I need to get through our canyon trip before I can commit to a mountain excursion. I'm pretty sure your type calls my type a tenderfoot...
Okay, so we each have a pack animal. I'm not sure what a pannier is. What I saw was an ebay pack saddle (not a cheap one, but "hand made by a packer for a packer" and there is a waiting time on it so he can build it). It is made of a cottonwood "tree" that looks like a stripped down western saddle tree. There is a contraption on top made of oak X's. Then there is britching, a breast collar, a big blanket, and a crupper if I remember correctly.
Here it is:
http://cgi.ebay.com/Hand-Made-Western-Sawbuck-Pack-Saddle_W0QQitemZ120504001734QQcmdZViewItemQQptZLH_DefaultDomain_0?hash=item1c0e9924c6Each person packs in a tent, bedding, dutch oven, clothes, food, etc. Or does one person carry all the tents, one carries all the food, etc? I guess you chop your firewood for each morning and night. Do you ride from base camp a little further each day, or do you ever return and camp at base camp?
Cheers
M
ps what mountains do you camp in?
