meager. I am sure it can be done, but I hope you like Ramen.

I'm budgeting $5000 for my actual hike and $5000 to cover the cost of covering my other expenses while I am away (student loans, car payment, storage unit, health insurance, etc.). I work two jobs and I put $100 from each job away in a special savings account every 2-week pay period. I know this seems like a lot of $$$, but its what I've worked out and it will allow me enough of a "cushion" so that I can take a little time after my thru to reacclimate to the "real" world.

I think there are definitely ways to do it on the cheap, but I think $2000 is a pretty big challenge (which may add or detract from your thru-hike experience).

[strebor]

I will not be doing any mail drops other than what is needed. I have read that in a few locations it is hard to resupply. As far as food I will be eating mostly ramen, and lipton. I will not be the first to do it. I cannot remember what the guys name was, but he did his thru-hike on around $1200.00.

I figure if I am not staying in hotels and eating in restraunts and blowing my money on alcohol. I will be fine and will be able to use most of the money I figured in for towns for additional or better quality of food from time to time.

I want the full experience of the trail, not the trail towns.

[strebor]

While I wish you all success with your trip,and while I know folks who've thru-hiked on a $2000.00 budget (or even less), with all respect, I suggest that you try and add at least $500.00, and preferably more to your bank account somehow. I think you'll be glad you did.

Thank you for your comments. It is not that $2000.00 is all I can afford to take with me, and if I need additional money I have it. I would not go if all I could aford was a $2000.00 budget.

I want the feel of the trail and the wilderness and some solitude. I plan on hiking the trail. Leaving the trail only when I have to (resupply and emergencies only) and other than that I will stick to the trail. As one of the many military persons on this site. I can go for extended periods of time without the comforts of a bed and the luxuries of a town. Not to say that others cannot hack it. I'm saying that I have done without and handled it great. I am sure I will at some point stay at a hostel or hotel or eat in a restraunt. But, it is not on my list of things to do.

Anywho, thanks

[QHShowoman]

I want the feel of the trail and the wilderness and some solitude. I plan on

Have you ever section hiked the AT during thru-hiker season? Wilderness and solitude are definitely not the two words that come to mind for me. If this is your aim, I'd suggest a SOBO hike (as I will be doing) and plan your start date for the "off" months.

[The Solemates]

dude, heed jacks advice, and add more money. add as much as you can and believe me, you won't be eating ramen the whole way.

[strebor]

There are places I would like to visit, such as Ms. janets. But, it does not have to cost me alot of money.

People, well I will meet them on the trail. I am sure I will meet alot of you on the trail at some point. And for me, these people (Hikers, Outdoorsman/women) are the ones I will charish meeting.

Solitude for me isn't always being alone. It is being away from the hustle and noise and problems you find in dealing with everyday life. Those you deal with in towns, work, and so on.

I guess that is the best I can explain the feeling I have about doing the A.T

Am I right? More than likely NO!

But this is my dream, my goal, and it is something that I feel very strong about. And I hope that you have extreme amounts of fun on you SOBO hike.

[QHShowoman]

I want the full experience of the trail, not the trail towns.

Well, aren't the trail towns, hostels, and people you meet along the way all part of the "full experience of the trail"? For me, the AT is less about a backcountry wilderness experience than it is about the camraderie you share with other thru-hikers and the people and places that have become fodder for AT lore over the years. I plan on camping along the trail as much as possible, but there are some places that I don't want to miss, like Miss Janet's, the Doyle, and Rusty's. Of course, HYOH, but it's just something to think about.

[1Pint]

I'm budgeting $5000 for my actual hike and $5000 to cover the cost of covering my other expenses while I am away (student loans, car payment, storage unit, health insurance, etc.).

I called my student loan folks when I first started to consider whether a thru would be financially feasible. They said I could ask for my loans to go into deferment while I'm on the trail. Well, not on the trail, but while I'm unemployed, which is going to be the same thing. I explained that it would be a voluntary lack of income - not a layoff or whatever - and was still told that if I had no income, Uncle Sam would pay the interest on my consolidated subsidized loans while I was hiking and the interest accruing on my consolidated unsubsidized loans would just get rolled into the balance due for that bunch. You should call your student loan holders and ask, but not paying for those months might allow you to have a bigger emergency cushion. Of course, if you finished the trail and hadn't needed the loan payment $$, you could send in a lump catch-up payment (not to be confused with other condiment payments.)

Hope this helps,
Laura

[the goat]

They said I could ask for my loans to go into deferment while I'm on the trail. Well, not on the trail, but while I'm unemployed, which is going to be the same thing.

yeah, i put my loans into deferment for six months and it was no problem. i seem to remeber them limiting me to six months for some reson though.....maybe b/c it was immediately after college.

[Alligator]

yeah, i put my loans into deferment for six months and it was no problem. i seem to remeber them limiting me to six months for some reson though.....maybe b/c it was immediately after college.

Immediately after college you get 6 months and also if you become unemployed you can get a deferment, or if you have a financial hardship. Interest accrues and it depends on what loan type you have. You also have some max number of months you can have deferments (this I am not 100% sure of).

[QHShowoman]

You should call your student loan holders and ask, but not paying for those months might allow you to have a bigger emergency cushion. Of course, if you finished the trail and hadn't needed the loan payment $$, you could send in a lump catch-up payment (not to be confused with other condiment payments.)

Hope this helps,
Laura

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.

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.

[StarLyte]

Strebor-

Lone Wolf is a realistic person.

I also refer to Lone Wolf as an Appalachian Trail advocate.

You will learn on your hike what an AT advocate really means.

If I were thru hiking.....Lone Wolf would be one of several people that I would console. Perhaps you should contact several thru hikers and get their honest opinions. I would also email Miss Janet.

The result of your clamor might be a negative impact on your own livelihood, your OWN AT experience.

While you are being extremely optimistic, some of us are saying.....there's no way.

I also noticed you quoted Weathercarrot.

Yes, he did this on $2,000..... but in 1991..."when it was somewhat cheaper to hike". Also in personally knowing Weathercarrot, one might understand how he did this.

Panzer spoke of hiking half the Trail on this.

I am speaking here from experience of having to help others get thru their hikes. I am speaking of a thru hiker phoning me in the middle of the night because they were laid up in a motel sick for days, or stolen packs, JUST unforeseen events, I can go on.

I would say start your hike as planned. Work as much as you can on the Trail. Be as FRUGAL as you possibly can, and to set up mail drops!!!

Try and rectify any differences you have with folks prior to your hike. Start with a good---FRESH attitude.

Then HYOH.

[Alligator]

...
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.

Absolutely. And while consolidation can be a good thing, try to avoid extending the length of the loan period. Again, they are making money on you.

[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.

[Jack Tarlin]

Quick thoughts--

You'll probably discover that $35.00 a week for food won't get you very far. I know folks who manage to spend that much every time they shop on snacks and fruit, never mind other stuff.

Also, a $500.00 budget for hotels/restaurants works out to just over sixteen dollars a week, assuming you're out for 30 weeks.

Sixteen dollars will not get you a hotel in any Trail town, in fact it won't pay for many hiker hostels, never mind hotels.

While I wish you all success with your trip,and while I know folks who've thru-hiked on a $2000.00 budget (or even less), with all respect, I suggest that you try and add at least $500.00, and preferably more to your bank account somehow. I think you'll be glad you did.

[Time To Fly 97]

Slogger is right on...

There are MANY unknowns if you haven't done some long distance hiking.

I was eating 8000 calories a day in New England, much more than I had planned on. I went through 2.5 pairs of boots. I wanted a steak and a real shower when I got to town every once in awhile. Even little things like laundry or taking a zero day or buying a friend a beer is $10 bucks here, ten bucks there. The Whites (huts) are expensive. It adds up.

If you can't get more than $2K...the most important thing is to get out there and hike...so go for it. But you'll have more fun and peace of mind if you bump that up a little IMHO. If you do go low budget, save your money for the more expensive Northern sections.

Happy hiking!

TTF

[strebor]

Strebor-4 of the 5 people who replied to your post are successful thru hikers. 2 of them are multiple thru hikers. That's not to impress you, but they do know what they are talking about. You did ask for people to tear apart and comment . That doesn't count Phreak, he posted while I was reviewing this.

I did ask for comments and so on. I did not ask for L. Wolf's personal attack.

I will head the advice of you and others to increase my budget. I will however still only plan on a $2000.00 budget. If needed I have the money to increase my budget 10 times that amount.

[Alligator]

I did ask for comments and so on. I did not ask for L. Wolf's personal attack.

I will head the advice of you and others to increase my budget. I will however still only plan on a $2000.00 budget. If needed I have the money to increase my budget 10 times that amount.

They're the ones in the know, not I. As long as you have it in reserve, exceeding your budget won't kill your trip.

As far as LW, all I can say is, well, he's hiker trash .

[strebor]

For a normal duration hike of 5 1/2 to 6 months, $2000 is probably on the low side. For a 7 month hike, it is definately too little.

I am only planning on a 5 1/2 to 6 months. However my planning invloves including month number 7 as a cushion in my planning as far as the actual costs. It is the military part of me saying plan for the unkown.

I do realize that a $2000.00 budget is going to prob. be pushing it. But I am determined to stick with it.