Andrew Skurka's Blog, page 8

Boston 2022: Setting high expectations

The 2022 Boston Marathon is just two weeks away, and the most difficult and most revealing workouts of the training cycle are now behind me. So where am I at, and what am I expecting on race day?

Goals

I think it’s useful to include some degree of flexibility when setting goal times for a marathon. In addition to normal day-to-day “how you feel” variance that could make the difference of a minute or two over a 26-mile race, the weather at Boston is not always ideal, like when it was 70 degrees and sunny in 2017 or 40 degrees with hard rain in 2018.

C goal: Set a new Boston PR, so faster than 2:32:01, set in 2017;B goal: Set a new marathon PR, so faster than 2:28:24, set in Houston in perfect conditions in 2018; and,A goal: Run low-2:27, maybe even 2:26-high.Training: overview

This is a rare statement for someone who turned 41 years-old last week and who has been racing competitively for 27 years: I’m in the best shape of my life — or, at least the best “marathon shape” of my life, since I’d struggle mightily to break my high school mile PR or my UTMB split from 2017.

The Boston training cycle began in mid-October of last year, at the end of my guiding season. That gave my coach, David Roche, 188 disruption-free days to get the most out of me. We jumped on an opportunity to run the fast California International Marathon in early-December (2:32:01 finish, with 1:16:27 – 1:15:34 splits) to establish a baseline and to accelerate my fitness.

Since CIM, I’ve “leveled up” at least a notch, probably two. In the key workouts of the training cycle, I’m running about 10 seconds faster per mile than before Boston 2017, Houston 2018, or CIM 2021. That’s 262 seconds, or 4:22 faster over a marathon, which puts me in low-2:27 territory.

Training: A typical week

To see my training, you can review my Strava profile, though without descriptions it may be difficult to see exactly what I’ve been doing.

In this interview, David and I discussed at length his training approach. In the four subsequent years, he’s refined his system but kept it mostly in tact.

Weekly mileage in this cycle started at around 65 miles and has increased to about 80 miles.

A typical week is:

Monday: rest;Tuesday: 10 easy with some striders, or a first workout;Wednesday: AM workout and short PM workout, or easy 10 after Tues workout;Thursday: 10 easy, or a second workout if on the Tues-Thur cycle;Friday: 4 to 6 easy, maybe with some striders;Saturday: Long run of 20 miles +/-, usually with some miles at or below race pace; and,Sunday: 10 to 12 with some hill repeats.Training: Key workouts

I live in Boulder, Colo., 5,300 feet above sea level. Per Jack Daniels, my race pace is about 10-12 seconds per mile slower here than at sea level.

Recent mid-week workouts have included:

Mar 16: In the AM, 10-8-6-4-2 ladder (in minutes) with 2 minutes easy in between, weighted avg 5:29; in the PM, 10 x 1 minute with 1 minute easy in between, 5:06 avgMar 23: In the AM, 10 x 3 minutes on a hilly course (5:36 avg) with 1 minute easy in between; in the PM, 20 minute tempo at 5:39 paceMar 30: In the AM, 5 x 1 mile (5:19 avg) with 3 minutes easy in between; in the PM, 20 min tempo at 5:28 pace

Recent long runs have included:

Mar 5: 20 miles with 3 x 4 miles (5:47 avg in freezing drizzle)Mar 19: 20 miles with a half marathon at marathon pace (5:42 avg)Mar 26: 24 miles with a 5-4-3-2-1 ladder (miles) with one mile easy in between (5:42 weighted avg)Apr 2: 21 miles with 10 miles at marathon pace (5:37 avg)Training partner

I attribute my current fitness to two factors. One has been the length of this uninterrupted training cycle, and a coach who knows how to use it. The second was that I had a training partner five days a week, including for nearly all of the hard workouts and long runs.

Last fall Matt Urbanski of TeamRunRun moved in about a mile away from me. We leave our respective homes at 7:15 AM, meet in the middle, and run together from there. He’s also 41 years-old and lined up for a new PR at Boston, likely cracking 2:30. Our personalities and fitness are a match, and he has made this training cycle more fun and more fruitful. I’ve been really thankful to have him.

After Boston

Ideally, I could roll this fitness into another marathon, like Chicago or New York in the fall. But I don’t think that will be the case, since I have a very full spring and summer guiding calendar. I’m a lifelong runner and don’t see retirement happening soon.

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5 thoughtful tips for home shopping

Earlier this week Amanda and I went under contract for a 1962 ranch in Boulder, less than a mile away from our current home. We’re excited about its potential and also intimidated by the work ahead — it’s like a time capsule, complete with its original intercom system, whole house vacuum, mid-mod hallway sconces, and wooden wall paneling.

Purchase contracts fall though, so until we close in late-April I’ll remain coy about the property. For now, though, I wanted to share five tips that I found especially helpful through the process, for my own benefit next time or for any readers currently shopping.

1. Track drive-by’s and walk-throughs

Since mid-October of last year, Amanda and I drove by and/or walked through fifty-three properties. These tours helped us to narrow our geographic search, develop a good sense of fair market value, find alignment in our preferences, and identify acceptable tradeoffs.

Naturally, I tracked all of these visits in a spreadsheet so that the information was not lost or confused. It had ten columns:

Status: For sale, Pending, Sold, Off-marketDecision: In love, Viable, Eh, Hard noDate of drive-by Date of walk-throughMost memorable for: “Chicken coup,” “Creepy basement wet bar”Asking pricePurchase priceProsCons2. Find a property with a flaw that you can fix

Especially in Boulder, turnkey properties with a modern aesthetic have been prompting bidding wars. We toured multiple properties that showed really well, received multiple offers, and eventually sold for up to 30 percent over the asking price.

Early on our agent Charlie remarked to us, “I’ve always looked for properties with a flaw that I could fix,” and Amanda and I started to live by this rule. Flaws have two effects: they cull the number of prospective buyers, and they create an opportunity to build sweat equity. Examples include unfinished basements, outdated kitchens, and room for a new half-bath.

3. The excitement should last

A month ago Amanda and I toured one property that was well within our budget, nicely updated, and very close to a go-to running path. Leaving the house, I was almost certain that we’d make an offer.

But the excitement faded, with the property’s positives being overridden by concerns about its stair-filled tri-level layout, small lot, and dimly lit garden-level master bedroom and bath. A day later we shared our hesitation with Charlie, who offered us another gem: “The excitement should last.”

In contrast, since touring the soon-to-be-ours new home, we’ve remained fixated by it.

4. Avoid vulnerability to a downturn early on

When I started looking at homes last year, I quickly realized that “upgrading” in Boulder would financially stretch us. Even though we earn more income now than in 2012 when I bought our current home, and even though we have built significant equity in it, Boulder was no more affordable to us.

In trying to figure out how much I should stretch, a very successful client gave me this tip: “Go as far as you can without compromising your ability to weather a downturn early on.” He shared his experience of buying a Bay Area home just before the bursting of the dot com bubble, selling that property two years later because he was relocated and couldn’t afford two house payments, and having to bring a sizable check to the closing because the house was worth less than he had paid. If he’d been able to wait it out for another year or two, he would have at least broken even.

Amanda and I have a 10-year plan for this property, by which time it will likely be worth more than we paid for it. And if there’s an interim correction due to raising interest rates or a war in Europe, we have sufficient reserves still to manage it.

5. Make an offer with which you are comfortable, however it turns out

Based on nearby comp sales and an aggressive fix-and-flip model, I came up with two offer prices about $25k apart that included a reasonable discount for the effort and risk in renovating the property. I could mathematically justify these offers based on the expected after-repair value.

But I knew that another buyer might come to the same numbers and that I’d probably have to throw in more. But how much more? For two days we drove ourselves crazy trying to out-think other buyers. “What if they offer $X52? So we should really offer $X53.”

On my Tuesday morning run with Matt, he gave me the big picture wisdom I needed: “Make an offer that’s right for you, because in a blind auction you’ll never know what other buyers are thinking.” Amanda and I submitted our offer about a half-hour after I got back, selecting a number that felt right to us with some help from Esmerelda.

I didn’t want to have regrets: regrets that we didn’t offer more when we could have, or regrets that we offered more than we could honestly justify.

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Reader Q: Female bidet advice

A reader, AnnaJoy G, recently wrote me:

I’m a ciswoman and looking for bidet advice for folks with vaginas. Conventional bidet methods seem to involve dirty water trickling down the butt and towards the vulva, the perfect recipe for a UTI. Online advice columns presume the hiker is a cisman and seem oblivious to the unique considerations of female bodies. I start backpacking the PCT in May and would love to make sure I have my poop game on-lock and no UTIs on the trail.

The guide team has discussed this matter internally, so that in the field we can nuance our tutorials for those with male and female parts. But to date I’ve never put something online, and it’s time. So I checked in with a few of the ciswomen guides for their advice.

Katie Gerber

I use the bidet daily. The beginning of the process is the same as the male-oriented instructions that have been shared online. But after washing my dirty hand with soap, so that my hand is clean again, I rinse generously from front-to-back with enough water to ensure that no fecal water could remain. Then I clean my hands again. Also, I make sure to squat low enough so that water is flowing backwards, not forwards.

I’ve never had a UTI that I blame on a bidet gone wrong.

In addition to the bidet, I stay clean by rinsing and rotating my underwear daily or almost daily.

Melodie Kao

I have used the bidet everyday outside for over eight years and have never had a UTI. I think it has prevented UTI’s for my long trips.

The trick is to sluice water from the front, for both pee and poop.

Use your hand as the ‘funnel’: right hand is my clean hand, which handles the water bottle and soap dropper bottle. Drop 1-2 drops of soap into cupped left hand, then pour some water into it. Rub around the back, and replenish left hand with fresh water until all soap is gone: water, splash/rub, water, splash/rub, etc. Repeat if needed for vulva area.

Before pulling up pants, switch hands and soap/rinse right hand.  Pull up pants and enjoy being clean and fresh outside everyday  

Bec Bastian

At first I was really nervous about the backcountry bidet method for the exact reasons you described. I will try anything once and ended up really liking the bidet. Now I use it daily in the backcountry. The biggest adjustment that I made was getting a specific tool, the CuloClean Bidet, to help me be more specific with the direction of the water rather than just splashing around with my hand. I still use my hand and wash with water and soap, but this tool helps with accuracy. 

I have had many UTI’s, but none that I could blame on using a bidet. The bidet has helped improve my backcountry cleanliness. I think more likely than a UTI, you could end up with a yeast infection if you aren’t deliberate. I use biodegradable soap and water and that has solved all of my challenges with keeping bacteria out of my system while I’m doing extended outdoor activities.

Additionally I use a Kula cloth for urine only. 

Jessica Winters

Your concerns are very valid and I personally haven’t mastered the bidet method.  And I have received UTIs because of it on more than one occasion. 

I use a wysi wipe instead. It only takes a few drops of water.

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Leave No Trace Best Practices

Leave No Trace principles are a framework of best practices that are critical knowledge for anyone who spends time in nature. They were developed to minimize the impact of backcountry travelers on sensitive ecosystems.

Especially with the increasing number of people recreating outdoors, acting in accordance with these principles is essential if we wish to preserve our natural areas for ourselves and future generations. Though LNT practices originated in the backcountry, they apply anywhere, whether you’re on a remote backpacking trip or out for a day hike in the front country. 

LNT principles are a lens through which you can make decisions in the backcountry, ranging from how to choose a campsite to how to poop in the woods. They are foundational skills which we instill in clients on all of our guided trips.

This post explores the 7 principles of Leave No Trace along with examples of how to apply them.

1. Plan Ahead and Prepare

Proper planning increases safety and enjoyment of a trip while minimizing impact on the land. I can recall several instances where poor planning resulted in avoidable mistakes, such as sharing one set of micro spikes with a hiking partner for a snowfield crossing in the Wind River Range, and not having sun protection for a trip in the High Sierra.

Fortunately, planning is a skill that can be learned. In our Plan Like a Pro course and in the online curriculum for our guided trips, we teach a 7-step process to planning any backcountry trip:

Define the trip parameters: Where, when, with who, and why?Research the conditions, like temperatures and bug pressure.Select gear that is appropriate for the parameters and conditions.Plan snacks and meals.Collect or create navigational resources like maps and guidebooks.Gain the requisite skills and fitness for the itinerary. And,Complete a final systems check just before hitting the trail.2. Travel and Camp on Durable Surfaces

Long lasting damage to the land and waterways can occur when we trample vegetation and microorganisms, causing impact to a site beyond its ability to repair. The resulting barren soil is more prone to erosion. Focusing activities on more resilient surfaces, such as gravel, sand, snow, and dry grasses can minimize impact.

Responsible travel can occur on trail and off trail. Trails are designed to concentrate traffic, so when traveling on trails, avoid creating new paths by cutting switchbacks or widening the trail by walking on the sides of it.

When traveling off trail, it’s important to note that frequency of use and larger group sizes increase the likelihood of impacting an area. Spread out to reduce the likelihood of the same spot being trampled multiple times and do your best to stay on durable surfaces.

If you must walk on vegetation, dry grasses are generally more resilient than wet ones. Avoid walking across cryptobiotic soil or through desert mud holes and puddles.

Walking on durable surfaces, such as granite slab, reduces impact of off trail travel.

Be particularly aware of fragile ecosystems that are easily damaged and slow to repair, such as alpine areas. When we take clients off trail on guided trips in the Sierra, for instance, we spread out rather than walking in a line, we avoid repeatedly taking the same path to a water source, and we avoid crushing the vegetation when possible.

The same mentality applies to campsite selection. Poor campsite selection can not only lead to a miserable, sleepless night, but can cause damage to the natural resources in an area as well.

In high use areas, camp 200 feet from water and choose campsites that are already impacted, where you or your group will cause no further impact. In more pristine areas, spread out campsites and avoid using the same route to water, the kitchen, or any other common area. Avoid landscaping a site, such as by digging a trench or building furniture, and do your best to naturalize campsites before you leave, such as by brushing pine cones and sticks back over the area.

When leaving a campsite, my goal is that any future visitors are unable to tell that someone has slept there before. Learn more about choosing a 5-star campsite here.

3. Dispose of Waste Properly

How to poop in the woods is one of our favorite topics to teach on. If you’ve spent any amount of time on popular hiking trails, you’ve most likely encountered a TP bloom — used, unburied toilet paper on the surface of the ground, often “hidden” under a rock or behind a log. It’s pretty gross.

In some places, such as narrow river canyons, human waste must be packed out, but in most cases, you can bury your poop.

Toilet paper must be buried thoroughly in moist environments and should be packed out in arid environments and fragile alpine ecosystems, or better yet, not used at all. The way to leave the least trace is to use the backcountry bidet method. Read this and this for details on how to execute the method and properly poop in the woods.

The back-to-front nature of the water bidet can pose a risk of UTI for women, so as a female, I modify Andrew’s method by doing a final rinse from front-to-back. Squatting extra low and finishing with a wet wipe can also help.

On that note, wet wipes, tampons, and all other trash should always be packed out.

If using a biodegradable soap to wash your dishes or yourself, avoid contaminating waterways by carrying water away from the source. 

4. Leave What You Find

It’s likely that you’ll find beautiful and interesting rocks, plants, and artifacts when traveling outdoors. It’s one of the reasons we go out there. By leaving these items where you find them, you allow others to discover them as well. Furthermore, the animals that inhabit the land often use these natural materials as food and to construct their homes. Additionally, avoid damaging living trees, such as by carving into them. “Take only memories, leave only footprints” is a common saying that encapsulates this principle.

Spread out during off trail travel to minimize trampling the vegetation.5. Minimize Campfire Impacts

Fire bans are common in many areas, both to reduce wildfire risks and to protect resources in high-use areas. So check land agency websites before your trip to be aware of current regulations.

Due to the increasing frequency and intensity of wildfires, in the American West we generally discourage campfires unless they are necessary for safety reasons.

If you do decide to have a fire, minimize impacts by using existing fire rings, gathering wood responsibly, and following safety protocols.

6. Respect Wildlife

When traveling in natural areas, keep in mind that you’re a visitor in someone’s home. The lands we hike through are habitat for birds, mammals, insects, and other wildlife. As a visitor to these spaces, try not to disturb the residents. That means giving wildlife plenty of space, observing quietly from afar, not blocking their access to water, and avoiding behaviors that might stress them out, such as approaching or touching them. In national parks, people who intentionally get too close to wildlife face fines and jail time.

Respecting wildlife also means packing out your garbage and not feeding them, intentionally or unintentionally. It doesn’t take much human food for animals to become food-habituated. When this happens, they can become “nuisance” animals, which can lead to adverse human-animal interactions and eventually to the euthanization of the animal. Proper food protection, as detailed here, here, and here, and packing out food scraps are best practices.

7. Be Considerate of Other Visitors

Everyone has a right to access the outdoors and to enjoy their experience. Be considerate of others by avoiding excessive noise, cleaning up after yourself, keeping your pets controlled, yielding to equestrians and those traveling in the uphill direction, and being mindful of how your actions are impacting someone else’s experience. For example, if you choose to listen to music while you hike or watch a movie in your tent, use earbuds. If you need to make a phone call, step out of earshot. Be courteous and respectful.

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58 recommended snacks and lunches for backpacking

Hikers love to talk about food almost as much as they like to talk about gear and bowel movements. When it comes to trail food, there’s often a lot of uncertainty about how much and what types of food to take. In this post, we’ll address each of those topics as well as share 58 of our favorite snack and lunch ideas, along with the nutritional breakdown of each.

Desirable characteristics of trail food

Generally speaking, ideal trail food is calorically-dense, compact, appetizing, and comes in minimal, lightweight packaging.

Favoring foods that are calorically-dense helps keep pack weight low. The most calorically-dense foods are those which are high in fat, such as seeds, nuts, and oils. Most hikers aim for greater than 100 calories per ounce for most of their trail food.

That said, it’s nice to pack out a few fresh items, such as an avocado, carrots, or a sandwich to consume in the first day or two of a trip. The nutritional and satisfaction benefits of these items make up for what they lack in caloric density.

How much food?

If you’re uncertain exactly how much food to pack, follow the time-tested guideline that we give to our guided trip clients: 2,250 to 2,750 calories per full day, which weighs 18 to 22 ounces assuming an average caloric density of 125 calories per ounce.

If you are young, muscular, larger in size, and/or on an intense trip, aim for the high end of this range. If you are the opposite of any of those aim for the low end of this range.

Experiment before you commit

Ultimately, food tends to be very personal, in terms of how much your specific body needs, which foods make you feel best, and of course, flavor and texture preferences.

To find what works for you, try out new trail foods in low-risk situations, such as on a day hike, before purchasing items in bulk for your next multi-night trip. Experiment with different flavors (e.g. sweet, salty, sour) and textures (e.g. crunchy, smooth, chewy) to see what agrees most with your body and taste preferences.

My ideal way to enjoy lunch.Snacks

A good snack is easy to consume and digest. It’s generally less than 300 calories and contains a mix of protein, fat, and carbohydrates. Ideally, it can fit in your hip belt pocket, doesn’t require preparation or a utensil to consume, and can be eaten on the go or during a quick pitstop.

Sea Salt and Vinegar chips + almond butter. Tasty and not entirely unhealthy!Lunches

Lunches are a little more involved. They generally involve more preparation and multiple ingredients and are easiest to consume while sitting. Like snacks, they should include a mix of macronutrients. Lunches should contain enough calories to provide you with plenty of energy until your next meal or snack, but not be so big that you feel too bogged down to hike. Note that some of the lunch ideas below may need combined with additional ingredients to make a nutritionally complete meal, such as eating avocado and sweet potato chips alongside a protein, such as jerky.

Tasty, simple lunch combinations don’t require a stoveWhat would you add to our list? Share your favorite trail snack and lunch ideas below. 

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Extend Your Learning!

This is meant to be a final ‘send-off’ post for our Plan Like a Pro course and guided trips with links, books, and other resources meant to further your education if you like, on your own terms. It starts with some of our favorite books, classes, apps, online communities and podcasts; and then it goes deep on categories mirroring the curriculum modules.

Have suggestions for this list?

Let us know! We can update it so it becomes more valuable as time goes on, as new equipment is released, and as best practices evolve to suit ever-changing times.

Books

Books can be useful for picking up technical skills or being brought into another hiker’s worlds and experience.

Where you’ll find me: The last climb of Kate Matrosova – Riveting account from behind the scenes of SAR (Search & Rescue)

The Last Traverse: Tragedy and resilience in the winter whites

Ultralight Backpackin’ Tips – Classic book from Mike Clelland with great illustrations

Thirst: 2600 miles to home

Ultralight Winter Travel – Superb resource for those interested in winter travel

Weather: A field guide

The Packraft Handbook – THE book to get if you’re interested in packrafting

Squiggly Lines

Bear Attacks: Causes and avoidance – People fear what they don’t know, but once you understand why bears act the way they do, you’ll become more confident in bear country

Staying Alive in Avalanche Terrain – Another classic. Essential reading if you plan on winter camping/backpacking anywhere near avalanche terrain.

*Many other great book suggestions can be found on Cam Honan’s site, The Hiking Life

Apps

We live in a digital world, and there are a lot of great tools at our disposal. Here are some of our favorites.

Seek – Helps to identify plants & animals.

Peakfinder – Identify certain peaks around you.

FarOut – Used to be Guthook. Great for long trails.

GaiaGPS – One of the best navigation apps.

CalTopo – Another fantastic navigation app to go with its powerful desktop suite.

All Trails – Simple app/website.

OnX Backcountry – Good for skiing.

Peak Visor

SAS Survival Guide – Interesting survival tips you may find valuable.

Courses & Certifications

Investing in yourself is the best thing you can do to become more proficient in the backcountry. Here are some great classes you should consider.

Wilderness First Aid (WFA) – Great intro course for outdoor enthusiasts.

Wilderness First Responder (WFR) – The gold standard for guides and other outdoor professionals.

Swiftwater Rescue Courses – Essential for anyone integrating river travel or significant water crossings into their journeys.

AIARE – Crucial for anyone traveling in avalanche terrain. Broken up into levels.

Mountaineering – There are a lot of sub-categories here, so take a look around and see if one piques your interest.

Summer Strong – An interesting fitness-based course that focuses on ‘mindful interval training’, which you can do in your living room or backyard-no gym required!

River Safety & Rescue – Perfect for packrafters.

Performance Nutrition & Meal Planning for Backpackers – Fabulous course for those who want to take their food to the next level.

Adventure-Ready – A more in-depth course that focuses on nutrition.

Online Forums

Great places to meet like-minded others, trade gear, talk shop, or even find hiking buddies.

Facebook – The OG. Still lots of specific groups for certain trails, national parks, etc. Good resource!

Reddit Ultralight – Where all the nerds hang out. Including me.

Backpacking Light Forum – Deep reservoir of topics going back 20 years. Whatever you’re looking for, there’s a thread on it here.

Reddit UL Gear Swap – Buy/Sell UL gear. Very active.

Backpacking Light Gear Swap – Buy/Sell UL gear. Very active.

Podcasts

Rather than list them all individually, you can find some great lists and a blurb about most of them Here, Here, and Here. Try them out and see what you like!

Other than the standard hiker podcasts, I’ve found a lot of valuable information on the Huberman Labs podcast. This is mostly about physiology, neurology, and psychology, but a lot of it ties right into food, nutrition, physical fitness, etc. Shout out to Katie Gerber for the recommendation!

Goal Trips

Need some inspiration? Check some of these ideas out.

33 Must do treks

AllTrails: Best hikes in the U.S.

The Outbound: 25 Badass hikes

Wildland Trekking: 10 best national park hikes in the U.S.

Conditions Assessment

I find the best learning takes place when you understand basic principles of weather and topography and then experience them happen in real-time. There are lots of great tools out there to give you even more context and historical data on where you’re headed.

NASA Worldview

Sentinel HUB, Playground, and EO Browser

Mountain Forecast

Book: Mountain Weather

Book: Mountain Weather-The field guide

Book: Weather: A field guide

Fitness

Prevent injuries, hike longer, and enjoy yourself more.

REI-Hiking Fitness Tips

Adventure Alan-How to train for hiking & backpacking

Clever Hiker-Training for a backpacking trip

The Trek: Yoga for backpackers

Garage Grown Gear: How Yoga helps backpackers

Backpacker: Training to avoid injuries

Fixing Your Feet by John Vonhof. Fantastic work that will keep your hoofs in great shape after all the abuse you put them through.

The New York City Ballet Workout by Peter Martins. Similar to Yoga and pilates, Ballet teaches grace, balance, core strength, coordination, etc. This book is also a great primer on strength stretching, which will keep you going longer and stronger. No, you don’t have to learn to pirouette to gain benefits from these exercises.

Gear List

Everyone’s favorite. Other than ‘The Ultimate Hikers Gear Guide’, which is essential reading, most up-to-date gear-related advice or tools are scattered across the web.

SectionHiker.com

BackpackingLight.com

TheHikingLife.com

OutdoorGearLab.com

CleverHiker.com

SoCalHiker.com

PMags.com

AdventureAlan.com

LighterPack.com

Food

Fueling your body properly is key. Food goes hand in hand with fitness and other preparations you make before heading out.

Book: Adventure Ready by Katie Gerber & Heather ‘Anish’ Anderson

Book: Peak Nutrition by Mercedes Pollmeier & Maria Hines

Class: Adventure Ready by Katie Gerber

The Hiking Life: The Hikers Diet

REI: Meal planning for Ultralight Backpacking

Clever Hiker: Lightweight backpacking food ideas

Hyperlight Mountain Gear: Ultralight Food Prep

Backpacking Light: Making your own food

Greenbelly: 76 food ideas from the Appalachian Trail

Maps and Navigation

Don’t just ‘stay found’. Know where you’ve been, where you’re going, and why.

Book: Squiggly Lines–Navigation in adventure races

Book: NOLS Wilderness Navigation

Book: Finding your way using Map, Compass, Altimeter, & GPS

Skills

More important than the latest and greatest gear

In-person navigation class (REI)

How to tie knots

The Hiking Life – Skills

Adventure Alan – Skills

Keep up with us!

You can find our guides & instructor’s contact information HERE.

Au Revoir!

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Video tutorial: Finding historical temp & precip date from NCEI

Last year the National Center for Environmental Information (NCEI) updated its website and launched two new tools for researching historical temperature and precipitation data. The good news is that the website is now more user-friendly; the bad news is that my older tutorial, posted in March 2021, is obsolete, so it’s time for a new one.

The value of historical temperature and precipitation data

Climate normals are extremely useful in predicting likely weather months in advance — and therefore the gear, supplies, and skills that will likely be required on a backpacking trip. Temperatures and precipitation influence most my choice of clothing, shelter, and sleep system, as well as when I schedule the trip.

VideoTutorial: Finding US climate normals

Start by going to this page on the NCEI website. It’s worth reading the introductory text before you jump into the data.

NCEI offers two ways to access its data:

Start with Quick Access, which is easier to use and generates faster results.If you can’t find the data you want with Quick Access, use Full Access.Quick Access

Click here to launch.

Enter the name of towns or other significant geographic places near your route, then select the “Monthly” or “Daily” tab.

Monthly: Best for long itineraries, or trips centered around the middle of the month (e.g. July 10-17).Daily: Best for shorter itineraries that are towards the beginning or end of the month.

In addition to the chart and graph, you can “Get this data as .pdf,” which you could save for your records and which sometimes provides a daily chance of precipitation.

Full access

If you can’t find nearby locations using the Quick Access, use the Full Access. Start with the Daily Normals, and resort to the Monthly Normals if that’s not enough.

I usually start this process by using the “Find location using map” feature, to display weather stations near my route that I may not have known about.

Adjustments

Weather stations are rarely located where we like to backpack — they’re difficult to install, power, and maintain; and data from more populated areas has more relevance.

Because mountains make their own weather, adjustments often must be made to the climate normal data. For temperatures, assume 3 to 5 degrees F per 1,000 vertical feet of change (less in humid locales, more in dry locales). There’s no similar rule of thumb for precipitation, other than it’s more likely at higher elevations and on the windward sides of major mountains and rides.

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Last call: Apply for a scholarship

The deadline to apply for our scholarship program is coming up — 8 AM MST on Monday, February 21. These needs-based awards are eligible for up to 10 spots on our intro-level Backpacking Fundamentals course and up to 16 spots in our Plan Like A Pro online course.

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I’m hiring: Backpacking Guides and Operations Assistant

My guiding program continues to grow, and I must make several new hires this season to keep up. I am now accepting applications for three roles:

Operations Assistant (one)Lead Backpacking Guide (at least two)Junior Backpacking Guide (one to three)

Applicants can apply for just the Operations Assistant position, just the Backpacking Guide positions, or both.

Job description: Operations AssistantCan start immediately; must start by late-FebruaryMust be local to south Boulder, Colorado (within a 30- to 45-minute drive)Must be available in-person for two days per week during the first two weeks of JuneWork load

The work is part-time and seasonal. February through July, it will average about 8 hours per week, with more hours before blocks of trips and fewer hours while trips are in the field. The work will conclude in mid-October (when the guiding season ends) and resume again in February 2023.

The schedule is very flexible, except for a few in-person days immediately before and immediately after blocks of trips. In setting up those days, I try to be accommodating of other commitments.

Responsibilities

Primarily responsibilities include:

Preparing client/guide breakfast and dinner rations,Developing alternative meal plans for clients with food restrictions,Assembling first aid kits and group supplies, and,Gathering client loaner gear, and putting it away when it returns.

Important attributes are:

Attention to detailReliableCommunicativeDiligentManagement and compensation

The Operations Assistant will be managed primarily by Matt Huddleston, who has been the Operations Manager since 2020 and who has additional responsibilities this season as a Plan Like A Pro instructor and Junior Guide. The Operations Assistant will also work directly with me.

This worker will be engaged as an independent contractor. Pay range is $20-$25 per hour.

Job description: Backpacking Guides

I must add Lead Guides (at least two) and Junior Guides (one to three) to our existing all-star guide team. These guides will be assigned to trips in:

Escalante, Utah: Thursday, April 21 through Sunday, May 8; and,High Sierra, California: Saturday, July 16 through Sunday, July 31

These positions are seasonal, and should be considered a supplement to steadier full-time work, a fun and rewarding retirement project, or an additional contract in a larger freelance portfolio.

This season I will likely need help only in Utah and California, although I would consider assigning these new hires to Washington and/or West Virginia as well if it was geographically convenient. In future seasons there will be an opportunity for more work — in 2022, the busiest guides are leading trips for about 45 days in three different locations.

Minimum qualifications for Lead and Junior Guides

To learn about my guide program, go here. We offer learning-intensive and adventure-rich courses and trips, and specialize in long-distance backpacking, off-trail travel, and modern gear and technique. I am looking for candidates that match and can support this mission, while perhaps also bringing new perspectives and life experiences.

1. Extensive backpacking experience. Have you slept on the ground (or between trees) for hundreds of nights and in a variety of seasons and environments? Do you have a practical understanding of backpacking gear, and have you developed a robust backcountry skill set?

2. Good physical fitness. On average per day, at a minimum can you hike 15 miles (at sea level) or climb 3,250 vertical feet (at altitude), and occasionally hike 20 miles or climb 4,250 feet? Are you comfortable hiking off-trail, on uneven and loose surfaces, through talus and scree, on airy slickrock, and at elevations up to 13,000 feet?

3. Interpersonal skills. Do you enjoy working with people? Can you effectively communicate your thoughts? Are you comfortable managing groups and group dynamics? Are you energetic and cheery?

Preferred qualifications for Lead and Junior Guides

4. Teaching experience. Have you guided, taught, instructed, or mentored others, including students, adults, colleagues, teammates, and classmates? Do you have any professional credentials (e.g. degrees, wilderness medicine training, workshop or course certificates)?

5. Relate-ability. Nearly all of our clients are adults; most are working professionals or recently retired; and many have children and spouses. What experiences do you have in relating to this audience?

6. Community credibility. Do you have a significant following on your website or social media channels? Have you written a book, developed a route guide, or submitted content to a popular backpacking blog? Are you an ambassador for an outdoor brand? Do you give public talks or clinics?

Required qualifications for Lead Guides

7. Guiding experience. Applicants for the Lead Guide positions must have previous experience leading overnight backpacking trips with adult clients for a commercial organization.

Compensation

Guides are paid a daily rate, compensated for trip preparation and travel, reimbursed for training and travel expenses, and often tipped by clients.

In 2021 we hired five new guides:

Bec BastianKatie GerberHazel PlattDahn PrattMelodie KaoTo applyTo review the application form first, download it as a PDF.To submit your application, use this form.

Applicants for the Operations Assistant position must upload a resume or a Letter of Interest (or both). The Letter of Interest should not exceed 750 words.

Applicants for the Backpacking Guide positions must upload a Letter of Interest that addresses the hiring qualifications — all or most of them, depending on your background. You need not answer the specific questions, as they’re more meant to guide the general direction of your letter. Please do not exceed 750 words.

Note: To upload files, you must be logged into your Google account, if you are not already.

Apply now!Application deadlines

Apply by 8 AM MST on Monday, February 28 for the:

Operations Assistant, andJunior Guides positions.

I will accept applications for Lead Guides through 8AM MST on Monday, February 28, or until the positions are filled.

I will review applications periodically and may schedule some interviews before this deadline.

Andrew Skurka Adventures LLC is an equal opportunity employer.

Questions?

If you have general questions about this position, leave a comment below. I will answer it there, to avoid multiple private answers to the same questions.

If you have a question that pertains specifically to your application, please contact me directly.

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Garmin inReach Mini 2: Incrementally improved, still fundamentally flawed

Today Garmin released the second generation of its smallest and lightest satellite messenger. The inReach Mini 2 offers incremental improvements over the original inReach Mini, while maintaining the same size, weight, and form factor. Upgrades include:

Longer lasting battery in tracking mode;Quicker GPS acquisition by using four satellite networks;An automatic track-back feature, helping to return the user to their point of origin;New user interface based on the Garmin watches; and,Electronic compass display heading even when stationary.

The Mini 2 is also compatible with the Garmin Explore Mobile app. I’m uncertain how this app differs from Earthmate, which is the messaging app for the original Mini.

Should I upgrade to the Mini 2?

I own an inReach Mini, used it for several years, and have no intention of upgrading to the Mini 2 because I don’t see $400 of value in these improvements (or even $250, if I was able to sell my used Mini for $150).

I don’t use the Mini for tracking, because this feature costs extra and because I can record a more accurate track with my GPS watch or my phone (using the CalTopo or Gaia app). When I turn on the Mini only periodically to check messages, the battery lasts weeks.I’m satisfied with the GPS acquisition time of my Mini.I’d never use the track-back feature, because I carry with me both paper and digital maps, and I know how to read them.The interface on the Mini is acceptable, albeit far from perfect. And,A keychain compass weighs a half-ounce and costs $5, though usually I’m carrying a more functional baseplate compass anyway.Should I buy the Mini 2?

If you don’t already own the Mini or any satellite messenger, a stronger case can be made for the Mini 2. It’s:

Incrementally better than the original Mini;The smallest and lightest satellite messenger on the market; and,Functional as a standalone unit (i.e. if it’s not tethered to your phone) because of its display and virtual keyboard, though it’s not very user-friendly in this configuration.

One alternative option is to buy an original Mini on closeout or used second-hand. This gets you 90 percent of the functionality for the same weight and size, but at a lower entry price. My concern with buying an original Mini now is that Garmin may eventually make it technologically obsolete — or, less aggressively, simply stop making improvements to it (e.g. fixing bugs and security issues in Earthmate).

What could Garmin have done to really wow me?

With the Mini 2, Garmin made several nice improvements over the original device.

Unfortunately, it did nothing to enhance the inReach messaging experiencing, which is the core feature of the Mini and which is inferior to rival products like the Zoleo Satellite Communicator and the Somewear Global Hotspot. Last year I switched to the Zoleo for this sole reason, and this year I will be expanding its use in my guiding program.

Zoleo and Somewear offer “seamless messaging” across wifi, cell, and satellite. By being able to send and receive messages in their apps wherever I am — e.g. deep in the backcountry with only satellite service, on a mountaintop or ridge with cell service, or in a cafe with wifi — my conversations remain continuous and followable, and I can take advantage of less expensive connectivity options when available. In contrast, Garmin forces me to divide my conversations: in the backcountry I must use the Earthmate app (or Explore Mobile, with the Mini 2), and in the frontcountry and in town I use my usual email and texting apps.

The Zoleo also includes a dedicated email address and phone number so that anyone can easily reach me. My wife, my parents, the family of a client, and my guides in the field can just text or email me, like they would anyone else. To initiate a conversation with an inReach user, in contrast, a person must follow these convoluted instructions.

The Zoleo Satellite Communicator debuted in January. It’s a 5.5-ounce two-way satellite messenger that — when paired with the Zoleo app — offers a more seamless messaging experience than other satellite messengers.Questions about the inReach Mini 2, other satellite communicators, or which to buy? Leave a comment.

Disclosure. I strive to offer field-tested and trustworthy information, insights, and advice. I have no financial affiliations with or interests in any brands or products, and I do not publish sponsored content

This website is supported by affiliate marketing, whereby for referral traffic I receive a small commission from select vendors like Amazon or REI, at no cost to the reader. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

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