I freely admit I have not read all the responses. But I tend to agree with GrumpyGord here. Furthermore, you may have misinterpreted the second group response (in general). The tone of your original post may have set the tone for much of the discussion; it seemed a little sexist. I am from a family of strong willed women (and men), hence my sarcastic response.

My great great grandmother lived in Iowa with a gentleman farmer who became addicted to opium. It ruined his life apparently and left my gggmother few options. She decided to leave for San Francisco with three kids; two hers and another she took in when her friend and friend's husband died. After spending some time there working to earn the money to take a ship to Los Angeles, they left early in the morning of May 18, 1906. For the next two days they could see smoke rising from San Francisco as they sailed south. Great great grandmother Memo died when I was 3, so I never got to talk to her about it. But Great grandma Ruth would tell me some pretty amazing stuff about that trip and meeting the Indians in what is now L.A.. I'd say great great grandma was pretty tough mentally and otherwise. Mental toughness is a quality that is just necessary in life. It comes out when it is needed, or in some instances you give up and perish.

Some people consider backpacking a kind of vacation and are not interested in having any more trials and tribulations than necessary. Some people consider backcountry travel something they HAVE to do. That is the beauty of it; every person gets to take from it what they will.