Posts by Andrew Skurka
Aquamira: Why we like it, and how we use it
For about twenty years and almost exclusively I have used Aquamira ($15) to purify backcountry water sources. And it’s been the only purification method used by the guided trip program that I started in 2011 and that has over 1,000 alumni. Last month two of these alumni emailed me separately, asking for a written explanation…
Christopher Roma: Learning to turn back
Last week an experienced thru-hiker, 37-year old Christopher Roma, died tragically of exposure in the White Mountains. My condolences are with his parents, family, and friends. My father and several alumni shared this news with me. I had never met Christopher, but in at least a few respects we were kindred souls. I know only…
Application deadline today for UT, AK
If you’d like to join a guided trip next year in Utah or Alaska, the open application deadline is today/Monday. Officially, you have until 11:59 pm MT. Realistically, if your application is waiting in my inbox tomorrow morning, you’ll be fine. This week we will finish reviewing the applications, and next week we will start…
For sale: 3909 Apache Ct E, Boulder, CO
I’m hiring: Operations Manager (and maybe Instructor + Guide)
To help me during the 2024 season I plan to make a new hire. This is a local position, and the individual must live within a reasonable commuting distance of south Boulder, Colorado (75-ish minutes max, and ideally much less). The Operations Manager is responsible for all program gear, food, and other supplies. With the…
Released: 2024 guided trip schedule
Our 2024 trip schedule has been released! To view it, click here. The season will start again in mid-April in Escalante, Utah, which greets us with mild temps, wildflowers, and long days. In addition to our normal Adventure 5-day and 7-day trips, we’ll offer 5- and 7-day technical canyoneering expeditions and one 11-day thru-hike of…
Let’s chat: Office Hours + Ask Us Anything
In fall 2021 and fall 2022 my guide team offered free one-on-one “office hours” appointments to discuss all things backpacking. They were wildly popular: we hosted 320 calls over the two years, which amounted to nearly 107 hours of time! Katie Gerber and I will be running this program again next week. The details: 1.…
Season recap: 204 testimonials about our 2023 guided trips
Since 2014 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 the document runs for 138 pages, plus a few more pages of tables with quantitative data! But it’s entirely worthwhile,…
Our Brooks Range trips: What are they really like?
In June and July, Christy Rosander and I guided two 7-day trips in Alaska’s Brooks Range. This is our marquee location, and at the end I felt exceptionally thankful for the experiences that this wilderness had provided. Christy put together videos for each trip. They’re not polished or narrated, and don’t have any drone footage,…
Spots available: 11-day Olympic Traverse, September 2023
In 2022 we offered two 11-day trips in the High Sierra, with one resupply in the middle. The guides and the clients rated the experience very highly, because they had so much time to explore and connect with the area, so for this season we offered this trip length in Alaska, again in California, and…