Pioneer Trek 2012

This year our stake took the youth to Wyoming to do the Martins Cove Trek for three days.  The group met on Tuesday night, July 3, at 8 pm at the Stake Center where they had a fireside to learn about some of the stories about the Pioneers as well as to be grouped into "families" for the trek.  Each family consisted of a Ma and Pa, random couples from our stake who work with the youth, and about eight to ten youth who were brothers and sisters.  There were about 25 "families" from our stake who traveled through the night on charter buses to Rock Springs Wyoming where they awoke to breakfast and handcarts.  They kids were supposed to sleep on the buses during the night, but true to teenage expectations, there was little sleep happening. 

This is the drop off at the Stake Center.  They are so clean and organized.  This
is Mady, Austin and Topher (Kris Wilson). 

Ready to go:  Jared Cahoon, Austin, Eric Colson, Topher, Darringer Scow,
and in the middle is Olivia Thayne, who ended up being a treasured sister to Mady.

The first day was fairly easy the kids reported and they traveled with their handcarts to Independence Rock.  It was named Independence because the pioneers needed to be that far in their travels by the Fourth of July if they were going to make it to Salt Lake City before the snow began, and it was significant that our youth traveled there on Independence Day to experience the holiday there. 

Off they go!  Austin is pushing. 

Independence Rock.  The American flag flies on top, and it is a difficult
hike up, the hill is very steep.

Camp that night.  This part of Wyoming is flat and no trees.  It kind of looks
like a gold rush camp. 

Mady and her family having a great time on day two of the Trek. 

They took time to have fun, too.  Mady is jumping rope and getting some pretty
good air under her.  They also took a break by the Sweetwater river to cool off.

Jessica Green and Mady playing in the water trying to keep
their skirts dry.

Austin carrying one of his sisters across the Sweetwater river.  The crossing
was a silent crossing so no one  spoke while they went across.  Three girls from out stake
played their violins while the group crossed and Mady thought it was
a very spiritual experience.  (One of the girls was our cousin Sadi Beutler, another was
Mady's friend Rachel Nielson).  

Mady being carried across the Sweetwater. 

Austins Ma and Pa were Trevor and Rhonda Anderton,
and this was his family.

Mady's Ma and Pa were the Nielsons and this is her family. 

They visited Martins Cove where they had a fireside about the pioneers that died there and in the stories the adults told they substituted some of the names of the kids in their groups.  It was a very spiritual experience for everyone as the adults told them of thier friends dying.  They also received letters from the Pony Express (written from their parents) that they got to read during the quiet times.  The group traveled home on Saturday and arrived about 9 o'clock.  I was surprised to find the kids energized and excited and not exhausted and grumpy.  Each of them only got one blister on their feet and no sunburns or cold sores to remember the experience by.  I think the experience was life changing for some, and definitely memorable to all.