View Full Version : How much does it cost?
Shroomism
08-16-2005, 03:29
I would just like to get an idea of what the average thru-hiker spends for the whole trip (minus gear). How much do you spend on food, town trips, packages to yourself, outfitter trips mid-trip, transportation..etc. After gear.. what can the average person working on a small budget expect to be dishing out for the whole thing?
Just Jeff
08-16-2005, 03:38
Several threads on this in the archives...do a search!
Generally $2/mile is low, but you can go lower.
About $4/mile is high, but you can easily go higher.
Shroomism
08-16-2005, 03:52
Ok I just found an old thread on this.. sorry
Seems like 2,000 for a thru hike is low, and 5,000 is high.. so somewhere inbetween seems to be the norm.
Just Jeff
08-16-2005, 10:41
Yep.
About any topic you can think of has probably already been covered here somewhere! So when new stuff comes out we get all giddy...like a 16 oz 15F bag or something... :p
Several threads on this in the archives...do a search!
Generally $2/mile is low, but you can go lower.
About $4/mile is high, but you can easily go higher.A lotof it also depends on how long your hike is. The cost per mile goes down if you average 17 miles a day compared to 10 miles per day. Spending seven months on the trail will cost more than spending four months (especially since seven months is sure to entail more trail town days, the real money sucker)
I would just like to get an idea of what the average thru-hiker spends for the whole trip (minus gear). How much do you spend on food, town trips, packages to yourself, outfitter trips mid-trip, transportation..etc. After gear.. what can the average person working on a small budget expect to be dishing out for the whole thing?
a hiker can spend anywhere from $1 to $2 per mile average doing the trail.
from staying on the trail & "tenting" each night (or using shelters) all the way to hitting every Trail Town along the way (the high cost end of things)...
its your choice!
good luck with yer hike!
Hiking the AT is basically free. It's in towns where you spend the money. So, the cost of a thru-hike is directly related to the amount of time you spend in towns, and how well you live while in towns. Some people get in and get out. Others take days off and so forth.
My son started in Baxter on July 11 and was in Dalton, MA yesterday August 17. He has spent $ 498 on his debit card plus $ 50 in cash so far. This is for all his expenses except several packages that we have sent him. We have not sent food, but a new pack, socks, phone cards, etc. He had one zero day in Monson and has stayed at two hostels and one motel. He has been on the trail all other nights. He has averaged 16.7 miles per day counting the zero day. His expenses are averaging about $ 14.81 per day or 88 cents per mile. BTW, debit cards are good tracking beacons.