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I_think_I_can
08-26-2004, 19:40
What was everyone's total cost for hiking the trail? What was the breakdown for food, clothing, gear, etc? I'm working full time right now for peanuts, and I want to know how much I should be budgeting for a 2006 through hike. Actually, we're starting in southern florida a year from this november, so it'll be about double the cost of a thru hike, I'm guessing. Thanks, guys.

Erin:confused:

Lone Wolf
08-27-2004, 01:48
Back in 86 0n my first hike I blew $2500 by Gorham, NH where I quit. Save $4000 for your trip.

Peaks
08-27-2004, 07:29
Cost varies greatly. Some hike for under $2,000. Others spend over $4,000.

It depends largely on how much time you spend in towns. Motels and meals add up quickly. Beer also adds up.

I suspect that most people spend at least $3,000.

How much does gear cost? That depends on what gear you have now, and where you shop. The trail can be done with outfitting at Wal-Mart, and that's certainly cheaper than the brand names.

chris
08-27-2004, 15:25
Actual on trail expenses for my recent Damascus to Manchester Center were about $750. That includes transit to and from the AT, two pairs of shoes, all food (bought as I went), lodging, fuel, tobacco, etc. It does not include durable gear purchases. So, for example, it doesn't include the clothing I had when I started or my pack or other gear that I had before hand and am still using.

I took 48 days to cover the distance (about 1150 miles). This, I understand, is rather on the low side in terms of "per-mile", but perhaps about right in terms of "per-day". I didn't stay at too many motels, nor did I take any true zero days, although I did have three neros (=near zero) days and a corresponding number of half days off.

If you have no gear whatsoever, you might use a figure of $300 to equip yourself if you are willing to be creative and not to have the latest, greatest gear. Also, you would probably not want to start before late April, so as to avoid having to deal with rough weather in the beginning. Increase your budget to $600 for gear if you want some of the better things out there.

stranger
08-27-2004, 23:13
Just save as much as you can before you start. I am considering a thru-hike in the near future and would not leave Springer without $4000. But that's me.

In 1995 I spent around $1000 from Springer - Waynesboro. In 2001 I spent around $8-900 between Waynesboro - Vernon, on that hike we lived it up big time!!! But I also smoke...which increases my cost substantially.

hustler
08-27-2004, 23:43
I just thru-hiked this year; I did a 4 1/2 month hike. I spent about $1700 for the whole thing. That didn't include gear that I bought up front. I could have gone alot cheaper but I stayed in almost every hostel along the way. I divided it out to $12.50 a day.

I_think_I_can
08-29-2004, 13:21
I have a spreadsheet of the gear I want and how much it costs and weighs, things like that. My gear budget is around a thousand right now cause I'm starting out with nothing, but I know I can cut that down by shopping sales and using walmart, salvation army, stuff like that. I'm just looking for the cost of the trail itself. Thanks guys

Erin

slamajama
08-30-2004, 15:10
Well,...
I would like to begin a journey to the A.T, and I have been reading various posts on the matters of cost, planning, food, lodging, gear, etc. and i'm a bit overwelmed and could use a "readers digest" version (lol) of all these subjects. Is there such a publication?

hiker dude
08-30-2004, 17:49
Back in 86 0n my first hike I blew $2500 by Gorham, NH where I quit. Save $4000 for your trip.
Worthy note; They didn't have internet then to ask. We all just went on Hey weather carrot or who ever was in charge back then said; "buck a mile", down the pipeline of gossip it went, never questioned, like you can do in a thread.

Basiclly if you really wanted to know for sure. You would have to hunt down WC, right? then call him for hours till your ear fell off . Going oh no maybe $2 then another hour maybe $3 . You know? You can see I love these threads at first I lost myself a followed the herd. But that's not the point of a thread. I have grown stronger everday with the thinking outside the box the internet and sites like this let me be me. So that's that. Let the living speak now, I'm done.

But you do your thing I'll do mine. Seven thousand dollars and twenty five cents slash, slash, OK? The 25 cents is for you when you dance.:sun

noshroud
08-31-2004, 02:05
I've never done a big hike like this myself, but it seems to me that the greatest cost would be your lost wages...

/first post...w00t...

bulldog
08-31-2004, 04:07
I've never done a big hike like this myself, but it seems to me that the greatest cost would be your lost wages...


Not if you dont work as it is. :banana :banana :banana

manzana
08-31-2004, 17:56
You have lost wages, but a lot of expenses like rent and car expenses could disappear while you are walking. For us old codgers on a fixed income, it could mean a big chance to stash some income away.
:p

APPLE IN AUSTIN

gravityman
09-01-2004, 10:39
I've never done a big hike like this myself, but it seems to me that the greatest cost would be your lost wages...

/first post...w00t...

It's a huge cost, but not a real cost. Just oppertunity cost. We will both be not working for 8 months, paying a mortgage and spending money on the trail.

Will it be worth it? Every penny!

We have budgeted over $3/mile/person, but we are hoping to spend about $2/mile and be able to do something else fun after the hike.

I would say 4k is about right for the trip. You want to be able to replace a backpack or shoes if you decide you want something different (and chances are you will!)

Gravity Man

bailyrosco
09-01-2004, 13:25
To go out on a little tangent. Do most of you carry cash, travelers checks, credit cards or other? I would think cash would be some what dangerous. I can't imagine buying every little item on Debit or Credit Card. If a combination is used how much cash to carry is a good amount?

jackiebolen
09-01-2004, 14:31
In response to the tangent, I carried a combo or cash/traveller's cheques. In hindsight, I would only carry traveller's cheques because when needed you can cash a $100 one at a wal-mart or big grocery store and have enough cash to get you through to the next big place that will give you change for $100. Debit/credit cards seemed to be bad news for people because you couldn't always depend on everywhere taking them.

Peaks
09-01-2004, 17:55
To go out on a little tangent. Do most of you carry cash, travelers checks, credit cards or other? I would think cash would be some what dangerous. I can't imagine buying every little item on Debit or Credit Card. If a combination is used how much cash to carry is a good amount?

I carried and used all three. Many places, especially hostles, are cash only. For incidentals and in small towns, it usually a cash transaction. I replenished my cash with an ATM card. Used credit cards for big purchases, like replacing footwear. I used traveler's checks when I was short on cash and the small town didn't have an ATM.

Pencil Pusher
09-01-2004, 21:00
If $4k is 'normal' for some folks, the $10k tab that comes with a fully supported trip seems pretty darned cheap in comparison... referring to that one couple that offered such service. The brain's frazzled from work, but I remember something about the trip being six months with these folks slack-packing you and cooking your meals and such.
Calgon, take me away.

rocket04
09-15-2004, 00:24
I spent about $2500-2700, including a new pack. The only non-hostel place In stayed at was the Long Trail Inn in Vermont. And I allowed myself pretty much no limit on food when I was in town.

I never carried more than $80, had travelers checks, credit card, and ATM card.

Frosty
09-15-2004, 09:33
It would be interesting to look at cost of hike plotted against time spent on hike. Figures are often given in $$ per mile. which always struck me as a bit irrelevant. It's dollars per day that would compare better.

No Pepsi
09-15-2004, 10:14
I would think $4K would be enough. But I spent around $6K last year when I hiked. But I am a notorious comfort hound.:sun

A-Train
09-15-2004, 11:33
Check out WeatherCarrot's article on this website about doing a cheap thru-hike. Some real good ideas from a guy who has spent a good amount of time on the AT learning how to get by cheaply. Its very possible!

Peaks
09-16-2004, 08:21
It would be interesting to look at cost of hike plotted against time spent on hike. Figures are often given in $$ per mile. which always struck me as a bit irrelevant. It's dollars per day that would compare better.

Good point. However, I suspect that most people planning a thru-hike don't have a good idea about how long it's actually going to take.

rocket04
09-16-2004, 10:25
I heard of some people doing it for about $900 some years ago. They ate almost exclusively Ramen and never stayed anywhere but shelters and their tent unless it was free. Talk about an austerity...