▁route ▁around ▁Al aska , ▁which ▁took ▁him ▁ 1 7 6 ▁days . ▁ ▁In ▁addition ▁to ▁expand ing ▁the ▁limits ▁of ▁long - distance ▁back pack ing , ▁Sk ur ka ▁has ▁defined ▁the ▁light - and - fast ▁style ▁of ▁back country ▁travel . ▁The ▁contents ▁of ▁his ▁pack ▁cum ul atively ▁we igh ▁a ▁mere ▁ 6 . 5 ▁to ▁ 8 ▁pounds , ▁sans ▁food , ▁water , ▁and ▁fuel ; ▁and ▁he ▁regularly ▁logs ▁ 3 5 – 4 5 ▁miles ▁per ▁day , ▁day ▁after ▁day . ▁ ▁In ▁addition ▁to ▁the ▁dist in ctions ▁from ▁Advent ure ▁and ▁Back pack er , ▁Sk ur ka ▁was ▁featured ▁in ▁Out side ' s ▁ 2 0 0 7 ▁" Out side ▁ 1 0 0 " ▁list ▁and ▁in ▁Men ' s ▁J ourn als ▁" 2 0 0 5 ▁Advent ure ▁Hall ▁of ▁Fame ." ▁He ▁has ▁appeared ▁in ▁numerous ▁newsp apers ▁and ▁television ▁broadcast s , ▁including ▁The ▁Wall ▁Street ▁Journal ▁and ▁the ▁Fox ▁News ▁Channel . ▁ ▁Sk ur ka ▁also ▁focus es ▁on ▁environmental ▁issues ▁on ▁his ▁tri ps . ▁ ▁A ▁gradu ate ▁of ▁Duke ▁University , ▁Sk ur ka ▁is ▁a ▁spons ored ▁ath lete , ▁paid ▁speaker , ▁and ▁writer . ▁He ▁is ▁a ▁member ▁of ▁The ▁Ex pl or ers ▁Club , ▁has ▁given ▁over ▁ 1 4 0 ▁present ations ▁about ▁his ▁advent ures , ▁and ▁is ▁a ▁frequent ▁contrib utor ▁to ▁Back pack ing ▁Light ▁magazine