Phat
to put this in context - I was young (mid-20s) and had just finished a season at NOLS where we regularly carried 70 pound packs. There is no way I could get close to doing that now! If you go slow enough you can just about carry anything. My elk was a calf - we had cow-calf permits. We were meat hunters - only the tender young ones. That hike out was the most agonizing hike of my life! Once was enough!

I love the new light-backpacking. Funny how easily I forget that in past 60+ pounds was not considered unreasonable for a long backpack or mountaineering trip. Add to that the old climbing gear - pitons, a 16-oz hammer, 11-mm ropes, 2 pound crampons, old iron caribiners! Back then, my summer base weight was 45 pounds! Throw on 30 pounds of food and gas and every start was agonizing. We did not know any better back then. Just figured this was how it was.