how much am I looking to spend for the trail daily after food? trying to keep it low, low, low. any suggestions? I’m doin’ just the old PCT in OR and WA that hits pretty much all the same resupply points.
gus
Budget - Pacific Crest Trail
system
#2
Most hikers spend between $1 and $2 a mile including food. For section hike with food paid for, it could probably be a lot lower than $1.
How old are you and how trail-hardened are you? If you’re young and tough, you don’t have to spend much at all. Camp outside of towns, stay away from lodging, bars and restaurants, don’t replace any gear that’s failing, don’t make any newbie mistakes like getting dangerously wet or hurting yourself, hitch instead of public transport. If you do that, it’ll be possible to spend hardly anything at all.
On the other hand, you may want to budget a few $80 motel rooms, say $100 for transport, a couple of $10 meals at town stops, $100 for a new pair of shoes, $4 every town for laundry, $4 microbrews or milk shakes every once in a while, take an expensive zero day in town instead of the woods to recover from a pulled muscle or blistered foot, etc. It can go either way or anywhere in between.
Garlic
system
#3
I’m a newbie but I’m fit. Walked or rode my bike most my 33 years due to my intolerance for public transit ( I hate waiting) and mechanics. BUT I do enjoy a good beer and the company of a woman so it might be hard to resist the hotels and town stops. I have great boots that will carry me 1000 miles.
diggin’ holes and lay my tarp in for a laundry basin.
I have all my food already—$700 gonna be enough for 1000 miles?
gus
system
#4
If you have all your food and $700, it sounds like it’s time to hit the trail. Have a good hike.
If you’re new at it, you might want to head northbound. Oregon is a good place to get your trail legs before hitting more challenging terrain and possibly weather in Washington.
Garlic
system
#6
Did part of the A.T in 2005 and thought my budget was good enough till I ran out of cash. Garlic’s early estimates was good at about 1 to 2 dollars per mile so you 700 might be low put it to 1200 and I’d say your safe.
tomatohead