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ColonelBoston
01-09-2013, 20:25
Hello all!

I apologize if this is an overly asked question, but everything I found was from 2009 or before, so I thought I'd ask it again.

I was wondering if anyone who's completed an AT thru hike can give me a rough estimate on the cost. I am an experienced hiker, but an AT virgin -- most of my hiking has been done out west (AZ, UT & CA mostly). I have all the gear I'll need & plan on sleeping in the wild 100% of the time (ie, no hostels or motels or whatever). Therefore, my costs will solely be mail & food -- sans unforeseen emergencies...

Any and all help would be greatly appreciated. Cheers!

CB

Lone Wolf
01-09-2013, 20:55
$5000.........

SassyWindsor
01-09-2013, 21:24
I agree with Lone Wolf. I spent much less only because I made good time, didn't waste on expensive trail fare, and things are more expensive now. Having more is always better than running out and having to bale.

ColonelBoston
01-09-2013, 21:31
$5000 is a lot more than I was expecting. I spent 2 months hiking through the southwest (AZ trail & random trails in the Grand Canyon) & only spent a few hundred -- maybe 500 or 600...

gizzy bear
01-09-2013, 21:46
$1000 ... Just ask any troll ... ;) realistically ... A lot more...

Ironbelly
01-09-2013, 22:34
Makre sure you are taking the whole picture into account. Food, hostel/hotel stays, town food, beer?, laundry, gear repair/replacement, etc.
You can certainly do it for less than 5k, but it takes some will power to do so, such as not going to the bar with the others, heading back out to the trail instead of staying in town at a hostel.

Town visits will eat up the most $$, so if your dedicated to doing it on a budget you certainly can... but do you really want too? I would just work and save for a few extra weeks so you will hve plenty and not have to worry about it.

bigcranky
01-10-2013, 09:30
There are several current threads on the cost of a thru-hike.

Plenty of hikers ask this same question every year about this time, and they all say the same thing -- "I'm never going to stay in a hostel, I'm never going to get a shower, I'm never going to get a beer, or a restaurant meal, I just want to live in the wilderness for six months." Many times they insult other hikers while making these claims (thank you for not doing so, btw.)

Unlike many Western trails, the A.T. is a social trail. It's often a very wet trail. You'll meet other hikers on the trail and at night in camp, and make friends, and they'll be going into town for a resupply and a shower and a warm bed, and you'll be camped in the rain just outside town so you can dash in and grab some food and hit the trail again, stinking and soaking wet and not well fed. Sound good so far? :)

If you can truly do that, you should be able to hike it for a lot less. But most people, even most experienced hikers, can't or don't want that sort of hike. The $5K figure is a good average, and might be a little low for some.

Good luck.

soulrebel
01-10-2013, 09:43
I spent about $6000 for 1700 miles in 5 months. I then spent an additional $3000-$4000 gettin my ducks in a row, and gettin back to the workin world...

I ate steak almost every time I left a town, eggs and bacon, kielbasa's, pizza's, burgers, pitcher's of beer. On the 4th of July I hiked a 4 pack of delmonico steaks and a handle of booze to the shelter, woke everyone up, and made new friends. I think we had around 40-50 zero days by that time as well. What a trip!!! Now I have 3 kids, I can only pick one of the above every other month it seems.

aficion
01-10-2013, 09:44
$5000.........
I have within the past 3 years, lived in a rented apartment, paid my electric bill, cell bill, and internet bill, groceries, and gas for my scooter, for less than $1,000/mo. I had to and ended up enjoying and learning much from the experience. Fortunately things are not so tight now. Being an experienced backpacker, I could and would hike the AT with $1500.

RedBeerd
01-10-2013, 09:52
I spent $1000 just hiking the LT..can't even imagine what I would spend on the AT.

MDSection12
01-10-2013, 10:27
This is something I've spent a fair amount of time researching and the best responses I've seen go something like 'no one quits the AT because they have too much money, many quit because they don't have enough.' The way I see it, the AT is for most people a once in a lifetime opportunity so why risk letting something as trivial as funds allow you to fail? I'd be heartbroken if I made an attempt and had to quit at some point because the money ran out.

Because of that thinking I won't be attempting until I have $5,000+ in an account that I designate as 'on the trail funds' and a few extra thousand in my normal checking account for when I get home. Unfortunately that is gonna set me back a few years, but in the end I think I'll be happy I waited.

Mags
01-10-2013, 10:41
Marta's excellent quiz. If you can honestly answer the questions as mainly A&B, perhaps you can do a sub-$2000 hike. I'll add that perhaps Garlic's figure of $1000/mo is a good baseline. If you are more disciplined, stop less in towns and hike all day, a thru-hike is less expensive due to simply being shorter.

BTW, $1000 a month for bills = $5000 in 5 mos. Why would you do a $1500 hike? :)

Can you do a cheap thru-hike?

1) What sort of car do you drive?
a) No car. I take the bus or ride a junker bike.
b) Beater more than 15 years old. Bought it used.
c) Reliable car, but nothing flashy.
d) Car my parents gave me.
e) I like nice wheels, and money is no object.

2) Where do you live?
a) Hellhole
b) Small apartment.
c) Modest single-family home.
d) I've always lived with my parents, or in a dorm room or apartment they've paid for.
e) I like to be comfortable, and make a good impression on friends and family.

3) Where did you get your current winter coat?
a) Cast-off ffreebie
b) Goodwill shop
c) Big box store.
d) From my parents.
e) Quality clothing is worth the money.

4) When is the last time you went out to eat, and where did you go?
a) I can't remember that far back in time.
b) McDonald's dollar menu
c) Outback or Applebee's.
d) Wherever my parents took me.
e) What I put in my body is important, so I'm picky about what I'll accept.

5) Where do you buy groceries?
a) I scrounge.
b) Super Wal-Mart
c) Grocery store with decent selection.
d) My folks do the shopping.
e) I only buy organically-grown food.

I think you get the point.

People who always choose A have a chance of doing a cheap thru-hike. Not spending money permeates every decision they make.

B's might be able to pull it off.

C's will probably do a moderately-priced hike, which they prudently save for and execute under budget.

I think the folks who are deluded about their ability to live cheaply are often D's. They haven't been out on their own financially, and don't really have the mental tools for making the choices that will let them stretch their money far enough to finish a hike. They are shocked, shocked I tell you, at how quickly money leaks away.

E's won't scrimp on their hike, but they probably don't need to.

aficion
01-10-2013, 10:57
Marta's excellent quiz. If you can honestly answer the questions as mainly A&B, perhaps you can do a sub-$2000 hike. I'll add that perhaps Garlic's figure of $1000/mo is a good baseline. If you are more disciplined, stop less in towns and hike all day, a thru-hike is less expensive due to simply being shorter.

BTW, $1000 a month for bills = $5000 in 5 mos. Why would you do a $1500 hike?

Can you do a cheap thru-hike?

1) What sort of car do you drive?
a) No car. I take the bus or ride a junker bike.
b) Beater more than 15 years old. Bought it used.
c) Reliable car, but nothing flashy.
d) Car my parents gave me.
e) I like nice wheels, and money is no object.

2) Where do you live?
a) Hellhole
b) Small apartment.
c) Modest single-family home.
d) I've always lived with my parents, or in a dorm room or apartment they've paid for.
e) I like to be comfortable, and make a good impression on friends and family.

3) Where did you get your current winter coat?
a) Cast-off ffreebie
b) Goodwill shop
c) Big box store.
d) From my parents.
e) Quality clothing is worth the money.

4) When is the last time you went out to eat, and where did you go?
a) I can't remember that far back in time.
b) McDonald's dollar menu
c) Outback or Applebee's.
d) Wherever my parents took me.
e) What I put in my body is important, so I'm picky about what I'll accept.

5) Where do you buy groceries?
a) I scrounge.
b) Super Wal-Mart
c) Grocery store with decent selection.
d) My folks do the shopping.
e) I only buy organically-grown food.

I think you get the point.

People who always choose A have a chance of doing a cheap thru-hike. Not spending money permeates every decision they make.

B's might be able to pull it off.

C's will probably do a moderately-priced hike, which they prudently save for and execute under budget.

I think the folks who are deluded about their ability to live cheaply are often D's. They haven't been out on their own financially, and don't really have the mental tools for making the choices that will let them stretch their money far enough to finish a hike. They are shocked, shocked I tell you, at how quickly money leaks away.

E's won't scrimp on their hike, but they probably don't need to.

I would probably do a sub $1500 thru hike because I would enjoy it. I bathe or shower and do laundry in the woods; cook with fire, so no fuel expense; no rent, internet, gas, etc. Only expenses are groceries, shoe replacements, and
lodging in case of injury. If I wanted to travel up and down the East Coast staying in hotels or hostels, and eating in restaurants, I would expect to spend much more. I am one of those few who have no desire to do so.

By the way, I got all A's and B's on your quiz, better than I did in school.

Mags
01-10-2013, 11:24
By the way, I got all A's and B's on your quiz, better than I did in school.


Yeah..but you've actually been to school and not thru-hiked. ;)

When you have actually done a thru-hike on $1500, please let us know how it was done. That includes buying food before the trip and the cost of mailing it as well.

There is a large gap between what a person thinks he can do on a thru-hike...and what is actually done.

But dreams cost nothing... Reality is a bit more expensive.

flemdawg1
01-10-2013, 11:36
That's all well and good aficion, but have you done backpacking for weeks on end before or even been on the AT? It is one thing to romanticize a trail hike, and quite another to experience it.

We see alot of guys like you each year, all full of testoterone and Grizzly Adams romanticism, claiming they're going to hike the whole AT with a less than $3k budget, and how they would rather eat dirt and bugs than stoop to go in a diner or ever use hostels. None of them have ever come back to say they actually accomplished it though. Maybe they truly became trail hermits and never found their way back to a computer ever again, forever forsaken our satan-capitalist society for trail-bound nirvana. More likely they never even started, or if they did they were broke (or broken) by the time they arrived in Erwin.

aficion
01-10-2013, 11:44
I've hiked thousands of miles.Longest time in woods without resupply was 10 days. I've walked appx 350 miles of the AT and many more off of it. I'm 57 years old. Ex Special forces. First solo overnight age 10. I will thru in 2017 when the last of my 5 kids is a senior in high school. I will gladly post my expenses and experiences post thru.

MDSection12
01-10-2013, 11:48
That quiz just seems to be designed to shame kids that rely on their parents. I don't really see it being at all helpful for an adult trying to make an estimate.

ColonelBoston
01-10-2013, 12:00
Apparently I found the right forum. I wasn't expecting this many responses in 1 day -- cheers for that! So let me address a few things:

1. There is zero chance of me staying in a hostel. To me, it completely defeats the purpose. If that's what other people choose, that's cool - I'm not here to judge their experience, it's just not for me.

2. The AT may be a "social trail," but that's not why I'm hiking it. I'm not an elitist hiker who'll be putting his head down & ignoring people -- I'm sure I'll make a few new friends, but I'm in it more for the aesthetic voyager experience than the get-a-trail-name experience. With that said, my time spent in towns will be minimal.

3. I'm not one of the people who makes empty claims. I said in an earlier reply that I spent 2 months hiking around the SW w/o using hotels or eating 'real' food. I realize that's not the same as a 4-5 month trek, but it gave me a solid gauge of what I'm capable of.

I have 1 item on my bucket list: to hike the triple crown. So, does this $5000 estimate still apply to me? You guys know better than I do, I just don't want to waste time saving money I don't need -- my feet are itchy enough as is...

aficion
01-10-2013, 12:06
Apparently I found the right forum. I wasn't expecting this many responses in 1 day -- cheers for that! So let me address a few things:

1. There is zero chance of me staying in a hostel. To me, it completely defeats the purpose. If that's what other people choose, that's cool - I'm not here to judge their experience, it's just not for me.

2. The AT may be a "social trail," but that's not why I'm hiking it. I'm not an elitist hiker who'll be putting his head down & ignoring people -- I'm sure I'll make a few new friends, but I'm in it more for the aesthetic voyager experience than the get-a-trail-name experience. With that said, my time spent in towns will be minimal.

3. I'm not one of the people who makes empty claims. I said in an earlier reply that I spent 2 months hiking around the SW w/o using hotels or eating 'real' food. I realize that's not the same as a 4-5 month trek, but it gave me a solid gauge of what I'm capable of.

I have 1 item on my bucket list: to hike the triple crown. So, does this $5000 estimate still apply to me? You guys know better than I do, I just don't want to waste time saving money I don't need -- my feet are itchy enough as is...

You appear to have the experience and self knowledge to do it on whatever budget you find reasonable.

Entropy2012
01-10-2013, 12:31
Why does everyone keep throwing around $5-6000 as the MINIMUM budget for a thru?! I spent around $5000 on the 6 months I was out there, and took an entire month and a half of zero days... If you're on a budget, and have any self control whatsoever (and really, if you're attempting a thru-hike, you better have it in spades!), $3000 is absolutely ample for a comfortable 5 month hike. That gives you around $60 to spend on each 5 day resupply, along with an extra $60 to spend in town once a week for a hostel/motel/restaurants etc. As far as extra funds for gear breakage, it's definitely a good idea to have a backup plan, but in my experience most companies were extremely helpful when it came to replacements/repairs. I was probably the biggest calamity on the trail when it came to gear: the frame of my pack snapped, the hip belt ripped completely off, the grips of my poles broke apart, my right foot was hanging out of my boot by the end of PA etc; but I learned to deal with it just like everything else out there. If you can put up with the rain, and the heat, and the bugs, you can certainly find a workaround for most gear problems and not have to drop hundreds of dollars at each turn.

I'd agree that anything less than $2000 is pushing it though - you'd have to be a serious masochist or extremely fast to make that work. Regardless, have fun! They'll be the best months of your life. :)

bigcranky
01-10-2013, 13:11
1. There is zero chance of me staying in a hostel. To me, it completely defeats the purpose.


Okay, just for kicks and grins, let me ask you this: then what's the purpose? To a certain extent, you will be avoiding much of what makes the AT special - the people, the towns, the hostels, and the social aspect in general. There are some truly wonderful people along the way. I can't imagine hiking the AT and not staying at Kincora, for example, or Elmer's in Hot Springs, and I will always remember my stay at Miss Janet's in Erwin with Baltimore Jack blasting Johnny Cash in the kitchen.

To me this is like saying that you want to walk the Camino de Santiago but not stay in any of the refugios. Sure, it can be done, but it becomes an entirely different experience.

Please don't take this as a personal affront - I don't mean it that way. I'll probably regret posting this.... :)

StylinLP38
01-10-2013, 13:23
Hey, good thread on breaking the topic down to realistic terms. Ive only been day hiking for the last year but have watched a lot of AT Youtube video's and read these forums. I have one thought. Those times it non stop rains for 5 days straight? Seems to me everyone without exception takes at least one zero day in town. That means spending money. Then there is the emergency reasons. Get sick with the flu or worse, twist an ankle, etc etc

Slo-go'en
01-10-2013, 13:35
Unlike the other two LD trails, PCT and CDT, the AT has so many places you can spend money and they come often.

It takes a lot of will power to stay out in the cold rain, eating a bucket of slop when you could have had a hot shower, a warm bed, clean clothes and a hot burger in town or at a hostel. At the other extrem, I've gone to motels just to have air conditioning for a night to get out of the dang heat and humidity!

It takes a lot of will power to stay on the trail when there is a resturant, deli or supermarket a mile or less off the trail and your sick of instant mashed potatos and snickers bars.

The temptations to spend money are endless and the towns along the trail have become very good at picking hikers pockets. Good luck.

MDSection12
01-10-2013, 13:47
I think I'd be OK staying out of hostels but the restaurants would definitely get me. I can't go more than two weeks without a burger at home, I doubt I would on the trail. :eek:

ColonelBoston
01-10-2013, 14:04
Okay, just for kicks and grins, let me ask you this: then what's the purpose? To a certain extent, you will be avoiding much of what makes the AT special - the people, the towns, the hostels, and the social aspect in general. There are some truly wonderful people along the way. I can't imagine hiking the AT and not staying at Kincora, for example, or Elmer's in Hot Springs, and I will always remember my stay at Miss Janet's in Erwin with Baltimore Jack blasting Johnny Cash in the kitchen.

To me this is like saying that you want to walk the Camino de Santiago but not stay in any of the refugios. Sure, it can be done, but it becomes an entirely different experience.

Please don't take this as a personal affront - I don't mean it that way. I'll probably regret posting this.... :)

I dig nature, plain & simple. I enjoy the aesthetics of the wild. I enjoy testing myself. I enjoy doing things others won't or can't do. I enjoy a minimalistic adventure. I LOVE living for days on end with my life on my back. And, I can easily go w/o creature comforts. I don't know if I'm explaining it well, but there it is.

aficion
01-10-2013, 14:10
[QUOTE=MDSection12;1390395]I think I'd be OK staying out of hostels but the restaurants would definitely get me. I can't go more than two weeks without a burger at home, I doubt I would on the trail. :eek:[/QUOTE

Love burgers. Usually have a giant one first night on trail after resupply. No restaurant involved.

aficion
01-10-2013, 14:12
I dig nature, plain & simple. I enjoy the aesthetics of the wild. I enjoy testing myself. I enjoy doing things others won't or can't do. I enjoy a minimalistic adventure. I LOVE living for days on end with my life on my back. And, I can easily go w/o creature comforts. I don't know if I'm explaining it well, but there it is.

Me too. That is why I'm out there. There are restaurants and motels and people here.

MDSection12
01-10-2013, 14:21
Love burgers. Usually have a giant one first night on trail after resupply. No restaurant involved.
Frozen or dehydrated. I just got a dehydrator and haven't yet tried burgers... Still learning.

aficion
01-10-2013, 14:24
Frozen or dehydrated. I just got a dehydrator and haven't yet tried burgers... Still learning.

Fresh from the grocery store.

mountain squid
01-10-2013, 14:27
I was wondering if anyone who's completed an AT thru hike can give me a rough estimate on the cost.(This is a copy/paste reply to a thread (http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/showthread.php?56670-Cost-of-a-Current-Day-Hike) from several years ago. The numbers are probably off (too low probably) but the basic formula is the same. I added a few days of hiking because the trail is longer.)

The easy answer to that question is ‘more than you think’. Although it is only walking, you can certainly spend a lot of money while doing it.

I’ll throw some numbers at you (guesstimates, of course). If your hike takes 156 days (14 miles/day) and every 4 days you end up in town, that is 39 times to spend money. Multiply that 39 by how much money you might spend each time in town.

lodging/night - $20
resupply - $20 (this is probably way low)
dining out - $20
whatever else - $5


39 x $65 = $2535.00
 
Lodging expense is assuming a stay at a hostel or sharing a room with other hikers. Sometimes it will be cheaper, but other times more expensive. Of course, you might choose not to stay in town and only do a resupply, but that might be difficult if your friends are staying or if the weather is lousy. If you take a ‘zero’ in town, it will cost you twice as much. It will also cost twice as much if you do a slackpack the next day.

Resupply expense is buying enough food until the next time in town. You’ll need at least 3 Bs, 3 Ls, 3 Ds and lots and lots of snacks.

Dining out expense is just that ‘dining out’. You will eat; and eat ALOT when in town. Depending on when you get into town, you can figure at least one Dinner and probably a Breakfast next morning (there will probably be plenty of times when a Lunch is thrown in also). Of course it is possible to eat from your food supply, but when you have the opportunity to have a PIZZA instead of noodles and a tuna packet, PIZZA will likely win more times than not. Again, if you take a ‘zero’ in town, your dining out expense will be more.

Whatever else expense might be coin laundry, shuttle, movie, postage to mail something home, just whatever else, including extra food/drinks not included in dining out expense.

Some other expenses to consider:
phone
gear replacement including shoes, stove fuel, etc
transportation/lodging to and from the trail
any side trips you might take (many hikers go home for a wedding or something; some hikers take the trip into NYC, etc)
anything at home that might require money (storage of goods, mortgage/rent, vehicle, insurance, etc)
medical emergency
alcoholic beverages – this is a huge expense for many
 
Now, you might finish in fewer than 156 days (maybe more, too) and you might only stay in town every 5 days, which would obviously reduce your town expenses (but increase your resupply expenses). There are so many variables it is impossible to cover them all. You’ll need to make adjustments as required concerning yourself and your habits. Bottom line is as I stated ‘to have more than you think’. More is definitely better than less. Running out of funds probably would mean ending your hike early, while having funds leftover when finished is better than being broke....

(Don't get fixated on $2535, that is only a guesstimate.)

Good Luck and Have Fun! Take good notes and report back to us when completed.

See you on the trail,
mt squid

some observations (http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/showthread.php?14493-observations-from-fs42-(advice-for-first-week-on-trail)&highlight=)

maintenance videos (http://www.youtube.com/user/mountainsquid04/videos)
how to hike (http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/showthread.php?73587-how-to-hike)

bigcranky
01-10-2013, 14:29
I dig nature, plain & simple. I enjoy the aesthetics of the wild. I enjoy testing myself. I enjoy doing things others won't or can't do. I enjoy a minimalistic adventure. I LOVE living for days on end with my life on my back. And, I can easily go w/o creature comforts. I don't know if I'm explaining it well, but there it is.

That's a perfectly good explanation. Understood.

ATSeamstress
01-10-2013, 14:41
So, does this $5000 estimate still apply to me? You guys know better than I do, I just don't want to waste time saving money I don't need -- my feet are itchy enough as is...

On the trail, as in life, it is always wise to have an emergency fund. Most money management advisers suggest enough for 3-6 months expenses. At home that would tide you over between jobs should you get laid off. On the trail that would get you medical attention if you need it, fly you home in the event of a death or illness of a loved one, etc. If you need the funds, it will mean the difference between finishing and going home. If your hike goes off without a hitch, no injuries, equipment failures, food budget is just what you thought, then great. You have enough for your next hike.

ColonelBoston
01-10-2013, 15:52
I appreciate all the advice everyone is giving. The funny thing is, if anything, this thread is reaffirming my belief that I can do a thru hike for about $2000 (with an extra grand "just in case").

From what I'm gathering, people spend most of their money eating, drinking & sleeping in towns and I don't plan on any of that (not including the occasional burger & fries), so I figure I can cut the popular $5000 estimate in half (and then some).

People may say I'm full of it or naive or whatever, but given my experience & ability to admit I don't have all the answers, I have a good grasp on what I can do. I spent 2 months eating nothing but ramen noodles, mashed potatoes & snickers bars... I think I can stretch that into 4/5 months (adding a few burgers in here & there). Plus, gear repair/replacement isn't a concern given how much of it I have (ie, 3 packs, a few sleeping bags, a couple tents, a few pairs of boots, etc. etc.)

Seriously, you guys have been a huge help & I wish all of you who are also looking at a 2013 thru hike the best of luck. Cheers!

Datto
01-10-2013, 16:12
Duration, of course, has much to do with the total amount of money you'd spend for a thru-hike. I keep seeing comments about "averaging 154 days for your AT thru-hike" -- that's not average, that's quite fast for an AT thru-hike. A more normal duration would be 180 calendar days start to finish.

For instance, my AT thru-hike lasted 195 calendar days which is longer than normal. However, there were eleven other thru-hikers on Katahdin the same day I went up and at least another dozen other thru-hikers at the base who were planning to go up when I came back down. Quite a few of those people I either met right on top of Springer Mountain, GA or I'd first met them in Georgia.

Unless you are in superb TRAIL shape (that doesn't necessarily mean runner shape since your knees after carrying that backpack may become a problem if you're not in TRAIL shape) you're just not likely to be averaging 14 miles per day for your AT thru-hike (that would include days off in town and days for resupply and days for being sick and weary).

I was in better shape than most when I started my AT thru-hike at Springer Mountain, GA and after a few days I saw no purpose to rush and ended up just slowing down to my normal. It started to seem to me that immersing yourself in the experience was a better way, for me anyhow. Cranking out significant daily miles only seemed important a few times for the rest of my hike (such as trying to avoid an impending blizzard, getting to a maildrop before the weekend Post Office closings, that kind of thing).

So if you're not already in TRAIL shape (meaning you carry your full backpack on uneven non-paved surfaces, not simply walk around the neighborhood, AT LEAST 20 miles every single week without fail) I wouldn't be planning on hiking the entire Appalachian Trail (~2180 miles) in less than 180 calendar days. Plus, quite a few are going to figure out that they don't want to rush it just to get done.

If you want to have a test to see if you're in TRAIL SHAPE, do this and you'll have a better idea:

Find a treadmill, strap on your backpack that weighs at least 30 lbs, tilt the slope of the treadmill to 6% grade and leave it there. If you can do 45 minutes at 3.2mph, then you're probably close to being able to start out at a faster pace than most. By the way, the pace at that slope is going to be about 2/3 of the strain you'll actually face on the Trail since the treadway on the Trail is severely uneven and the treadmill is smooth. That will cause your backpack to sway back and forth considerably and you'll be exerting much more energy, perspiration, oxygen than doing the same on a treadmill.

Georgia usually hands people their heads -- if you're in the Class of 2013 you should get yourself prepared and begin today so you're not a statistic in the 75% of the people who don't finish their AT thru-hike (most of those people leave the Trail before Damascus, VA which is at about milepoint 454).


Datto

jeffmeh
01-10-2013, 16:51
Per map man's data (NOBOs who finish), the average pace is 12.9 miles per day. However, Datto is correct, because that average pace was not achieved until Kent, CT.



Destination
Cumulative Miles
Cumulative Average


Springer
0.0
8.0


Georgia Border
75.6
9.4


Fontana
163.1
10.3


Damascus
460.2
11.4


Waynesboro
848.8
12.3


Harpers Ferry
1009.9
12.6


DWG
1280.2
12.8


Kent
1452.6
12.9


Glencliff
1776.4
13.1


Gorham
1877.0
12.9


Stratton
1987.1
12.8


Katahdin
2175.0
12.9

ColonelBoston
01-10-2013, 17:02
@Datto: I appreciate the tips, but it seems to be directed towards someone with very little experience.

During of my 2 month trek in the SW, I hiked the Tanner Train which is a difficult, unmaintained trail in the Grand Canyon that starts at the top of the South Rim & ends at the bottom, at the Colorado River. It also has a steep 5000ft elevation drop & the ascent of the hike is tantamount to mountain climbing.

I don't mean to keep bringing up my SW trek, but the 60+ consecutive days in the wild is my longest yet & I'm fairly certain the Tanner Trail is more difficult than anything on the AT. I keep bringing it up to hammer home that--in terms of hiking, extended expeditions, and climbing--I know what I'm doing.

I don't mean to sound arrogant -- I'm not. I just feel like a few people have responded reading nothing more than the thread's title. One of the reasons I started this thread was because I felt my situation was much different than the average person's.

StylinLP38
01-10-2013, 17:46
YouTube PCT vs AT trail and PCT trail video's. ALOT of advice and comments.

flemdawg1
01-10-2013, 17:57
@Datto: I appreciate the tips, but it seems to be directed towards someone with very little experience.

During of my 2 month trek in the SW, I hiked the Tanner Train which is a difficult, unmaintained trail in the Grand Canyon that starts at the top of the South Rim & ends at the bottom, at the Colorado River. It also has a steep 5000ft elevation drop & the ascent of the hike is tantamount to mountain climbing.

I don't mean to keep bringing up my SW trek, but the 60+ consecutive days in the wild is my longest yet & I'm fairly certain the Tanner Trail is more difficult than anything on the AT. I keep bringing it up to hammer home that--in terms of hiking, extended expeditions, and climbing--I know what I'm doing.

I don't mean to sound arrogant -- I'm not. I just feel like a few people have responded reading nothing more than the thread's title. One of the reasons I started this thread was because I felt my situation was much different than the average person's.

Congrats on your trek and climbing Mt Badass, that doesn't make you impervious to wanting a hot bath or dry clothes.

flemdawg1
01-10-2013, 18:10
Sorry I didn't mean that to sound as snarky as it came out. I just meant if you think you can do it, fine, go for it. Its your hike bro. I've hiked on a few trips out west (Grand Canyon, Death Valley, Yosemite) and and the humid dampness of the the East is just different. Its often cold and wet, and it doesn't seem to ever dry for days. And if you are serious about making miles, that'll just make you even hungier, then you'll wanna eat, alot.

And yeah mostly the people who come on here looking for the el cheapo thru hike experience are young college guys, that want a cheap escape from whatever for cheap. But as others have said, better safe than sorry, if you bring too much $, no ones going to steal it from you as you leave Katahdin, it'll be there for whatever. But running out is trip ending, period.

ColonelBoston
01-10-2013, 18:13
Congrats on your trek and climbing Mt Badass, that doesn't make you impervious to wanting a hot bath or dry clothes.
There's the dickhead troll comment this thread was lacking.

Do me a favor & google the word 'context' please. Trust me, it'll not only help you in this thread, but in life as well. I never said I was impervious to anything, I was replying to someone who was telling me how t get into shape. Thanks though..

Slo-go'en
01-10-2013, 18:17
I don't mean to keep bringing up my SW trek, but the 60+ consecutive days in the wild is my longest yet & I'm fairly certain the Tanner Trail is more difficult than anything on the AT. I keep bringing it up to hammer home that--in terms of hiking, extended expeditions, and climbing--I know what I'm doing.

Don't be too sure of that. The AT is 2200 miles of the most difficult and rotten terrain they can find to make you go over - day in and day out. Your endlessly going up and down. And that's even before you get into New England were "switchback" is a dirty word. There is over 100,000 feet of elevation change on the AT - it's like climbing Mt Everest something like 20 times.

Trails out west are a walk in the park compared to the AT. Then there is the weather - cold and wet in the spring and fall, beastly hot and humid in the summer. There's no wonder people spend $50 eating in town every chance they get - its the only way to keep the body going with the punishment it's taking. No way your going to get far on a poor diet of Rama's, instant potatos and candy bars.

ColonelBoston
01-10-2013, 18:36
100,000 feet is climbing Everest 20x? Everest is 29,000 feet & has been summited by a blind guy, a double amputee & a fair number of people with no previous climbing experience. It's a fact that, unlike K2, you don't need to be a good climber to summit Everest, you just need $60 grand -- just saying...

Whatever, this getting out of control. For the most part, this forum has been extremely helpful & I thank you ans wish everyone the very best of luck in their future hiking adventures. Cheers!

flemdawg1
01-10-2013, 18:40
Good Luck!

Marta
01-10-2013, 18:46
@Datto: I appreciate the tips, but it seems to be directed towards someone with very little experience.

During of my 2 month trek in the SW, I hiked the Tanner Train which is a difficult, unmaintained trail in the Grand Canyon that starts at the top of the South Rim & ends at the bottom, at the Colorado River. It also has a steep 5000ft elevation drop & the ascent of the hike is tantamount to mountain climbing.

I don't mean to keep bringing up my SW trek, but the 60+ consecutive days in the wild is my longest yet & I'm fairly certain the Tanner Trail is more difficult than anything on the AT. I keep bringing it up to hammer home that--in terms of hiking, extended expeditions, and climbing--I know what I'm doing.

I don't mean to sound arrogant -- I'm not. I just feel like a few people have responded reading nothing more than the thread's title. One of the reasons I started this thread was because I felt my situation was much different than the average person's.

The thing is that NO ONE can tell YOU how much YOUR thru-hike will cost. The cost will be the result of thousands of decisions YOU make. What we can say is that for every ten hikers who start the AT every year planning to hike cheaply only one will actually do it. The wet climate and general foul weather is one factor. The availability of temptations and the peer pressure to avail oneself of luxuries is another factor. The fact that for many would-be thru-hikers their hike is a coming-of-age experience is another factor.

As you will find when you are on the AT, it's a walking circus. Almost every hiker new to long-distance hiking is shocked by something or other, and struggles with this, that, and the other. The vast chasm between the dream and the reality is always part of the rude shock. People with more life experience, especially experiences which involve physical pain and mental toughness will usually do better than softer, less experienced folks.

Good luck with your hike!

Slo-go'en
01-10-2013, 19:00
Well okay, we have definately been beating a dead horse into a bloody pulp here.

Good luck. Maybe you'll make it up to my neck of the woods...

Mags
01-10-2013, 20:20
Trails out west are a walk in the park compared to the AT. .


????????

Dunno about that. :)

But that's another thread....

bert304
01-10-2013, 20:42
I am planning a thru hike for 2015, I am figuring at least $5000.00 for on the trail and another $3000.00 in reserve for gear replacement and other unknown expensives. I am not going cheap, I want to be able to have a great time

SassyWindsor
01-10-2013, 21:29
http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/images/Eloquent/miscgreen/quote_icon.png Originally Posted by Slo-go'enhttp://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/images/Eloquent/buttonsgreen/viewpost-right.png (http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/showthread.php?p=1390635#post1390635)Trails out west are a walk in the park compared to the AT. ."


I beg to differ. Having hiked both the AT and PCT I would put the overall average of difficulty with the PCT due to the desert and Sierra Mountain sections alone. Weather plays a factor for both trails, but bad weather on the PCT can be a risk with very deadly consequences. The CDT, from speaking with actual folks who have hiked portions, is probably more difficult than both the PCT or the AT.



To return to the thread at hand, the more miles per day you cover, the cheaper the trip will cost you. It's easy to spend a lot of money on the trail. I witnessed a pontoon plane landing on a small lake bringing booze, lobster, and all kinds of other stuff to three guys doing a hike. This had to cost big bucks.

Slo-go'en
01-10-2013, 22:11
http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/images/Eloquent/miscgreen/quote_icon.png Originally Posted by Slo-go'enhttp://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/images/Eloquent/buttonsgreen/viewpost-right.png (http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/showthread.php?p=1390635#post1390635)Trails out west are a walk in the park compared to the AT. ."

I beg to differ. Having hiked both the AT and PCT I would put the overall average of difficulty with the PCT due to the desert and Sierra Mountain sections alone.

Well, my "walk in the park" statement is over simplifying it, but in general western trails tend to be less physically demanding. At least the ones I've been on - better graded and more switchbacks. I have friends who stopped hiking the AT because it was so hard on them. They go out west to do all thier long distance hiking because they can go farther with less effort and pain. With the beating my knees have taken after 30 years of pounding on New England trails, I'm about ready to join them.

But yea, a cheap thru hike is a fast thru hike. Obviously, someone who takes 3 months to do the hike will spend a lot less then someone who takes 6 months. That's why trying to answer a question like "what will it cost?" is impossible to do. Once again, way too many variables. The best we can do is say the "average" hiker is likely to spend 4 to 5 thousand. To go to the edge of the bell curve on the low side takes an exceptional hiker.

Mags
01-11-2013, 02:47
Saying "out west" is too nebulous. where? Utah with its red rocks and canyons? the Cascades? Colorado Rockies? The Mojave?

all vastly different environments with vastly different challenges. As different, if not more so, thAn say The Whites vs the Smokeys.

As an aside, when most people say they have hiked out west, they mean on trail in national parks. Off trail hiking is more common out here...never mind trails outside of national parks! :) The NPs trails are nicely graded for sure. Outside of NPS? Not so much.

DaSchwartz
01-11-2013, 03:42
While you can probably can do it on less then $5,000, the odds you'll actually complete a thru-hike increases if you have more money. I bet the number who finish in Maine who did it on less then $3k can probably be counted on one hand.

jj2044
01-11-2013, 03:48
Apparently I found the right forum. I wasn't expecting this many responses in 1 day -- cheers for that! So let me address a few things:

1. There is zero chance of me staying in a hostel. To me, it completely defeats the purpose. If that's what other people choose, that's cool - I'm not here to judge their experience, it's just not for me.

2. The AT may be a "social trail," but that's not why I'm hiking it. I'm not an elitist hiker who'll be putting his head down & ignoring people -- I'm sure I'll make a few new friends, but I'm in it more for the aesthetic voyager experience than the get-a-trail-name experience. With that said, my time spent in towns will be minimal.

3. I'm not one of the people who makes empty claims. I said in an earlier reply that I spent 2 months hiking around the SW w/o using hotels or eating 'real' food. I realize that's not the same as a 4-5 month trek, but it gave me a solid gauge of what I'm capable of.

I have 1 item on my bucket list: to hike the triple crown. So, does this $5000 estimate still apply to me? You guys know better than I do, I just don't want to waste time saving money I don't need -- my feet are itchy enough as is...

OK, if you had this 2 month back packing exp already, and you "KNOW" your not going to be staying even one night in a hostel or eat "real" food...... then it should be simple math, whatever you spent on that 2 month hike*2 for a 4 month hike, or *3 for a 6 month or if you want the math for a 5month hike... well im sure an ex special forces soldier can figure it out. it seems you cant do basic math or are just looking for someone to pat you on the back.

Deacon
01-11-2013, 08:14
Hello all!

I apologize if this is an overly asked question, but everything I found was from 2009 or before, so I thought I'd ask it again.

I was wondering if anyone who's completed an AT thru hike can give me a rough estimate on the cost. I am an experienced hiker, but an AT virgin -- most of my hiking has been done out west (AZ, UT & CA mostly). I have all the gear I'll need & plan on sleeping in the wild 100% of the time (ie, no hostels or motels or whatever). Therefore, my costs will solely be mail & food -- sans unforeseen emergencies...

Any and all help would be greatly appreciated. Cheers!

CB

Well I say more power to you, and I hope you are successful. However, I'm just a bit curious about your confidence that you will spend 100% of your time in the wild, no hostel or motel.

If after five straight days of rain, are you saying that if given the choice between a hot fresh pizza, a dinner of roast beef, green beans, mashed potatoes, a frosty glass of beer (or Coke), or a block of rams noodles (or whatever you cook on the trail), you will always choose the latter?

If no, then When it's pouring outside and you just finished a meal, you will head back to the trail rather than hold up in a hostel?

To get the former, you will need to spend some money in town. But maybe you are that one in a thousand person who opts for trail food 100% of the time. If you are, a part of me keeps asking what you are trying to prove?

JAK
01-11-2013, 10:25
Everything in moderation, including moderation.

jeffmeh
01-11-2013, 10:39
Well, my "walk in the park" statement is over simplifying it, but in general western trails tend to be less physically demanding. At least the ones I've been on - better graded and more switchbacks. I have friends who stopped hiking the AT because it was so hard on them. They go out west to do all thier long distance hiking because they can go farther with less effort and pain. With the beating my knees have taken after 30 years of pounding on New England trails, I'm about ready to join them.


I might amend your statement to say that there are sections of hiking (non-technical) terrain in the Appalachians, particularly in New Hampshire and Maine, that are equally or more challenging than most hiking terrain elsewhere.

I have certainly found that to be the case, but admittedly I am intimately familiar with the Whites, less so in ME and NY, with much smaller sample sizes in CA, AZ, UT, CO, and NM. Even if the terrain is less challenging, 14,000 feet kicks my butt, lol.

Lemni Skate
01-11-2013, 11:08
It seems to me like every one of these threads goes down the same road. Someone asks for information from AT people who should have good information. They get an answer. They spend three weeks explaining why the answers they asked for are wrong.

Real simple. If you are "Survivorman," you can do this real cheap and you don't need anyone's advice...so don't ask.

If you are fairly normal and want the normal AT experience of getting off the trail once a week or so and experiencing the hiker stuff along the trail it'll cost you $5000+.

If I do this, I'll have plenty of money, becuase I simply want to have options to do what I want, not to have any particular lifestyle forced upon me (even if I forced it on myself).

Marta
01-11-2013, 11:17
Exactly, Lemni.

If a high school senior asks on a college forum, "What is my GPA going to be when I graduate?" all you can tell him or her is the averages of what people have done in the past--statistics about the graduation rate and the normal GPA for that institution. Maybe that questioner will some day graduate summa cum laude, and maybe they'll drop out, and maybe they won't even start. How are a bunch of strangers going to know in advance?

Lemni Skate
01-11-2013, 11:30
I think it's the hiker appetite most people misjudge. I think this is what drives hikers to towns and to stay the night so that they can scarf down an extra meal or two. I think I'm looking forward to eating like a Viking as much as I'm looking forward to anything about my hike.

StylinLP38
01-11-2013, 14:11
Im a VW Westfalia Camper Bus fan. There are many people out there that live out of their camper van for $20 a day. But they aint burning 6000 calories a day. Their food intake is ALOT less. From reading all their posts on the VW forums it is close to impossible to exist for less than $20 a day. That equals to over $6000 a year. Not including repairs....cost money to be a bum! lol

Tuxedo
01-11-2013, 14:46
ColonelBoston strip away your grip on a comparison of AT vs anything this will be different. My biggest mistake planning a thru was how enjoyable towns are. Many 2 cents donors here have you on the defense and your acceptance is now a push and shove like a Annie get your gun musical on stage. No you can't... yes I can, no you can't, yes I can-YES I CANNNNNNNNNN. (clears throat)

Hike your own hike and heed the storys presented but money is not important for an enjoyable thru.

Your either going your own way here as I did that I want to stay out of the towns as much as possible too. SO this is way they call it the Vortex of town. Many$.02 givers have discussed how you could possibly be wrong etc. etc. I was wrong when I thought as you did 10 years ago.

Simple analogy eat half the food intake for 5days to were the box food comes in looks delish... drive to the nearest Crackle Barrel and just sit in the parking lot without going in and eating a Uncle Herschel's and 3 desserts for breakfast. Vortex baby

Tuxedo
01-11-2013, 14:59
ColonelBoston strip away your grip on a comparison of AT vs anything this will be different. My biggest mistake planning a thru was how enjoyable towns are. Many 2 cents donors here have you on the defense and your acceptance is now a push and shove like a Annie get your gun musical on stage. No you can't... yes I can, no you can't, yes I can-YES I CANNNNNNNNNN. (clears throat)


for those not familiar with Annie get your Gun here goes living on bread and cheese http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bmoKhFJRUOk

Christine_Runs
01-11-2013, 16:21
I think the quiz that Mags posted is a good starting point. I also think bigcranky's question about why one is doing the hike is key too. If I ever do the AT, I will probably do it cheap but will save enough so that I have wiggle room if needed. I haven't done a long distance hike. My experience is canoe tripping.

I go canoeing to get away from people and stores and all of that. On my last trip with my SO we were out for 5 days and saw maybe 5 or 6 other groups (either waved to them from our canoe or said hi while passing them on a portage). Every time we saw someone I complained that it was like we were in a major highway. SO thought it was funny that seeing people annoyed me so much, but my idea of a good trip is being alone. So if I ever do get to do the AT, I know I'll be okay with people going into town and leaving me on the trail. When we are canoeing and come to an entry point that has a store I generally have no desire to go in. I'd rather stay on the water. I also know that I am super cheap.

So I understand when people say they think they can do a cheap hike. However, I also think that being prepared is important so it is always better to have extra when one starts. Worst case, you can have a bit of extra at the other end.

That being said Cheryl Strayed (who wrote Wild about her hike on the PCT) only had 20$ plus food in each of her boxes. I know this was a different era (she hiked in the mid 90s) but I actually think her idea of putting money in her boxes and not taking a credit card or debit card is a good one if you are doing a cheap hike and really can't afford to over spend. That way you either stay on budget or go home.

brian039
01-11-2013, 16:38
It's just so hard to resist good town food, you're never eating enough on the trail and you get weird, unexplainable cravings. If you can resist that then you could maybe do it for around $2,000, I know of no one who could resist the town vortex though. Maybe they just passed me on by in Georgia and I never saw them again? Good luck.

Tuxedo
01-11-2013, 16:51
That being said Cheryl Strayed (who wrote Wild about her hike on the PCT) only had 20$ plus food in each of her boxes. I know this was a different era (she hiked in the mid 90s) but I actually think her idea of putting money in her boxes and not taking a credit card or debit card is a good one if you are doing a cheap hike and really can't afford to over spend. That way you either stay on budget or go home.

Yep my budget was skinny and in 03' my mail drop for every 6 days was a $10 bill and $20 travelers check every other drop. About a month in I called my CC company and had my limit extended, started going to hostels and pizza AYCE, burgers and beers in the next town would keep a motivating factor for a town to reach a day early. I know a low budget hike is possible and understand what your thought process is ColonelBoston. Atleast keep an open mind the nose to the grind may not be the point and only point. I know my most favored memories arent always at a vista but hanging at the Doyle and Miss Janets and staying at a hotel in Manchester Center with 5 other hikers.

There is no wrong way to hike cept not hiking at all! If the AT is miles to complete then low budget nose to the grindstone is all you need.

The AT is so much more then miles and blazes and no budget can plan for it.

RED-DOG
01-12-2013, 12:13
It all depends on how comfortable you want to be out their, go into town don't go into town, eat at a good restuarant or don't that sort of thing sure a person can do the AT on lets say 2500% thats gear and every thing, but you'll basically be living on reman the entire way, I have successfully done the AT three times and i sugest to any body that plans on hiking the AT this year or any time in the near future to have atleast 5-7ooo% ready to spend thats cost of gear, gear replacement while on trail, Transportation to and from, Food, Hostels, motels, Medical Emergencies, Life after the trail, And anything else that might arise. Good Luck and have fun. RED-DOG

hauptman
02-02-2013, 01:41
How much luxury do you require and how much planning are you willing to do. During my section hike of Georgia I would buy at Dollar General and the like in towns. A box of mac & chz for 50 cents packed over 1200 calories and tasted good. Add sliced hot dogs for real hiker trash eating and its still under $1 for 2 hot meals. Oh, PB & Jelly sandwiches are dirt cheap.