•  The best quality pack bags you can afford. We found some great bags by Trail Max that were durable and held a ton of stuff. Could even fit my plastic wash basin in them which came in real handy and could fit most of eating & cooking utensils in.
• Your tent needs to be the best quality you can afford. It needs to be waterproof and should pack up into bedroll size.
• Sleeping bags need to be rated for cold, even in the summer, temperatures can drop in the high country to -20C. Thinsulate works well and is super compact. The hiking stores are the best place to find good gear.
• Invest in some self-inflating bedrolls. They can be made pretty compact and will fit into the cantle bag, makes a huge diffrence on your body.
• A good pot for boiling water
• A compact camp set for cooking on the fire, hikers plates, utensils and cups, cutting knife. All these should fold up and fit inside your dishpan.
• Propane single burner element can work for heating your tent and heating water. food up quickly if the weather is inclement.
• Coffee filters
• Zip fire starter for wet wood, a reliable lighter and waterproof matches.
• Water bottles (handy ones with built in filters are available at hiker shops)
• Dish pan and soap, scrub pad,
• Garbage bags, dish clothes and towel
• Duct tape, non-stretchy rope
• leather laces
• Toilet paper on the top of the pack
• First aid kit supplies that can be used for both you and horse. Sterile gauze, vetwrap ( 2 rolls) tensoor bandage, polysporin, pain killer, antacid.
• Headlamps, gps or garmin “in reach” unit will give you added peace of mind.
• Waterproof tarp to cover tack. 
• Folding saw and shovel if room.

• Waterproof oilskin and warm jacket that will be comfortable underneath
• Good comfortable and preferably waterproof hiking/riding boots. You only have room for 1 pair so take the best you got. If they aren’t water proof you can stuff break bags wherever you have space to put around dry socks should your feet get cold and wet.
• The clothes you are wearing and one more clean dry set of clothes, packed in a waterproof bag. a few pairs of warm comfortable socks, and 1 set of warm layers.
• Long johns and warm insulated shirts.
• Jeans are bulky but can be rolled into bread bags should your horse go down in a stream. A set of dry clothes can make or break your trip.
• Good leather gloves – can double as oven mits and keep your hands warm during sleet and cold spells.
• Stuff foot and handwarmers wherever you can find space in your packs
• A good jacknife should be carried on body. A lighter, waterproof matches, sun screen, bug spray, trail mix, water bottle can all be carried on a pommel bag in front of your saddle for eay access as you ride. Glove liners and ear muffs – “ear bags” pack great. 
• Someone in your party needs a can of bear spray and know how to use it.
•  a camera, batteries or charger, flashlight and any medication.
• Personal items like toothbrush, toothpaste, wash cloth can be packed in a bread bag with your clothes. Getting cleaned up can give you a new lease on life and a new outlook.
• One set of good waterproof clothes with waterproof hat and gloves stuffed in pockets. 

• It’s nice to plan ahead what you want to eat for the next 4 or 5 days, but don’t get too hung up on it. Lists will help.
• The Trail Max cantle bags held more than enough food for the 2 of us for 5 days. We don’t eat big on these trips but healthy and nutritious is the key.
• 1 can a day of soup, beans, vegtables, chili, stew, salmon and high protein goods.
• You can honestly live on a can of brown beans a day and not die. I know cause I had to do it, but that’s a whole nother story.  (Don’t forget your can opener)
• Oatmeal packs for breakfast are filling and quick to make. You are heating water in the morning for coffee and washing, so a cup of hot water makes a great quick breakfast.
• A lot of coffee, cowboy coffee over the fire is the best in the world. A good cup while jingling horses in the morning is the best way to start your day.
• Rice or sidekicks to heat up.
• We had room to fit a insulated cooler in beside our cut box and put an ice pack, cold cuts, onion, eggs, cheese, milk, and even some coleslaw for crisp crunchy treat. Salad dressing
• We still had milk and cold cuts left when we returned.
• Smokies, burgers and homemade bread also made their way into our packs.
• We stuffed trail mix and granola bars wherever we could find space and munched as we rode.

We got all this gear sorted and wieghed out at evenly as we could. We then had to use some step ladders and alot of good rope to get it balanced over our horses and attached firmly to our saddles.

Everything was snug and secure and the horses maneuvered well with 5 days of supplies and a couple of out of shape Saskatchewan – wanderers stomping around Alberta.  We knew the bags would shift and the first few days would be a bit of trial and error of what worked and what didn’t. We packed plenty of additonal rope and ties and hoped for the best.

We made if to Mt Romulus in short time with no mishaps. Every day was pretty easy going with an average of 10 kms a day. This left us plenty of time to tend to the horses grazing, set-up camp, get cleaned up, relax, cook supper and enjoy.

 When we returned from finding Little Elbow Trail we spent the heat of the day exploring around the Campground. The trip wouldn’t be complete without a visit to Forget Me Not Pond and Little Elbow Falls. The place was a hub bub of activity with weekenders enjoying amazing weather. Kids on scooters roared past us like we were old people. Canoes, tubes and paddle boats filled the pond. We learned we sucked at selfies and promised ourselves we would get better at it, we never did master that task. We then headed east to Little Elbow falls where we  witnessed 2 guys jumping in the freezing, rushing mountain water. I thought I was crazy about mountain springs, but even those guys had me shaking my head.

We then spent the evening packing for the backcountry trip and appreciating the luxuries of the trailer we were soon to leave behind. Things like cell phone service,  a mattress, instant hot water and horse feed would be left at the campground for the next 5 days. We weren’t sure what to expect but we were keen for adventure and willing to take the risks that may lay ahead.