Cost of a thru hike?

[johnnyo979]

Does anyone know about how much money it may cost to do a thru hike. I know it will differ from person to person. But what are you planning on spending?

[Al_HikesAZ]

I was asked a question on Quora about through hiking the Pacific Crest Trail.

What is the average budget that covers the entire PCT expedition?

I did some research. Here is my answer and conclusion:

There are some excellent discussions on the internet from PCT thruhikers. There are also forums for thruhiker discussions.

This first resource is great because it discusses non-hike considerations – such as subletting an apartment, putting personal belongings in storage, and modifying your pre-hike life to save money for the hike.
http://planyourhike.co...


This resource is great for looking at actual hike expenses for gear, food and towns.

http://www.halfwayanyw...
How Much Does It Cost To Hike The Pacific Crest Trail? | Halfway Anywhere
•How much does it cost to hike the Pacific Crest Trail? Perhaps the most popular question I have received from readers recently, and perhaps the most difficult to answer (accurately, that is, but I can make up numbers for days). As with the physical preparation http://www.halfwayanyw...required for a thru-hike, the monetary preparation required for the PCT varies greatly with each hiker.
•To help reach an answer, we can divide your monetary contributions to thru-hiking the PCT into three distinct categories: gear, resupply [food & supplies], and town.
‘ ‘ ‘
•Based on what I observed on-trail I would venture to guess that most people spend somewhere between $4,000 and $6,000 on a thru hike.

Based on discussions I have seen on other forums, a rule of thumb seems to be $1.50 per mile for on-trail food & supplies and town expenses. This is in addition to the costs of gear. So for the full 2,663 miles of the PCT you could expect $4,000 for on-trail costs excluding gear costs. Town expenses can add up quickly and are a large variable in the budget.

If you try applying this logic to the 800 mile AZT, you should expect to pay $1,200 to $1,500. YMMV

I hope some folks that have actually through hiked the AZT can add their personal observations to confirm my academic research.

[SpicedRum]

I spent less than a thousand dollars on my thru hike of the AZT last year

[cactuscat]

Assuming you already have most gear, $1 per mile is the number I have always heard.

[cavaroc]

This is my first long-distance thru-hike, so I'm budgeting $3/mile just to account for any unforeseen (to me) incidents and expenses.

[azbackpackr]

@cavaroc
Besides, you might want a motel and big buffet dinner along the way, more than once!

[te_wa]

i'm going to factor the cost of 45 days' mortgage, and same with car payment... that i won't be using. so i expect new shoes halfway, shipping costs of gear and food and all other little things around $2000 - i'd like to do SoBo in late september, gotta get planning soon!

[cavaroc]

@cavaroc
Besides, you might want a motel and big buffet dinner along the way, more than once!

That definitely factors in at least a few of those!

[steady]

I haven't done the AZT yet, but I've done the AT, PCT, CDT and a bunch more.

Generally, if it's your first hike/you get in a group that spends a lot of time in town/you drink frequently or smoke/you prefer more expensive foods or nicer accommodations, your hike will be relatively expensive. $2.50 - $3 per mile is probably a good guess.

Those that have more experience, have their gear systems dialed down, and are willing to stay out of town can usually do it quite a bit cheaper, maybe half that or less if that's what they're dedicated to doing.

My impression of the AZT is that it's less popular than the AT/PCT. Thus you'll have less chances of getting drawn into a group and spending more money just to stay with them. However, you also have fewer chances to partake in split rooms/hostels/hiker boxes/trail angels and magic, so it's probably harder to do extremely cheaply.

First timers that swear they're never going to town, they're eating only from their mail drops, they want to be one with nature....generally never ever do that. It's better to have more than you think you'll need. Even a very experienced hiker dedicated to a budget can't predict injury or weather that will keep them in town longer than planned.

I don't have a budget. I'm going with enough to do it in style, but planning to be as frugal as possible while still maintaining my happiness. I'd be pleased if I came in around $1000, if it's double that, so be it.