$$ how much to Thru-hike the AT $$

[SoBo FlintFlick]

I am looking for an estimate on how much it will cost to thru-hike AT sobo, I have seen 3000$ total, and elsewhere had posted 1000$ per month, can someone help me out with these numbers. I already have the GEAR, I am just looking cost for the thru-hike

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[garlic08]

The $1000 per month has worked for me, but then the huge variable is how fast do you hike.

For a first-time hiker on a budget, $5000 with a $1000 contingency fund is probably a good estimate.

I know some guys my age with credit cards who quite easily spent over $10,000, and some younger guys have done it for well under $2000, so there's your range.

[SoBo FlintFlick]

The $1000 per month has worked for me, but then the huge variable is how fast do you hike.

For a first-time hiker on a budget, $5000 with a $1000 contingency fund is probably a good estimate.

I know some guys my age with credit cards who quite easily spent over $10,000, and some younger guys have done it for well under $2000, so there's your range.
Thanks, I am a first time thru-hiker with no credit cards unfortunately. I am leaving at the beginning of July and am saving every dime I make until then, living the broke life until then will put me right at $6000. I worry about not being able to make it financially, it's so nerve racking lol

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[Venchka]

Don't overlook $$$$ for transportation to and from the trail.
Wayne


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[SoBo FlintFlick]

Don't overlook $$$$ for transportation to and from the trail.
Wayne


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?? Are you referring to getting to Baxter state park??

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[lonehiker]

About 1,000 a month is a good figure. If you have 6k you should be ok. Keep drinking to a minimum or the 6k won't be enough.

[show me the monkey]

Another contingency and certainly the biggest in my mind will be how much time you spend in towns. Depending on your cost to get to/from the beginning and end of the trail, that is the biggest expenditure. Are you the type that resupplies via mail drop and heads straight back to the trail or the other side of the spectrum that resupplies in town grocery stores and spends 3 days in motels eating/drinking as much as possible
Most people fall somewhere in between, but it can be hard to predict if you fall into traveling with a group.

[Bansko]

If you're watching your dollars you can do it for about $1000 a month and be quite comfortable. I spent more, but that was choice, not necessity.

[SoBo FlintFlick]

Another contingency and certainly the biggest in my mind will be how much time you spend in towns. Depending on your cost to get to/from the beginning and end of the trail, that is the biggest expenditure. Are you the type that resupplies via mail drop and heads straight back to the trail or the other side of the spectrum that resupplies in town grocery stores and spends 3 days in motels eating/drinking as much as possible
Most people fall somewhere in between, but it can be hard to predict if you fall into traveling with a group.
I'm planning to be the type to stay on the trail as much as possible, maybe a stay or 2 at a little cheap spot in town if need be. Would mailing drops be cheaper than in town supplies?

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[MuddyWaters]

I'm planning to be the type to stay on the trail as much as possible, maybe a stay or 2 at a little cheap spot in town if need be. Would mailing drops be cheaper than in town supplies?

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Staying on the trail requires you be antisocial.

Once you make friends, and hike with them, you will do what they do, or else youll never see them again....

[show me the monkey]

I'm planning to be the type to stay on the trail as much as possible, maybe a stay or 2 at a little cheap spot in town if need be. Would mailing drops be cheaper than in town supplies?

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Usually. However if this is your first long distance hike, be aware that your appetite will change and unless your mail drops provide an ever changing array of food, you will get tired of eating the same thing. Most frugal hikers do mail drops and supplement with locally purchased food.

[SoBo FlintFlick]

Do u think a 4000 calorie a day diet will suffice?

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[HooKooDooKu]

Do u think a 4000 calorie a day diet will suffice?

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No right answer. Too many variables... your body weight, fitness level, miles hiked per day, and difficulty in the terrain just to name a few.

When I did the much shorter JMT thru hike last year (~220 miles, so only 1/10th the distance of the AT), I first got in shape by losing 50lbs. Then planned for 3,000 calories/day. I hiked an average of 13 miles per day, and lost about 7lbs over the course of about 3 weeks.

[4eyedbuzzard]

Do u think a 4000 calorie a day diet will suffice?

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Probably more like 6000, and you'll still lose weight. That's why hikers gorge themself when in town.

[garlic08]

I carried over 4000/day, and I think I ate up to 8000 per day during town stops, but I also averaged 20 miles per day on the AT.

To compare, my trail food cost was about $700, my town food cost was closer to $800. I did not drink alcohol on my hike, and made a small effort to be frugal.

[DavidNH]

don't plan on thru hiking on anything less that 5000$ excluding transport costs to and from trail heads and equipment costs.

[DownEaster]

Rely on mail drops when it makes sense to do so. Are you going to be eating ramen noodles? If so, they're relatively cheap, and the extra cost of buying them at a gas station near the Trail is going to be less than the price of shipping cheap ramen from home. Might you be getting to the post office on Saturday afternoon? If there's a likely "yes" answer to that, then the cost of staying in town until Monday morning for the PO to open would exceed the savings in your box of shipped supplies.

I'll be shipping one box to myself before I leave, and relying on a friend at home to ship me maybe another half dozen packages, mainly for critical things like the next pair of broken-in trail runners. For the most part I'll be buying supplies in town, and making do with what's cheapest (ramen, mac & cheese) when I happen on an expensive resupply point. If there's a Walmart supercenter instead, I'll buy healthier food and gorge on a big salad and fresh fruit before I get back on the Trail with better-quality consumables.

To get the right answer for you will require doing some shopping and finding out what supplies will fit into a Priority Mail box. The total cost (supplies + postage) is the comparison price for buying at a trail resupply point. I don't know how to find supply costs at Podunk Gas & Groceries on the Trail, but you can at least calculate ratios. If you shop carefully and postage only increases your costs by 15%, you'll probably be fine using a mail drop. If postage doubles your supply cost (+100%), you're probably wasting money on the shipping.

[SoBo FlintFlick]

I carried over 4000/day, and I think I ate up to 8000 per day during town stops, but I also averaged 20 miles per day on the AT.

To compare, my trail food cost was about $700, my town food cost was closer to $800. I did not drink alcohol on my hike, and made a small effort to be frugal.
How long did it take u to complete the trail?

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[SoBo FlintFlick]

And are you saying you spent $1500 total on food for the through hike?

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[Greenlight]

Assuming four days in between resupplies, is it even possible to fit 24,000 calories into a pack and still have room for gear? I figured that I'd eat about 3,000 calories per day on the trail, then binge in towns to make up the deficit. What is the most common experience? I'll be 53 when I attempt my thru, weigh about 190 at 6 feet tall, and slow-hike at least 15 miles per day.



Probably more like 6000, and you'll still lose weight. That's why hikers gorge themselves when in town.

[SoBo FlintFlick]

No right answer. Too many variables... your body weight, fitness level, miles hiked per day, and difficulty in the terrain just to name a few.

When I did the much shorter JMT thru hike last year (~220 miles, so only 1/10th the distance of the AT), I first got in shape by losing 50lbs. Then planned for 3,000 calories/day. I hiked an average of 13 miles per day, and lost about 7lbs over the course of about 3 weeks.
I have a watch that can tell how many calories I have burned that day, I guess it would be safe to say to replenish that number right?

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[SoBo FlintFlick]

Staying on the trail requires you be antisocial.

Once you make friends, and hike with them, you will do what they do, or else youll never see them again....
Lol, I was already thinking that , it will be tough but in order to make it all the way through, I guess I would have to pry Myself Away with the thought in mind that I won't financially be able to make it if I stop [emoji20]

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[Venchka]

?? Are you referring to getting to Baxter state park??

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No. I said adequate funds to transport yourself to the trail to begin hiking and additional funds to get yourself back home when you finish. Wherever that may be.
As for "I have all of my gear", you will need funds to replace worn out or wrong gear.
Wayne


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[Venchka]

Ok. SOBO. So. Yes. Funds to get to Baxter, reservations, permits, etc. at Baxter. AND funds to get home from wherever.
Wayne


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[SoBo FlintFlick]

Ok. SOBO. So. Yes. Funds to get to Baxter, reservations, permits, etc. at Baxter. AND funds to get home from wherever.
Wayne


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Ok cool, so yeah I already have that covered

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[SoBo FlintFlick]

Any thoughts about bringing just a hammock ( Hennesse hammock explorer) no tent, starting at Baxter the beginning of July this year??

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[rafe]

Crude calculation. Ballpark numbers. $60 for a town stop every five days. That's just for the stuff in town. Another $40 for the food that you'll be eating on the trail between town stops. So, $100 for each five day interval.

A thru hike is 150 days on average, so that's thirty intervals. 30 x $100 = $3000.

If you do a town stop every four days: Still $60 in town, but $30 for food on the trail. There will be 37.5 such stops.

37.5 * $90 = $3375

That sixty bucks has to cover: meals, hostel, laundry, maybe some brews or other luxuries. The rest of it covers the provisions you'll need between stops. $60 means staying at hostels, not motels.

A simplistic approach, but maybe one way to think about it. It doesn't consider other stuff, like entertainment, shuttles, gear replacement, replenishment of batteries, fuel, toiletries, etc.

It doesn't include the bills that you still have to pay in real-life, like, say, your phone bill (not to mention rent, insurance, etc.)

The standard figure is $1000 per month. A typical thru hike is five or six months.

[eggymane]

Any thoughts about bringing just a hammock ( Hennesse hammock explorer) no tent, starting at Baxter the beginning of July this year??

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One or the other, but both is overkill. Plenty of people hike with hammocks, myself included, just make sure you have proper insulation.

[4eyedbuzzard]

Assuming four days in between resupplies, is it even possible to fit 24,000 calories into a pack and still have room for gear? I figured that I'd eat about 3,000 calories per day on the trail, then binge in towns to make up the deficit. What is the most common experience? I'll be 53 when I attempt my thru, weigh about 190 at 6 feet tall, and slow-hike at least 15 miles per day.Short answer, no, you simply can't carry enough food to supply yourself with the caloric or nutritional requirements to thru-hike the AT without losing weight. Ask yourself how many fat thru-hikers you've ever seen. By New England they are all getting pretty thin. But, you can somewhat make up for what you can't carry by what you can consume in frequent town stops. Read this old thread https://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/archive/index.php/t-20181.html
You might be able to contact the two researchers mentioned, Dr. John E. Davis and Karen Lutz for more info or leads to other info. Karen is still with ATC I believe.

[rafe]

Would mailing drops be cheaper than in town supplies?

Maybe. If you're really smart about it. But most likely not much.

Two big issues with maildrops. First is, your tastes will change over the course of the hike and you may not like eating the stuff that you thought you'd like when you first packed it all up, months ahead of time.

Second is, they tie you down. Small town post offices are likely to have limited hours. Sucks to be stuck in town over a weekend waiting for the PO to open on Monday morning. Or having to race into town to get there before the PO closes.

I don't know about other long trails, but on the AT, over the years, the trend has been toward fewer mail drops and more reliance on resupply at local stores. You rarely have to go more than four or five days between relatively easy town access.

Mail drops make sense for specific dietary needs or tastes. Save mail drops for what you know you can't find in town.

[MuddyWaters]

If you know what you like on trail
If you hate to waste time shopping and repackaging
If you can stick to schedule
Then maildrops can work gibe

If someone at home is preparing them as you go, and adjusting schedule and locations, that would help too.

No one ever said you have to pack 6 mo in advance and prepare all for shipping. Some people have wives, husbands, kids, that will do this for them as they go.

[show me the monkey]

Lol, I was already thinking that , it will be tough but in order to make it all the way through, I guess I would have to pry Myself Away with the thought in mind that I won't financially be able to make it if I stop [emoji20]

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That's true most of the time, but don't discount the fact that you will be out for a long period of time and chances are that you will run into someone in a similar situation. These types of meetings tend to happen early on trail before people spread out somewhat, but since your going sobo, there will be less people to begin with.
With that aside, you mentioned that you're budgeting $6k, which should be more than enough for town stays, so the point of staying on the trail may be moot in that case.

[peakbagger]

One thing about going Southbound is your "burn" rate will occur early on in the trip as most folks observe that it costs more to hike the northern third of the trail. Even in Maine where there are fewer resupply options, when you do resupply, its typically in small rural town where food is going to cost more and most folks will stay in a hostel or motel. My guess is you have a town stop in Monson (unless you have mailed everything you need, most stay in town and possibly get ride to Greenville for resupply. Next resupply is Caratunk, there are lodging operations nearby but PO is quite close to the trail so no need to overnight. Next stop Stratton, most folks stay overnight. Next Stop Rangeley, most overnight due to long walk into and out of town then finally Andover which is an overnight as its a long walk into an out of town, its small town and pricing will be high on resupply. After that it NH, after Gorham which is typically an overnight due to long walk into and out of town, the nights between supply points tend get closer which is more opportunities to spend money.

[map man]

How long did it take u to complete the trail?

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It took Garlic (the person you asked) 3.5 months to complete his AT thru-hike.

Now as to your question about whether 4000 calories per day is enough: I have not done a thru-hike but I have done many section hikes and the one two week section hike so far where I managed to lose no weight I averaged 4200 calories consumed per day. I am male, 165 pounds, and 6'0" tall. I ate a steady amount every day and did not gorge in trail towns, which is not how thru-hikers generally do it. Gorging in town is convenient but undoubtedly not the most efficient use of calories consumed. The serious disadvantage to trying to eat a steady amount per day without gorging in town is that means you have to carry more food on the trail and that means you are carrying more weight.

[MuddyWaters]

Somewhat of a difference in calories burned if you hike 15 mpd, or 25, as you might expect. I need close to 4800 per day , plus town binging, not to lose weight, which I dont carry. Wt loss is inevitable at higher mileage.

[MtDoraDave]

A watch that tells how many calories burned... does it take into account how much weight you are carrying or the difficulty of the terrain? The heavier your pack, the more calories you will burn. So the more you carry, the more you need to eat.

The tuna packets packed in water have about 80 calories, the ones packed in olive oil have much more. Pack higher fat content foods for the extra calories. I've seen many thru hikers with a small bottle of olive oil or a small jar of mayonnaise, adding it to meals for the extra calories.

[egilbe]

And are you saying you spent $1500 total on food for the through hike?

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Probablypermonth.

Garlic08 is a fairly fast hiker. Average 20 miles per day, for 2100 miles is 105 days is which well below average. 3.5 months x $1500 is right around $5k.

[garlic08]

And are you saying you spent $1500 total on food for the through hike?

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Sorry, I missed your questions. Yes, I hiked in 106 days, and spend $1500 on a combination of trail and town food. I did not skimp on town food, and as I mentioned I did gorge occasionally, maybe some 8000+ Calorie days. (I hiked during the 2008 Olympics, and heard a quote from swimmer Michael Phelps that he was eating up to 12,000 Cal/day, so I felt a little better about that.)

I didn't lose more than a few pounds on my hike. I started in prime hiking condition, and hiked 20 miles/day pretty much right out of the gate. I lost a little in the Smokies, gorged in Damascus and started gaining it back, and even got a little ahead, in the mid-Atlantic states (the "diner-a-day" tour). I lost a little more in the Whites (started gorging again in towns) and ended up about where I started. I went back to my job as a firefighter with no appreciable loss of strength or muscle mass, so I think I did well with protein intake and nutrition. Average food carried was about 4500 Cal/day, about two pounds per day, with an emphasis on whole grain and nut protein and fats. (Plenty of pints of Ben & Jerry's, and berry shakes in the Shenandoahs, so not that healthy.)

This was not my first thru-hike. I certainly learned quite a bit about eating well for LD hiking on my PCT and CDT hikes.