PDA

View Full Version : Andrew Skurka: National Geographic Adventurer of the Year



Sly
11-27-2007, 12:19
The Walking Man

Seven months and 6,875 miles (11,064 kilometers) in nothing but wildlands
—now that's the way to see the West.

There's an engine somewhere inside Andrew Skurka, a quiet, relentless drive that never quits—and there would have to be. On the day I caught up with him, Skurka, 26, was about two-thirds into a 6,875-mile (11,064-kilometer) hike, an epic, first-of-its-kind journey that in one fell swoop passed through five major mountain ranges, 12 National Parks, and 75 Wilderness Areas. He calls it the Great Western Loop.

Cont... (http://www.nationalgeographic.com/adventure/best-of-adventure-2008/achievements/andrew-skurka.html)

EWS
11-27-2007, 12:21
National Geographic Holy Chit!

Sly
11-27-2007, 12:25
National Geographic Holy Chit!

Not bad for a hiker. Squeaky probably should have got he award for his Triple Crown hike.

EWS
11-27-2007, 12:29
Not bad at all.

This isn't meaning to be down, but I thought it was "National Geographic" at first, not Adventure, which is basically another "Outside" magazine IIRC.

Remember the Biologist who walked in a straight line through Africa, forgot his name, but that was epic.

Flush2wice
11-27-2007, 12:44
What's really amazing is that he did it with gaiters and hiking poles.

Big Daddy D
11-27-2007, 13:38
On May 2nd, I had the pleasure of meeting Andy at Cajon Pass as he was going back to the I-15 underpass (to continue NOBO on the PCT) while Fireman and I were heading up to the Burger King :)

He has an obvious quick pace, so he can really grind out the miles, along with an infectiously cheerful demeanor.

What an experience for him as he accomplished another "event" in his hiking adventures!!

Big Daddy D

UCONNMike
11-27-2007, 15:39
Blake and i have been following Skurka ever since his AT thru-hike in 2002, he was the model we followed when we planned our AT Thru in 2005. It was great to see him evolve into the outdoor icon he has become, from his C2C route to the Great Western Loop, Skurka always sem to find another adventure and a new way to push the limits of Long Distance Hiking. I have emailed him time to time, and he is a great guy, super nice, and helpful. I Congradulate his latest acheivement and will continue to follow him on whatever he sets out to achieve next.

Mags
11-27-2007, 15:45
I have emailed him time to time, and he is a great guy, super nice, and helpful.


..and he enjoys beer. :) He grabbed a pint with some us after a CDT slideshow.

Good guy.

Dakota Dan
11-27-2007, 16:09
Wonder if he remembers anything about the trails or scenery he ran past?:-?

I guess there won't be a slide show. :eek:

Mags
11-27-2007, 16:13
Wonder if he remembers anything about the trails or scenery he ran past?:-?

I guess there won't be a slide show. :eek:


Like many people who do "big miles", Andy just gets up early and hikes all day.

Some people prefer getting to camp early Some people prefer hiking all day and camping little. Some people are somewhere in the middle.

I supect all people see an equal amount by walking.:sun

It is all good.

Tha Wookie
11-27-2007, 16:45
Not bad for a hiker. Squeaky probably should have got he award for his Triple Crown hike.

But andy did an original route. Hence the "adventure" aspect.

Not to take away from Squeaky's achievements, but faster is not necessarily novel.

Sly
11-27-2007, 16:49
Wonder if he remembers anything about the trails or scenery he ran past?:-?

I guess there won't be a slide show. :eek:

Don't count on it. He send me a slideshow of his Sea to Sea hike from a request on his website.

I've been through the smelling the roses debate before. When I first started hiking it was all I could do to do 8 miles a day and it's not like I was really enjoying myself. Once I got up to doing 20 miles a day, I was able to enjoy myself and the surroundings much more.

Sly
11-27-2007, 16:52
But andy did an original route. Hence the "adventure" aspect.

Not to take away from Squeaky's achievements, but faster is not necessarily novel.

A few hundred miles may have been original. Most of the time he was on an established trail or route, AZT, GET, CDT, PNT and PCT.

map man
11-27-2007, 23:49
When I started my hike on the Superior Hiking Trail in northern Minnesota this May I read the trail register at the very northern end of the trail (a mile from Canada) and was surprised to see an entry written in January. In northern Minnesota! The entry was signed, "Andy Skurka." And it was not the first time he'd hiked this sometimes rugged trail in Minnesota in the dead of winter. I know he also hiked that trail in winter on his 2004/2005 traverse of North America. And of course he was covering two or three times more miles in a day than I was in nice weather in May! He is one impressive hiker.

Edit: after looking at his web site I see he has a great description and photos of the hike he did in Minnesota in January of 2007. Great pics of the SHT in winter for those who are interested. He even took a picture of the register entry he wrote at the northern trailhead which I saw four months later!

Dakota Dan
11-27-2007, 23:59
Don't count on it. He send me a slideshow of his Sea to Sea hike from a request on his website. ............


What is his website address, didn't see it in the NG article. I'd like check it out. I'd google it but its taking me forever to type one handed, other hand/arm in sling from accident.

tripp
11-28-2007, 00:21
andrewskurka.com

tripp
11-28-2007, 00:23
http://www.andrewskurka.com ... meant to type the whole thing the first time so you could just click but somehow forgot to...

Dakota Dan
11-28-2007, 00:36
http://www.andrewskurka.com ... meant to type the whole thing the first time so you could just click but somehow forgot to...


I'm VERY impressed by this guy and the trail itself. I've read the first pages of the accolades and then about the 6900 mile Loop Trail. I want to post a quote here that I find most interesting.

"it seemed to be the most desirable ultra-long-distance hike that had ever been conceived, as its scenery, wilderness experience, and elegance was unrivaled."

Thanks for the link Tripp

tripp
11-28-2007, 00:39
no prob i've read through his journals several times and always enjoy it. i too am quite impressed with mr. skurka he seems to be an amazing guy.

Dakota Dan
11-28-2007, 00:58
The only thing in my gear list he has is Duct Tape and matches.

The most weight he carried was just under 14# during a PCT leg.

What a gear list. Can someone tell me the cost of this stuff?

http://www.andrewskurka.com/GWL/gearlists.php

Dakota Dan
11-28-2007, 02:17
I've been reading about his Loop hike and looking over his food list, etc. Wow, I sure hope he got the energy bar companies to furnish the $15+ a day he ate. Thats around $3000 just in energy bars for the trip. This has got to be one of the most expensive per mile hikes in the lower 48.
I guess he did save on not having to shuttle.:)

I was wrong about a slide show too, lots of pix posted.

To complete this Loop in a year you only need to avg 19 miles/day. :-?

His avg was 34+ miles/day, every day for 200 days.

I need an energy bar and a spiked gator-aid just from reading all this stuff.

Mags
11-28-2007, 11:08
He is sponsored by balance bar and works for GoLite.

I suspect much of his gear was subsidized.

A-Train
11-28-2007, 12:23
You only need to average 19 miles/day in a year, but it'd be almost logistically impossible, as you hike both the PCT and CDT on his route, meaning you'd need to do one of them in winter.

Sly
11-28-2007, 12:25
You only need to average 19 miles/day in a year, but it'd be almost logistically impossible, as you hike both the PCT and CDT on his route, meaning you'd need to do one of them in winter.

19 miles a day for 365 days. No one says you need to hike it IN a calender year.

A-Train
11-28-2007, 12:36
Still seems impossible if you're not moving fast. I guess you could do the Arizona, new mexico section in winter, but still seems impossible because of snow and elevation. If you were gonna skip around I'd say feasible, but trying to walk the whole loop continuously doesn't seem legit

Sly
11-28-2007, 12:38
Still seems impossible if you're not moving fast. I guess you could do the Arizona, new mexico section in winter, but still seems impossible because of snow and elevation. If you were gonna skip around I'd say feasible, but trying to walk the whole loop continuously doesn't seem legit

I'm saying you could do it in sections. Thru-hiking any trail can be over rated.

ARambler
11-28-2007, 12:38
I've been reading about his Loop hike and looking over his food list, etc. Wow, I sure hope he got the energy bar companies to furnish the $15+ a day he ate. Thats around $3000 just in energy bars for the trip. This has got to be one of the most expensive per mile hikes in the lower 48.
I guess he did save on not having to shuttle.:)

I was wrong about a slide show too, lots of pix posted.

To complete this Loop in a year you only need to avg 19 miles/day. :-?

His avg was 34+ miles/day, every day for 200 days.

I need an energy bar and a spiked gator-aid just from reading all this stuff.

I found Andy's C2C talk at the '05 Gathering very positive and inspiring (although inspiring on a much smaller scale.) His style emphasizes wilderness skills, e.g. he prefers maps to gps and goes unsupported.

DD your post(s) is seems very negative to me. Do you enjoy anything in life that is positive?? Andy eats less than 1.5 cal per mile. How can he be critisized for eating an extra energy bar? Are you saying that those who spent $5000 on their AT hike, enjoyed the hike half as much as those who spent $2500? Are you really suggesting that Andy hike in December thru February to enjoy himself? Note, Andy has hiked these months and chose not to.

Looking forward to another long distance presentation by Andy, but not holding my breath for DD's presentation.
Rambler

Lone Wolf
11-28-2007, 12:39
Thru-hiking any trail can be over rated.

that be the truth

CoyoteWhips
11-28-2007, 13:57
What a gear list. Can someone tell me the cost of this stuff?

Pretty sure the supercat stove was free.

The whole route strikes me as the path of a man who refuses to ask directions. :-)

"Welcome to Canada!"

"I knew I should've turned left in Albuquerque!"

Dakota Dan
11-28-2007, 20:20
Pretty sure the supercat stove was free.

The whole route strikes me as the path of a man who refuses to ask directions. :-)

"Welcome to Canada!"

"I knew I should've turned left in Albuquerque!"


After reading his site I learned about his sponsors, he's doing it right.

Dakota Dan
11-28-2007, 20:25
You only need to average 19 miles/day in a year, but it'd be almost logistically impossible, as you hike both the PCT and CDT on his route, meaning you'd need to do one of them in winter.

You're probably right. I think it would be pretty difficult to do his same route and only avg 19 miles/day for a straight 365 days. Winter would get you.

Tinker
11-29-2007, 02:14
He's from the next town over from my hometown. I'd invite him over, but he's never home!!!!!:p

Squeaky 2
12-11-2007, 15:21
Sorry wookie but are you implying all i did was hike the triple crown faster than flying brian. there was a reason he skipped around. he couldnt hike them straight thru as it was too tough for him. i faced up to every challenge and faced in far worse conditions. yes it was faster but it was a first.

congratulations to andy though on a great achievement

Ramble~On
12-11-2007, 18:16
Andy is a machine.

He took a summer job hiking in NC and that summer ignited something inside him. He hiked the AT in 95 days. In 2004 he hiked 7778 miles in 339 days! In 2006 he hiked the PCT through CA in 45 days (about 38 miles per day), The Colorado Trail in 14.5 (33 miles per day) and did 180 miles in Yellowstone in 6 days. Safe to say he doesn't have to watch his weight.