Hiking the 6,875 Mile Great Western Loop
by Allie Comeau on September 25, 2007
1 comment
Andrew Skurka is hiking the Great Western Loop with a purpose: to call attention to climate change and the negative effects that change will have on our magnificent wild lands. Worried about the future state of outdoor recreation in the West, he’s doing what he can to spread the word… by hiking his way around it.
An ambassador for Go Lite, Skurka has been hiking since April and is about three quarters of the way through the loop that stretches from the Grand Canyon to the Canadian border and back. The impressive loop connects 12 National Parks and 75 wilderness areas.
Skurka is writing periodic updates on his website, which also includes tips on lightweight packing, nutrition, training and even how to get sponsored.
This isn’t the first time Skurka has attempted a backpacking trip of this caliber — in 2005 he hiked the 7,778 mile Sea to Sea Route from Quebec to Washington and was named Backpacker’s Person of the Year because of it. He’s also conquered the Appalachian Trail, the Pacific Crest Trail, and the Colorado Trail (twice). After finishing the Great Western Loop, he’ll have hiked nearly 20,000 miles (not including his countless “short” hikes). The circumference of the world is only 24,906 miles…
I wonder how many trail mix bars and hiking boots he’s gone through.
Via The Denver Post
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September 30th, 2007 @ 4:28 pm
I think I got a blister on my foot just reading this post!
That’s a lot of miles!!