November 4, 2019

The Cost of a Pacific Crest Trail Thruhike

I finally got around to calculating how much I spent on my thruhike of the PCT this year. It came out to a total of $5,092 (that’s in USD, as are all the dollar amounts in this post), and I wanted to do a write-up for anyone planning a hike for the future. Overall, I was spending money a bit faster ($1,553/month) than the average thruhiker, but because I was able to finish in only 100 days, I think my spending was around average. You can partly explain that by the fact that I was passing through towns more often and eating more food per day than the average 5-month thruhiker . Here’s a breakdown of my spending, with some details and discussion below:

  • Trail food: $2,036
  • Town food and beer: $1,208
  • Lodging: $524
  • Replacement gear: $598
  • Postage: $130
  • Subscriptions: $420
  • Transportation: $176

Trail food ($621/month)

I sent no resupply boxes at all, which means I was shopping the whole way, sometimes at rural general stores or gas stations, where food is more expensive. The trade-off was that I never had any shipping costs for my resupply. I’d be curious to compare my costs with someone that sent lots of boxes, paying less for the food but more on postage.

Town food and beer ($368/month)

I definitely overindulged on a regular basis, but that’s just what you do on a thruhike. I could have gotten away with less, but I would caution any prospective thruhiker that thinks they can avoid splurging on restaurants or vices like alcohol, pot, or tobacco while thruhiking.

Lodging ($160/month)

In California, I was often getting motel rooms all to myself, which is pretty indulgent for hikertrash. But I didn’t pay for any rooms in Oregon or Washington, so it probably averages out.

Replacement gear ($182/month)

Three pairs of shoes and a water filter. Pretty typical.

Postage ($40/month)

Just my snow gear and bear can. Way less than average.

Subscriptions ($128/month)

Phone with unlimited data, Apple Music, and Adobe Lightroom.

Transportation ($176 total)

Just my flight from Vancouver and one ferry ride. About as minimal as it gets.