I have done that hunt twice in the last 4 years with a Kuiu pack, it will work fine. Worry more about your boots and rain gear. I think it rained about 3 days straight during one stretch this last year. Everything is wet and you're just hiking through mud and muck most of the time. Boots leaking will ruin your day.I am looking at the LT 5500 for a DIY caribou hunt off the Dalton hwy next year. What are some comparable backpacks I could research? The lighter the better..