Cost of Thru-Hike

imported
#1

I am trying to decide whether or not to go on a thru-hike next year or not. Of particular interest to me are the costs of what it would take walk the 2175 miles from Springer to Katahdin. I would like to know approximately the cost in dollars, time, and all the facets in which I would be giving up something to follow this dream of mine. I have done many dayhikes, overnighters and three-day trips totalling around 150 miles in the Southern Appalachians, so I have a decent appreciation for what the AT offers.

I am 24, two years out of college and have no spouse, car payment, house payment or any other major expense at the moment. I am in relatively good physical shape. Am I just crazy or should I seriously consider a thru-hike next year?

If anyone has any suggestions or practical advice, they would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks.

Trekking Trav

#2

Sounds to me like this is the perfect time to go. Why not?

Costs vary depending largely on how much time you spend in towns and what you choose to spend your money on. If you drink/smoke a lot, it gets expensive. I think the current average is about $2/mile - but it can be done for less or a lot more. I’ve known people who spent $10,000 on a hike, and a couple who did it for less than $1000. On whiteblaze.net there are a couple of good articles on doing the trail cheaply from folks who know. The more cash you have available, the less you’ll have to worry about it, but you don’t have to have a lot saved up to hike the trail.

Assuming you already have all your gear, thruhiking expenses include: transportation to/from the trail, food (both on the trail and in town), fuel, postage (big or small expense depending on whether you do maildrops, have a bounce box or send cold weather gear home/ahead, etc.), phone calls, lodging (can be shared and/or there are many inexpensive hostels on the AT), replacement gear (shoes especially, but a lot of people end up switching some gear along the way to get a lighter or more efficient pack, sleeping bag, tent, stove, etc.). Photography can become expensive, depending on whether or not you print out your photos or make cds of your photos for friends/family. Add in some spare cash in case you get sick or injured (even if you have insurance, you are likely to have some out of pocket costs) and some to live on after the trail since many hikers find that they are not willing to go back to work right away after finishing their hikes.

One of the ways to decrease expense is to spend less time in town. Every day in town means more money for food and lodging. At the same time, don’t assume you won’t want some days off. Hiking all day every day can become exhausting. You’ll want some breaks. If you leave earlier (i.e. Feb or March) you may also end up taking more time off because of weather. In the heat of summer you may take some time off. If you do a faster hike it may be cheaper - unless you get injured. Some hikers go home for weddings, graduations, funerals, etc. You may need money for a storage unit (unless your parents will store your stuff) and insurance. Otherwise, you’re in a pretty good place to go now. It gets more complicated after you have a home and lots of STUFF to deal with.

Ginny

#3

Once you have all your equipment purchased, set off with $6,000.00 to $7,500.00 to spend along the way. Assume a six-month hike, walking twelve miles each and every day. Every once and while, stop somewhere and linger, to re-energize and re-group.

Conan

Conan

#4

I did my thru hike this year for about $5000. This was kind of high though. I chose to stay in quite a few hostels and hotels. Had I sheltered or tented every night…I probably could have done the whole trail for under 3000. I had most of my equipment at the start and bought a lot of food ahead of time. I still spent quite a bit on town food though. The other thing, is I didn’t spend 6 months hiking…I was on a much faster pace of 3 and 1/2 months.

I did meet one guy who was trying to do it for under 1000…but I don’t think he made it. You should try to save up some extra because its worth it to make town stops and stay in a room once in a while. least that’s what i thought.

hope that helps

Lakewood

#5

EXCUSE ME
for years I have heard this $2 a mile B.S. Yes in the 1990’s it was possible to do the A.T. on $2 a mile.
BUT, in the last decade I have seen many of a young hiker give up (or forced off the trail) way too soon because they lacked the funds to complete the trail.
Now if you DO NOT mind- not being able to finish the trail than go ahead and go with the $2 a mile expense portfolio.
You can work along the way, you can yogi, you can still do it on $2 a day.
But if it means you lack the proper gear for hiking at altitude, or you get sick because of your lack of nutrition. You might be endangering yourself and if you offer unsound advice to young people you should get smacked down by a low hanging branch.
I have seen too many young peeps who battle the money issue straight from the git-go. Are they having “fun”?
Now it is admirable to be able to hump it on a shoestring but to offer advice to do that is insidious.
My advice $3.25 (BARE MINIMUM) per mile $7k in the bank or you can just suffer the consequences.

Thanks for letting me have my say.
This reply is totally my opinion and does not reflect on any other opinion or services.

rico suave

#6

that ricosuave is such a troll.
excuse me for saying. way too much coffee in his diet.
take the last post tongue in cheek and hopefully he will proof read next time before he spouts off
LOL

rico suave

#7

Right now I have a good bit of money saved up (around 3k), and have just about all the gear that I think I will need except a good winter bag. I don’t smoke or drink and try to spend as many nights in a tent stealth camping as I can, so I know that will save a good bit of money. That said, anytime I can get a pizza delivered on the trail I’ll take it (Thank you Partnership).

In discussing my plans, my folks seem very concerned about me not having insurance or a job to come back to once the hike is completed. Dad even said, something to the effect of “If it’s something you want to do, that’s fine, but you won’t get my blessing.” So family issues are also a cost that I really did not think of until I started contemplating this journey.

Trekking Trav

#8

Big Daddy D hiked the trail a couple years ago and listed his expenses daily in his journal on this site and his cost was about $1.60 per mile, and he didn’t seem to spare the cost and enjoyed himself. So I would think it could be done for that today.

Al Bishop

#9

I always love when this one comes up every year… I say take as much as you can spare. Quite possibly a once in a lifetime experience. Have fun. This is a better way to spend money than owning a TV or some other piece of crap. From my personal experience, the people who had little money had less fun. I remember one couple in 2004 who had a miserable time up the whole trail because they could never afford staying in any town. I saw them in Hot Springs and it had been raining a lot. Everyone else stopped in that magnet of a town, had beers, dried out and stayed a day or two… they went to town, had no money for hot food, stayed long enough to do laundry and left… saw them again up in Manchester, Vermont… same story. They were hating life but felt they had to hike. The money issue does not have to be this polarized black and white thing. Not everyone who has no money has no fun and not everyone who brings lots of money just drinks eats and parties…

I brought a lot of money year one (2000) and was very thankful I did. I had a fabulous time and do not regret a single second. My advice, bring what you can spare… take your time and remember SMILES not MILES…

ASWAH

aswah

#10

I just finished a thru and I figured about $5K ($2.30/mile). This is pretty much in line with what other people spent. There were some folks on a really tight budget at the end and some people spent the whole budget on party supplies and quit before or at Trail Days. Do you want to hike or party?
If you want to save money stay OUT of town and particularly bars. Drink beer but split a 20 pack with other hikers. Learn to like cheap beer if you gotta drink it.

A few hikers slacked the entire trail this year. A shuttle is a $1.00 a mile or more in some places. Some guys were spending $75/day on shuttles and another $100/day on hotels. Add to that meals because you aren’t cooking in a hotel and there were a few people who probably spent $15k on their thru-hike this year.

I think it is also cheaper in the long run to buy food along the way instead of mail drops except in a few places. A mail drop takes planning and sometimes means spending an extra day in town waiting for the P.O. to open. The same for bounce boxes. At an average of $10 for a flat rate box just carry the stuff or send it home. I also found I did not need ½ the stuff I send myself or I did not want to eat it because I was sick of it.
I took 10 zero’s. I replaced my pack. I ate in restaurants and I stayed in a few hotels. I carried bourbon with me on the trail and I bought beer in town. I did not budget every day but I did not go wild either.

iceman

#11

A hike can be done for $2-$3,000, or it can be done for upwards of$10,000 and more.

If you take three days off every week and stay in nice hotels and eat steak and lobster every meal when in town and drink only the best in Wines, Micros and Alky-hol then you will spend a ton.

If you go in for neros, occasionally stay in a hotel or hostel, with the EVRY NOW AND THEN work for stay–not every single one of them—and eat well, but not Fine dinning, you will do fine.

Of course, you can get in trouble by spending to much too fast and tyring to keep up with the other Hikers who have extra dough with them, if you yourself are not a high budget traveler.

It doenst mean you cant hang out, just dont stay in all the smae hotels/bars/stores as some of them may if you cant afford it.

I cant count the people I have meet who by Damascus have spent every penny they have on town stops because they think it will last forever.

It can be done and with a lot of fun for under $4000…thats a decent number too shot for, besides, its about GEtting away from towns not getting into them for weeks at a time.

Lion King

#12

If you have no ongoing debts, don’t forget that you won’t have any rent, utilities, gas or other bills that you normally accrue in “regular life”. Put your stuff in storage, etc. Most people spend a LOT more living regular lives than they do hiking for the same period of time.

-Jonathan

Jonathan

#13

You’re 24, no payments or spouse, don’t drink or smoke and you have 3k saved up? Dude, just go. Your dad will get over it.

Apple Pie

#14

The family issue is such a large one that it can’t be ignored. You’re right to count it as a cost of the hike, and budget for it accordingly.

That being said, I wish that I had taken the opportunity to do more long trips while I could. I am now 36, two kids in school, a wife in school, two jobs, and absolutely no way to do a long hike for a few more years. Not that I don’t love my life as it is currently, but I do wish that I had taken a couple of opportunities before I entered this phase of my life.

I’m not going to sit in front of a computer and say “Go!”, but I will say to think about it very hard. Best of luck to you.

bugleboy

#15

Trekking Trav, get on the trail! You have a few months to put some more cash in the bank. You’re in a good position to do the hike now. Most people thru-hike during a transition in life…between college and work-place, work and retirement, between jobs, etc. Your life comittments right now are minimal which will lead to a stress-free, enjoyable hike. Get on the trail…it will be something you will look back on for the rest of your life, when you are looking out the window of your office 10 years from now. Go, enjoy, live! Your Dad will come around once you’re on the trail. He’s just being a good Dad now and wants to make sure you evaluate it thoroughly. Have a good hike…maybe I’ll see you out there! :slight_smile:

-Mark A

Mark A

#16

In '01, there were two hikers that probably set records for the cheapest and most expensive thru-hikes ever. “Packman” (name changed later in his hike) ran out of $ (very tight budget) about half way through his thru-hike, and believe it or not actually hiked without any $ for the rest of his hike (He flipped to Katahdin and then walked back home to PA without a dime). How is this possible??? Back in '01 the hiker boxes were definitely more generous.

Also in '01 “Motel Bill” got his trail name by staying in every motel, hotel, and B&B that was available, including the Hanover Inn which costs around $200/night. I didn’t ask him what his total was, but i bet it was at least $20,000 considering his hotel habit and his food tab, which was high as well…

As for your dad’s attitude - at some point everyone has to break free from the parental control. My dad once threatened to disown me, and my reply was “great, go ahead, I really don’t want to be owned by anyone anyway.”

Happy Trails!

freebird

#17

10 years from now, how will you feel if you don’t do this? How will you feel if you do?

About 11 years ago I “responsibly” chose to abstain from an upcoming Pink Floyd concert. My wife and I were both in school with young kids and a tight budget, and after a lot of deliberation, I did the “right thing”, and passed on the $60 tickets.

Trouble is, I’m convinced today that I definitely did the wrong thing. Turns out, that was their last tour (pray not, but hey…aren’t they like in their 70’s?) I cringe every time I reflect on missing it. I should have sold blood, if that’s what it took! That 60 bucks to me today is irrelevant, and I know that for me, I f’d up.

So, what if I had spent the 60 and screwed up on a bill, or even missed the rent? What if you do the AT hike, and end struggling with no money in real life after it’s over? Well, I know now that, first, I most likely would have rearranged the financials and just dealt with it, maybe even having to sell some belongings. Well, so be it; they’re probably belongings that I no longer own anyway, or they’re in storage.

So, worse case, if you finish without a dime to your name, no insurance, no job yet, could you deal with it? Could you march into Burger King and get something temporary so’s you could eat? Could you rent a cheap room for a while? COuld you do all that without imposing on the folks? (they might be afraid of the bird returning to the coop, just when they were enjoying their freedom sans kids).

Can’t tell you what’s right for you, but you probably can. Hike your own hike; this should include prepping for it.

One more thought: your dad might respond well to a polite, but firm statement of your intentions, but then ask for his help and advice, and maybe even arrange to have him meet you for some section hiking, or a reunion somewhere on some zero days. If he has internet, try to get him to read some of the journals on TJ.

Good luck buddy. Will you keep us apprised? Either in this forum or in a journal?

Hoopdedoo

#18

I’m a dad. I’ve got kids who are in their later 20’s. I don’t always agree with their plans. But I sure appreciate it when they talk to me about their goals and ideals, and they listen to my concerns. Mostly I just need assurance they have really thought it through and that they have a plan that holds water. Well, a few leaks are OK. Sometimes it is simply that I need more or better information. It is then so very nice for both me and for them when I can get behind them and support them as they pursue their dreams. This gives me bragging rights, too! And now they even support me when I go out and hike. Wow – win-win!

dioko

#19

I don’t have anything all that different to say from what has already been said. My approach is the suggest you ask yourself a few questions:

  1. Why do I want to do this? LD hiking is NOT an adrenaline sport. The first rush of starting the trip is pretty exciting, but then things settle down into a multi-month slog. What kind of satisfactions do you expect to get out of hiking and being outside? Will hiking do it for you, or should you go get a job in a ski resort for a year and do a bunch of snowboarding?
  2. The money thing: It’s hard to overstate the social pressure on young hikers to party their way along the trail. That can be expensive. In your previous life, if you’re with a groups of friends–people you really like and want to hang out with–who want to do something you shouldn’t do, how do you react? Do you generally go along with what the others want to do? If so, have at least 5 or $6000 available. Your hiking friends WILL want to take zero days in town, eat at restaurants, drink, and go to movies. Many of them. More money would be better.
  3. Your parents: As long as you don’t have to depend on their help in any way, you are in a much better position to do whatever you want. Be respectful of their opinions, but try to educate them about hiking, the AT, the history of it, etc. If they come around and want to be involved, you can arrange to have them send you off at the start and/or meet them along the way, have them help with mail drops (sending maps and such), have them be your point of contact for any sort of Trail Journal or blog you might set up to keep family and friends appraised of where you are and what you’re doing. That’s only IF they want to be part of your hike. And IF they are capable of being involved without trying to take control. Perhaps a visit to the ATC headquarters at Harper’s Ferry over the holidays would help them become more receptive to the idea of your hike.

Just a few thoughts…Best wishes for whatever you decide to do!

Five-Leafed Clover

#20

As far as insurance…I bought a $250 policy from TravelGuard that covered me up to $10,000 for 4 months. I made one hospital visit for an infection in my toe and the insurance covered it. You can get “Travel insurance” fairly cheap these days.

I will warn you though…if you do have a claim, it can be annoying trying to get the company to pay it. Make sure you keep all paperwork from any hosptial or doctor visit.

with that said, I would definitely recommend going for it.

-lakewood

lakewood