ROCKY RIDGE

This year we decided to arrange for our missionaries to climb Rocky Ridge at the beginning of the trekking season so that it would give them greater understanding of that difficult experience.

We planned to drive to Sage Camp and then on to the Lower Monument and leave from there.  Those who did not feel they could walk the 2 1/2 miles up Rocky Ridge would be driven around to the back side where they would only need to walk about 1/2 mile up a gentle slope to meet us at the top.

However . . . the night before, a terrific rain and thunderstorm came through, and when we arrived at Sage Camp we discovered that the roads were so muddy and slippery we could not even get to the Lower Monument.  We feared that the road around to the back side was also too muddy to drive.

Like the handcart companies in Florence, Nebraska, we assessed our situation and made the decision to go on - to begin our journey at the bus parking area rather than at the Lower Monument that marks the beginning of the trail up Rocky Ridge.

That decision added more than 3 miles to our originally planned 5 mile climb.

In spite of that we unloaded the beautiful oak handcart made for us by Elder Madsen last year and headed out through the muddy trail.  It was NOT easy!

By our first little rest stop there were over 4 inches of mud on the handcart wheels and on the bottoms of our shoes - just like the pioneers!  Elder Young kindly got out his pocket knife and tried to get some of it off.

In spite of the smiles on our faces, we were exhausted!  Pulling that heavy oak handcart through those muddy trails was almost more than we could handle, and we were grateful to take a moment of rest by this trail marker.

 With the help of many others - just like the pioneers - we were able to get out handcart to the top of Rocky Ridge!

Elder and Sister Bearry did a reenactment of the Jens and Elsie Neilsen story where she pulled him in a handcart for miles after his feet became too frozen to walk.  

When Sister Bearry first started out she could not even move the heavy handcart, so she said a little prayer and somehow she found the strength to make a little forward progress.  As the story was being told to the rest of us on the top of the ridge, others headed down the hill to help her pull Elder Bearry to the top.  She was exhausted and now has a personal appreciation for what Elsie Nielsen did to save her husband during that trying time.

On top of Rocky Ridge a group picture was taken, but we missed those who were not able to make the trip because of the muddy roads.

Like the handcart pioneers, we were happy to leave our handcart behind - not for good - just for trucks from the back side of Rocky Ridge to load up and take home for us.

  Walking back down the trail we all had a new appreciation 
for the hardships endured on Rocky Ridge.

We returned to Sixth Crossing and stopped for a few minutes to show the missionaries from Martin's Cove the new visitors' center. 

 Inside our apartment there, Sister Petersen and I took a little break in the comfortable chairs.

Then we enjoyed a delicious but unique spaghetti dinner at the Sixth Crossing Trek Center.  

We were each given a western bandana with a little handcart slide. 

We were to remove the slide (and save it for future use) 
and then use the bandana to tie our hands together at the wrist.

Throughout the meal we had to cooperate with each other in order to 
pass the food, dish it up, and then eat it all. 

Having Lefties and Righties sit together with their hands tied 
provided a special challenge, but it was lots of fun!

 Many thanks to our wonderful cooks at Sixth Crossing!

We returned home to find a few challenges and a few changes.

It took an hour to clean the mud off our handcart and return in to the Barn . . .

. . . and we found that some of the windows in our apartment had been replaced by glass so clear we could see right through them for the very first time.  Note the difference between the old glass in the middle window and the new glass on each side!

Poor Sister Bushman came back to the office and was inundated with phone messages and emails to return . . .

. . . and we had a geyser where the drinking fountain should be!  

No matter, they had it fixed in minutes!

The week we just finished has been full of wonderful stories, information, testimonies, and bonding experiences for all of us.  How grateful we are to be able to serve here in this remarkable mission!