Trek Summary

I was asked to write a one page summary of our experiences on trek this summer. It was not easy to sum it up into one page but at least I could change the margins and get a little more in right?  I thought I would post the summary here.  I am in the process of blogging about the trek in more detail on my own blog.  Let me know if you want access to that. Thanks again for everyone's help! --Robyn

Highland 6^th Ward Pioneer Trek

Martin’s Cove, Sixth Crossing and Rocky Ridge

July 24-28, 2017

We worked hard to prepare our youth to go on trek and get them excited.  We had a special fireside, square dancing, made trek buckets, went on hikes, went on a youth temple trip and even had a special sensory activity imagining what they might have experienced in 1856. Many hours were spent meticulously studying pioneer stories from the Martin, Willie, Hunt, Hodgett and Rescue Companies. One of the first things we did was search for pioneer ancestors of our own. We also had an activity where the youth were able to choose their pioneer and those that were unable to come were given a story. I enjoyed the process of inspiration that came over me as I tried to match a pioneer to a person. It was important that they connect with their pioneer. There were a few times when I was about to give someone a pioneer and then felt inspired to hold back. I would go home and go through the stories again until I found the right one.

We did a lot of delegating and a lot of willing volunteers made Trek happen. I am grateful for all of the careful and organized planning. One of the most demanding jobs to be given for trek is the food. Laree and Gary Packard rose to the challenge.

On our first morning in Wyoming, Laree Packard started us off with a beautiful devotional about the 4 ounces of flour that was rationed to the pioneers. I was impressed that not one youth complained when we told them breakfast would only be 4 ounces of flour mixed with water. They weren't too impressed with the gruel but most of them at least tried it. When we took our first break, Ryan M. shared his ancestor story of Ephraim Hanks bringing buffalo meat to the Martin Company.  And then we pulled out their "rescue breakfast." They were pretty grateful for yogurt and granola.

Our first crossing of the Sweetwater River was sacred and spiritual. Amy Bachman stood on the other side and played "Come, Come Ye Saints" on her violin as each handcart made its way through. After everyone had finished, everyone was silent, quietly putting their shoes back on. The missionaries complimented our group saying it was the first group they had witnessed that stayed so silent following the crossing. That same Spirit accompanied us as we walked through Martin’s Cove.  We finished our day by crossing Veil Bridge and being reminded to be rescuers too.

We camped at Sixth Crossing that night. The next day we felt the power of the stories of Elsie and Jens Nielsen, Maria Linford, Reddick Allred and others. We also experienced the Women’s Pull.  The youth enjoyed ending the day with a water fight in the Sweetwater River. Trek was not only spiritual, it was fun. Our skit night provided plenty of entertainment and laughs.

On Thursday we had to be up earlier than normal to get started on Rocky Ridge.  I think one of the memorable experiences on the trail that day was the ‘silent pull’ up part of the rockiest part of the trail.  We also had a designated “mudding crew” who pulled the wagons through the muddiest parts of the trail. None of us will forget the last half hour of our 14 mile hike that day when a sudden heavy rainstorm hit us.  We couldn’t look up but just keep moving forward. There was not anywhere to seek shelter so we moved forward. I felt like it gave us a small taste of what the pioneers experienced. We arrived to camp with our tents already set up and dinner ready for us.  As we walked to our testimony meeting we reverently passed through the monument at Rock Creek Hollow. It was humbling. The entire experience felt like we had experienced what it is like to live in Zion. We didn’t want it to end.