Renowned longdistance backpacker Andrew Skurka discusses the gear, supplies and skills necessary to make hiking fun, not an arduous chore.

Named "Adventurer of the Year" by Outside and described as "a Superman among trekkers" by National Geographic, Andrew Skurka will teach you how to: (1) How to predict the environmental and route conditions you will encounter on a trip; (2) the best uses and limitations of lightweight equipment; (3) skills that will help keep you safe and comfortable with a minimum of possessions; and, (4) exactly what Skurka takes for a summer backpacking trip in the Sierra Nevada, and why. He is the author of "The Ultimate Hiker's Gear Guide".