Backpacking with Scott Cook
Scott Cook is well known in Silicon Valley and financial circles for his products of Turbotax and Quickbooks, but not many people know how important his annual backpacking trip is. We talk with Scott about why he makes a point to carve out time in his busy schedule every year to take this trip with old friends from childhood and high school.
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Scott tells us what gear he uses, what are his favorite areas to hike, and funny stories about bears, food, and pranking your fellow hikers. He has sometimes used mules and llamas to get farther into the back country, and in Europe, he particularly enjoys the lighter hiking where you hike from hut to hut in the mountains. Not quite “glamping,” but definitely easier than 30-40 pounds on your back.
Download the “Gear Guide” of Scott’s favorite boots, socks, hiking poles, etc. Also included are his favorite places to hike.
Dealing with bears and protecting his food leads to a hilarious story about trying to outwit a brazen bear who didn’t mind eating tree branches.
Every other year, the men and women in his hiking group do a European trip in July so they don’t have to carry bedding, food and everything else. We also hear about his need for solitude, why he loves his Kindle, what book rocked his world, and why camping with your daughter is a good idea.
We learn about how getting to the top of Half Dome in Yosemite National Park is all about the timing. You don’t want to get up there during “rush hour.”
Be sure to download the “Gear Guide” (above) complete with links for all the gear he uses on these trips. It covers his favorite boots, socks, hiking poles, backpack, bear canisters and more.
The Wind River Range (featured below) was one of his most arduous but beautiful and favorite hikes.
Scott tells us a story about the great San Francisco earthquake in 1906 and how someone they met around the campfire had grandparents who ended up mistakenly taking a Chinese boy who they thought had been orphaned.
Scott talks about growing up in Los Angeles, and how you can’t really see the stars due to the light pollution. He never knew what the teachers and textbooks meant when they talked about “The Milky Way.” Once he went camping, he was astonished at what he calls, “the symphony of light.”
Mt. Robson in Canada is one of his favorite places to go backpacking.