MUMMY SPRING - JUL 2009

On the morning of July 18, 2009, Grand Canyon Ward scouts set out from the church by car to the Charleston Peak - North Loop Trailhead. From there, they hiked with full packs 2.5 miles along the North Loop Trail to Rain Tree. Rain Tree is a magnificent Bristlecone Pine and is one oldest living organisms known on earth - 2nd only to another Bristlecone named Methuselah. From Raintree, all but Trenton Rose and Daniel Buchanan left the North Loop Trail and hiked an additional half mile to Mummy Spring. An important lesson was learned when Trenton and Daniel took direction from a hiker who was not in our group and continued from Rain Tree up the North Loop Trail. When the rest of the group arrived at Rain Tree, the two young men couldn't be found. Brother Gunnerson, who had already gone the spring and returned, ran up the trail and found the 2 boys. They had become tired and stopped to rest and throw rocks at each other until the rest of the group showed up. On the way back to the group, Brother Gunnerson tactfully taught them that, under no circumstance, should they proceed past any fork in any trail or take direction from anyone but their parents or leaders. Unaware of the chastening, other leaders had the same talk with Daniel and Trenton on the way down the mountain. It was a great lesson for boys and leaders. Thunder clapped all around the group for most of the 5 hours. Rain sprinkled, came down good for about two minutes and then returned to a sprinkle. It was beautiful. Weather, terrain and altitude were all typical of what will be experienced in the Uintas this summer. Hats off to future boy scouts (DJ Overson, Brock Yates, Tucker and Ike Edwards) and Mae Edwards for hiking the entire 6 miles. - GQE