Posts by Andrew Skurka
Encouraging sign: Rocky Mountain to reopen May 27
Rocky Mountain National Park announced yesterday that they will begin a phased reopening starting on May 27. The press release is here. Most relevant to this readership, backcountry camping will be permitted right away, and will continue through the fall as normal. Even though Rocky is a National Park, the release points out that under…
Should I stay home or can I go? Navigating Covid-19 restrictions
Based on what we currently know about Covid-19 and on the best practices that you plan to follow, you may deem the risk of contracting or spreading Covid-19 acceptably low. And, therefore, you want to start your trip. I would generally concur with you: thoughtful behavior in a backcountry setting — which has constant air…
New normal: How can Covid-19 risk in the backcountry be minimized?
In 2020 I’m hopeful that my personal and guided backpacking trips will take place. But it won’t be business as usual — on both private and commercial outings, individual behaviors and program protocols must reflect the new risk of Covid-19. The preceding post is an objective assessment of this risk, and it serves as a…
Covid-19: What’s the objective risk to backcountry travelers?
To mitigate a risk, it’s essential to first understand it. For example, if I were planning to hike the John Muir Trail/PCT in the early-season, I’d want to know about hazardous creek crossings. And if I was planning to drink water from natural sources on that trip, I would want to be familiar with the…
Backcountry best practices in the coronavirus era
The novel coronavirus has upended life as we once knew it. With therapeutic treatments and vaccines, we’ll revert to our old normal eventually, but in the meantime we’ll have to learn to live with it — How can we still work and play without compromising our own safety or that of our family, friends and…
Virtual clinic: How to plan a backpacking trip
Next month I’m hosting a free virtual clinic in partnership with the Colorado Mountain Club. Originally we’d scheduled an in-person gear and skills clinic in Golden, which I do most years for them, but, well, you know what happened. Key event details: Topic: Seven steps to plan a backpacking trip Online tutorial via Zoom Thursday,…
When will our National Parks re-open?
This morning I received a coronavirus update for Rocky Mountain National Park from the concessions manager. The italics are mine: In accordance with guidance from the White House, CDC, state and local public health authorities, the Department of the Interior and the National Park Service are working to gradually resume operations and access to national…
8-week course: How to plan your first trip, next trip, or dream trip
Successful backpacking trips are typically planned, not improvised. A thoughtful approach towards gear, food, maps, permits, travel, fitness, and skills will increase your safety margin and trip quality, and will actually create more potential for adventure — by solving foreseeable problems beforehand, you can respond fully to the true unknowns. Can you plan all aspects…
Discuss: When & how will backpacking be safe & feasible again?
The COVID-19 pandemic has me heartbroken by the death toll, saddened by the widespread fear, longing for social engagement, deflated by its economic impact, fascinated by the science, and — most of all right now — simply anxious to return to a “normal” that more closely resembles the old one than the current one. I’m…
How is backpacking different for women than men? Series intro
While reorganizing and streamlining the blog categories late last year, I found two lonely posts that demanded their own section — For women — and that also highlighted the need for more related content. On this website I generally stick to subjects about which I’m an expert, so historically it’s been light on female-specific subjects…