Cost

[Lone Wolf]

bottom line, an end to end thru-hike is not about "finding" oneself. it's a marathon. daily planning. all about the destination. never about just "being" on the trail. my observation

[TD55]

It might not be nature at its finest but its all we have left in the eastern united states.

Twenty years from now folks hiking the AT today will say "I remember the trail when..."

[sevensixtwo187]

I did not mean my comments as a slight to you. I was just trying to say that we all at some point need to live in society, raise families, etc. Buying a house and car and other stuff is all part of that.

I am much further away from being able to thru hike the trail today than I was a few years ago...I got married, had a kid, bought a house, etc. Having material goods that I need to work to pay for is part of that. Having a family is another part of that.

No problem. I probably overreacted just a bit. You hit the nail on the head with this last reply. I have children, wife, bills. Would love to leave work for 6-7 months but could never do it. At least not now. I was just curious how others manage. I sure wish I could ....

[tdoczi]

No problem. I probably overreacted just a bit. You hit the nail on the head with this last reply. I have children, wife, bills. Would love to leave work for 6-7 months but could never do it. At least not now. I was just curious how others manage. I sure wish I could ....

i think the point is they either do it before or after those responsibilities kick in or they have chosen to not take on the responsibilities because theyd rather do stuff like hike the AT than raise a family. that seemed to be what was implied but not explicitly said, that the responsibilities that would keep people from undertaking something like a thru hike are a choice, and some people just don't have them.

[GalHikingTheGap]

I got a car and job right out of school, paying off my credit card, loans. If I had known I wanted to thru-hike I would have SoBo-ed that year, but then I wouldn't have my job. Ah well. My SO knows that he plays second fiddle to the A.T., and non-negotiable I want to thru before I end up in delicate condition. Due to logistics, I might end up married before I thru. I'd like to have $9,000 saved up to cover the hike, transport, and bills whilst away.

[ChinMusic]

..... whilst away.

You been reading Tintin's journal..........

[RGB]

bottom line, an end to end thru-hike is not about "finding" oneself. it's a marathon. daily planning. all about the destination. never about just "being" on the trail. my observation

Looks like your hiking got in the way of your trail experience. One of the best set of words on Kincora's walls.

[Graywolf]

The costs of getting back to Texas from Baxter State Park, especially at premium rates with no advance reservation, might surprise you a little. Bus to Portland, train to Boston/New York, plane to ?, bus/shuttle home.... The hike ain't over when you climb the big guy. Don't forget the initial costs of getting to Atlanta and then to Amicalola SP. Don't forget lodging and food each way. Those $50 shuttles and motels and bus tickets all add up. (For me, the days of hitchhiking on the open road or sleeping on bus station chairs are gone, so travel now costs some money.)

As Gadget says, it's best to budget, or at least have some contingency funds, for emergencies. Don't count on a continuous hike and staying healthy (and your loved ones staying healthy) the whole way. I also agree with what he says about a thru hike being a little different than a series of section hikes. It's rare you need new shoes, or need to go home for a family illness, wedding (pretty common on the AT), or death, during a section hike.

I'm glad Weathercarrot's article got mentioned--that has some real day-to-day tips for saving money.

The cost of me getting back to Texas on Greyhound comes to $190. Yes, I know the cost of getting from Gainesville to Springer, $50. The cost of getting to Cherokee, N.C from New Found Gap, about $4 bucks. etc, etc, yes, Im going into Cherokee for resuplly instead of Gatlynburg. I have done my research.. No fears here. And yes, I have more then $2500, thats just what I am budgeting. I dont live inside the box like some folks here. I live outside the box.. I also gave up pizzas years ago. I also do not drink. If you think drinking is essential to hiking the trail, well, HYOH!! I just know how to budget and dont need all thos luxuries like manicures, caviar, lobster dinners, etc etc.. I am out there to hike and experiance the trail.. I dont think it cost $300 bucks to cross a state line..But then, thats just me..

Hike On!!

[jtbradyl]

All you need is rice and tea. At the most $300 for a thru hike. + a pair of shoes but you can bring an extra. On the other hand this is not like trekking the wilderness and for most it's a vacation so why not spend the bucks for comfort. It improves your mood and enables one to better enjoy the great outdoors. Years ago when people found themselves in the woods they were lost. If anyone wants to go the "poor" route limit the trip to one or two weeks.

[Megapixel]

All you need is rice and tea. At the most $300 for a thru hike. + a pair of shoes but you can bring an extra. On the other hand this is not like trekking the wilderness and for most it's a vacation so why not spend the bucks for comfort. It improves your mood and enables one to better enjoy the great outdoors. Years ago when people found themselves in the woods they were lost. If anyone wants to go the "poor" route limit the trip to one or two weeks.

John Muir, rice and tea. True.

[DapperD]

All you need is rice and tea.

If possible, some beans would also be nice

[Trailbender]

All you need is rice and tea. At the most $300 for a thru hike. + a pair of shoes but you can bring an extra. On the other hand this is not like trekking the wilderness and for most it's a vacation so why not spend the bucks for comfort. It improves your mood and enables one to better enjoy the great outdoors. Years ago when people found themselves in the woods they were lost. If anyone wants to go the "poor" route limit the trip to one or two weeks.

Well, eat nothing but rice and you will start suffering malnutrition, as well as being hungry as hell all the time. You need a balanced diet, especially when doing something as physically demanding as a thru. And yes, meat is part of that, despite what vegans will tell you. To each their own as far as diets go, but veganism is pretty much a hobby for rich college kids. Poor people don't really have a choice of what to eat.

[10-K]

If possible, some beans would also be nice

I was at Sam's Club the other day and man.... you can get more rice than you can carry for $20.....

[Bare Bear]

My last AT trip cost me $20 a day

[chicote]

3K should be plenty comfortable. My wife and I set a budget of 6k spent about 5K. Drank some beers, stayed in motels, hotels and hostels - longest stretch of zeros was 3 with family. But really only had 7 total zeros - a decent amount of neros.

If I were to do it over I'd budget more for food in town and on the trail. I lost too much weight just a tad more than 50 pounds - final weight in the 140's and I'm 6'2". BJ's Ice Cream has tons of calories! Pizza has all the good food groups and Burgers have that essential protein!

Good luck.

Oh and about finding time to hike the trial. Wife and I also quit our jobs and went for it. Totally worth it.

Happy Trails.

[Torch09]

I think my hike is a good example of what NOT to do. The very modest $900 i had budgeted for my trip lasted only 3 months, which was surprising, considering how many zeros i took (i believe about 40 in 6 months). After i ran out of cash (yes, i was carrying 900 bucks with me from Springer) my mother was gracious enough to fund the rest of my hike. Next year when i hike again, i'm planning on having a minimum of $3000 available (not all with me

[4eyedbuzzard]

...is $20,000 (seriously, he was a 2009 thru hiker). I can't disclose his name or his wife may very well kill him !

"champagne wishes and caviar dreams . . ."
Now, that's my kind of hiker. Lobster, caviar, and Chivas by the campfire. Limo to the hostel. A sherpa for the uphills. A hiker can dream, can't he?

[JAK]

most who plan like this don't make it past damascus

Which makes it even cheaper.

[Dogwood]

Here we go again! I did it on $1000. No you can't! I did it on $500. No you can't! Yes you can. I did! I spent $6000. That's too much. What if I don't ever take a shower, do laundry, make a ph call, stay in a hotel room, or buy pizza or beer? What if I stiff every hostel and eat only from hiker boxes? What if my shoes never wear out? What if I have all my gear? Blah Blah Blah!

Whatever Lone Wolf said! Yeah that's right about $4000. But what if, if, if....

Sorry I've just gone around in circles seeing this topic covered to death!!!

[Pedaling Fool]

...Would love to leave work for 6-7 months but could never do it. At least not now. I was just curious how others manage. I sure wish I could ....

A lot of them in your age group are retired military.

To me it's about getting away from everything. It's about changing my everyday lifestyle. Just experiencing the Great Outdoors and Nature at it's finest.

The "Great Outdoors and Nature" gets old real quick. Not to mention that real nature is tough to live in. That's why so many can hike the AT, because it's so close to civilization. It's easy to get away from civilization, but no one does, they only talk about it.

You could easily hike for less than the average cost. Just stay away from hotels, hostels, beer... Only make town visits for essential supplies and keep moving, take zeros in the woods -- in your tent. You would save tons of money, but it's not as easy as it sounds.