PATHFINDER:
ANDREW SKURKA
HOMETOWN: Boulder, Colorado
EXPERTISE:Andrew Skurka, named "Adventurer of the Year" by Outside in 2011, is an accomplished adventure athlete, speaker, guide, and writer. The 31-year-old is best known for his solo long-distance backpacking trips, notably the 4,700-mile 6-month Alaska-Yukon Expedition, the 6,875-mile 7-month Great Western Loop, and the 7,775-mile 11-month Sea-to-Sea Route. In total, he has backpacked, skied, and packrafted 30,000+ miles through many of the world's most prized backcountry and wilderness areas. In the process of trying to log huge distances at warp speed over rugged terrain, and also trying to somehow enjoy that experience, Skurka helped to define lightand- fast backcountry travel. His typical 3-season pack weighs between 8 and 10 pounds, sans food and water; and he regularly logs 30+ miles per day, even off-trail. Andrew is the author of the acclaimed The Ultimate Hiker's Gear Guide: Tools & Tips to Hit the Trail.
GEAR: "A full-featured watch is an extraordinarily helpful tool in the wilderness. The barometer clues me in about incoming and outgoing weather, which helps me make more informed (and therefore safer) decisions. The other features offer data that is critical in "staying found," which is a goal of any good navigator. I use the watch to dead-reckon and monitor my hiking pace. I use the compass to quickly orient my map and to reorient my inner compass if it's become confused. And I use the altimeter to rule out false passes and summits, and to dial in my location on my maps."
CARDINAL RULE: "Respect Nature -- it's much more powerful than I am, and it does not feel obligated to watch out for my comfort or safety -- that's my job."
Follow Andrew's next adventure at on andrewskurka.com.
ANDREW SKURKA
HOMETOWN: Boulder, Colorado
EXPERTISE:Andrew Skurka, named "Adventurer of the Year" by Outside in 2011, is an accomplished adventure athlete, speaker, guide, and writer. The 31-year-old is best known for his solo long-distance backpacking trips, notably the 4,700-mile 6-month Alaska-Yukon Expedition, the 6,875-mile 7-month Great Western Loop, and the 7,775-mile 11-month Sea-to-Sea Route. In total, he has backpacked, skied, and packrafted 30,000+ miles through many of the world's most prized backcountry and wilderness areas. In the process of trying to log huge distances at warp speed over rugged terrain, and also trying to somehow enjoy that experience, Skurka helped to define lightand- fast backcountry travel. His typical 3-season pack weighs between 8 and 10 pounds, sans food and water; and he regularly logs 30+ miles per day, even off-trail. Andrew is the author of the acclaimed The Ultimate Hiker's Gear Guide: Tools & Tips to Hit the Trail.
GEAR: "A full-featured watch is an extraordinarily helpful tool in the wilderness. The barometer clues me in about incoming and outgoing weather, which helps me make more informed (and therefore safer) decisions. The other features offer data that is critical in "staying found," which is a goal of any good navigator. I use the watch to dead-reckon and monitor my hiking pace. I use the compass to quickly orient my map and to reorient my inner compass if it's become confused. And I use the altimeter to rule out false passes and summits, and to dial in my location on my maps."
CARDINAL RULE: "Respect Nature -- it's much more powerful than I am, and it does not feel obligated to watch out for my comfort or safety -- that's my job."
Follow Andrew's next adventure at on andrewskurka.com.
Photo: Peter McBride
Behind the scenes at Vail Pass, Colorado:
Andrew Skurka and Casio Watches
Andrew Skurka and Casio Watches
