Andrew Skurka

Andrew Skurka is an American professional backpacker best known for two long-distance hiking firsts, the 6,875-mile Great Western Loop and the 7,778-mile Sea-to-Sea Route. National Geographic Adventure named him its 2007 Adventurer of the Year and Backpacker magazine named him its 2005 Person of the Year. He completed the Great Western Loop in 208 days in 2007, hiked a 4,679-mile route around Alaska in 176 days in 2010, and has covered the Appalachian Trail in 95 days and the California section of the Pacific Crest Trail in 45 days. He defined a light-and-fast style of backcountry travel, carrying a pack of 6.5 to 8 pounds without food, water and fuel, and regularly covering 35 to 45 miles a day. A graduate of Duke University, he is also an ultrarunner and finished second at the Leadville 100 in 2008.