Hunter S. Thompson’s Daily Routine

In the pages of Hunter: The Strange and Savage Life of Hunter S. Thompson, biographer E. Jean Carroll paints a vivid—and almost unbelievable—portrait of the legendary writer’s daily existence. Thompson, the father of gonzo journalism, didn’t so much follow a schedule as orchestrate a symphony of excess. His “day” started when most people were well into their afternoon slump. Here’s how it went, according to Carroll:

• 3:00 p.m. – He would wake, immediately lighting a Dunhill and sipping on Chivas Regal while catching up on the morning’s newspapers.
• 3:45 p.m. – The first bump of cocaine.
• 3:50 p.m. – Another glass of Chivas downed, paired with another Dunhill.
• 4:05 p.m. – Coffee enters the mix, along with more smoke.
• 4:15 p.m. – More cocaine.
• 4:16 p.m. – Orange juice and, yes, another Dunhill.
• 4:30 – 5:11 p.m. – Cocaine at regular intervals, interspersed with coffee, ice in the Chivas, and, always, a Dunhill in hand.
• 5:45 p.m. – More cocaine. And more of everything.
• 6:00 p.m. – A joint is smoked, intended to “smooth the edge” off the escalating chaos.

By 7:05 p.m., Thompson would head to the Woody Creek Tavern for what could only loosely be called lunch: a couple of Heinekens, two margaritas, coleslaw, a taco salad, double fried onion rings, carrot cake, ice cream, a bean fritter, a steady stream of Dunhills, yet another Heineken, a dash of cocaine—and to-go? A “snow cone” (his twist: shaved ice drenched in three or four jiggers of Chivas).

The evening only accelerated:

• 9:00 p.m. – The cocaine use became “serious.”
• 10:00 p.m. – LSD was added to the mix.
• 11:00 p.m. – Chartreuse, more cocaine, marijuana.
• 11:30 p.m. – Still more of the same.

Finally, by midnight, the man was ready to write.

From 12:05 a.m. to 6:00 a.m., his writing marathon was accompanied by a chemical parade: Chartreuse, cocaine, joints, Chivas, coffee, Heineken, clove cigarettes, grapefruit, Dunhills, orange juice, gin—and nonstop adult films looping in the background.

Then came the decompression:

• 6:00 a.m. – Into the hot tub with champagne, Dove Bars, and fettuccine Alfredo.
• 8:00 a.m. – A dose of Halcyon.
• 8:20 a.m. – Sleep at last.

This wasn’t just a daily routine—it was a full-blown ritual of hedonism, productivity, and madness, uniquely tailored to the one and only Hunter S. Thompson. Whether it fueled brilliance or burned bridges, it was unmistakably his.

This post originally appeared in 2013; it has been updated for 2025.