Seekonk Native Goes Into the Wild

It’s not often that someone from Seekonk gets chased down by a bear, but it happened to Andrew Skurka. Fortunately it wasn’t on Willett Avenue, but rather in the Arctic Circle.

“It was almost on top of me by the time I saw it. I threw my trekking poke at it and yelled at it. Thankfully, it took a 90 degree turn and veered away from me,” says Skurka.

Skurka, 30, a Seekonk native who now lives in Boulder, Colorado, is an adventure athlete who makes a living guiding adventure tours, and writing, teaching and speaking about outdoor adventures. Among other distinctions, he was named “Adventurer of the Year” by Outside magazine in 2010 and by National Geographic Society in 2007. He’s also featured in Men’s Journal’s “Adventure Hall of Fame." 

Skurka says as a child in Seekonk he sought out places off the beaten path where he could connect with nature – landfills, power line paths, swamps and undeveloped land. But, it wasn’t until he was in college and spent a summer hiking the Appalachian Trail that his true calling became evident. Since then Skurka says he’s “backpacked, skied, and packrafted 30,000+ miles” of wilderness, including, most recently, a 4,700 mile expedition in Alaska and the Yukon.

When on an expedition, Skurka says he puts in a 14 to 16 hour day. He says trekking outdoors in the wilderness, while not comfortable, feels entirely natural.

“You develop a rapport with the land when you’re going three miles an hour for months at a time. It becomes your home. You start to understand seasons, water availability, weather. You observe all those things as you spend more time in it,” he says. 

Through his own company Skurka guides both novices and experienced trekkers through the wilderness. The adventures are dictated by the skill and fitness level of the group. Trips with novices include teaching about things like campsite selection, setting up tarps or tents, protecting food from wildlife and using different types of stoves. Advanced trips are typically seven days and cover more ground in rugged areas out west in places like Wyoming and Colorado.

Skurka was recently back in Seekonk doing a backpacking gear and skills clinic at the library. With the upcoming winter release of his book “The Ultimate Hiker’s Gear Guide: Tools and Techniques to Hit the Trail,” he expects to be back in town for more presentations.

Despite his run in with the bear, Skurka wants people to know that being outdoors is not full of danger. He says amplified fears are often what keep people from wilderness adventures. He recommends they get out and try it for themselves before coming to judgment. Indeed, part of being outside for days, weeks, months at a time is the feeling of connection, vitality and accomplishment that comes along with it.

“When you hike 40 miles a day and you look over your shoulder and say, ‘I did that today.’ It’s gratifying.”