Long before suspension forks, tubeless tires, and GPS bike computers, mountain men traveled through the wilderness carrying everything they needed on their backs.

Food. Blankets. Tools. A rifle. Possibly a frying pan.

Today's mountain biker has made remarkable progress.

He carries food, extra clothing, tools, a hydration pack, tire plugs, CO₂ cartridges, a pump, two spare tubes despite running tubeless, three energy bars, four gels, a satellite communicator, and a GPS device specifically designed to tell him that the trail he just turned onto was not the trail.

The rifle is mostly optional.

There are other similarities.

Both groups willingly disappear into remote country for hours at a time. Both return covered in dirt. Both consider beef jerky a legitimate meal. And both have been known to stand on top of a mountain staring into the distance while discussing the best way to get somewhere else.

There is, however, one important difference.

The original mountain men generally tried to avoid steep hills whenever possible.

Maybe snacks count.