Mountain Culture and Environment Speakers’ Series
Tuesday, September 16 · 7:30 p.m.
Max Bell Auditorium, The Banff Centre · Tickets $9
Mountain Culture Members free
Banff Centre Box Office: 1-800-413-8368 or 403-762-6301
Last year, professional backpacker Andrew Skurka became the first person to complete the Great Western Loop, an 11,064-kilometre expedition that links five long-distance hiking trails, traverses 12 national parks, and covers over 75 wilderness areas in the United States. He walked an average of 53 kilometres per day for 208 straight days, covering a distance equal to 262 marathons while consuming 7,000 calories daily. Skurka was named the 2007 Adventurer of the Year by National Geographic Adventure magazine.
Speaking at The Banff Centre as part of the Mountain Culture and Environment Speakers’ Series, Skurka will tie his experience to environmental issues and ecological threats. On his journey he witnessed the impact of climate change first-hand — shrinking glaciers in Montana’s Glacier National Park, the North Cascades in Washington State, and the Wind River Range in Wyoming. He also experienced intense drought in the Southwest, a reduced snowpack in the Sierras, a record-breaking heat wave in Washington, an abnormally long and intense wildfire season in Montana, and a devastating pine beetle infestation in Colorado. Skurka promotes lightweight backpacking gear, technique, and skills in his presentations. His pack, minus food and water, averages three kilograms, allowing him to regularly log 55 to 70 kilometres per day. A question and answer session will follow the presentation.
A graduate of Duke University, 27-year-old Skurka gives regular presentations about his backpacking adventures, including an 11-month trek of the 12,517-km Sea-to-Sea Route, a network of long-distance hiking trails from Quebec to Washington involving 2,253-km of snowshoeing. His shorter hikes include the 2,736-km California section of the Pacific Crest Trail in 44 days, 3,492-km Appalachian Trail in 95 days, 772-km Colorado Trail, and a 620-km trek through northern Minnesota.
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More information about the Mountain Culture and Environment Speakers’ Series.
