See National Geographic’s and Outside Magazine’s “Adventurer of the Year” Andrew Skurka present his lightweight backpacking skills clinic at the American Mountaineering Center on April 25 from 7-9 pm.

A backpacking trip consists of two distinct activities: hiking and camping. In this engaging clinic, renowned long-distance backpacker Andrew Skurka – named “Adventurer of the Year” by both National Geographic Adventure and Outside – will discuss the gear, supplies and skills necessary to make hiking fun, not an arduous chore. This requires knowing the environmental and route conditions you will encounter, understanding how to use and the limitations of lightweight equipment, and having outdoor and gear-specific skills to keep you safe and comfortable with a minimum of possessions. At the clinic’s core is the assembly of an entire gear kit that is optimized for a hypothetical trip chosen by the audience. Skurka identifies the clothing, footwear, shelter, sleeping bag and pad, cookset, and emergency/first aid items he would take for such a trip – fielding questions from the audience with each of his selections.

The 30-year-old adventure athlete is a sought-after speaker who has backpacked, skied, and packrafted over 30,000 miles through many of the world’s most prized backcountry and wilderness areas — the equivalent of traveling 1.2 times around Earth’s equator.

Skurka will also sign copies of his new National Geographic how-to book, The Ultimate Hiker’s Gear Guide: Tools & Techniques to Hit the Trail. To learn more about Skurka’s new book, visit Andrew Skurka’s website.

Seating is limited. Tickets are $10 for CMC members and $15 for non-members. For more information or to purchase tickets visit www.cmc.org/skurka. All proceeds will benefit the CMC’s Education Department.