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Ask us anything: Sign up for “office hours” (free)

By Andrew Skurka / December 7, 2022 /

Next week we are hosting free “office hours,” starting Wednesday, December 14 and concluding on Friday, December 16. Schedule a chat to discuss anything related to backpacking: If you’re a guided trip alumnus, you can schedule a session to just relive great times, too. Each one-on-one session is 15 minutes, enough to go deep on…

First look: Our 2023 trip schedule

By Andrew Skurka / December 2, 2022 /

The first iteration of our 2023 trip schedule is now live. View it below, or open the full sheet in a new tab for easier viewing. In this first iteration, I’ve settled on trip locations, trip dates, and trip types. And I’ve estimated the number of groups in each session, based on historical demand and…

I’m hiring: Assistant Program Director

By Andrew Skurka / November 11, 2022 /

The 2023 guiding season is almost underway: a trip schedule will be released later this month, and the application period will open in mid-December. To help me run the program next year, I plan to hire an Assistant Director. This is a full-time and year-round position, and I hope that the candidate steps up as…

Last call: Apply for a scholarship

By Andrew Skurka / February 16, 2022 /

The deadline to apply for our scholarship program is coming up — 8 AM MST on Monday, February 21. These needs-based awards are eligible for up to 10 spots on our intro-level Backpacking Fundamentals course and up to 16 spots in our Plan Like A Pro online course.

I’m hiring: Backpacking Guides and Operations Assistant

By Andrew Skurka / February 12, 2022 /

My guiding program continues to grow, and I must make several new hires this season to keep up. I am now accepting applications for three roles: Operations Assistant (one) Lead Backpacking Guide (at least two) Junior Backpacking Guide (one to three) Applicants can apply for just the Operations Assistant position, just the Backpacking Guide positions,…

Apply now: Needs-based scholarships

By Andrew Skurka / February 1, 2022 /

Today I’m excited to launch a new needs-based scholarship program. In 2022 recipients will be eligible for up to ten spots on intro-level Backpacking Fundamentals courses in Colorado, California, and West Virginia, as well as up to sixteen spots on the online Plan Like A Pro course. We are accepting applications through Friday, February 21.

Season launch || “Plan Like a Pro” course

By Joe 'Stringbean' McConaughy / January 24, 2022 /

Next week we start our first 2022 session of Plan Like A Pro, an online course in which students are guided through a holistic trip planning curriculum that’s applicable for every location, season, experience level, and age and gender. The course is interactive, not one-way — students receive individualized feedback for most assignments. Over 400…

New program: Certify in Wilderness First Aid (WFA) during a 5- or 7-day trip

By Andrew Skurka / December 23, 2021 /

In partnership with the University of New Mexico International Mountain Medicine Center, we are offering Wilderness First Aid (WFA) courses at select 2022 locations. The courses are open only to participants on our guided trips. The in-person skill instruction can be completed the day before or after your trip, or it can be integrated into…

What 2022 trips will sell out before the end of 2021?

By Andrew Skurka / December 23, 2021 /

The deadline to apply for our 2022 trips in Utah, Colorado, and Alaska is Monday, December 27. Applications received by the end of the day will be given equal consideration, and applications received thereafter will be treated first come first serve for remaining spots. If you are interested in California, Washington, or West Virginia, you…

That time again: Accepting applications now for 2022 trips

By Andrew Skurka / December 12, 2021 /

If you’ve been waiting until tomorrow, December 13, to apply for our 2022 trips, when I said that I’d start accepting applications, you can get on it now: the application window is now open. All applications received through December 27 (and January 3 for some later locations) will be considered equally. It’s not first-come first-served,…