SNEWS® Live: Ultralight backpacker Andrew Skurka takes on the Great Western Loop
Andrew Skurka, Backpacker Magazine's "2005 Person of the Year," talks to SNEWS® Live about his 6,800-mile hike around the western ranges of North America.
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This edition of SNEWS® Live is brought to you by the Outdoor Industry Association
SNEWS® Live: Ultralight backpacker Andrew Skurka is in the middle of a little hiking trip. The 26-year-old professional athlete’s goal? Walk the lengths of five established trails through nine western states, 12 national parks and more than 75 wilderness areas. He started his journey on April 9, 2007, on the south rim of the Grand Canyon.
Skurka’s hike around the Great Western Loop is his latest in a string of backpacking stunts. Back in 2005, he became the first person to complete the 7,778-mile trek on the Sea-to-Sea route. That took him 11 months, and earned him the 2006 Teva Mountain Games “Expedition of the Year” award. With a few less miles on this trip, Skurka plans to be home by Christmas. SNEWS® Live caught Skurka on the trail to bring you his story.
