Glen Van Peski

Glen Van Peski is widely recognized by the trail name “Legend” for his legendary contributions to the backpacking community. A native Californian with a childhood rooted in the western outdoors, Glen’s journey into backpacking began when his oldest son joined Scouts, and he led the Troop’s backpacking program.

Through those experiences, he became intrigued by lightweight backpacking and started sewing his gear. In 1998, he founded Gossamer Gear, a company dedicated to manufacturing ultralight backpacking equipment. Over the years, Glen and his company have been featured in Backpacker, Outside, and National Geographic Adventure magazines, and The New York Times.

Beyond his passion for backpacking and entrepreneurial success, Glen had an extended career in civil engineering. Most recently, he served as the Community and Economic Development Director for the City of Carlsbad, California. Prior to spending nearly a decade in various roles with the city, he served as an engineering consultant. Before that role, Glen held the role of President of Pacific Rim Engineering.

Glen is a sought-after speaker known for his inspiring, humorous, information-packed presentations. His extensive backpacking experiences include hiking most of the Pacific Crest Trail, exploring the backcountry in Japan and Europe, and bikepacking along the Great Divide Mountain Bike Route (GDMBR). Glen lives in Bend, Oregon, with his wife of over 40 years, Francie, and is the father of two grown sons.