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Andrew Skurka, Author and National Geographic Adventurer of the Year to Present at ASU

Originally Published April 16, 2013. 

Mast General Store and ASU Outdoor Programs is hosting ultra long-distance backpacker and author Andrew Skurka on Friday, May 10, at 7 p.m. at I.G Greer Auditorium on the Appalachian State University campus. 

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Andrew Skurka in Yosemite National Park – Photo courtesy of Andrew Skurka

Skurka is best known for his 4,700-mile 6-month Alaska-Yukon Expedition, his 6,875-mile 7-month Great Western Loop, and his 7,775-mile 11-month Sea-to-Sea Route. He has been named an “Adventurer of the Year” by the National Geographic Society and by Outside, and “Person of the Year” by Backpacker. He is the author of The Ultimate Hiker’s Gear Guide: Tools and Techniques to Hit the Trail, which was released by National Geographic Books last February.

On May 10, Skurka will give an adventure-themed slideshow, Circling Alaska and Yukon: A 4,700-mile 6-month journey by foot, skis and packraft through Big Wilderness. This entertaining and thoughtful presentation features stunning imagery, emotional videos and some of Skurka’s best stories. While any adventure Skurka embarks on requires planning, scheduling, research, maps, and a great deal of determination, what he discovered along this trek was not planned, but was profoundly influential and humbling.

The presentation lasts about 90 minutes, including an intermission and question and answer session. Skurka will be available before and after the presentations to sign copies of his book, which will be available for purchase.

Admission to this event is $10 for adults and $5 for children 12 and under, Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts, and ASU students with ID. Proceeds will benefit KAMPN, Kids with Autism Making Progress in Nature, a camp for children with autism and their families located in Deep Gap, NC. Tickets are available at the Mast General Store in Boone and Valle Crucis and at the Cornerstone Bookstore in Boone.

Skurka will also be signing The Ultimate Hiker’s Gear Guide: Tools and Techniques to Hit the Trail at the Mast Store in Boone from 5 to 6 p.m. on May 10.

For more information on this event, visit www.MastStore.com.

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About Andrew Skurka

Andrew Skurka is an accomplished adventure athlete, speaker, guide, and writer. The 31-year-old is most well known for his solo long-distance backpacking trips, notably the 4,700-mile 6-month Alaska-Yukon Expedition, the 6,875-mile 7-month Great Western Loop, and the 7,775-mile 11-month Sea-to-Sea Route. In total, he has backpacked, skied, and packrafted 30,000+ miles through many of the world’s most prized backcountry and wilderness areas—the equivalent of traveling 1.2 times around Earth’s equator! He is the author of The Ultimate Hiker’s Gear Guide: Tools & Tips to Hit the Trail.

Skurka has been named “Adventurer of the Year” by both Outside and National Geographic Adventure, as well as “Person of the Year” by Backpacker. National Geographic described him as “a superman among trekkers” and “one of the best traveled and fastest hikers on the planet.” He has been featured by The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Fox News Channel, National Public Radio and dozens of local media outlets.

About KAMPN

KAMPN (Kids with Autism Making Progress in Nature) is being developed in the High Country to provide opportunities for children with autism and their families to experience and reap the many benefits nature offers. Hiking, camping and other nature-based activities will enable the child and family to explore and be involved together in the outdoors while providing university students, who are studying to become professionals in areas of Human Service, an opportunity to gain valuable experience. KAMPN is a non-profit organization and will seek funds to cover the costs of families participating. 

About Appalachian State University Outdoor Programs

Outdoor Programs mission is to promote discovery through student-powered adventure. With a belief that adventure is essential to a life well lived, Outdoor Programs helps students learn and grow through challenge. Programs are designed to provide education and development that engage the whole person intellectually, interpersonally, and physically. Through these experiences, participants learn to see their world in all of its complexity.