namaarie - I normally don't backpack with those I have to hide the hardware from. When you have several people around you have improved security anyway. In such cases I keep the pistol in my pack, but I can generally get to it relatively rapidly if I need to. Often you are the most vulnerable at night when are trying to sleep, so if you are in a tent, having the pistol out and ready is no problem.
Here in Arizona, openly and visibly carrying a loaded firearm either in your car or on your person, even in the city, is legal without any permits. You only need to have a permit if it is concealed on your person (stowed in a backpack doesn't count) and you need a Federal tax stamp for the weapon if it is an NFA weapon (sawed off shotgun, silencer, full auto machinegun, pistol bigger than .50cal, etc).
Devo 55 - I normally tend to pack a bit heavier on the ammo than some people would. It's what I feel comfortable carrying. I'd rather have too much ammo than too little. I guess that's the incurable survivalist in me. Some people would be OK for a simple backpacking trip with a revolver and 25 rounds of ammo. It's all a personal choice and a matter of how much you can comfortably carry.
hdwrlover - you mentioned Canada. Canada is a bit restrictive on handguns especially and on paramilitary style semi-autos.
Here's a quote from the Canadian gun regs:
Non-restricted firearms include:
semi-automatic rifles and shotguns that have barrels that are at least 470 mm (approx. 18.33 inches) long, and do not otherwise fall into a restricted or prohibited category;
and
single shot or manual repeating rifles and shotguns of any length, as long as they are not designed or adapted to be fired when reduced to a length of less than 660 mm (approx. 25.74 inches) by folding, telescoping, or other means.
If all I could carry were a rifle, I'd probably pack either a .30-30 Winchester M94 'Trapper' or a .30-30 Marlin 336Y 'Spikehorn'. The Winchester has a 16" barrel and the Marlin has a 16.5" barrel and both are about the handiest little rifles you'll ever carry.
When I first picked up the Trapper I liked it like few other rifles I've ever carried, and it proved itself to be exceptionally handy to tote around. Even out of a 16" barrel, the .30-30 is a decently potent round, generally outclassing almost any handgun and packing more punch than an AK-47 or an SKS.
As much as I like the Trapper, I like Marlins more than Winchesters. The Marlin 336 series is stronger, easier to clean, and better adapted to using a scope than the Winchester Model 94 rifles. At 6.5 lbs the 'Spikehorn' is 1/2 lb heavier than the Winchester Trapper. They both carry 5 rounds in their magazine.
A .30-30 will kill just about any critter in N. America that needs killing. Most hunting kills in N. America are at 180m (200 yards) or less, and this is well within the effective range of the .30-30 cartridge.
IMHO, I'd take the Marlin 336Y and fit it with receiver ghost ring sights, put on a forward 'scout' style scope, and maybe install a synthetic stock. All of these parts are available for the Marlin as aftermarket, user installable components.
You can get .30-30 ammo at virtually any wide spot in the road almost anywhere in N. America. If you handload, you might want to take a tip from Bradford Angier for small game hunting with a centerfire rifle and load up a few extra rounds with some light 110gr .30cal bullets with a small powder charge. Angier said that when living off of the land in the Canadian wilderness he preferred carrying a few rounds of such ammo for his .30-06 bolt action to packing an extra weapon that fired .22LR.
You can also get a subcaliber adapter which is basically a cartridge that comes apart which holds a smaller round in it. For the .30-30 you can get subcaliber adapters which allow you to fire 32 Short Colt, 32 Long, 32 H&R, and 32 ACP. You can also get .30cal sabots allowing you to fire .224" varmit bullets at velocities faster than a .223Rem (of course, in a lever action you single load and fire .30-30 cartridges with pointed tip bullets with one in the chamber and one in the mag at most).
A setup something like this:
http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/template...ch-results1.jsp
Can't we all agree that zombies are the real problem, and leave the poor bears alone? And the same goes for mountain kitties. 
:footinmou