[pct-l] Hello - PCT costs

[m.karon@attbi.com (Marshall Karon)]

The cost of doing a long distance hike has been discussed on and off on this
list. I don't  think anyone can definitively say what it costs, nor what it
will cost you. I really never kept track, but it really was not all that
costly. I'm going to suggest that you do your own math depending on your
expectations.

 It all depends on:
    What equipment you need to buy
    What you will do at town stops - camp, take the expensive rooms, eat
out, etc.
    How many others you will share rooms with
    How fast you hike - thus how long you will be on the trail
    How you get to the trail - fly, bus, etc.
    Whether you get off the trail, go somewhere, and then back
    Whether you ship food to yourself (buying in bulk at home) or buy on the
way
    What type of food you consume on the trail (prebought, self dehydrated,
etc)
    What costs you have at home which need to continue (mortgage, loans,
etc.)
    Costs of the trail permit (go through the PCTA at www.pcta.org)

Costs of buying food on the trail for shipping to yourself varies by where
you are. Typically the costs are higher than if you buy from home,
especially at small resort stops.

Concentrating only on trail costs:
    Buying meals will be the same or a bit more than you experience anywhere
else. So count up the number of stops and number of days you take (plan on
several two night stays).
    Rooms at trail stops will generally be at the $30 - $70 range. But most
folks share rooms. So count the nights and presume you will share a room
with another person. There are several stops where you will only camp and
others where you can stay with trail angels.
    Food: you will need about 2+ pounds of food per day. Go to your local
stores and check out prices of what you think you will take (breakfast,
lunch, dinner, snacks). Multiply by the number of meals.

Good luck.


Marshall Karon
Portland, OR
m.karon@attbi.com
----- Original Message -----
From: "Lee Drumm" <drumm@hotmail.com>
To: <PCT-L@mailman.backcountry.net>
Sent: Saturday, October 26, 2002 1:47 AM
Subject: [pct-l] Hello


> [ Converted text/html to text/plain ]
>
> Hello all. I am new to this list and am not sure how it works, so I
decided to
> just introduce myself and see how it goes. My name is Lee Drumm and I am
from
> Oklahoma. I am male and 26 years old. I have been a student but stopped
for
> reasons of indecision and I am not going where I want to go. I have worked
at
> the Grand Canyon and Yellowstone Nat'l Parks for two summers. I have hiked
> quite a bit in Yellowstone and really the only trails I have left to do
there
> are the SW(Bechler) and SE(Thorofare) sections. I have also hiked
moderately
> the Grand Canyon and less in Glacier, Grand Tetons, Craters Of the Moon,
and
> Arkansas, Oklahoma area. I haven't really done much longer than a few days
> hike but feel I am ready. The PCT would be a big task to undertake but I
feel
> it is one I must undertake. One of the Triple Crown has always been in the
> back of my mind for a few years and doing one has just come to the
forefront.
> I feel the timing is right and I can't stop being excited about it. I plan
on
> leaving in late April or early May next summer (03). Right now my big
question
> is financing and how much this might take to hike. I would hate to have to
> leave the trail because I run out of money. I decided on the PCT because I
> love the western US. I have barely been west of the Mississippi River and
I
> always have my sights looking West. I will one day settle there. Look
forward
> to talking with all of you.
>
> Lee Drumm
>
> "Hello, how are you doing today?
>
> I hope I find you feeling healthy.
>
> I'm so glad our paths crossed this time today.
>
> On our way into the night."
>
>                                                       DMB
>
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