The four "Mountain Men" pictured here are (left to right) Cricket, Lodi, Hopi, and Flip. They were spending 28 days backpacking the Continental Divide Trail from Wolf Creek Pass, then up Johnson Creek, down Needle Creek, and out on the Durango & Silverton SNGRR. I asked if they were teachers, and therefore able to pursue this passion of theirs for 28 days. They replied that they were not teachers. One owned his own business , and stated ( I presume humorously) that he hoped the business was still going when he returned. Two others were carpenters, who rather non-chalantly stated that they had quit their jobs and presumed they could find new ones when they returned home.
The five men were most receptive to describing their experiences and extolling their philosophy. The only "modern" conveniences they carried were prescription glasses, required medications, and a current topo map. Everything else was authentic or replicated equipment from the 1800s. Even the timepiece they carried was an authentic railroad conductor's pocket watch from that era. Their diet consisted mainly of beans, rice, and flour. Fish occasionally were caught and consumed. Clothes and equipment were low-tech, made from burlap, leather, canvas, cotton, etc. Above is a photo showing2 of their homemade backpacks. They also had various sacks slung over their shoulders. Tents were lean-to shelters, or canvas fashioned into an "L" shape with a roof and a back wall and supported by trees and downfall.
They were met by a friend, who spent the final few days with them. He went by the name of Deer Runner and is a full-blooded Apache. They informed us that there are numerous others who practice this form of backpacking, and that they hold an annual "Rendezvous." Websites featuring this type of backpacking can be located by searching for "mountain men" on any of the search engines.