Just finished Alaskan Adventure also. I was able to read it on Kindle for $3.99. Thanks for the book title! Townsend Whelen's plan for an Alaskan Pack Board looks like a cool project though I'm not familiar with using them. Anyone know if something like this is incredibly uncomfortable versus ultra-lite packs available today?
Woven ash pack baskets were the standard for trappers for a very long time. They are miserable to carry, especially if you are a lanky kid. At 14 I was 6'4". Pack boards were no better. Anachronism is strong many hunting and fishing arenas.
Sitka, There is one lightweight old school packboard that might change your mind. The old "Trapper Nelson". A huge success with civilians in AK and the PNW originally, they were also adopted by Canadian Forces and used up into the 60's IIRC. My original was used for over 30 yrs until finally it died...then a master woodworker built me one from scratch using the old one as a pattern...Sitka Spruce and canvas this time, going on 12 years of hard use...and I don't mean just packing meat...many loads of gold bearing high grade quartz ore too, around 70# per load. I have killed 2 aluminum "freighters" and a US Army plywood board, but old Trapper Nelson at almost half the weight survives on. It's worth a look anyway.
