Actually, I think TAK's assessment is pretty on for the most part. I'll admit, I have not done CF in a couple of years, and now I'm starting to notice it. I need to get on some more of the strength stuff. I have done a lot of heavy walks /hikes lately though at 75 - 126 lbs loaded in the pack. In my opinion, I'm faster with two loads at 75 than one load at 126. With 75 , I'm ok and probably hike at an average hiking speed of 2 MPH up and 1200 feet or so of gain per hour. At 126, I crawl practically. At 100, I'm in between, but there is a noticeable drop off above 75 lbs. My ideal, is to be able to two load 175 lbs from 3 - 5 miles back. Of course, during a hunt adrenaline helps, and I just don't have adrenaline for a heavy hike.
At altitude in big country, I think CF lacks some of the endurance focus. I like to do a few 20 mile plus days in the mountains every year, and it seems to help a lot. There really is no substitute for a good 8 hrs or more moving.
I very much agree that the 8+ hours of moving is also a necessary component... Preferably with moderate weight and in the mountains.
