Building a pulk / sled

I'm getting ready for the spring back country season and I've decided that in addition to "serious" trips I'm going to add several "fun" trips to the schedule. In my mind a fun trip is less focused on hardcore terrain and long travel and more about screwing around in the sun on moderate slopes with a bunch of friends. As part of this plan I want to be able to carry more gear into the back country (small grill, complicated food, frothy beverages, etc.)

Anyway, this focus on fun is going to push me well beyond the limit of what I can carry in a backpack. Consequently, I'm going to build a pulk. If you've never heard of a pulk before you can find info here.

www.skipulk.com/images/pulkbook.pdf

I've built several of these before when I used to live in the midwest for multi-day cross-country ski tours, but I've never built one intended mostly for mountain touring. Anyway, I'm looking for advice regarding:

1) Any specific design considerations I should know about for a primarily mountain-oriented pulk?

2) Where would I go in Seattle to find a decent plastic sled for my pulk (I can get the rest of the stuff at the hardware store)?

3) I'd love to see pictures of other people's designs if you've got them.

Thanks in advance for your help.

Funny you should ask. I am leaving for yellowstone to drag a sled. I am building it out tonight. Bought all the pieces last night and a bit before.
I will let you know how my design works in a couple weeks.
As to the most basic of componenets.
Paris sled is the way to go. REI has them. $30. If not in stock, buy online and pick up in store, since it something like $20 shipping.
See Crystal fest link for best method for beer hauling

I used two pulks for a family trip last year.  Purchased one on ebay and rented the other from Backpackers Supply in Tacoma.
Trip Report:
www.turns-all-year.com/skiing_snowboardi...68.msg27270#msg27270

I like to use pulks or toboggans or toboggan sleds in an unconsolidated snowpack. I like to use runner type sleds in Spring. There is in fact a near continuum of sledge types from flat-bottomed runnerless to runners only. For runner only type, in Spring, I prefer spring steel shoes on the runners because you can drag it over anything- rocks, gravel or snow. You can also do that with UHMW shoes but you'll have to recondition them every once in awhile- scrape them with glass or a metal scraper to remove the fuzzies.

In hardpack conditions, a komatik is going to carry more weight more easily than a pulk. Bigger ones are made that can haul out stalled snowmobiles for instance. Here is an example, but if I made this again, I would use 1X stock for the runners rather than 2X stock. It would still be plenty strong. You could add retractable skegs on each side for traversing, and lace on a thin uhmw sheet for transition snowpack, where you might sink to the rungs with a heavy weight. This particular komatik can easily carry over 300 lbs, but I wouldn't want to pull that much weight uphill for any significant distance. I'd also make independent lashings on the rungs and not taper the ends of the rungs. In fact, I'd use holes in each of the rungs to lash through rather than around.

www.inquiry.net/images/Copy_of_Eskimo1.gif

i16.photobucket.com/albums/b24/huskyrunnr/cargosledthumb.jpg

Here is one I use for deep snow in Winter. I usually end up having to snowshoe a float for it (ugh).

i16.photobucket.com/albums/b24/huskyrunnr/sleds001.jpg

I've used kid pulks before, but when I strap a duffel or pack in, the sides and bottom deform and when going 20 mph with a few dogs pulling it, it becomes unstable and flips over. May not be a problem for manhauling, and you can always stiffen the bottom up with plywood or uhmw.

Here is a steerable racing sled I made for my kids that also works well with a backpack strapped to it. It is so light you can carry pack and sled on your back if you want, to go up steep sections or to ski down w/o dragging it.

i16.photobucket.com/albums/b24/huskyrunnr/caperacer.jpg

I have a couple more sleds but they are full blown dog sleds.

Anyway, just some alternatives to the ubiquitous plastic kid sled pulk.

Another idea, I think you could make a very light and stiff wood/glass composite pulk out of cedar bender board. You wouldn't even need to glass the inside. Then you could go for some of the original Sami style pulks that would actually fit into a deep ski trail. The original pulks were shaped like double-ender boats. Later on, flat transoms were added in the rear as a backboard so you could ride in it.

www.arcticphoto.co.uk/search/previews/sjm0002-35m.jpg

www.arcticphoto.co.uk/search/previews/fin0060-08m.jpg

FWIW:  I've used this sled www.rei.com/product/609482

on a couple early spring trips -- it has worked better than I expected.

Critically important is the system of connecting the sled to the skiier.

I crafted a simple system that worked good enough for what I was doing (Wing Ridge Hut)

I used an old pair of 7000 series aluminum skate poles (170cm)
   o  Remove baskets and drill a small (1/8 inch) hole about 1/2 inch from each end.
   o  Tightly wind a 3/8 inch thickness of duct tape around each pole about an inch from the end.
   o  Place a large washer on the pole, resting against the duct tape.  A "fender washer" is ideal.
   o  Insert the end of the pole through the grommet on the front of the sled.
   o  Add another washer on the pole behind the grommet.
   o Secure the pole to the sled by running a split ring through the 1/8 inch hole drilled earlier.
   o Repeat other side.

  This does a good job of securing the poles to the sled -- including when skiing downhill.

The next step is to run a length of rope through all the other holes around the edge of the sled and then run the ends of the rope up to the pole straps and tension the rope.   I found that crossing the poles and lashing the crossing point and tightly lashing the pole handles to a sturdy daypack makes a fairy secure sled.

I should have taken some pictures...

I had been concerned than without runners that sidehilling would be terrible -- but on the trips I taken it, the snow has always been soft enough that the sled simply rides in the skin track.

One great thing about this sled is that it is fairly narrow and fits nicely into a skin track and pulls with little effort -- another fellow on one of the trips had a much more elaborate sled that he had rented -- however it was quite a bit wider -- so even though he was the last of the group he was working really hard to pull his sled (1 foot of new snow).
 

here's the one that we took to the Wallowas a couple weeks ago. These 5 liter cans of beer fit pretty well, and you can crush them with the maul before you ski out. My brother packed the empty cans in his pack and I was able to strap the empty sled onto my pack for the ski out. The sled fit pretty well in a skin track made with fat skis.