Ryan Jordan (hiker)
Encyclopedia
Ryan Jordan is a pioneer of the modern-day ultralight backpacking
movement and founder of Backpacking Light Magazine
.
as a member of a Boy Scout troop
in Burien, Washington
. Jordan earned his Eagle Scout
Award in 1986. In the late 1980s, he became involved at Camp Parsons on its staff, eventually becoming its High Adventure Director. In this role, Jordan instilled an ultralight backpacking
paradigm among teenage Scouts, leading them in the Olympic Mountains
on five-day treks of 80 miles or more, often off-trail. Jordan became known for causing angst among Scouts' parents entrusting their children to his care, but gained a reputation for developing and leading an exciting program that became the envy of local hiking clubs and mountaineers. Jordan and his Scouts completed many ascents of remote Olympic peaks, difficult off-trail traverses, and long distance treks in the Olympic Mountains
, often with Spartan packs weighing less than ten pounds (not including food and water).
from Washington State University
and a Ph.D.
in Biofilm
Engineering from Montana State University. In his professional career, which included a stint at Montana State University as a research scientist, he conducted research related to groundwater
and surface water
microbiology
and engineering, which led to a research program in Backcountry Health and Science. The program gained national media attention in the late 1990s and early 2000s for its involvement of undergraduate research fellows in wilderness science. Among the topics Jordan and his students studied included the efficacy of backcountry water treatment technologies (for recreation and military use), antibacterial efficacy of synthetic fiber coatings vs. merino wool fibers used in performance base layer apparel, and the prevalence and distribution of pathogenic bacteria in wilderness surface waters.
on the premise that science and engineering principles should be used to educate consumers about making smart decisions for buying and using ultralight gear. Backpacking Light Magazine, and Jordan's book Lightweight Backpacking and Camping are recognized as the most authoritative references about ultralight backpacking
available, and stand in contrast to other important, but more biased works, including Ray Jardine
's critically acclaimed book Beyond Backpacking.
Jordan uses the term ""Super-ultralight backpacking" to describe a style of ultralight backpacking
undertaken with a pack weight of less than five pounds (2.3 kg). In addition, Jordan is well known for promoting a style of backpacking by which long distances are walked without outside assistance or resupply. His own efforts have included more than seven 300+ mile treks without resupply, mostly taken in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem
of the Northern U.S. Rocky Mountains
, including a circumnavigation of the Wind River Range
, two north-to-south traverses of the ecosystem.
With Roman Dial and Jason Geck, Jordan attempted a 600+ mile traverse of the Western Arctic
in June 2006 without resupply, beginning at the coastal village of Kivalina. Their starting pack weights (including food) were about 55 pounds each. After 185 miles, Jordan injured an ankle and was flown to Kotzebue
by a bush pilot. Geck continued to Anaktuvuk Pass
, a distance of 550 miles from Kivalina, and Dial reached the Alaskan Oil Pipeline Highway, a distance of 624 miles from Kivalina. This trek was the first successful attempt by any party to complete a foot traverse of America's most expansive roadless wilderness without resupply.
Ultralight backpacking
Ultralight backpacking is a style of backpacking that emphasizes carrying the lightest and simplest kit safely possible for a given trip. Base pack weight is reduced as much as safely possible, though reduction of the weight of...
movement and founder of 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...
.
Background
Jordan began his backpackingBackpacking (wilderness)
Backpacking combines the activities of hiking and camping for an overnight stay in backcountry wilderness...
as a member of a Boy Scout troop
Scouting
Scouting, also known as the Scout Movement, is a worldwide youth movement with the stated aim of supporting young people in their physical, mental and spiritual development, that they may play constructive roles in society....
in Burien, Washington
Burien, Washington
Burien is a city in King County, Washington, United States, located south of Seattle. As of the 2010 Census, Burien's population is 33,313, which is a 2.9% increase since incorporation. Annexation in 2011 has increased the cities population to about 45,000....
. Jordan earned his Eagle Scout
Eagle Scout (Boy Scouts of America)
Eagle Scout is the highest rank attainable in the Boy Scouting program of the Boy Scouts of America . A Scout who attains this rank is called an Eagle Scout or Eagle. Since its introduction in 1911, the Eagle Scout rank has been earned by more than 2 million young men...
Award in 1986. In the late 1980s, he became involved at Camp Parsons on its staff, eventually becoming its High Adventure Director. In this role, Jordan instilled an ultralight backpacking
Ultralight backpacking
Ultralight backpacking is a style of backpacking that emphasizes carrying the lightest and simplest kit safely possible for a given trip. Base pack weight is reduced as much as safely possible, though reduction of the weight of...
paradigm among teenage Scouts, leading them in the Olympic Mountains
Olympic Mountains
The Olympic Mountains is a mountain range on the Olympic Peninsula of western Washington in the United States. The mountains, part of the Pacific Coast Ranges, are not especially high - Mount Olympus is the highest at - but the western slopes of the Olympics rise directly out of the Pacific...
on five-day treks of 80 miles or more, often off-trail. Jordan became known for causing angst among Scouts' parents entrusting their children to his care, but gained a reputation for developing and leading an exciting program that became the envy of local hiking clubs and mountaineers. Jordan and his Scouts completed many ascents of remote Olympic peaks, difficult off-trail traverses, and long distance treks in the Olympic Mountains
Olympic Mountains
The Olympic Mountains is a mountain range on the Olympic Peninsula of western Washington in the United States. The mountains, part of the Pacific Coast Ranges, are not especially high - Mount Olympus is the highest at - but the western slopes of the Olympics rise directly out of the Pacific...
, often with Spartan packs weighing less than ten pounds (not including food and water).
Career
Jordan holds B.S. and M.S. degrees in Environmental EngineeringEnvironmental engineering
Environmental engineering is the application of science and engineering principles to improve the natural environment , to provide healthy water, air, and land for human habitation and for other organisms, and to remediate polluted sites...
from Washington State University
Washington State University
Washington State University is a public research university based in Pullman, Washington, in the Palouse region of the Pacific Northwest. Founded in 1890, WSU is the state's original and largest land-grant university...
and a Ph.D.
Ph.D.
A Ph.D. is a Doctor of Philosophy, an academic degree.Ph.D. may also refer to:* Ph.D. , a 1980s British group*Piled Higher and Deeper, a web comic strip*PhD: Phantasy Degree, a Korean comic series* PhD Docbook renderer, an XML renderer...
in Biofilm
Biofilm
A biofilm is an aggregate of microorganisms in which cells adhere to each other on a surface. These adherent cells are frequently embedded within a self-produced matrix of extracellular polymeric substance...
Engineering from Montana State University. In his professional career, which included a stint at Montana State University as a research scientist, he conducted research related to groundwater
Groundwater
Groundwater is water located beneath the ground surface in soil pore spaces and in the fractures of rock formations. A unit of rock or an unconsolidated deposit is called an aquifer when it can yield a usable quantity of water. The depth at which soil pore spaces or fractures and voids in rock...
and surface water
Surface water
Surface water is water collecting on the ground or in a stream, river, lake, wetland, or ocean; it is related to water collecting as groundwater or atmospheric water....
microbiology
Microbiology
Microbiology is the study of microorganisms, which are defined as any microscopic organism that comprises either a single cell , cell clusters or no cell at all . This includes eukaryotes, such as fungi and protists, and prokaryotes...
and engineering, which led to a research program in Backcountry Health and Science. The program gained national media attention in the late 1990s and early 2000s for its involvement of undergraduate research fellows in wilderness science. Among the topics Jordan and his students studied included the efficacy of backcountry water treatment technologies (for recreation and military use), antibacterial efficacy of synthetic fiber coatings vs. merino wool fibers used in performance base layer apparel, and the prevalence and distribution of pathogenic bacteria in wilderness surface waters.
Backpacking light movement
In 2001, Jordan founded Backpacking Light MagazineBackpacking 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...
on the premise that science and engineering principles should be used to educate consumers about making smart decisions for buying and using ultralight gear. Backpacking Light Magazine, and Jordan's book Lightweight Backpacking and Camping are recognized as the most authoritative references about ultralight backpacking
Ultralight backpacking
Ultralight backpacking is a style of backpacking that emphasizes carrying the lightest and simplest kit safely possible for a given trip. Base pack weight is reduced as much as safely possible, though reduction of the weight of...
available, and stand in contrast to other important, but more biased works, including Ray Jardine
Ray Jardine
Ray Jardine is an American rock climber who, with Bill Price, in May 1979, was the first to free climb the West Face of El Capitan in Yosemite Valley...
's critically acclaimed book Beyond Backpacking.
Jordan uses the term ""Super-ultralight backpacking" to describe a style of ultralight backpacking
Ultralight backpacking
Ultralight backpacking is a style of backpacking that emphasizes carrying the lightest and simplest kit safely possible for a given trip. Base pack weight is reduced as much as safely possible, though reduction of the weight of...
undertaken with a pack weight of less than five pounds (2.3 kg). In addition, Jordan is well known for promoting a style of backpacking by which long distances are walked without outside assistance or resupply. His own efforts have included more than seven 300+ mile treks without resupply, mostly taken in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem
Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem
The Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem is one of the last remaining large, nearly intact ecosystems in the northern temperate zone of the Earth and is partly located in Yellowstone National Park. Conflict over management has been controversial, and the area is a flagship site among conservation groups...
of the Northern U.S. Rocky Mountains
Rocky Mountains
The Rocky Mountains are a major mountain range in western North America. The Rocky Mountains stretch more than from the northernmost part of British Columbia, in western Canada, to New Mexico, in the southwestern United States...
, including a circumnavigation of the Wind River Range
Wind River Range
The Wind River Range , is a mountain range of the Rocky Mountains in western Wyoming in the United States. The range runs roughly NW-SE for approximately 100 miles . The Continental Divide follows the crest of the range and includes Gannett Peak, which at 13,804 feet , is the highest peak...
, two north-to-south traverses of the ecosystem.
With Roman Dial and Jason Geck, Jordan attempted a 600+ mile traverse of the Western Arctic
Western Arctic
Western Arctic is a federal electoral district and senate division in Northwest Territories, Canada, that has been represented in the Canadian House of Commons since 1979....
in June 2006 without resupply, beginning at the coastal village of Kivalina. Their starting pack weights (including food) were about 55 pounds each. After 185 miles, Jordan injured an ankle and was flown to Kotzebue
Kotzebue
Kotzebue is the name of the following people:*August von Kotzebue, dramatist*Otto von Kotzebue, navigatorKotzebue is also the name of a place:*Kotzebue, Alaska*Kotzebue Sound...
by a bush pilot. Geck continued to Anaktuvuk Pass
Anaktuvuk Pass
The Anaktuvuk Pass is a mountain pass located in Gates of the Arctic National Park and Preserve in North Slope Borough in northern Alaska...
, a distance of 550 miles from Kivalina, and Dial reached the Alaskan Oil Pipeline Highway, a distance of 624 miles from Kivalina. This trek was the first successful attempt by any party to complete a foot traverse of America's most expansive roadless wilderness without resupply.
External links
- Backpacking Light Magazine -- magazine devoted to ultralight backpacking founded by Ryan Jordan
- Ryan Jordan's Backcountry -- Ryan Jordan's home page
- Arctic 1000 - Website describing the events of Jordan's attempt to complete a foot traverse of the Western Arctic