How do you afford a thru-hike?

[tucker0104]

How does everyone afford a thru-hike? I am going to be getting out of the navy in January and plan on leaving in March to do probably half at once. My question is how does everyone afford to just leave their life and job for 4-6 months. I have no bills and no mortgage so I am in the perfect place but I will be turning down a lucrative job offer to be able to do it. Do I just have to suck it up and sacrifice for the experience?

[Sly]

If you have the money and your bills are paid, I don't see thru-hiking as a sacrifice,

Climb the mountains and get their good tidings. Nature's peace will flow into you as sunshine flows into trees. The winds will blow their own freshness into you, and the storms their energy, while cares will drop away from you like the leaves of Autumn. -John Muir.

[rafe]

Pay up your bills, save a little extra, and go.

[highway]

Here is one way I found to rationalize some of it away:

First, you have to eat, whether hiking or not. And, the cost for your food will likely account for the largest portion of your hiking expenses. But you really shouldn't count it in (just have it) as you would have to eat those 4-6 months anyway. Now, once the cost of your food is subtracted out of your budget, the expenses for a thruhike becomes such a bargain I can't imagine why everyone wouldn't wish to do it. It works for me

[rafe]

Of course it helps if you've got no life to begin with...

[Appalachian Tater]

A lot of thru hikers are pre- or post- having extensive responsibility, or at least in a transition. There seems to be a cluster of young people pre- or post-college and then another age cluster of retired people. You seem to be in the perfect situation--in transition from military to civilian, young, without mortgage or bills. Sgt. Rock, one of the owners of this site, is in a similar situation of leaving the military, except he has a family, and he is thru-hiking right now.

What would you be sacrificing? A really exciting job so wonderful that you have trouble going to sleep at night in eager anticipation of going to work the next morning?

If you can scrape together $4,000 or $5,000, you should consider doing the WHOLE trail. You may never have such a perfect opportunity again. Regret in life tends to be about things you didn't do, not that you did do. It would be hard to imagine how doing a thru-hike in your situation would be a sacrifice. You may find that it is an important influence on the rest of your life.

Good luck!

[squeeze]

but I will be turning down a lucrative job offer to be able to do it. Do I just have to suck it up and sacrifice for the experience?

Maybe the job will still be there when you get back. Invite the prospective boss to follow your trail journal. Or, after 6 months on the trail, you may find that you want to do something totally different or live somewhere else.
Also, you're young...plenty of time to make up the "lost wages".

[Pokey2006]

Talk to the folks at this prospective job. They might be willing to hold it for you (I did meet a few thru-hikers who had new jobs waiting on them to finish the trail). Also, if you got one good job offer, chances are you could get another in six months.

Remember: Hiking the trail is an impressive accomplishment, and bosses are as easily impressed by it as family and friends.

You don't need $4,000 to $5,000, unless you're doing the luxury tour. You can hike the trail for less, but that's another thread.

As for my own story, to afford it, I gave up my apartment and quit my job. With my last month's rent and bills taken care of, I had about one month's pay to put in the bank just before I left. I also saved up a few hundred dollars over the winter, once I knew I was going to hike the trail. Then I cashed in on 5 weeks of unusued vacation time. I normally don't have so much vaca time -- changes in ownership at my job had created a "fluke" in the system, and I got lucky.

The best part? When I returned, my old company lured me back -- with a promotion AND a healthy raise. I left less than a year later to go on another hike, but that's another story...

If you're not paying rent now, you can work around the clock, sock it all away, and just go.

[scavenger]

moved back in with mom to avoid payin rent while hiking, saved for months, got a loan from a family member in case i need more money than i have saved

[dessertrat]

How does everyone afford a thru-hike? I am going to be getting out of the navy in January and plan on leaving in March to do probably half at once. My question is how does everyone afford to just leave their life and job for 4-6 months. I have no bills and no mortgage so I am in the perfect place but I will be turning down a lucrative job offer to be able to do it. Do I just have to suck it up and sacrifice for the experience?

Being debt free is a great start. Do you have leave to cash out, or terminal leave to use? If you have no bills and two grand in the bank, go for it. Why not?

[Jason of the Woods]

Sometimes in life there are things that you find a way to do. If you really want to hike you find a way. It is best if you take care of things before you go so that you are able to enjoy nature the way that it is intended.

[Pokey2006]

Ah, a loan...that IS an option. Not the best option, but, if you're marketable enough to get lucrative job offers, and so would have no problems paying it off later, why not?

[Tinker]

Put enough cash in a checking account to cover the minimum payments on the credit card debt you will be building as you do your thruhike. Have a trusted friend or relative make the payments for you. When you finish, pay down the credit card.
You're young and should be able to pay down the card quickly if you get a good job after the trail.
OR...........you might become a trail bum..... .

[tucker0104]

I have like 20 grand saved up so money isn't the problem. I guess my real question is that I want to know is it really as great as everyone says?

[Lone Wolf]

I guess my real question is that I want to know is it really as great as everyone says?

in my opinion, no. a thru-hike is like a marathon. you're always thinking about the end/finishing and not really getting much out of each day. most seem rushed all the time

[rafe]

I have like 20 grand saved up so money isn't the problem. I guess my real question is that I want to know is it really as great as everyone says?

Yes and no. It can be miserable at times, tedious at others. It all depends on your attitude. Safe to say, it's an experience that you're not likely to forget. I still have vivid memories of almost every day I've spent on the A.T. And yet I can't remember what I did last Sunday afternoon...

[Jason of the Woods]

I agree 100%! That's why we are only doing sections and walking slow and looking at stuff.

in my opinion, no. a thru-hike is like a marathon. you're always thinking about the end/finishing and not really getting much out of each day. most seem rushed all the time

[Sly]

in my opinion, no. a thru-hike is like a marathon. you're always thinking about the end/finishing and not really getting much out of each day. most seem rushed all the time

LW will make it seem as though a thru-hike is the worst thing. Go out, enjoy yourself and don't pay attention to his BS.

[Lone Wolf]

LW will make it seem as though a thru-hike is the worst thing. Go out, enjoy yourself and don't pay attention to his BS.

well it is kinda dumb. always planning ahead, always putting in miles when you really don't want to, always worrying about getting to POs on time, always worrying about weight, always worrying about baxter closing, always worried about running out of money. always rush, rush, rush... lotta stress in thru-hiking. truth

[Jim Adams]

Want justification?.......You can't stay home 6 months for $3000!

geek