Andrew Skurka
Encyclopedia
Andrew Skurka is a professional backpacker
who is best known for his two long-distance hiking firsts—the 6,875-mile Great Western Loop and the 7,778-mile Sea-to-Sea Route. He was named the 2007 "Adventurer of the Year" by National Geographic Adventure
(which described him as "a Gen Y version of Henry David Thoreau
or John Muir
") and the 2005 "Person of the Year" by Backpacker Magazine.
In November 2007, Skurka completed the Great Western Loop, a 6,875-mile journey that links together 5 long-distance hiking trails
, 12 National Parks, and over 75 wilderness areas, which he hiked in 208 days, an average of 33 miles per day. In addition, in July 2005 Skurka completed the Sea-to-Sea Route, a transcontinental network of long-distance hiking trails from Quebec
to Washington, which took him 11 months and which involved 1,400 miles of snowshoeing. Skurka’s shorter hikes include the 1,700-mile California
section of the Pacific Crest Trail
(in 44 days), the 480-mile Colorado Trail
(twice), the 2,170-mile Appalachian Trail
(in 95 days), a 385-mile trek through northern Minnesota
in January, and many week and weekend-long trips in Colorado
, Montana
, and Wyoming
. In 2010 he hiked a 4,679 mile route around Alaska, which took him 176 days.
In addition to expanding the limits of long-distance backpacking, Skurka has defined the light-and-fast style of backcountry travel. The contents of his pack cumulatively weigh a mere 6.5 to 8 pounds, sans food, water, and fuel; and he regularly logs 35-45 miles per day, day after day.
In addition to the distinctions from Adventure and Backpacker, Skurka was featured in Outside’s 2007 "Outside 100" list and in Men’s Journal’s "2005 Adventure Hall of Fame." He has appeared in numerous newspapers and television broadcasts, including The Wall Street Journal
and the Fox News Channel
.
Skurka also focuses on environmental issues on his trips.
A graduate of Duke University
, Skurka is a sponsored athlete, paid speaker, and writer. He is a member of The Explorers Club
, has given over 140 presentations about his adventures, and is a frequent contributor to Backpacking Light Magazine
.
Skurka is also an ultrarunner. In 2008, he finished second at the Leadville 100.
In March 2011, the VOA Special English
service of the Voice of America
broadcast a 15-minute program on Andrew Skurka. A transcript and MP3 of the program, intended for English learners, can be found at Explorer Andrew Skurka Takes Hiking to a New Level.
Backpacking (wilderness)
Backpacking combines the activities of hiking and camping for an overnight stay in backcountry wilderness...
who is best known for his two long-distance hiking firsts—the 6,875-mile Great Western Loop and the 7,778-mile Sea-to-Sea Route. He was named the 2007 "Adventurer of the Year" by National Geographic Adventure
National Geographic Adventure
National Geographic Adventure, formerly known as Adventure One but now commonly known as Nat Geo Adventure, is a subscription TV channel part of National Geographic Channels International and News Corporation...
(which described him as "a Gen Y version of Henry David Thoreau
Henry David Thoreau
Henry David Thoreau was an American author, poet, philosopher, abolitionist, naturalist, tax resister, development critic, surveyor, historian, and leading transcendentalist...
or John Muir
John Muir
John Muir was a Scottish-born American naturalist, author, and early advocate of preservation of wilderness in the United States. His letters, essays, and books telling of his adventures in nature, especially in the Sierra Nevada mountains of California, have been read by millions...
") and the 2005 "Person of the Year" by Backpacker Magazine.
In November 2007, Skurka completed the Great Western Loop, a 6,875-mile journey that links together 5 long-distance hiking trails
Long-distance trail
Long-distance trails are the longer recreational trails mainly through rural areas, used for non-motorised recreational travelling ....
, 12 National Parks, and over 75 wilderness areas, which he hiked in 208 days, an average of 33 miles per day. In addition, in July 2005 Skurka completed the Sea-to-Sea Route, a transcontinental network of long-distance hiking trails from Quebec
Quebec
Quebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....
to Washington, which took him 11 months and which involved 1,400 miles of snowshoeing. Skurka’s shorter hikes include the 1,700-mile California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
section of the Pacific Crest Trail
Pacific Crest Trail
The Pacific Crest Trail is a long-distance mountain hiking and equestrian trail on the Western Seaboard of the United States. The southern terminus is at the California border with Mexico...
(in 44 days), the 480-mile Colorado Trail
Colorado Trail
The Colorado Trail is a long trail running from the mouth of Waterton Canyon southwest of Denver to Durango in Colorado, United States. Its highest point is above sea level, and most of the trail is above...
(twice), the 2,170-mile Appalachian Trail
Appalachian Trail
The Appalachian National Scenic Trail, generally known as the Appalachian Trail or simply the AT, is a marked hiking trail in the eastern United States extending between Springer Mountain in Georgia and Mount Katahdin in Maine. It is approximately long...
(in 95 days), a 385-mile trek through northern Minnesota
Minnesota
Minnesota is a U.S. state located in the Midwestern United States. The twelfth largest state of the U.S., it is the twenty-first most populous, with 5.3 million residents. Minnesota was carved out of the eastern half of the Minnesota Territory and admitted to the Union as the thirty-second state...
in January, and many week and weekend-long trips in Colorado
Colorado
Colorado is a U.S. state that encompasses much of the Rocky Mountains as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of the Great Plains...
, Montana
Montana
Montana is a state in the Western United States. The western third of Montana contains numerous mountain ranges. Smaller, "island ranges" are found in the central third of the state, for a total of 77 named ranges of the Rocky Mountains. This geographical fact is reflected in the state's name,...
, and Wyoming
Wyoming
Wyoming is a state in the mountain region of the Western United States. The western two thirds of the state is covered mostly with the mountain ranges and rangelands in the foothills of the Eastern Rocky Mountains, while the eastern third of the state is high elevation prairie known as the High...
. In 2010 he hiked a 4,679 mile route around Alaska, which took him 176 days.
In addition to expanding the limits of long-distance backpacking, Skurka has defined the light-and-fast style of backcountry travel. The contents of his pack cumulatively weigh a mere 6.5 to 8 pounds, sans food, water, and fuel; and he regularly logs 35-45 miles per day, day after day.
In addition to the distinctions from Adventure and Backpacker, Skurka was featured in Outside’s 2007 "Outside 100" list and in Men’s Journal’s "2005 Adventure Hall of Fame." He has appeared in numerous newspapers and television broadcasts, including The Wall Street Journal
The Wall Street Journal
The Wall Street Journal is an American English-language international daily newspaper. It is published in New York City by Dow Jones & Company, a division of News Corporation, along with the Asian and European editions of the Journal....
and the Fox News Channel
Fox News Channel
Fox News Channel , often called Fox News, is a cable and satellite television news channel owned by the Fox Entertainment Group, a subsidiary of News Corporation...
.
Skurka also focuses on environmental issues on his trips.
A graduate of Duke University
Duke University
Duke University is a private research university located in Durham, North Carolina, United States. Founded by Methodists and Quakers in the present day town of Trinity in 1838, the school moved to Durham in 1892. In 1924, tobacco industrialist James B...
, Skurka is a sponsored athlete, paid speaker, and writer. He is a member of The Explorers Club
The Explorers Club
The Explorers Club is a professional society dedicated to scientific exploration of Earth, its oceans, and outer space. Founded in 1904 in New York City, it currently has 30 branches world wide...
, has given over 140 presentations about his adventures, and is a frequent contributor to Backpacking Light Magazine
Backpacking Light Magazine
Backpacking Light Magazine was founded in early 2001 by modern-day ultralight backpacking evangelist Ryan Jordan, author of Lightweight Backpacking and Camping, an edited volume with multiple authors promoted as the Bible of ultralight backpacking...
.
Skurka is also an ultrarunner. In 2008, he finished second at the Leadville 100.
In March 2011, the VOA Special English
Special English
Special English is a controlled version of the English language first used on October 19, 1959, and still presented daily by the United States broadcasting service Voice of America. World news and other programs are read one-third slower than regular VOA English. Reporters avoid idioms and use a...
service of the Voice of America
Voice of America
Voice of America is the official external broadcast institution of the United States federal government. It is one of five civilian U.S. international broadcasters working under the umbrella of the Broadcasting Board of Governors . VOA provides a wide range of programming for broadcast on radio...
broadcast a 15-minute program on Andrew Skurka. A transcript and MP3 of the program, intended for English learners, can be found at Explorer Andrew Skurka Takes Hiking to a New Level.