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Backpackers love data: Which layering system will help me shave ounces from my kit? How much elevation gain does this trail alternate add to a route? How many calories should I pack if I hike two miles per hour over three mountain passes? Trail stewardship agencies and recreationalists alike love to collect data from hikers, too: It can help future trekkers prepare for their adventures and inform trail managers’ decisions about infrastructure, maintenance, and more.
Thru-hiker surveys are a popular resource for aspiring long-distance backpackers to learn from their predecessors. Curious about the differences between the two most popular long trails, we compared results from 2024 thru-hiker surveys from the Appalachian Trail Conservancy (ATC) and two popular blogs, The Trek and Halfway Anywhere.
It’s important to note that these aren’t apples to apples comparisons: The ATC survey was created and conducted by full-time staffers at the non-profit, and 900 hikers responded, according to Dr. Monica Mogilewsky, visitor use data manager for the ATC. Halfway Anywhere reported that 764 PCTers completed its survey, and 389 AT hikers filled out The Trek’s. While the three surveys cover many similar topics, the specific questions and phrasing vary. Still, we can learn a lot about the state of the thru-hiking community by taking a look at the results.
Pack Weight
On average, AT hikers carried heavier packs than their counterparts out west. The ATC reported an average starting pack weight of 31.22 pounds. Mogilewsky said that ATC volunteers collect pack weight data from thru-hikers headed for the trail’s southern terminus at the start of their hikes, and they don’t distinguish between base weight and total packed weight.
“Most thru-hikers weigh their packs with the food and water that they plan to carry for their first stretch on the A.T. However, some may choose to weigh their packs without food and water,” she said.
PCT hikers, on the other hand, started with an average baseweight of 18.3 pounds, according to Halfway Anywhere. Notably, this figure doesn’t include food and water, but if we assume that most thru-hikers carry an average of 8 to 10 pounds of consumables immediately after a resupply, hikers on the PCT were still likely to stay under the 30 pound threshold.
Locals Rule (mostly)
Both the ATC and Halfway Anywhere reported that thru-hikers were most likely to hail from states that the trails cross through, or at least adjacent states. The top five states AT hikers come from: Pennsylvania, Florida, North Carolina, Virginia, and Georgia. PCT thru-hikers hailed mostly from California, Washington, Oregon, Colorado, and New York.
Age Gap
Thru-hikers on the west coast may be younger on average than those on the east. Halfway Anywhere said that the average age on the PCT was 38 last year, with the median at 32. The ATC reported an average age of 46 and a median of 48. (Note: The ATC doesn’t collect data from hikers under 18, so this figure is likely skewed older. However, only .4% of PCT respondents were less than 20 years old.) The Trek reported that the average age of their AT respondents was 39, and the median 33. (We can guess that readers of The Trek are generally younger than those who engage with the ATC.)
Overall Cost
While thru-hikes are getting more expensive no matter the trail, AT hikers were more likely to keep to a slightly lower budget than hikers on the PCT. From the Trek: “The average cost of a [AT] thru-hike increased this year to $7,602 from $7,482 last year, while the most common amount spent was $10,500 this year, up from last year’s $10,000.”
A PCT thru, on the other hand, cost 2024 trekkers an average of $10,149, with a median of $10,000. Gear costs between the two trails were similar: PCTers spent an average of $1,706 on backpacking gear before the start of their treks. AT hikers reported to The Trek that they an average of $2,121, but this figure includes the cost of replacements and repairs made on-trail, not just prior to setting out.