Martins Cove Leadership Training

Approximately 360 miles by car, this is the site that greets you when you make the trip from Salt Lake City, Utah to Martins Cove in Wyoming.

This Friday and Saturday, a number of us got to travel up to the Trek site for an orientation. During orientation, the full-time missionary couples immerse you in the background that led to the creation of the site.

You begin in an orientation session (ours was packed) where there is a program including a multimedia presentation. The goal is to provide ideas on what your group will experience during trek and to inform you about the resources available.

Be prepared, they are really serious. After the orientation, we were divided into groups, given a handcart and off we went. They told us it would be a "breezy" 6 mile walk (it is really 7 miles, I took a GPS).

I met up with a great group of guys from Bountiful (North Salt Lake) who are bringing a group similar in size (350 individuals) next summer. As we trekked from place to place (more in a later post) we talked about our own treks and how to prepare our leadership and youth to be ready for this "once in a lifetime" opportunity. More than telling us, they demonstrated with personal knowledge steeped in the history of the site. There was even role playing where some of the missionaries assumed the identity of the original settlers.

This view is from a rest area where you prepare to journey on a 2.3 mile loop into Martins Cove. Right in the center (very small) is a group of trees that marks the vistors center and the entrance shown in the top photo. This spot is about 1.3 miles from the place designated as the "start" of trek.

Martin Handcart Company

Edward Martin, leader of the Martin Handcart Company is on the far right, second row.

The Martin Company left Liverpool, England on May 25th, 1856 on the ship "Horizon" destined for Boston, Mass. After arriving in Boston they travelled by railroad to Iowa City, Iowa arriving on July 8th where they were outfitted with handcarts and other supplies.

They left Iowa City on July 28th bound for Florence, Nebraska (now Omaha) a journey of nearly 300 miles.  They began the 1,030 mile trek to Salt Lake City on August 27th with 576 individuals.

Tomorrow, August 27, 2009 will be the 153rd anniversary of the start of their trek.

Sandy Crescent Trek 2010

Next June, the youth of the Sandy Utah Crescent Stake and their leaders have the opportunity to retrace the footsteps of one of the most tragic and yet heroic migrations to the Zion.

Over the next nine months, thousands of hours of planning will go into creating a once in a lifetime experience for all of the those who choose to participate.

Beginning June 23rd 2010, more than 350 youth and adults will re-enact a famous moment in pioneer history as they spend three days pushing and pulling pioneer handcarts on the trail utilized by the Willie and Martin Handcart companies.

The Willie and Martin Handcart companies composed of emigrants bound for the Salt Lake Valley, were trapped in October of 1856 when they encountered an unexpected heavy snowstorm. Eventually help was sent from Salt Lake City to help rescue the pioneers, but not before the storm took a heavy toll in lives.

This blog provide a resource for those making the trek and any others interested in the journey, both physical and spiritual as preparrations are made for this journey.

We'll ask many to contribute their expertise in stories, images, and music creating the opoortunity for a truly rich experience understanding the sacrifices made in the 1800's and the lessons they offer us to this day. We'll document personal stories, both of the original pioneers and their families as well as those who particiapte in Trek 2010.

We've set up a Twitter site found at : http://twitter.com/Trek2010 where you can receive real time updates that will point you to this page and postings on YouTube and Facebook.

We're interested in your input and contributions in the form of images, stories, personal and family stories.