When I was young and worked on isolated BC Forest Service fire lookouts, we had only "sheepherder" wood stoves, Coleman lamps and 10 Imp.Gallon steel creamcans for our water. ALL of this, plus all our food and cordwood had to be packed up to the tiny pre-fabbed lookout building on one's back; the actual L/O had been packed into it's site in sections and assembled.

We were issued Trapper Nelson No 3 boards and, in the "good" Ranger Districts, the Forest Officer in charge of your particular L/O would often help lug the heavy stuff. I started at Fernie, BC, on Natal L/O, the guys there were older and my immediate supervisor was bone lazy and pretended to have a "bad ticker".....

So, I packed everything from a helipad about a mile away and much lower on the mountain and from a tiny supply shack about a half mile below the actual L/O. This was 80-100 lbs. of wood every two days as I cooked on this stove and all my water and grub, ,plus other supplies.

The steel creamcans full of water, weighed about 140 lbs. and most supply loads were around 100 lbs; I never really thought about it, just did it as I was 21 and eager to prove myself. The situation soon changed and propane fridges, stoves, lights and JetRanger choppers made things much easier; but, I STILL remember that first summer, with pride and I wish I could re-live it.

It was, 1967, "the summer of love" and I enjoyed packing those loads, it's good for young guys to work hard.