Cost & Time of Hiking the AT

[bobp]

Hey guys, I've been creeping these forums for about 4 years or so, and I'm pretty surprised that I've never seen anyone talk about food stamps.
I'm doing 2014 NOBO as cheap as I can, and I'm planning on taking food stamp card w/ me. I know it can be used in multiple states and you can use it practically anywhere that sells food. I've never heard of anyone doing this, but I can't see any reason why not to.
Thoughts?

Not a bad troll. As you get more practice, you'll be able to work in guns, weed, and other incendiary topics.

[jrabbott]

It's about $1000 per month. I did it quite comfortably in 3.5 months for $3500 The trail can certainly be hiked for $3000, but it would probably cost more than that for a six month hike. A faster hike is usually a cheaper hike.

Would be interested in reading your Trail Journal for a 3.5 mo hike - that would be my ideal timeframe!! Thanks!

[RED-DOG]

George, thank you for all that effort and math. Only one problem… if you read the original quote that sparked your skepticism and think about what it says…
“A cheap hike can be done and I have as much fun hiking as someone who spends 8 times as much. HYOH”
…you will see it was not about food at all.

Just out of curiosity what is this extra $600 in expenses that you tried to take away from the $1000 so I only had $400 for food?
Cost for all my gear and to get to and from the trail is less than $400. I’m lucky enough to have flight passes.
I’ll be thru-hiking in 2014 using the same system I’ve used the last two years with success no matter who thinks it can’t be done. See you all on the trail. HYOH
Newbies, do not try my system.

Will you be keeping a calculated track of how much money you spend on food, if so when you finish the ENTIRE AT in 2014 can you come on WB with all your info on how you did it, cause i for one would like to know. I did the trail three times and i really don't think it can be done.

[-Animal]

Will you be keeping a calculated track of how much money you spend on food, if so when you finish the ENTIRE AT in 2014 can you come on WB with all your info on how you did it, cause i for one would like to know. I did the trail three times and i really don't think it can be done.

Sure, no problem. I’ll be listing all the data/receipts on my journal-
http://www.trailjournals.com/entry.cfm?id=439808
Also, I’ll be listing all my gear the same way.

[Autummyst]

I think this falls under the umbrella of ethics. Using food stamps and the SNAP program to supplement a hike is not keeping within the spirit of the program. This is for individuals/ families who can barely keep their head above water, not someone choosing to go on a six month hike.

................. +1

[RED-DOG]

Sure, no problem. I’ll be listing all the data/receipts on my journal-
http://www.trailjournals.com/entry.cfm?id=439808
Also, I’ll be listing all my gear the same way.

Okay great, i will be following your journal like i said i have done the trail three times the last was in 2012 and i spent $5700 dollars and thats everything, and i am always interested to learn from other people cheaper ways to hike,are you including Gear, and transportation cost into your budget, and by the way what is you over all budget ( it can't just be the $1000 ). Good Luck and happy trails. RED-DOG

[-Animal]

Okay great, i will be following your journal like i said i have done the trail three times the last was in 2012 and i spent $5700 dollars and thats everything, and i am always interested to learn from other people cheaper ways to hike,are you including Gear, and transportation cost into your budget, and by the way what is you over all budget ( it can't just be the $1000 ). Good Luck and happy trails. RED-DOG

I will list everything! I don’t have a min or max budget and can spend more money if I need to. I’m just trying to complete my hike for the least amount of money possible. Anything less than $1400 would be fantastic. Not going for any kind of record here…this is just a personal choice/challenge. Thanks for the luck.

[Bronk]

Hey guys, I've been creeping these forums for about 4 years or so, and I'm pretty surprised that I've never seen anyone talk about food stamps.
I'm doing 2014 NOBO as cheap as I can, and I'm planning on taking food stamp card w/ me. I know it can be used in multiple states and you can use it practically anywhere that sells food. I've never heard of anyone doing this, but I can't see any reason why not to.
Thoughts?

Perhaps you shouldn't use it because a food stamp card was not meant for able bodied people who are able to work to use on a vacation.

[4eyedbuzzard]

Hey guys, I've been creeping these forums for about 4 years or so, and I'm pretty surprised that I've never seen anyone talk about food stamps.
I'm doing 2014 NOBO as cheap as I can, and I'm planning on taking food stamp card w/ me. I know it can be used in multiple states and you can use it practically anywhere that sells food. I've never heard of anyone doing this, but I can't see any reason why not to.
Thoughts?

Yeah, the WB search function doesn't work well. There have been threads/discussions about hiking while collecting unemployment insurance, receiving food stamps, welfare, SSI, etc. in the past.
Let's just say that no one on WB who work(ed) for a living and/or otherwise paid for their own vacation was impressed with the idea. I wouldn't mention it on the trail either, especially when you wander into a shelter on a cold rainy night.

[capehiker]

On a Facebook 2014 page there is a girl who will be receiving a state disability check while hiking the trail. There's always those gaming the system. *sigh*

[Zep]

I'm not a troll, it was a serious inquiry lol.. Thanks for all the input guys. I am getting food stamps currently and I do work, I just don't make very much. I've never thought about it like cheating the system in a way because I've always needed them while getting them but I will be reconsidering using them on the trail. Gettin my ethics on

[fullcount]

I am using the basic budget of $3/ mile for my thru. Rounding the trail to 2200 miles, this means $6,600 for the trip. I will try to keep a good record of my journey to see how well ( or not so well ) I do on the trip. I will be journaling on TrailJournals.com. I hope to further refine the budget to $2/ mile for food and the other $1/ mile for gear replacement and hostel stays.

What this will do for me is set a mental trigger as I hike. If I hike 8 miles in a day, I earn $16 for food and $8 for lodging or gear. Example, I am hiking NOBO and I get to Neels Gap at 31 miles into my hike. Keeping with the budget, I have $62 to spend on food resupply and $31 for gear / lodging needs. If I end up making a major purchase at Neels Gap, I could easily be in the red on my gear budget and will HAVE to hike some more to work off my weakness or lack of proper planning. I seriously doubt I will have spent $62 on food at this resupply point, but also realize I will have to bank some food budget for the north of the Mason Dixon food prices.

I despise having pay to walk through the Smokies or having to do work for stay / $$ in the Whites. Don't know how to budget for these robbery events. Also my budget does not include travel to and from the terminus on either end of the trip as I consider this a planning expense much like buying your initial gear for the expedition. I guess I will count the intermediate shuttles as a food expense as that is part of the cost of getting to your food resupply ( and in my case.....ice cream).

We'll see how it works.

[GCHiker]

To those who are employed by the nation's largest employer - 2.7 million federal civilian employees and 1.6 million uniformed military - the opportunity cost is almost always too great. One cannot accumulate enough leave to do a thru-hike, and leave without pay for a hike just wouldn't be approved. There is just no way to take off that much time without essentially resigning and creating a break in service. This can have catastrophic implications for getting reinstated in a similar position, and especially on one's retirement which could be forfeited altogether as a result. I am sure there are millions of state and local government employees with similar restrictions, as well as private sector employees who are in the same boat. When the opportunity costs start to add up to many hundreds of thousands of dollars in future lost wages and retirement funds, you prudently resign yourself to section hiking and save thoughts of thru-hiking until retiring.

I fall in this category.. Even though I work private sector blue collar, my job/employer is the BEST in my area as far as wages/retirement. It is not a job that one just "quits", as it is such a hard job to get. So with that said, I'll just have to section hike using my yearly vacation until I can retire.

[GCHiker]

Yup. That's why I'm tentatively looking at joining the AT thru-hike class of 2037.

2031 for me

[GCHiker]

I'm not a troll, it was a serious inquiry lol.. Thanks for all the input guys. I am getting food stamps currently and I do work, I just don't make very much. I've never thought about it like cheating the system in a way because I've always needed them while getting them but I will be reconsidering using them on the trail. Gettin my ethics on

Disgusting

[bigcranky]

On a Facebook 2014 page there is a girl who will be receiving a state disability check while hiking the trail. There's always those gaming the system. *sigh*

Depends on the disability, I suppose.