[2] Although Craig Caldwell was the first person to climb all of the Munros and Tops in one continuous journey, Townsend was the first to do so entirely on foot covering 1,700 miles (2,700 km) and 575,000 feet (170,000 m) of ascent over all 517 of the 3,000 ft (914 m) Scottish summits listed in Munro's Tables.
[3] He was also the first person to walk the length of the Canadian Rockies, a distance of 1,600 miles (2,500 km).
Townsend has been a long-term contributor to The Great Outdoors magazine, for whom he is currently the Gear Editor.
His book The Backpacker's Handbook won the Outdoor Writer's Guild Award for Excellence in 1993.
[4] He is the co-author, with Annie Aggens, of the Encyclopedia of Outdoor & Wilderness Skills: The Ultimate A–Z Guide for The Adventurous.