Andrew Skurka's Blog, page 9

Apply now: Needs-based scholarships

Today I’m excited to launch a new needs-based scholarship program. In 2022 recipients will be eligible for up to ten spots on intro-level Backpacking Fundamentals courses in Colorado, California, and West Virginia, as well as up to sixteen spots on the online Plan Like A Pro course.

We are accepting applications through Friday, February 21.

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Satellite messengers: What happens when I hit SOS?

Backcountry risks can be greatly mitigated with proper trip planning, but not entirely eliminated. For those “just in case” scenarios, satellite messenger like the Zoleo (my pick), Somewear Global Hotspot, and Garmin inReach Mini are worth having. Functionality includes two-way text messaging, location sharing, weather forecasts, and, most importantly, an “SOS” feature to use in case of an emergency.

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.

All of the aforementioned devices utilize the GEOS Worldwide system which operates the International Emergency Response Coordination Centre (IERCC) on a round-the-clock basis. GEOS provides SOS monitoring services to all countries, territories, and waters of the world covered by the Iridium satellite network with the exclusion of Afghanistan, Chechnya, Democratic Republic of Congo, Iraq, Israel (West Bank, Gaza and Occupied Territories only), Somalia, Syria, and Libya.

If you or someone you come across is in need of immediate assistance in a wilderness setting, utilizing the SOS feature on your device is the fastest and most reliable way to get help. But what is the actual chain of events that takes place once you put out the call? 

When you initiate SOS either in the device’s smartphone app or on the device itself, there is a countdown timer that allows you to cancel the call if it was made by accident. The devices also will have an audible alarm or visual indication so there is no mistaking whether or not the distress signal is being sent.

Chain of Events after SOS Activation

Action 1: You initiate the distress call via the device’s smartphone app or physical button on the device.

Action 2: The call is routed through GEOS to the IERCC via the Iridium satellite network.

Action 3: Your GPS location is shared with the IERCC and a text chain is automatically started in your smartphone app. From there, you can communicate directly with the IERCC to relay information about the situation, such as the severity of the injury and precise location (on a ridge, in a valley, etc.). If you are unable to respond via the text chain, the IERCC will initiate a rescue based on your location coordinates.

Action 4: IERCC uses its database of response agencies and contacts local emergency services that are most appropriate to the needs of the situation and location. During this time, you can continue to communicate with them via the text chain. IERCC also gets in touch with anyone listed in your emergency contacts to let them know about the issue.

Action 5: You may be put in contact with the local Search and Rescue (SAR) team if they have the capability to communicate via text message, though IERCC will stay on as well to relay information. You can also cancel your SOS call at any time if the situation changes and you are able to self-rescue.  

Action 6: Local SAR arrives and provides assistance. 

Zoleo satellite communicator. Photo by Zoleo.

The process of requesting and receiving help in an emergency situation is designed to be smooth and relatively seamless, though it isn’t necessarily fast. The amount of time it takes for SAR to reach your location and provide aid depends on the weather, your location, and what local resources are available. If requesting assistance from an extremely remote location, you should expect to wait several hours or longer for help to arrive – but with two-way communication, you will be able to stay in touch with IERCC for updates.

Testing 

If you are interested in testing the SOS functionality of your satellite communication device before heading into the backcountry, you can coordinate a Test Alert directly with IERCC. It requires submitting an online request form at least 72 hours before your desired test time and you must have an active subscription with a supported device in order to do so. This is a great way to become familiar with your device and know exactly how it reacts when the SOS is activated.   

Who Pays?

No matter the severity, if a rescue takes place there is a cost to pay for the service. While having an active subscription with a satellite communication device provides the service of connecting to GEOS and IERCC, it does not cover the cost of the actual rescue. Whether or not the costs are passed on to the victim depends greatly on where it takes place and what resources were needed. It’s best to check with the agency that manages the area you will be visiting to see if there is a cost associated with rescue within their jurisdiction. You may also consider purchasing an insurance policy through the American Alpine Club or directly with GEOS which can cover a portion or all of the rescue costs depending on the selected plan.

Final ThoughtsSomewear Satellite Communicator. Photo by Somewear.

With the increased availability and lowering costs of two-way satellite communicators, it makes sense to have one on most backcountry trips. The core functionality of these devices is to provide assistance in the case of an emergency through the use of their SOS feature, but combined with two-way texting functionality they have become exceedingly useful tools. 

If you activate the SOS signal, your call will be routed through the GEOS headquarters who will dispatch local search and rescue personnel to your location while maintaining a text-based dialogue with the activator. Before heading into the backcountry, be sure to have an active subscription on your device and schedule a test with GEOS to ensure you understand how it works.  

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Season launch || “Plan Like a Pro” course

Next week we start our first 2022 session of Plan Like A Pro, an online course in which students are guided through a holistic trip planning curriculum that’s applicable for every location, season, experience level, and age and gender. The course is interactive, not one-way — students receive individualized feedback for most assignments.

Over 400 students have completed the course. Read 184 testimonials by them. Some of the students have used the framework to plan their first-ever backpacking trip; others have planned multi-week or -month thru-hikes on long trails and high routes.

Registration is officially open for the 2022 course. Sessions start and finish on:

January 31 through April 3 (registration closes January 29)February 28 through May 2March 28 through May 30April 25 through June 27

In its third year, the focus of the program focus remains the same: how to (better) plan a backpacking trip. Among a few other things, students will learn to:

Research likely environmental and route conditions like the weather, bug pressure, water availability, and problem bears;Select appropriate gear for the conditions and your backpacking style;Plan meals, including dinners that go beyond Ramen noodles or expensive freeze-dried packages;Assemble a navigation system of maps, resources, and tools; and,Acquire requisite skills and fitness for your itinerary.

Class sizes are capped so that the instructor team is not overloaded. Unlike other online courses during which you might passively read or watch content, our course is interactive — your ten assignments will be reviewed, and we host three virtual meetings per session.

The course fee is $175, which I think is an exceptional price for the instruction that is provided. Students are also eligible for free and discounted products and services with partner brands like GaiaGPS, Gossamer Gear, Mountain Laurel Designs, Sierra Designs, and ULA.

Learn more or register now.

If you have questions, leave a comment below or contact us directly.

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Contest: Submit your favorite recipes, win a bidet

For the 2022 guiding season we’re looking for a new breakfast and new dinner recipe to replace two of our longstanding meals, the Coconut Chia Oatmeal and the Backcountry Chili.

The two winners will be entered into a drawing, and the first chosen will have their option of taking the Plan Like A Pro online course or receiving a Luxe NEO 120 Bidet, which Luxe sent me unexpectedly after I posted about a Christmas present. The other winner will receive the other item.

How to enter

To submit a recipe, complete this form. The deadline is Wednesday, January 19.

The form will collect your name and email, which will not be sold or added to my newsletter; and then asks for either a link to the recipe(s) or text with ingredients and preparation/packaging instructions.

Recipe ideas left as comments will not be considered.

You can submit up to two recipes (a breakfast and a dinner, or two breakfasts, or two dinners), so send us only your best.

How to win

In general, we are looking for recipes that are:

Incredibly tasty;Made of easily available ingredients (locally or online);Calorically dense, by having fats and no/little water;Mostly shelf-stable, for up to several months;Vegetarian, or easily made vegetarian;Allergy-friendly, or at last accommodating of allergies with simple ingredient substitutions; and,Reasonably economical, but not cheap.

Oils, sauces, butter, and/or cheese are acceptable ingredients — and perhaps even encouraged. Many of our other meals include them, so we’re familiar with packaging, carrying, and distributing them.

Finally, these new meals should be different from our existing breakfasts and dinners. For example, I’d be more interested in a mac-and-cheese dish than a beans-and-rice dish, since we already have one of those.

Questions?

Leave a comment below.

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New program: Certify in Wilderness First Aid (WFA) during a 5- or 7-day trip

In partnership with the University of New Mexico International Mountain Medicine Center, we are offering Wilderness First Aid (WFA) courses at select 2022 locations. The courses are open only to participants on our guided trips. The in-person skill instruction can be completed the day before or after your trip, or it can be integrated into the field curriculum on one of our standard 5- or 7-day Adventure trips.

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What 2022 trips will sell out before the end of 2021?

The deadline to apply for our 2022 trips in Utah, Colorado, and Alaska is Monday, December 27. Applications received by the end of the day will be given equal consideration, and applications received thereafter will be treated first come first serve for remaining spots.

If you are interested in California, Washington, or West Virginia, you have until Monday, January 3.

How things look

In past years, about two-thirds of the applications received by the tenth day of the open application period have already been received, giving us a good indication of where we will end up.

Nearly every applicant who applies during the open application period will get a spot on a trip eventually, and usually their First Choice. However, some will have to be patient with us, and others may need to be flexible with their location or trip duration. We try really hard to find a spot for everyone, and I can only give you two pieces of advice:

Apply sooner rather than later, andPortray yourself honestly and thoroughly in your application so that we can evaluate you fairly.Utah

With the current numbers, we will probably run four sessions each of a 5-day, a 7-day, and another 5-day.

The 5-day trips will be full.

The 7-day trips will likely be full after we transfer over surplus applicants from Alaska and Washington, which are oversubscribed.

If we’re turning away qualified applicants, I can increase capacity, and run five or even six sessions each of the 5-7-5 sequence. For this reason, Utah is a reliable bet location for all applicants.

Colorado

We will fill at least two Fundamentals sessions, and all applicants who selected this as their First Choice and who meet our basic fitness standards should get a spot. If we end up over-subscribed, we can add more capacity.

Alaska

These sessions will be sold out. Based on the quantity and quality of the current applicant pool, I will most definitely run four sessions, but I’m not yet sure if we can support six.

Applicants who don’t make the cut in Alaska will have the option of transferring to another location like Utah or California.

California

Last week Sequoia-Kings Canyon National Park awarded me with a two-year permit that will allow us to have significant operations there. This creates some opportunities that we were not counting on when we opened registrations, and our schedule will likely get reworked. Specifically, we may run a 3-7-5 schedule instead of the current 5-3-7, and I may add a 12-day thru-hike of the Kings Canyon High Basin Route.

The Fundamentals trips have plenty of capacity still. With these beginner-level trips, this is often the case at this time of year — they almost always sell out, but the applications come in later, not in the depths of winter.

The 5-day trips will be full, and the 7-day trips will be close to full (or maybe full, depending on the number of applications received over the next 1.5 weeks).

Washington

It typically takes a year for a new location to catch on, but that’s not been the case with Washington — it has about two-thirds as many applications as our most popular location, California.

The Fundamentals courses have ample room.

The 5-day and 7-day trips will both be full. Applicants who also expressed strong interest in Utah and California will likely be asked to transfer over.

West Virginia

Last but not least, we have West Virginia, which is one of our smaller operations but one of our favorites. The 5-day trip may sell out by January 3, but I’m expecting room still on the 3-day.

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That time again: Accepting applications now for 2022 trips

If you’ve been waiting until tomorrow, December 13, to apply for our 2022 trips, when I said that I’d start accepting applications, you can get on it now: the application window is now open.

All applications received through December 27 (and January 3 for some later locations) will be considered equally. It’s not first-come first-served, so take your time with the application and complete it at your convenience.

The application form is here.

For information about our trip types, locations, fitness levels, Covid protocols, pricing, and more, go here or use the top navigation bar.

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Let’s chat: Sign up for my “office hours” (free)

Next week — Wednesday, December 8 through Friday, December 10 — we are hosting “office hours” (for free), and are inviting you to schedule a chat. We can talk about anything related to backpacking:

Locations,Permitting,Likely conditions,Fitness,Gear selection,Meal planning,Skills,Women-specific considerations,And, of course, our 2022 guided trips and Plan Like A Pro courses.

If you’re a guided trip alumnus, you can schedule a session to just relive great times, too.

To start, we’re going with 15-minute one-on-one sessions. If that’s not long enough, we can reschedule another meeting or run long (if we don’t have another meeting immediately afterwards).

Who is available?

I’ve never offered this before and I’m hoping that it’s more than I can handle on my own. So I’ve also brought in Bec, Katie, and Joe, who are both guides and instructors for me. Importantly, they also have different perspectives and backgrounds than I do.

Bec Bastian is a K-12 educator based in Bend, Ore. She has hiked the Appalachian, Pacific Crest, and Continetal Divide Trails, among others, and knows the Pacific Northwest well.Katie Gerber is a nutritional coach in Salida, Colo. She’s a Triple Crown thru-hiker like Bec, and has also completed the Oregon Desert Trail, Colorado Trail, and Wind River High Route.Joe McConaughy (“Stringbean”) has set FKT’s for the Appalachian, Pacific Crest, Long, and Arizona Trails. Last month he ran 100 miles in 14 hours 13 minutes.How to sign up

This is a free service. To take advantage of it:

Check our current availability, in the table below, and identify a few dates and times that work for you. Complete this form, which asks for your name, email, phone and availability.When you receive a meeting invitation by email from Bec, Katie, Joe, or me, select “Confirm.”If you need to reschedule, respond back to the email invitation and we’ll get it worked out.

This system is more manual than I’d prefer, but it’ll work. If this proves to be a good idea, we’ll have something slicker next time.

Our availability

This table should be generally accurate. It refreshes about every five minutes, but we need to manually update our appointments.

How to join the meeting

In the sign-up form you selected a preference: an online meeting or a phone call.

If you selected a phone call, we will call you.

If you selected an online meeting, use the Google Meet button in the email invitation.

Then, one of will send you an email invite for an appointment. To join the meeting, click on the Google Meet button or call in to the provided number.

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Kickoff: The 2022 trip schedule, locations, and application dates

The 2021 season ended just six weeks ago, but it’s already time to start 2022, since in another six weeks we will start offering spots on our spring trips.

The 2022 schedule & locations

Yesterday I published the first iteration of the 2022 schedule.

Some parts of the schedule look like past years:

Southern Utah in April/early-May, its prime time; Brooks Range in late-June/early-July, about one week later than usual to hedge against another cold spring; and,West Virginia in early-October, during peak fall colors.

But we made some changes, too:

After two consecutive seasons of wildfire/smoke-related disruptions to our High Sierra location in September, I’m bumping these trips to July. We’ll have to contend with more bugs and crowds, but our trips are much less likely to be cancelled or smoked out.We’re no longer offering 5- or 7-day trips in Colorado, which like the High Sierra now has a July-only window before the skies become smoke-filled and locations can be closed.Our 3-day intro-level courses in Colorado will be in Great Sand Dunes National Park, which was new for 2021 and which offers both mountain and desert environments;

Finally, we’re adding one location: Olympic National Park in Washington. This location has lots of potential, and I think we now have the demand and organizational scale to expand here.

Application dates and process

We will accept applications starting December 13, 2021.

It will be an open system for two or three weeks, depending on the trip location. There is no advantage to applying on December 13, because it’s not first-come first-served. Instead, we review all the applications, adjust the schedule to reflect the interests of the applicant pool, and then offer spots.

The open application period closes on:

Monday, December 27, for Utah, Colorado, and Alaska;Monday, January 3, for California, Washington, and West Virginia.

Please familiarize yourself with the application dates and process, and mark your calendar.

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Tips for the packraft-curious: How to get started

[An introduction by Skurka] Luc recently published, The Packraft Handbook, a definitive how-to resource for this game-changing and rapidly growing mode of wilderness travel. It’s based on his thousands of miles of paddling experience and his swiftwater safety instructor expertise, and includes 150 illustrations to help convey critical information and skills. It reminds me of The Ultimate Hang by Derek Hansen — it’s extremely well organized and thorough, and makes packrafting much more accessible to newcomers and intermediates. Highly recommended.

What’s the big deal with packafts?

The big deal is that packrafts aren’t big. By definition, they are small and light enough to be carried in a backpack. An 8-pound boat that rolls to the size of a large sleeping bag can enable you to cross lakes, inlets, or float down rivers. The most popular packrafts fit individual boaters and are paddled with a river kayak paddle. The boats are inflated with clever stuff sacks that can be filled with air and compressed as a pump.

I grew up thinking of rivers as barriers — the limit of what I could explore. But with a packraft, those barriers become trails: all the blue lines on the map turn into trails! My favorite packrafting trips alternate between hiking and boating, which allows one muscle group to recover while the other is in use. I also loved the experience of learning how to read water and control my boat.

Many packrafters get into the sport with a hiking background rather than familiarity with water. If this is the case for you, it is important to honor the real hazards of water sports. Part of the fun of playing on water is that we can’t control the water, but that also means we are at the river’s mercy if things go wrong.

Sarah Histand on the Pelorus River, New ZealandHow do I get started?

As with many outdoor activities, there is a steep entry price for equipment. Packrafts cost from $600 to $1500, with the more affordable boats generally heavier, less durable, or inappropriate for whitewater. There are several rental options within the US, including Backcountry Packrafts, which ships packrafts throughout the US. Packrafters are often generous with gear; you might find a packraft to borrow through a local paddling forum or club.

Most packrafters in northern climates will want to paddle in a dry suit, which adds a significant expense. Dry suits are not only safer (they keep you dry if you swim), but they make the paddling experience more enjoyable. Having fun on the river will help motivate you to revisit.

You will also need a life vest, paddle, appropriate footwear (something that protects your feet), and a helmet if you will be on moving water.

I’ve got the gear, now what?

If you don’t have much or any experience on water, it’s important to start slow and choose appropriate destinations. You can’t just hit the brakes or slide to a stop on the water — safely navigating water hazards requires dedicated practice and training.

Step 1: Practice getting back into your boat

Head to a lake, pool, or other controlled setting to practice “wet re-entries.” A wet re-entry is a self-rescue technique, our version of the kayak roll. If you capsize (tip out of your boat) you will want to know how to get back in the boat. Not all paddlers can perform solo wet re-entries—this process is significantly easier with a partner who helps stabilize your boat.

While you are at the lake, also experiment with different paddle strokes to move the boat forward, backward, and making turns.

Step 2: Partner up

A common theme in paddlesport incidents is paddling alone. Even a minor mistake while paddling alone can result in a scary situation. Paddling with capable partners provides a metaphorical safety net: your partners can help retrieve your equipment and get you back into your boat or to the shore. Paddle clubs and online forums are good resources for finding paddling partners.

Tony Perelli and Margaret Williams, Willow Creek, AlaskaStep 3: Choose an appropriate destination

Packrafts have excellent “primary stability,” which means that they are very hard to tip over on flat water. But as soon as the boats are pushed up on edge—by currents, waves, or winds—they are very likely to capsize. Stay close to shore if you are paddling lakes or the ocean, and start on easy water if you are paddling rivers or creeks. River difficulty is rated using a Class scale, with Class I being the easiest. Class II rivers feature some obstacles, and Class III rivers require boat-control techniques to avoid river hazards.

If you see something you don’t like … walk around! Packrafts are perfectly suited for portaging.

Brad Meiklejohn, Roman Dial, and Russell DeVries on Honolulu Creek, AlaskaWhat’s next?

If you like your first experience in a packraft, consider seeking instruction, either through formal course offerings or with an experienced friend as a mentor. Instructors and mentors can identify appropriate destinations and let you know when it is safe to try a new or challenging maneuver.

Used properly, packrafts can open a world of opportunities. Adding water travel to a backpacking or bike trip allows you to cover more ground, visit new terrain, and create your own personal adventure.

More info: The Packraft Handbook

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