View Full Version : How much is a general AT Thru-hike?
Wolf - 23000
06-13-2010, 21:55
Years ago when I thru-hiked the AT, I general spent around $25 - $30 on food for an average 5 day duration. Normal I did not use mail drops. I was enough food to get me by without losing any weight - around $600 for food a thru-hike. If you add in everything else such as logging, restaurants, laundry, etc. it came out to be about a dollar a mile. Some hikers spent more, some spent a little less.
As I said that was years ago and things have surely change. I'm wondering what is the average cost now? I'm sure it is higher and I know everyone experience is going to be different. Even back in the 1990's there were hikers that felt the need to spend $5,000+ on a thru-hike, while others like myself wouldn't $1,500. I just like to know what the average is from hikers who completed the trail within the last 1-3 years.
Wolf
Gray Blazer
06-13-2010, 23:33
The reason you spent less is everyone's not a freakin' hiking machine like you.
fiddlehead
06-13-2010, 23:37
Met a guy who was taking some kind of "food pills" and didn't have any food on the trail.
He was out for a week. (and on a diet)
He'd be tough to beat. (not speed but dollars spent on food)
garlic08
06-14-2010, 00:37
My hike in '08 cost about $3500 including gear I wore out and transportation to/from Colorado. Nearly $1500 of that was food, split between pack food and town food. Pack food cost about $7 per day. I spent a lot on town food, which I didn't have to but I had the money because overall the hike cost about $1000 less than I expected. It was also a lot faster than I expected, at 3.5 months.
Appalachian Tater
06-14-2010, 07:40
$2200 ($1/mile) in 1990 = $3600 or so in 2010 because of inflation
Odd Man Out
06-14-2010, 13:57
Met a guy who was taking some kind of "food pills" and didn't have any food on the trail.
He was out for a week. (and on a diet)
He'd be tough to beat. (not speed but dollars spent on food)
Please don't take this seriously. Thinking that "food pills" will replace food violates a bunch of fundamental laws of science. No different from those little "energy drinks" they sell at the gas stations which proudly advertise "contains no calories". Well guess what calories is a measurement of - energy. i.e. an energy drink containing no energy.
Although I did meet a guy on the trail once who had nothing but a jar of circus nuts.:eek:
I wouldn't start a thru hike with less than $7000.
I like to have a good time and enjoy town stops, making them a part of the experience as well. If I wanted to stay in the woods all the time I'd guesstimate $3500. Everybody's different.
FWIW, I'm hiking now and in just 600 miles I've easily spent $1500 of which $300 is replacement gear and the other just having fun when in town.
the goat
06-14-2010, 14:51
$2200 in 2001
Maybe it's a topic best addressed in another thread, but what exactly is a general through hike, and, if we could agree on a definition, how would this information be useful to someone planning a through hike?
I thought a through hike is a hike from one point to another which is not the same as the other or something similiar, i.e. a linear hike. You know, I have no intention of staying, I'm just passing through.
fiddlehead
06-14-2010, 16:19
I believe that if someone wants to know what a thru-hike costs, there are many threads already on the subject.
Yes, a thru-hike means you're hiking "thru".
To many, that would be the trail from GA to ME.
ps. i really did meet that guy who was eating pills instead of food (seriously) I would never try it myself. I think you'd have to be a little crazy to attempt something so silly.
But, i also hiked with people wanted to fast while hiking. (they wisely changed their mind)
I believe that if someone wants to know what a thru-hike costs, there are many threads already on the subject.
Indeed, there are and the general consensus answer can be found on ATC's website. You're not trying to bait someone from North Carolina are you?
Blissful
06-14-2010, 22:31
With the kind of weight you tote, probably less. We spent $4000, but I'm sure you'll spend less.
Wolf - 23000
06-15-2010, 01:06
Maybe it's a topic best addressed in another thread, but what exactly is a general through hike, and, if we could agree on a definition, how would this information be useful to someone planning a through hike?
I thought a through hike is a hike from one point to another which is not the same as the other or something similiar, i.e. a linear hike. You know, I have no intention of staying, I'm just passing through.
Ok, it seems like a fair question. Sense I started this thread I'll try to answer your question. Each thru-hiker hikes the trail in their own way. Some will spend a lot of time in town, stay in the best hotels, eat out at every restaurant, have the fancies most expensive gear, etc. Others will never stay in town, never eat out, hike the trail with cheap Kmart equipment, eat the cheapest food, etc. What I'm asking is for those hikers that hike the trail some were in the middle.
Let say an average hiker hiking the whole trail who hikes around 100 miles a week, spend one or two days in town every other week, eats out ever once or twice a week. I know I wouldn't even fit in as a "normal thru-hiker" and neither would many other hikers here. I just like to see what thru-hikers are spending these days. In less than 9 years I'll be out there again!!!
Wolf
P.S. Yes I know there are other sources on ATC and a few other places but sometimes information get really stale. It is just information that has been pass down from year after year and never really updated.