A lot of repetition here from the same few which is not necessarily representative of the many. And there's an assumption made to bolster that view: Backpack hunting is assumed to equate to climbing mountains, plus EVERY day! I've not hunted the Rockies, but the videos I've watched (and some just a few days ago) of hunters going up rugged mountains in Alaska and the Rockies, were after sheep and/or goats. In their backpacks were the basic essentials, including camping gear, to stay there until either they were defeated in their search or until they scored. And many who hired guides were not faced with dealing with the aftermath alone.
Having said that, at my current age (87) I don't have the strength or ability of even a decade ago, but as someone (s) has stated, a lot more than is realized or confessed by a majority is that how we deal with ageing and its impact on hunting and its essentials comes down to how we think about it: I still carry my 10 lb .375 H&H (ready to hunt) and my .458 Ruger No.1 (10.75 lbs ready to hunt) for bears in wilderness areas, though I prefer my relatively lightweight .35 Whelen and 9.3 x 62, which are both under 8 lbs ready.
Why? Because I refuse to give in to my desire for more "comfort" as I get older and more lazy! I stay "fit" and have lost 35 lbs over the last decade, but I'll not be climbing the same steep ridges ten times in a day that I did when in my 50s and 60s.
Soon, God willing, I'll be writing more on this in coming weeks.
Bob
www.bigbores.ca
