AboutMike Expertise I can answer questions about backpacking a snowshoeing in the American West: Mountains, Canyons and Deserts.
Experience I've spent much of my life backpacking, hiking and snowshoeing in the Cascades, Rockies, high Sierras and the red rock canyons of the Southwest.
Publications Just letters to the editor in Backpacker and Outside and my Backpacking homepages
Question QUESTION: My wife can no longer carry a backpack, but can hike. Are there backpacks on wheel(s) that could be pulled along back country trails (by me) in the Sierras or other mountainous areas? What would you recommend?
ANSWER: At one time, perhaps 10-15 years ago a couple of companies produced backpacks with large wheels and a waist harness. I never saw one on the trail and haven't heard of one for at least a decade. My guess is that they're dangerous and difficult, at least in steep or rugged terrain. I can't imagine coming down most passes in the Sierra with 40 pounds on my waist and 45 on my back.
Outside magazine online has The Gear Guy. He might know of such a pack however.
I believe I'd look into renting a pack llama or a pack goat. Last fall, in the Wind Rivers, we ran into 5 guys who had rented two llamas. They were delivered to the trailhead, with their own packs and food. The men used them for 6 nights at $40 a day. The owner met them at the trailhead and picked up the animals. They can carry 40 pounds each.
Pack goats might be an even better idea. They are smaller and equally strong, and they are very well-behaved, clean, and need very little supplemental food.
My wife can't carry a pack on her shoulders so she has a large Mountainsmith waist pack. She can carry snacks, water, safety gear, a light fleece, gloves, hat and a rain shell. There are brands other than Mountainsmith that make big waist packs. She and I think it's a good idea for her to have her survival gear on a just-in-case basis. That still leaves me with a fairly heavy pack so we don't go out for a week at a time (I'm 62) but we can go for 2-3 nights. We plan on trying pack goats soon.
Good luck!
Mike
---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------
QUESTION: Hi Mike, This was a great answer and now has me very interested in trying exactly what you suggested with the two llamas or goats. If I were to try to duplicate the trip, do you have a contact? I have never backpacked in the Wind Rivers range nor used pack animals. I did not realize someone would bring and take the animals. I figured before trying it with my wife, my son and I would do just what you mentioned - go there, rent pack animals, and see how it works out. Any additional info at all you could provide would be great and much appreciated - contacts, best time of year, suggested route, etc. Thanks, again. Now I will go look at your website, too.
Answer If your son is able to carry a pack you might need only one llama or goat. I don't know what company the five guys used but I looked for "pinedale llamas" and found:
I can't find a goat packer in Pinedale but there likely is one. I've seen folks with pack goats up there on the west side. Might be in Jackson or other spots along the west side of the Rockies.
Pinedale is the western gateway to the Wind Rivers.
A favorite, and not that difficult trip in the Winds is to start at Big Sandy Opening and head toward Dad's Lake for the first night. The far shore, on a high spot next to an inlet stream has good camping but it's not the only good camping at Dad's.
From there you can backpack on up toward Washakie pass. It's not far until you'll come to a couple of nice streams and some small lakes. But ahead on east, just to the NW of and below Washakie pass is a good-sized lake with no name. It's Lake 10,689 and there's good camping there.
I'd set up a base camp there and do some day hikes. Walk up to Washakie Pass. But don't miss the hike up to Texas Lake at the base of Texas Pass. It's a ten on a scale of one to ten. Great day hike. You can also backpack up that way. There are many lakes, all beautiful. The 2004 Winds hike is this one.
You can make a loop by crossing Texas Pass and Jackass Pass but it's easier to do if you come in over Jackass Pass first. Going up Texas Pass is heavy duty work. Jackass Pass is a tough one too but for a different reason. It has 2 or 3 false high points and you have to traverse boulders.
The week in September just before hunting season is best I think. Bugs are gone. Fewer people. Usually excellent weather with 20 degree nights and 50-60 degree days. It's often windy in the Winds. As we relearned last fall it can snow a lot there in early September, but it usually doesn't.
The road to Big Sandy Opening is ROUGH and long, but worth it.
