AT Budget | What did I spend on my thru hike?

#atbudget #atspend #appalachiantrail #appalachiantrail2023 #appalachiantrailclassof2023 #hiking #atthruhike #thruhike
Are you planning a thru hike or just curious about how much it costs? This video breaks down my AT budget and covers how I spent the money on trail.
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[@bird.1980]

on my 17 day section hike I spent almost $1300 lol. I've got some work to do on my budgeting lol.....predicting my next section from Waynesboro to Front Royal won't be cheap with all of the food and lodging along the way

[@OGhikes]

You need to enjoy yourself 😁👍

[@Patches85]

Another great video. I really enjoyed watching your vlogs throughout your journey. Along with a couple other vlogs I've followed, it has inspired me to complete the AT in 2025 when I hope to retire. Your vlogs are very informative and helped me understand what it might be like to hike the AT. I would be interested to see a vlog on how you edited your videos while on the AT as I'm thinking of vlogging while on the trail, primarily for my family and friends to follow along on my journey and also to hopefully ease some of my wife's fears.

[@OGhikes]

Thank you! It was a bit of work putting the videos together but I’m so glad I did.

[@raymondbond1468]

Been through a lot of these videos since a few months ago. Defiantly got the big to hit the AT. Might be looking at spring of 2025 myself. As for the video, a lot of good insight to costs and what I could cut to save some money. I'm personally out for the thrill of the hike, and plan to do most of it sleeping in the great outdoors. Might stay at a hostel or two, but I think I'll avoid dining and hotels. One last question, do you have any videos on keeping your gear in good shape during the hike?

[@beck57]

Thanks again, O.G.! Very informative. A goal I am shooting for. Your video was appreciated. Hope you are recovered and enjoying a fabulous summer.

[@OGhikes]

Thank you! 😁

[@Randee04]

I was very psyched when I received notification of a new video and I finally was able to watch it. The spread sheet display was an excellent way to keep up (and I hate doing excel). I want you to hike SOON. I bet it's calling you so much. Hurry and post again! :)

[@OGhikes]

Thank you!! I miss hiking and I miss making videos. I’ve got some ideas and I’m planning to do a shakedown hike with a prospective 2024 thru hiker in Oct.

[@katfish000]

Thankyou so much. I think we're all very curious about that aspect of the adventure. 😊

[@OGhikes]

Thank you! People don’t talk about it much so I thought it might be helpful or at least mildly interesting 😁

[@tammyinman2335]

I have always heard that it cost around 10,000.00 to hike the AT. You did a great job explaining everything, and those Excel spreadsheets were on point. Thank you for taking the time to make this video. That after trail feeling has got to be tough. A lot of people talk about it. Focus on the things you need to focus on. It will get better. Thanks again for taking time out to give us this great information.

[@OGhikes]

Thank you, I enjoyed putting it together, it gave me a chance to remember places that I stayed or ate or visited that I really enjoyed! 😁

[@debsmith7050]

Seems you were very frugal OG. It was a pleasure to follow you along the way. Great to see your fuzzy beard 😊

[@OGhikes]

Thanks! I was a little cheap 🤣. Beard is kind of crazy but I’m keeping it for now 😁

[@patriciabarnhart1886]

I hear that jealous remark from so many! It was a pleasure meeting Honey Stinger, and thanks for sharing the journal entries!

[@OGhikes]

Thank you!

[@lynniesmoosegotloose9435]

Great to see you! Great info. Keep in touch. We miss you!

[@OGhikes]

Thanks so much!!

[@alannansel1823]

Thanks for a detailed lay out.

[@OGhikes]

You bet! Hope it was helpful

[@beckyleheny8636]

Nice to see you again! Friends hiked the trail in '73. Interesting enough they spent between $1,000 and $1,500. I looked it up and in today's money that equals around. $6,000! I thought that was pretty cool.! Of course, back in those days there weren't many hostels at all and spending 5 days straight on the trail was fairly common, I think my friends took 2 or 3 zeros.

[@OGhikes]

That is very cool! Things have really changed and there is a whole economy based around the trail! 😁

[@maureenstathes1892]

If you can't do the full AT again, maybe do some sections and join newbies on their first AT.

[@OGhikes]

That would be fun!! I like that idea.

[@tomellis3218]

Really appreciate the detailed breakdown & suggested $7k budget. Question: You mentioned you were more tired in Vt, NH & in Maine & I have heard from other thru hikers comment the same and if there was one important change they would suggest is taking more zero days throughout the hike to recoup erase to prepare your body physically for the grueling last three states; your thoughts please. 😊

[@OGhikes]

Thank you! By NH and ME you are just worn down and I’m not sure a lot of zeros before then would really make a huge difference. It’s just the accumulation of miles by that point. Plus the terrain becomes very difficult. I did get off trail a bit more often the farther north I got, but some of that was due to weather as well.

[@robertdesrosiers4743]

thanks o.g be well and blessed

[@OGhikes]

Thank you!

[@marymoose729]

Thanks for breaking this down, I have been wondering about the cost!

[@OGhikes]

Glad it was helpful!

[@PacemakerandButtons]

Great expense report!! Love the breakdown ❤ LETS GO

[@OGhikes]

Let’s go!!!!

[@dawnseely1013]

Great summary OG - thank you for sharing all the info.$ We just got a REALLY COOL SUMMIT POSTCARD in the mail today!!!! We love getting those 🎉🎉🎉. Thoughtful of you and we are so happy that your thru-hike is COMPLETE! GA ✔️ NC ✔️ TN ✔️ VA ✔️ WV ✔️ MD ✔️ PA ✔️ NJ (the best state) ✔️ NY ✔️ CT ✔️ MA ✔️ VT ✔️ NH ✔️ ME ✔️ ... and your scout badge of honor (probably your tag and smelly pack, but -) 🏕️

[@OGhikes]

That is awesome! Glad you liked the card!!

[@ibrewalot]

Great to see you again, OG! I still say to my wife and my dog every chance I get, "trail goes that way, you know what we do, let's gooooo!"...in a whisper, of course. 🙂

[@OGhikes]

I love it! Let’s go!!! 😁

[@lonleyndn]

Been saving up the food and fuel for years now. Much of it bought at various times throughout on "clearance." The rest, I dehydrate and package myself. Sadly, I will have little to no support at home. Somehow I have ALWAYS managed to do shorter (100 mile +/-) through-hikes and made it back by faith alone, lol. GOD BLESS THE GOOD GUYS! (Trail Angels). I plan to do mostly mail-drops (making friends with the mail-folks now :-) ) and carry two weeks on my back (light-weight-meal-planning has been hectic to say the least), but things change I know. My intentions are to prove that, with enough planning, determination and dedication to the trail, one can make the journey on less than $3,000.00. Easy to say, I know, but I paid off my first home on $3.35/hr. and folks said THAT couldn't be done either 🙂 Gonna see. My biggest issue now is leaving my cat alone. He was my children's cat, they have grown and gone (I raised them alone - 2), he is fourteen years old and "I" keep waiting, lol.....By-the-way, you are STILL my hero, lol. "Cool Runnings" my friend.

[@OGhikes]

That is awesome! I wish you the best and it sounds like you have a solid plan! With mail drops and discipline you can certainly do it for less that I did! You got this… Let’s go!!

[@Lovesracing19]

Great break down of expenses.

[@OGhikes]

Thank you!

[@rubyjackson5630]

Thanks for the update, nice to see a video from you. Stay safe and yall take care. 😊

[@OGhikes]

Thank you! 😀

[@johnmys5am]

Nice break down. If anyone calculates the unrealized wages, no one would ever try it! Thats going to helpful for future thru hike attempts. The entrance and exit strategy does need to be included (only in my opinion). There would have been air, train/bus fare and possibly one night at a hotel, at least on the way in. (at that time you don't know just how easy it is to get on and off trail.) Congratulation on being a thru hiker!!!! After you've been off the trail a while, you may not ever run into another one. THATS how special you are.

[@OGhikes]

Thank you so much. I don’t really feel special but I appreciate you saying that! Good point on the entry and exit! I didn’t include the expense of driving to Amicalola Falls and the night I spent in the Lodge. I didn’t pay for those on my hiking budget but they need to be included. I certainly wouldn’t want to calculate lost wages! I stepped away from a nice job and have just started back to work (at a much lower wage) but I’m happy and have no regrets. Thanks again for your kind words! I appreciate it so much. 👍

[@TheOleMaineGeezer-uf9fy]

If my doctors give me a go-ahead, I'm shooting for 2024-5-6 section hikes. Would be great to meet you on trail. LOL Regards, "The Maine Øle Geezer"

[@OGhikes]

You got this! Would love to meet up with you on trail!

[@1z1zmike]

Very helpful…thanks 🙏🙂

[@OGhikes]

Glad it was helpful!

[@maryemilymcdonald]

So interesting!!! I know this will be very helpful for others who may hike the AT!!

[@OGhikes]

I hope so, and it was fun to put together 😁

[@1024Pete]

Thank you. Very helpful. Best wishes.

[@OGhikes]

You are welcome! Thanks

[@ervinslens]

Nice break down from your previous experience, you elaborated everything so nicely! Thx bud for this information and definitely useful video! You have fantastic channel!

[@OGhikes]

Thanks so much! Glad you enjoyed it.

[@janiceh4521]

Great information for someone who’s thinking about hiking AT. Very informative. Hope you’re well!

[@OGhikes]

Thanks! You too!

[@pamfitzpatrick3252]

Thanks!

[@OGhikes]

You bet!

[@jennagilbreath]

As I prepare for the AT next year, I’ve been getting more and more information that the original $6k I planned on saving was not enough. Thank you for sharing this and again confirming my suspicions!

[@OGhikes]

Sure thing and you got this next year!! 👊

[@joankline343]

Congratulations 🎉 & it's good to see you again! I hope you're enjoying your time with family and friends. Thanks for sharing your video explanation of your Hike. Looks like you did an excellent job with your funds. I really enjoy following you. Best wishes Always on whatever you do in life. 🙏

[@OGhikes]

Thank you so much! I missed working on videos. I’m going to try and put out some more. 😁

[@kayhooper5672]

Impressive that you were able to keep up with all this. Wow.. must be accountant or finance kind of guy. Was it the best 6000 you have spent?? Count the cost but consider the value of life experience too. For those planning...over estimated better to have money left over than short. good to see you are recovered. Let's goooo..

[@OGhikes]

Haha, I’m so bad with numbers and finance! But I do love a spreadsheet though 😀. It was the best 6k I could have spent! Let’s go!!

[@sherryzee2634]

Thank you so much! Don't know if I'll ever attempt this but the info and videos are feeding that little wiggle in the back of my mind

[@OGhikes]

You got this. Let’s go!! 😀

[@2Meals]

Did my last year. Still missing it every day. Found some time to hit the BMT in the fall. I am thankful for that. Thanks for sharing all this information.

[@OGhikes]

Congrats on your hike last year! I’m itching to get back on some trails!

[@ItsRubysMomsTurn]

Thanks OG. Great breakdown. This will really help me get a more realistic budget

[@OGhikes]

Thank you, glad it was helpful!

[@josephmayes8302]

Great video brother. Very informative!

[@OGhikes]

Appreciate it!

[@maureenmukhlis2934]

What a pleasure to see your video today!! I’ve been thinking of you and wondering how you’re doing 🤗 Thanks so much for sharing this with us! I really did not consider how expensive it would be to hike the trail but now I know that I really need to up the ante on my savings! 😂😂 I saved this so I can refer back to it again. Wishing you and your family a lifetime of great health, love and happiness 💗💗💗

[@OGhikes]

Thank you so much! I appreciate you!! 😀

[@jimlee1831]

Good video, enjoyed it! I followed you most of the way through your hike. I started watching after you were on one of Taylor’s videos. Keep making videos, I think they are really enjoyable.

[@OGhikes]

Thanks so much, I really appreciate that.

[@maureenstathes1892]

Wow... what a great explanation for your costs. I wounder do you think a man would eat more than a woman doing the AT. I'm planning a 2025 and had $5,000 budget for on trail. I have a few trail angels that I am going to stay with along the way.

[@OGhikes]

The women I hiked around put down some food too! 🤣 $5k would be super tight but you could do it with help from angels 👍 😁

[@IamMuddy]

Thanks for the info!

[@OGhikes]

You bet!

[@snark007]

Thanks , great information

[@OGhikes]

Glad it was helpful!

[@youngAThart]

Great info. You were really frugal 👍 Did I miss what you spent total on shuttles?

[@OGhikes]

I didn’t spend that much on shuttles and they were always cash, so I didn’t have a financial record of them. Most of my shuttles were from hostels and were included in the price. I always split shuttles with other hikers too. I would say I probably spent about $100 total on shuttles. Folks who slack pack or don’t hitch will spend way more then that. Shuttles can get very expensive.

[@musingsatmidlife5278]

Great video! Very helpful!! Did you include shuttles in any of those totals? Thanks!

[@OGhikes]

Thank you! Shuttles were a cash item, so they are just absorbed into the total from cash in hand. I didn’t take a ton of shuttles though, most of mine were through the hostels and weren’t an additional charge. I always split shuttle charges with other hikers too. 👍

[@allenhansen7783]

Great video! Thanks for the financial update. I’m curious as to how you managed your money while on trail? How much cash did you carry? Where did you get your cash? Did you carry a credit/debit card? Did you use cash or credit/debit more? How do other thru hikers manage their money? This could possibly be another video idea?

[@OGhikes]

Thanks! I had a hiking debit card. It was a separate account, that was my wife’s request and it worked out great! I usually got cash back at my resupply but I never had that much cash with me. Maybe $100 at a time and I didn’t use cash that often. Debit card and Venmo were convenient and easy.

[@larrykennedy2710]

Of the restaurants, stores and places to sleep, which ones would you definitely recommend?

[@OGhikes]

That’s a great question! There were some awesome places to stay and they were all great for different reasons. The restaurants were all amazing because it was food 🤣 they might have been terrible in normal day to day life but for a hiker - I had no complaints!! I hate to single out any hostel or hotel here cause honestly they all provided value at the time. I’ll say that the mattresses at both Stanimals left a lot to be desired. But I still enjoyed my stay at both of them. This might be an idea for a more in depth video where I cover all the places I stayed and give the pluses and minuses of each.

[@horsedog713]

I’m looking to hike in 2024. Would you mind sharing your spreadsheet? Great info!

[@OGhikes]

Sure thing. Let me know your email

[@wma874]

Great breakdown. Were there many hostels, shuttle drivers, etc that only took cash? Did you use Venmo much?

[@OGhikes]

Most of the hostels were fine with debit card. The shuttle drivers all were cash. I didn’t use that many shuttle drivers though and always had buddy’s to split that expense. Many of the hostels used Venmo and that was very convenient to use. I mostly used my debit card but did use Venmo a handful of times. It was convenient to have especially when paying other hikers for my portion of shuttles, etc.

[@wma874]

@@OGhikes thanks!

[@OGhikes]

You bet!

[@charlie-bucket]

Where is home...

[@scsangler9373]

Thanks for the great breakdown and explanation! Would you recommend setting up a Venmo account or is a credit card and some cash on hand all you really need?

[@OGhikes]

Venmo is very handy to have. Especially if you end up splitting expenses with other hikers it’s just so convenient to Venmo. But cash and debit is all you really need. Venmo is a convenient option. 👍

[@dannymcclendon1105]

Good breakdown. Did most hostels and shuttles take credit, or did you need to pay with cash, Venmo or PayPal .

[@OGhikes]

Thanks! Most of the hostels were good with credit. A couple also offered Venmo and it’s handy to have. Shuttles are going to be cash and they can get expensive quick. I usually stayed at hostels where the shuttle from trailhead was included. You can rack up shuttle expense if you are slack packing or traveling to towns outside of the trail “buffer”. Hope that helps.