Our StoryBuilt by hikers,
for hikers
Varkc was born on the trail, from the frustration of trying to document an incredible journey while exhausted at the end of each day.
The Origin Story
It started on mile 500 of the Pacific Crest Trail. After hiking 25 miles through the Mojave Desert, setting up camp in the dark, and finally crawling into my sleeping bag, the last thing I wanted to do was spend 20 minutes writing in a paper journal.
But I knew if I didn't write it down, I'd forget. The incredible sunrise over the San Jacinto Mountains. The trail magic at mile 478. The fellow hiker who shared their last Snickers bar when I was bonking hard.
My smartwatch already knew how far I'd hiked, how much I'd climbed, and how poorly I'd slept. Why was I manually writing all that down? Why couldn't I just rate my day, snap a photo, and be done?
That night in my tent, exhausted but unable to sleep, I sketched out the first version of what would become Varkc. An app that does the heavy lifting so hikers can focus on what matters: the trail, the views, and the people they meet along the way.
Where It All Started
Real photos from the trails that inspired Varkc
1000 Island Lake
Sierra Nevada, PCT
Forrester Pass
13,200 ft — Highest point on the PCT
Meet the Founders
Two hikers who saw a problem on trail and decided to solve it
Henry Koon
Co-Founder
An avid thru-hiker and the visionary behind Varkc. Henry experienced firsthand the frustration of losing trail memories and built the idea, community, and brand that makes Varkc what it is.
Townsend Tanner
Co-Founder
The engineering mind behind Varkc. Townsend turns Henry's vision into reality, building the seamless offline-first architecture and every line of code that powers the app.
What drives us
Everything we build is guided by these core principles
Trail-First Design
Every feature is designed with the trail in mind. Offline-first, battery-efficient, and built for the backcountry.
Preserve Your Memories
Your thru-hike is a once-in-a-lifetime experience. We help you capture and preserve those memories forever.
Effortless Simplicity
After a long day on trail, journaling should be easy. We do the heavy lifting so you can focus on the adventure.
Community Connection
Thru-hiking is about the people you meet. We help you stay connected with your trail family.
Why we exist
We believe every thru-hiker deserves to have their journey documented without adding another chore to an already demanding day. Our mission is to make trail journaling so effortless that you'll actually do it.
When you finish your hike—whether it's a weekend trip or a six-month thru-hike—you'll have a complete record of your adventure. Every mile, every photo, every memory, safely stored and beautifully presented.
Download Varkc
Available now on the App Store. Start documenting your trail journey today.
Contact Us
Have questions or feedback? We'd love to hear from you.