It was back in the '80's when I first heard the "$1 per mile" figure quoted. The cost has gone up significantly since then. Heck, just a pair of good socks cost $22 these days...
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Minus gear, I spent $1150 on food, supplies, mail drops (one from Family, so add $30-40 if you want), camera replacement, and the three or four times I stayed at a hostel. My parents put me in a hotel once, (so add $60?) and a couple hikers put me in a hotel once - magic in return for magic sort of thing. This was in 2009. I was off the trail for ~9 days at one point, where my family fed me well- but I am not sure that changes much. If you add in all the gear, it is over $2500, though some was not used... Silly newbie. If you add in additional life costs to be able to stay on the trail, +$2500 to move back home, +$3600 to keep paying loans/bills for the minimum amount of time.Originally Posted by WIAPilot
I did _NOT_ set out to hike for so close to $1000, but the financial situation turned on me and I just made it work. I didn't get real food at each town, which may have been nice? I didn't pamper myself, but I wasn't out there to be pampered. So $2200? Completely doable, comfortable for me even. (If you are excluding the additional life costs and gear).
This "he" is a "she." Yes, Rain Man, women now fly and own aviation companies.And if you want to get "real" anal, let's factor in the health benefits such as lost weight and increased overall health vs. potential hiking accidents, etc. My whole point is that the $1 per mile is still being touted as current on numerous websites.
The fact is that you do need to wash your clothes occasionally and as anyone who frequently goes to the grocery store knows = prices since 1990 have increased by about 40%-50%. Heck, even in the last 2 yrs since the gas crunch, they have increased about 15%.
And who doesn't factor in cost to get to the trail? Like Beam me up, Scotty! Likewise, Trail Magic is nice, but new hikers need to realize that, legalisms aside, they had better plan on at least close to $2-$3 per mile instead of relying upon the kindness of other hikers.
Sure, about 10 years ago. Today, figure about $1.60-$2.00/mile.
But you're correct, because it depends on your style.
If you like hotels/motels/hostels every week; if you like restaurants and beer at every town; if you smoke; then your hike will certainly be more expensive than someone who uses paid lodging sparingly and doesn't indulge in many restaurants or spirits.
Formerly 'F-Stop'
If you don't like the road you're walking, start paving another one.
~ Dolly Parton
I spent 7K+ on a six month thru last year only going into town every 10-14 days but living it up in town number may be slightly HIGHER than others cost due to unnamed expense. it seemed to me that you could do it pretty cheaply if you never stayed in towns but im not sure how many would make it the whole way with out a few nights off trail.
I did not take economics in college like some of more the learned posters, but I do know what the word pedantic means. I, of course, have a dictionary.
In any case. I'll keep it simple: I still feel pretty sure in saying that a comfortable (again, not overly luxurious) thru-hike can be had for $3500. The means mainly hostels vs motel rooms, modest restaurant meals and out every 5 days vs 3 days. Town time kept to a minimum. Transportation costs usually aren't factored in, but would make sense. I took a Greyhound bus for under $100 for both the AT...and the CDT. If you want a hike on the the higher side of luxury (more rooms to yourself, frequent town stops and restaurant meals) and take closer to 6 months, $4500 is more on par.
Longer hikes (over 6 months) are more expensive of course. And if you are comfortable walking all day and not spending a lot of time in towns, a 4 month hike can be very inexpensive. Garlic has some good thoughts on that subject.
Last edited by Mags; 05-01-2012 at 19:48.
Paul "Mags" Magnanti
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The true harvest of my life is intangible...a little stardust caught,a portion of the rainbow I have clutched -Thoreau
I hiked on $1 per mile with $ to spare in '85 - - I also didn't drink much and pretty much thought of it as a wilderness experience (which it was) - - I remember getting quarters for pay phones, shopping with ten bucks for a week, no problem - - inflation obviously has to be figured in, but it really depends on your style - - if you want to pay for shuttles, stay in lots of hostels, party in towns, get a shower every couple of days, never yogi, etc. - - it might cost you $10K to hike the AT - - I maintain that if you hike the trail in a woods-person's style (but still have a little fun) a normal budget is now just under $2.00 per mile - - $5000 - that should get it done - - - of course the next time I hike the AT, I might drink a $1,000 bottle of wine on Mt. K and blow the budget right then and there.
To me this is a relative question (ask your brother) -- like asking "How much does it cost to maintain a house?", or "How much does it cost to eat in a restaurant?". Well it all depends. Are you Bill Gates or Joe Plumber? It's all relative, and will be different for every individual. I'm sure someone out there can hike the entire trail on nothing but what nature provides, and others will want/need every luxury and convenience they can afford. It's going to cost you something, but only you know your tastes and propensity to spend. I think every poster here has been correct - for their tastes and their budget. I've not done a thru hike, but my personal budget technique (for anything in life) is to plan for the higher cost and manage under that budget.
Biggie
you can do it with out spending alot of $ ,just stay on trail and not go nuts in town
wolf
i spend avg of 150$ per week - thats food and the occasional hostel laundry ect..
I think this is another thing I'm gonna calculate before I go. I'm a college student and how much things cost is kind of a big deal to all of us. Since I won't be working during this time, I'll also be figuring in how much money I will be losing from it all too.
"It is better to be violent if there is violence in our hearts than to put on the cloak of nonviolence to cover impotence." -Gandhi
in 1995 I spent 3k including paying shipping for my own food drops. If I were to hike it again I'd skip the food drops and have 3500 budgeted at least. I think it would take me less time and now town doesn't have all the appeal it did for me when I was younger. I don't consider the time I spent away from work as anything "lost" time, money or otherwise. Mooching hikers should be shunned, if you can't afford it, you're doing it wrong. Just like in "the real world".
Andy
counting dimes to head to the Long Trail in August
You gain knowledge. After completing a thru-hike of the AT you have a good idea what little it takes to make you happy. Invaluable. You know, whatever the case, you could always survive no matter what the situation. You come back from a thru-hike with an immense confidence that there aren't any obstacles that can't be overcome. You learn first hand about incrementalism (how very small actions, done continuously over a long period of time, can add up to great achievements). You learn to value experiences. You gain lifelong friends. You learn to like being with yourself.
I don't know how you calculate that into the economics of an AT thru-hike but it's certainly value you can't go down to the local Best Buy and pick up on a whim when you're bored.
Datto
Beautifully put and so inspiring!
And Blizzard, so encouraged that you intend to calculate the costs prior to your trip. Makes this discussion worthwhile!
I like Datto's post
The true cost of a thru depends so much on factors outside the trail. Do you have to forego an income while you hike yet continue to have to pay mortgage, car payments, student loans, medical insurance etc etc. The ages of hikers are quite bimodal, a large group who have not yet got their careers and commitments started and a group of retirees. Its too financially daunting for most folks in the middle.
I hiked as a retiree, on a modest teacher pension and my savings grew while I hiked. I spent less on my six months adventure than I would have with six months at home. No gas for the car, no electricity for the house, base water charge, cable on standby, no phone. no payments. On the trail I made great friends and we shared hotel costs making them comparable with hostels, we shared ride cost when hitching seemed unlikely and we ate town food whenever it was nearby. We also enjoyed a few beers in town. In all we enjoyed our hike, rested up when we wanted and did not go overboard while in town and in total spent less than staying home.
I dont know if my post helps anyone but my point is that there are so many ways to calculate what the hike costs and there are so many things that could or could not be included in that cost.. In my case it was a good savings strategy!!!
As a hypothetical exercise, how would you plan the least expensive possible hike?
One strategy would be mail ahead to yourself boxes of all your supplies and equipment, pre-packaged and pre-planned. It would take a lot of skill to know exactly what you need and when. But if you had that skill and experience, the ability to buy equipment on-sale and on-line and groceries in bulk from discount stores might off set the cost of postage. By pre-planning your meals you could eat bulk, non-processed foods which also saves. Plus there is the added bonus of being able to hike lighter (carry only what you need) and thus faster. Cutting days on the trail would also go a long way to saving money.
But then there is the opposite strategy of planning nothing and living out of the hiker boxes. If successful, then time on the trail wouldn't be an issue.
A third possibility would be to pack as much as possible so you can stay on the trail as long as possible and out of towns.
Again, I'm not suggesting any of these would be desirable or fun. But as a hypothetical exercise, how would you do it?
Here's a fairly recent thread on this topic:
http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/show...of-a-thru-hike
And a spreadsheet I built based on input from that thread:
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/...EZybTZtZV9SOEE
Disclaimer: This spreadsheet is strictly cyber-hiking, and does *not* reflect any real-life experience...
L Dog
AT 2000 Miler
The Laughing Dog Blog
https://lighterpack.com/r/38fgjt
"The clearest way into the Universe is through a forest wilderness." - John Muir
$5000...............
LOL LDog, I love your spreadsheets.
I rode a bicycle 2,000 miles over 30 days and ended up spending only $300, not including the cost of the bike. I did not stay in a hotel one time. That's 10 bucks a day. SO I fugure 10 bucks a day x 210 days = length of AT> I've only section hiked, but I bet you can do a hike for a $1 a mile IF you stay at zero hostels, get out of town as quickly as you can with resupply, and perhaps pig out on McDonald's dollar menu.. and of course, avoid alcohol.
Now of course, if one includes stuff as lost job revenue, time with family, etc... then the cost of a true thru-hike can be very expensive.
I would like to see some journals where people are cheap-skates trying to do a $1 a mile thinig.... Can anyone point me to some?
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