Trek: Mormon Handcart Historic Sites in Wyoming

Norm: What better way to celebrate Pioneer Days than have the family enjoy the spirit of Martins Cove and Sixth Crossing. Both sites of the rescue of the Martin Handcart Company and the Willie Handcart Company.
Both companies where caught on the great plains of Wyoming in an early October snow storm in 1856.
Five of our grandchildren where able to participate with their respective Stakes. Pictured here is the Ricks family. Our daughter Corena with husband Kevin and our grandaughters Cassandra and Hailey.

Handcarts are lined up and ready to go. The Fort at Devils Gate can be seen in the background. The Reconstruction of the fort was our assignment with 3 other senior couples for our Mission to Martins Cove in 2002.

350 Young men and women attended from our Thayne Wyoming Stake. Grandaughter Alanna Deyholas (red skirt) set out with her assigned family for their Trek Adventure. A few days later, grandaughter Natashia Rollingson enjoyed her Trek with the Castle Rock Colorado Stake.

Grandson Taylor Deyholas gets in the swing of things with a prairre square dance.

Some 80,000 youth attend Treks each summer to Martins Cove.  Many saints died during the 1856 storm, yet their Legacy of  Hope lives on in the hearts of these young people. Pictured here, the youth reverently file through the Cove where the Martin Company sought shelter. Martins Cove is considered by many a sacred place........ Wyoming's Temple.
Heather: The purpose of the Treks is to help the youth and their leaders feel the Spirit that motivated the early pioneers to sacrifice everything they had for their testimony of the Restored Gospel of Jesus Christ. Every person who went on the Trek walked for one of those pioneers in the Martin or Willy Handcart company. They read the journals they wrote and they learned their stories. They re-enacted the crossing of the Sweet Water River where the rescuers carried the suffering Saints across the water. They  walked silently through Martins Cove where many of those early pioneers died and were laid to rest in the snow. On their return, our family described the profound feelings of love and respect they gained for the strength and determination of those men, women, and children who loved the Gospel more than their lives. They testified that they felt that Spirit powerfully and that they are determined to "Keep the Faith!"