Would a "summer pulke" be anti-LNT?

[Stash]

An honest question. Requesting answers you've thought about.

I had my first experience hiking with a sled this winter and found it quite enjoyable. No beat up hips. A little more room for gear. Lots of good. I was thinking it would be nice to come up with something that would work in non-winter conditions. Maybe along the lines of a one-wheeled cart pulled by a bike. But connected to a belt or small pack.

IF I could come up with a functional desogn that used maybe a 29" bicycle wheel as the only contact with the ground. IF it was designed such that it didn't slide around a lot. IF it was stable and the frame didn't drag on the ground.

How anti-LNT would it be???

I see a mountain bike as a bit much on a trail because of the tendency to lose traction accelerating and decelerating, as well as hard corners. With the "summer pulke" simply rolling along the trail would it do more damage than boots and poles? How much damage does a slowly rolling wheel do? Knobbies or smooth?

Problems I see...

• Cutting corners too tight and having the wheel going off trail.
• Staying on bog bridges.
• Trying to rock hop in muddy areas.

How bad are they compared to normal walking??

Not sure I'd even try it. But I'd be interesting in hearing others honest, realistic comments.

 

[Billy]

About 5 years ago I had a one-year subscription to Backpacker Magazine...silly mistake.
I seem to remember among all the block ads in the final pages of every issue, there was
an ad for exactly what you're describing. If you can get a hold of some old (and maybe even
new) issues, scan the ads in the back pages.

 

[Chip]

How anti-LNT would it be???

Not very, less than over-weighted, digging, slipping heavy boot prints probably. HOWEVER, a joy and task of backpacking is being a self contained, efficient unit.
Unless you have a condition (I'm serious here, not being a dack or anything) that prevents you from carrying weight, I'd stick with a pack. You don't need near as much stuff in warmer weather.
If you do need a summer pulk, I'd make it reversable so you could wheelbarrow the thing through tough spots.

 

[Quietman]

These utilize a smaller wheel, but are they what you're thinking of?

Dixon Rollerpak

Monowalker

Carrix

 

[skiguy]

Kool stuff... But depends where you want to use this technology. A north to south trek of Australia looks like a fine place to test it all out.

 

[TCD]

It's not anti-LNT at all. But in some places, like over here in the ADKs, there are ridiculous rules that would make that set up illegal...check your local laws for ridiculousness before investing the time to build it.

 

[walker]

Wilderness Rules Violation

While this is a noble idea, just remember, this cart would be a direct violation of the rules pertaining to Wilderness Areas.
The rules state..."No mechanized equipment or mechanical transport (including bicycles, carts, and wagons. Wheelchairs are allowed.)"
WMNF Wilderness Regulations

Just passing along the info. Good luck with your invention.

Walker

 

[Hillwalker]

More restrictions

While this is a noble idea, just remember, this cart would be a direct violation of the rules pertaining to Wilderness Areas.
The rules state..."No mechanized equipment or mechanical transport (including bicycles, carts, and wagons. Wheelchairs are allowed.)"
WMNF Wilderness Regulations

Just passing along the info. Good luck with your invention.

Walker

Also prohibited on the AT or portions thereof.

 

[Stash]

These utilize a smaller wheel, but are they what you're thinking of?

Monowalker

This is the concept. But a bigger wheel for an easier run.

 

[Stash]

While this is a noble idea, just remember, this cart would be a direct violation of the rules pertaining to Wilderness Areas.
The rules state..."No mechanized equipment or mechanical transport (including bicycles, carts, and wagons. Wheelchairs are allowed.)"
WMNF Wilderness Regulations

Just passing along the info. Good luck with your invention.

Walker

...and that about sums is up. Kinda tough to hike anything of substance in the Whites without hitting WMNF. I understand see the "all or nothing" rule to cover those situations where someone would say "but you didn't say I couldn't use.....". So is a sled isn't considered a form of winter cart???

 

[Maddy]

An honest question. Requesting answers you've thought about.

I had my first experience hiking with a sled this winter and found it quite enjoyable. No beat up hips. A little more room for gear. Lots of good. I was thinking it would be nice to come up with something that would work in non-winter conditions. Maybe along the lines of a one-wheeled cart pulled by a bike. But connected to a belt or small pack.

IF I could come up with a functional desogn that used maybe a 29" bicycle wheel as the only contact with the ground. IF it was designed such that it didn't slide around a lot. IF it was stable and the frame didn't drag on the ground.

How anti-LNT would it be???

I see a mountain bike as a bit much on a trail because of the tendency to lose traction accelerating and decelerating, as well as hard corners. With the "summer pulke" simply rolling along the trail would it do more damage than boots and poles? How much damage does a slowly rolling wheel do? Knobbies or smooth?

Problems I see...

• Cutting corners too tight and having the wheel going off trail.
• Staying on bog bridges.
• Trying to rock hop in muddy areas.

How bad are they compared to normal walking??

Not sure I'd even try it. But I'd be interesting in hearing others honest, realistic comments.

How about a "SHERPA" or a "LLAMA"?

 

[Dana]

Years ago (early 1970s) in Popular Mechanics or some such magazine there was a blurb about somebody using helium balloons to hold up packs, which were on about a 6' tether behind the hiker. Had pictures of smiling hikers dragging these things along a treeless trail, presumably on a windless day. Even my pre-teenage brain could see the difficulties with that concept...

 

[skiguy]

...and that about sums is up. Kinda tough to hike anything of substance in the Whites without hitting WMNF. I understand see the "all or nothing" rule to cover those situations where someone would say "but you didn't say I couldn't use.....". So is a sled isn't considered a form of winter cart???

Like I said there is always Australia.



http://ourorb.com/solitary-man/

 

[Quietman]

...and that about sums is up. Kinda tough to hike anything of substance in the Whites without hitting WMNF. I understand see the "all or nothing" rule to cover those situations where someone would say "but you didn't say I couldn't use.....". So is a sled isn't considered a form of winter cart???

It's not the entire National Forest, just the Wilderness Areas that have the "no wheels" rule. Yes the wilderness areas are fairly large, but there is a lot of non wilderness national forest.

And I'm thinking that a large bike tire would really limit what you could build, just because the tire would take up so much area.

 

[RoySwkr]

Rescue teams have a device of one large wheel to haul out stretchers

You can get various two-wheel devices designed for canoe portages, I think one wheel would be tippy for one person

Probably better to haul a base camp in an approach trail than for a continuous backpack

 

[mirabela]

I don't think I'd bother in the Northeast, between the regulations and the many trails where it would be impractical -- basically anything steep, rocky, or deeply wet.

Having said that, it's a great idea. It would be brilliant anywhere that trail uses old roadbeds or rail beds, i.e. Pemi Eastside or Lincoln Woods, and similar places. I can think of many places out west where it would make great sense.

I agree 108% about the advantages of a winter pulk. Hauling a sled makes me never want to carry a pack again.

 

[Mike P.]

What would it weigh in addition to your pack? Flatter dirt trails, old logging roads, might be okay but with the many larger rocks you have to step up and then back down and unbridged crossings, you might end up carrying it quite a bit.

If something like that was allowed in the ADK High Peaks, it would be good getting to Marcy Dam. Maybe okay getting to the Greylock shelters.

 

[Sunshine Chris]

How about a "SHERPA" or a "LLAMA"?

I used to use fixed male dairy goats with crossbuck saddles and panniers to carry our stuff in both winter and summer. We usually had 2 or 3 each. Mine were on a pack line roped to each other). Never went above treeline with them but they were great in several areas of the whites. I'm guessing probably were not thinking of caring for animals full time. Ha Ha. We happen to have goats as my son raised them for his dairy goat project. They were all sold in 2006 though so now I am back to hoisting around my own load.

 

[peakbagger]

There used to be multiple groups that would bring wheelbarrows down the Lincoln Brook trail to Franconia Falls carrying kegs and beer. I alwsy wondered if that is one of the reasons the campground was moved to a less accesible location. There are two wheeled gardon carts that use large diameter bicycle wheels that will go over a lot of rough spots on the ground. When hiking in New Zealand in very remote areas, I would occasionally see gas powered wheelbarrows used to move the crushed rock they flew in via helicopter to apply liberally to the trails.