How cheaply could you realistically do a thru-hike

[garlic08]

What were your more inexpensive ways to resupply? Do you have any suggestions?

What worked for me was reducing mail drops to a bare minimum, not bringing a stove, and not using resupply as an excuse to take a zero. Going stoveless made things easier, and finding fuel was one less chore, and that got me out of town faster.

[TheYoungOne]

The problem I would see with the PCT is that prices for everything is higher in California, even more than the Northeast states on the AT. I'm just basing this on living in PA, and vacationing up and down the east coast, and comparing that to vacationing in California. Food and stuff in CA is the most expensive out of all of them. Not crazy expensive, but noticeably more. Even if you avoid partying and too many zeros, your resupply cost and replacing worn out gear cost are going to be slightly more inflated. If you are budgeting think about how much you paid to resupply once you passed the Mason Dixon on the AT and add a few bucks. Maybe someone who thru hiked the PCT can say if there is a reduced price shift once you hike into Oregon and Washington. Hopefully there is.

[ryan850]

The problem I would see with the PCT is that prices for everything is higher in California, even more than the Northeast states on the AT. I'm just basing this on living in PA, and vacationing up and down the east coast, and comparing that to vacationing in California. Food and stuff in CA is the most expensive out of all of them. Not crazy expensive, but noticeably more. Even if you avoid partying and too many zeros, your resupply cost and replacing worn out gear cost are going to be slightly more inflated. If you are budgeting think about how much you paid to resupply once you passed the Mason Dixon on the AT and add a few bucks. Maybe someone who thru hiked the PCT can say if there is a reduced price shift once you hike into Oregon and Washington. Hopefully there is.

That's a good point that I hadn't really thought of. Everything is more expensive in California. I saw small boxes of kid's breakfast cereal on sale at a grocery store for $5.99. Or about double the cost in my neck of the woods. Same was true for bread.

On the AT, mail drops didn't save any money due to shipping costs, but maybe it would on the PCT.

[JAK]

A cheap hike would be very realistic.
Not sure if it would be practical, probable, or enjoyable, but it would be VERY realistic.