2009 or possibly 2010 AT Thru hike.....money advice

[Early Bird]

I'm planning on 2009 thru hike depending on how much money i can save in a years time.
i was wondering from any experianced hikers if you think hiking with $3000 is safe.
i have been making my equipment purchases over time.

[PJ 2005]

$3000 should be enough for everything. I spent about 2000-2500 on hostels, hotels, and food while on the trail.

My worst mistakes were buying the wrong gear. You can easily save 500 by buying the right stuff the first time.

Also, remember that expensive does NOT equal good. You will have people try to sell you on $400 packs. But a $160 vapor trail is still the best thru-hiking pack out there,
in my opinion.

You will buy stuff that you don't need. Part of the adventure is sending all the useless stuff home. Soap, expensive/heavy stoves, water filters...

I tended to cling to gear that I knew wasn't doing me any favors. Don't be afraid to send something home, even if you paid a lot for it.

Sorry for the rant...

[Pokey2006]

I hiked with about $3,000, and had more than enough, including some splurges on hotels, drinks, etc. Just go easy early on, try to avoid hotels and huge bar bills (save those for later in the trip) and you'll be fine.

[Early Bird]

hey man,thanks for advice.i was worried that $3000 wouldn't be enough.many people have told me you would need approx. $5000 to hike comfortably from GA--->ME.

glad to hear i can do it with less.

[Early Bird]

thanks for the awesome advice man.i hear you on all the expensive gear selections.I alays hear and read stories about people buying top of the line equipment and than being miserable with it for one reason or another.
i have been buying all my equipment through recommendations as well as weight as a key factor.
i've never hiked anywhere as long as the AT as i am sure not many have before they have made a thru-hike.

you have any recommendations or useful tips or suggestions regarding euipment and comfortable hike?

[minnesotasmith]

I'm planning on 2009 thru hike depending on how much money i can save in a years time.
i was wondering from any experianced hikers if you think hiking with $3000 is safe.
i have been making my equipment purchases over time.

I'd advise 5 grand minimum, with your gear purchased ahead of time, minimal motel stays, under 3 weeks of slackpacking, no pink-blazing, and not counting in recreational drugs (alcohol, tobacco, pot, etc.) If you're going to add those to your hike, add proportionately more money.

[Flush2wice]

I'm in negotiations right now with the ATC developing a system to sell HPEO's (Hiker Pole Erosion Offsets). Basically hikers who use poles will be required to pay 10 cents per mile. Hikers who don't use poles will be eligible to collect this $ to offset the damage done by the hikers with poles. This is how I'm paying for my hike next year.
I'll have exclusive rights be the broker for future transactions. The suits are hashing out the final details as we speak.

[Early Bird]

thank you for your advice.it seems as though everyone has their money limits.i'm a pretty cheap guy but also don't want to be forced off the trail due to money or lack there of.

[DavidNH]

plan your hike with a couple thousand more than you think you need. That way you'll have the resouces for the unexpected. If you don't use the extra money..it can go back into the bank or give you a nice vacation from the vacation!

DavidNH

[RedneckRye]

The more money you can stash for your hike the better. Sure, it may be able to hike for $3000, but if you have $5000 in the bank you have less to worry about. If emergencies happen or the want of new gear arises or a big bar tab and a night in a B&B is what you need - it is money in the bank that makes that happen. Also, it is nice to get back home after your hike with some cash left over.
In short, save save save. The more the better.

[minnesotasmith]

The more money you can stash for your hike the better. Sure, it may be able to hike for $3000, but if you have $5000 in the bank you have less to worry about. If emergencies happen or the want of new gear arises or a big bar tab and a night in a B&B is what you need - it is money in the bank that makes that happen. Also, it is nice to get back home after your hike with some cash left over.
In short, save save save. The more the better.

Don't forget that most thruhikers don't want to go back to work immediately upon return, and even if they do, it commonly takes some time to find work.

[Early Bird]

you are definitly right and also raise lots of valid points.thanks for your input.

[Early Bird]

thanks fo shining the light of reality upon me..haha...
more is better in this case....just trying to plan ahead and was hoping to make it out there next season.

[Lone Wolf]

$5000 is good

[Datto]

if you think hiking with $3000 is safe.
i have been making my equipment purchases over time.


I spent about $4900 on my Year 2000 northbound AT thru-hike. That includes the airfare to and from the trail but not the cost of gear that I started the trail with in Georgia.

I was on the Trail for 195 calendar days start to finish.

Datto

[Datto]

One other thing -- you should plan to have at least 1/2 of your money still available from Connecticut northward (assuming a northbound thru-hike). The costs from Connecticut northward on the AT are significantly more expensive per mile/day than south of there.

Datto

[Appalachian Tater]

You also need to consider inflation over the next year. If it continues as it has, you may need another ten percent, or even more, to buy the same goods and services.

[Blissful]

$4,000 is a good figure.

[hopefulhiker]

I would go with 4000 plus because of inflation... Shuttles, food will probably cost more...

[Captain]

formula i use to determine the cost is 40 bucks for food a week and 40 bucks for "incidentals" a week every trip i have been on it hasnt proven me wrong yet, butofcourse im one who prefers to stay on teh trail as much as possible dont really like to yellow blaze or use hostels or motels unless weather is downright nasty for several days..then ill take a night in a motel to get dry before setting out again, it depends on your prefrences 5 months equals 20 weeks 20 times 80 equals 1600 , plus i keep 600 on a visa should i need an emergency flight home for family drama or whatever and the original 600 for travel there and the first couple nights till you get settled onto the actual trail 1600 plus 1200 equals 2800 , maybe im just a super cheap thru hiker but that always works well for me

[Appalachian Tater]

I was thinking about this some more.

When thru-hiking, as in life, it is better to have money and not need it than to need money and not have it. You have some degree of control over both how much money you need and want and how much you have.

[Captain]

yes tater that had occurred to me too if you end up under spending and coming back with 2800 bucks then no big deal just put it towards new gear and the next trip, but if you overspend and you find you have 0 bucks 3/4ths of the way through thats major trouble its important to know how you spend money before you can determine how much you will need

[Uncle Tom]

$3 K may not do it. It depends on how you like to live. I thru hiked with a young man you have 3K saved. He had to say no to a lot of places we went to have fun , eat, and drink. He would have to pass up even fast food restaurants and go to the Dollar Store in towns. He had to do work for stay at hostels. He once painted a house. I'd advise you to save more than 3K and put it in the bank, and you would have it if you needed it. I knew a bunch of guys who ran out of funds and had to go home. For some of us, it is our big chance, and it is good to be a prudent planner and not blow it.

[QuietZombie]

I'm also looking to thru hike in 2010 and i've got everything planned out financially to have $6000 saved up for the AT and a few thousand to pay the bills while i'm gone. it's probably overkill, but i want to make darn sure that money isn't what ends my thru hike.

[Frick Frack]

When hiking with a partner (wife) can you expect to spend the same amount of money per person or would it be a little less when sharing expenses? We have planned $3,000-4,000/per person for on the trail (not including getting to/from, gear, or expenses back home). Is this fairly reasonable? We have additional funds available but want a "buffer" when we return home.

[Blissful]

I'm also looking to thru hike in 2010 and i've got everything planned out financially to have $6000 saved up for the AT and a few thousand to pay the bills while i'm gone. it's probably overkill, but i want to make darn sure that money isn't what ends my thru hike.


Sounds like good planning.

(Welcome to White Blaze)

[Blissful]

When hiking with a partner (wife) can you expect to spend the same amount of money per person or would it be a little less when sharing expenses? We have planned $3,000-4,000/per person for on the trail (not including getting to/from, gear, or expenses back home). Is this fairly reasonable? We have additional funds available but want a "buffer" when we return home.

With a wife take at least $4000 each (probably more). We spent that in 2007 as a mom /son team.

[Rockhound]

I'm in negotiations right now with the ATC developing a system to sell HPEO's (Hiker Pole Erosion Offsets). Basically hikers who use poles will be required to pay 10 cents per mile. Hikers who don't use poles will be eligible to collect this $ to offset the damage done by the hikers with poles. This is how I'm paying for my hike next year.
I'll have exclusive rights be the broker for future transactions. The suits are hashing out the final details as we speak.
why not hiking boot erosion while your at it. as a matter of fact i've read that just through observation you can have an effect on what you see. why not a tax on all non blind hikers. and maybe a tax if you hike with a dog. while were at it lets change all the privies to pay toilets. and maybe a tax if you hike too slowly. after all, if you spend more time hiking you're bound to have more of an impact. and maybe a tax if you hike too quickly. it increases chance of injury. this tax you speak of, do you charge more if people just use sticks as opposed to Leki poles?

[Flush2wice]

why not hiking boot erosion while your at it. as a matter of fact i've read that just through observation you can have an effect on what you see. why not a tax on all non blind hikers. and maybe a tax if you hike with a dog. while were at it lets change all the privies to pay toilets. and maybe a tax if you hike too slowly. after all, if you spend more time hiking you're bound to have more of an impact. and maybe a tax if you hike too quickly. it increases chance of injury. this tax you speak of, do you charge more if people just use sticks as opposed to Leki poles?

It's an offset, not a tax.
ATC is considering adding dog cables to shelters (similar to bear cables- you hoist your dog up into a tree).
They thought about pay privies but too much trouble to come up and take the $ out. Now they are leaning towards a card swipe system.
Slow hike or fast hike- either way it's less impact than a day in town.
Rubber tip on your stick and your good to go.

[sofaking]

They thought about pay privies but too much trouble to come up and take the $ out. Now they are leaning towards a card swipe system.

i prefer toilet paper.

[Flush2wice]

I lobbed that one in for ya.:D