Posts by Andrew Skurka
Livestream with the legendary Steve Allen, Jan 21
Until last year, I knew of Steve Allen only through his definitive guidebook for the Escalante canyons of southern Utah, Canyoneering 3, which often reads like a scavenger hunt and which I consider to be a gold standard for guidebook writing — enough information is included to make forward progress and stay mostly out of…
114 testimonials from our 2025 season
For twelve seasons I’ve asked our clients to complete a post-trip survey to gather feedback about our guides, locations, meals, and curriculum, plus their overall satisfaction. Reviewing the results is a time commitment — this year it’s a 159-page document, and I have a few more pages of quantitative data! But it’s entirely worthwhile effort,…
Livestream || The Overland Route, Steve Allen’s definitive tour of the Escalante
Later this week I will be hosting a livestream about the Overland Route, a low-profile backpacking route down the watershed of the Escalante River in southern Utah. I will be joined by Katie Gerber and Eric Volk, who completed the route last spring. Event details: Scant information is available about the Overland Route. Its origins…
Hiring for 2025: Lead Guide and Junior Guide
For the 2025 season I am looking to hire a: Both positions are short-term and seasonal, and need to be augmented with steadier full-time work or a broader freelance portfolio. At most in 2025, we’d assign you to one location (Utah, Alaska, California, or Yellowstone) and between one and three trips, with the specifics being…
Reminder: Open application periods ends on Sunday!
The open application period for 2025 trips ends this Sunday, December 22. Apply this weekend to: Starting Monday, December 23, we will still accept applications. However: As a practical matter, it will take us the entire week of December 23 to finish reviewing all applications, especially with the holiday and holiday travel. Until we form…
Looking back: My guiding program turns 15
Next season will my fifteenth year in operation. Join us live on Thursday, December 19 at 6pm MT for a history of the program — my motivations, learnings, evolutions, challenges, and favorite memories and people. Katie and I will be hosting the event, and we’ll have three special guests — Alan Dixon, Mary Cochenour, and…
Alumni panel: What are our guided trips really like?
Last night Katie and I hosted an an alumni panel with Conor, Eric, Kaylor, and Lisa to discuss their experiences on our trips. Conor and Kaylor were first-time clients in 2024; Conor had hiked the Pacific Crest Trail previously, while Kaylor was a never-ever backpacker. Eric and Lisa are multi-time clients (five trips for Eric,…
HMG/Skurka Giveaway: Win a 5-day trip AND a full Hyperlite kit
One-on-one: Office hours with Katie or me
2025 “Signature Series” trips
With most of our 2025 trips, we assemble a route that is appropriate for the group. With our Signature Series trips, we reverse this: we assemble a group that is appropriate for the route. These itineraries, which are not offered each year, include thru-hiking the Overland Route or Kings Canyon High Basin Route, bagging Class 3-4 peaks in the…