Cost of a Thru-Hike

[Heater]

I read a funny way to do this once. Take your emergency credit cards and freeze them into a block of ice in the freezer .

I did that.

My bill got delayed by the post office ant the bank increased my rate from 14 percent to 21 percent.
I "froze" the account.

Within 2 weeks, that jar was in the microwave thawing them out.

I wound up just cutting them up with a scissors. Haven't used C-cards in almost three years. I hate the banks.They will screw you the very first chance they get.

[Pacific Tortuga]

Gee Wally, you said"tear it apart and give comments" so I did and your little feelings are hurt. Not enuf smileys for ya. Why the hell did you ask if you don't plan to go over 2 grand?

L. Wolf is a Damascus homie and with 2,000 $ you may need to borrow phone change to catch a lift back when things get tight but then again, what 's plan B? Just kidding, go for it and and see if you can finish at Katahdin,no matter what happens, your on the Trail .
Support vs: Commitment, 2,000 $vs:$ 4,000, "Breakfast of eggs and ham, A chicken is supportive a pig is committed" good luck.

[Skyline]

in 2001, i spent little more than 2K....i doubt inflation has been too terribly bad since then.

i did, however, have 10 - 12 mail drops prepared, but i drank in every town & smoked cigarettes the whole way too. i never really thought i was living extremely on the cheap side until the last 500 miles or so. 2K is definitely doable, imho.

Yes, it can be done and congrats for doing it...well, all but the cigarettes. :-) Having those maildrops--how much do you figure those saved you from spending while doing your hike? I assume their contents' cost and the cost of shipping was over and above the $2,000+ you spent.

But you must have noticed five years ago that not that many were following your dollar-a-mile example. It's just not that common today.

[Alligator]

... I hate the banks.They will screw you the very first chance they get.

Absolutely.

[Footslogger]

I wound up just cutting them up with a scissors. Haven't used C-cards in almost three years. I hate the banks.They will screw you the very first chance they get.

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Not that this has anything to do with the cost of a thru-hike but ...I went the other route. I closed out all but one of my cards. The one I kept gives you points for every dollar spent that can be used to claim products and travel. I used that card now for literally EVERYTHING and I pay off the entire balance every month. I carry very little if any cash any more these days. On the trail I used a Debit card from my bank when cash payment was necessary.

Nice thing about that is that you end up with a receipt for just about every penny spent AND ...over time you can get some pretty decent stuff. For example, I just got a digital camera (Canon SD450) for backpacking.

'Slogger

[the goat]

Yes, it can be done and congrats for doing it...well, all but the cigarettes. :-) But you must have noticed five years ago that not that many were following your dollar-a-mile example. It's just not that common today.

yeah, i couldn't believe how much some folks had spent by the time we reached tenn., some more than $5K. it blew my mind b/c i didn't think i was living that far into the cheaper side. (i did roll my own smokes & buy beer in bulk from stores). i've long since quit smoking though, thankfully.

[Heater]

=========================
Not that this has anything to do with the cost of a thru-hike but ...I went the other route. I closed out all but one of my cards. The one I kept gives you points for every dollar spent that can be used to claim products and travel. I used that card now for literally EVERYTHING and I pay off the entire balance every month. I carry very little if any cash any more these days. On the trail I used a Debit card from my bank when cash payment was necessary.

Nice thing about that is that you end up with a receipt for just about every penny spent AND ...over time you can get some pretty decent stuff. For example, I just got a digital camera (Canon SD450) for backpacking.

'Slogger

For me, It does count in the cost of a thruhike. In fact, it is one one the reasons I am not going until 08. They will be paid off in Oct. 07 and my house and transportation will be paid off in Feb. 07. Bank (debt) free after that.


Then its only 330 bucks a month property taxes and insurance on my home and paying someone to cut the grass while I am away. So... figure $400 a month household expenses on a paid off house times 6 and that is still 2400 bucks total expenses while i am away.

[cjfetters]

The costs add up. But the cost of not going to much higher.

Do it this year, because if you don't you will be one year older when you do. - Warren Miller

[The Solemates]

$10. We want your $10 .

Good post (#39).

I don't get it.

[Alligator]

I don't get it.

It's a play on the movie Better Off Dead. The newspaper kid chases John Cusack's character around demanding $2.00 for the paper delivery. "Two dollars. I want my two dollars."

If you give $10 to WB, you can edit your posts.

[StarLyte]

It's a play on the movie Better Off Dead. The newspaper kid chases John Cusack's character around demanding $2.00 for the paper delivery. "Two dollars. I want my two dollars."

If you give $10 to WB, you can edit your posts.

ha ha okay so now he has $1,990 for his hike.

[StarLyte]

I admire your passion to do this on $2,000. I will say that.

It will take generosity of others along your path. If I see you, I will be part of that generosity.

Hike your dream hike friend.

[mingo]

i'm not giving you anything. you can fend for yourself

[The Solemates]

ha ha okay so now he has $1,990 for his hike.

I'm not thru-hiking next year.

[Dartman]

I started in '01 with $2000, and wound up borrowing $2000 more before I was done. After my appetite went through the ceiling, my food budget went out the window.

[Heater]

I started in '01 with $2000, and wound up borrowing $2000 more before I was done. After my appetite went through the ceiling, my food budget went out the window.

2K more! For food?

How much peanut butter and bagels does 2K get you?

[QHShowoman]

When I budgeted $5K for my hike, I figured that if it takes me 5-6 months to hike, that would allow me approximately $1000 a month. That $1000 would include any mail drops, hostel/hotel nights, shuttles, and expenses that come up along the way. Basically every trail journal I've read and every thru hiker I've spoken with, even those who started out intended to use maildrops got tired of the food in their maildrops and instead resupplied in town. I don't drink or smoke and I am not a big partier in general (I fall asleep by 10 on most nights!), so I don't think I'll blow any money on booze or partying. BUT, I do want the financial freedom to be able to spend a night in a hostel or hotel every week or so. I also don't have much in the way of family support -- my mom doesn't drive on the highway and my dad is very sick -- so I'll also need to handle all the transportation myself (i.e. no loved ones meeting me at trail head).

[Footslogger]

[quote=QHShowoman] (I fall asleep by 10 on most nights)
======================================

Thru-hiker midnight is around 8 - 830. Won't be too many hikers up with you at 10.

'Slogger

[QHShowoman]

Um yeah, I should've specified that on a "normal" workday/weekend day, I am in bed by 10 -- when I camp, I usually fall alseep as soon as it gets dark!

[TOW]

Well, lets see based on your post I should save up $12,000.00 and stay at every hotel and hostel I come across and maybe bring my 90Qt. marine cooler with me.

Or, mabye you are one of those people that feel the need to attack others. Because you have no dreams, fantasies, or ambitions of your own. Hmmm I think you are.

It is kinda like guys you meet in the military. Think they know all there is to know about everything because they pulled guard duty on a fence in North Korea and when the first scud hits the ground they are crying like babies.

where in the heck did that come from? how was the man attacking you? what he stated was a fact and he ought to know what he's talking about, he has many more miles on the trail than you have hours on the computer soldier.............