Memories of West Mountain and Abner & Hazel Baird by Frederick Twede Baird & Kenneth Shepherd

Memories of West Mountain and Abner & Hazel Baird by Frederick Twede Baird & Kenneth Shepherd

Memories of West Mountain and Abner & Hazel Baird

Written and Compiled by

Frederick Twede Baird and Kenneth Shepherd

My early childhood on West Mountain and the way things were on the farm.

My mother, Hazel Twede Baird was truly a crown jewel and elect lady. I never heard her complain about anything. She was an accomplished writer and speaker and freely gave of her time and expertise. We often talk about our Heavenly Father, but little is said about our Heavenly Mother. Hazel was a heavenly mother in our home. She must have learned and copied those heavenly attributes from her Heavenly Mother when a spirit there.

I might here more that a few descendants of Abner H. Baird and Hazel Twede Baird met together 4 July 2011 at the West Ward building and pavilion. It was nice to see the momument erected there with information on it including the name of Abner H Baird, the first bishop of the West Ward where many of his family met to worship and give thanks in many meetings and special occasions.

One such occasion took place at the West Ward Building to celebrate Rebecca Twede’s 90th birthday. What a great day it was. Yes, she too was a queen, the queen of West Mountain and Payson. Certainly, she too, was an elect lady. Perhaps this is where my mother Hazel Twede Baird learned how to be a queen and elect lady also. Rebecca Twede’s father was Charles Edward Allan and mother Elizabeth Watkins. She was born October 1, 1880 the 6th child in a family of 12, five girls and 7 boys. Like her daughter Hazel, she was a hard worker all her life. Rebecca and her husband Gideon Frederick moved from Mapleton to west Mountain in 1917 and built a granary for several years until their house could be built.

Rebecca served in the Relief Society nearly all her life. Her husband, Gid as we called him died in 1931 and left her alone for many years. When the West Ward was organized Rebecca was chosen queen and represented the ward in the July 4th parade.

Rebecca Twede had a small car with a rumble seat in the back. It was really fun to ride there with her driving. This was in the 1930’s She also had a one horse buggy. I had the horse and a few times I hooked it up to her buggy and went for a ride.

Flies and mosquitos

There were thousand of flies and many found their way into our home. A handy fly swatter was a must and outside a fly catcher, a screen stand about 20” x 20” by three feet tall with a cone underneath. We would put some old food underneath the fly catcher and the flies went up into the catcher where it often filled up about 1 foot deep with dead flies that had to be dumped out and started over. Now for the mosquitoes, they were about that thick in the evenings, nights, and early mornings. It was too hot in the summer to sleep up in our attic, so we (the boys) slept outside and were prime flesh and blood for the mosquitos. I had many welts where they chewed on me, causing me to itch and scratch.

Then there was the outhouse too. We never had indoor plumbing in those early days, so the outhouse was essential for all homes on the farms. Most were what we called two holers, a small one and a larger one. These outhouses were objects for halloweeners to tip over, it was all the better if there was someone inside. The girls had a toiled pan under the bed so they didn’t have to go outside in the dark cold night, but had to be emptied daily in the outhouse. The door usually had a spring attached to hold it closed.

We needed water in the house too, but again, alas no plumbing. We did have a well from which we could extract some water if we primed it first by pouring some water down the well and pumping it. A bucket with water was usually sitting next to the pump handle.

In the porch by the back door was a stool with a basin and water along with a bar of Lava soap to get the dirt and grime off and a mirror and comb. These all had to be used prior to coming in after chores, morning, noon and night so we would look somewhat respectable to gather around the kitchen table where we always ate meals together. I suppose this was also practiced in all the farm homes on West Mountain at this early time.

The big meal of the day was noon, we called it dinner. Mother usually baked fresh bread. It smelled and tasted so good when we came in for the noon meal. Supper, our evening meal, was usually bread and milk. I liked to find some cream that we had skimmed from a pan of milk. We always had honey on the table as well, as my father Abner, was a beekeeper. My job in helping with the bees was to cut the cappings off the honey frames with a hot steam knife and the extract the honey. It was very good, especially with my bread and cream. After supper we lit the coal oil lamp (remember, we had no electricity either) and mother would read us some fine books that she loved. Sometimes we popped corn on the kitchen stove in a screened popper with a long handle which we quickly moved back and forth on the stove.

Sundays were special days when we didn’t work on the farm. We still had chores to do like milking the cows, gathering the eggs, separating the milk, feeding the pigs, horses and all animals. Then it was time to put on our finest. Saturday night we had had our turns in the round bath tub, the water heated on the stove then put in the waiting tub. The girls always went first followed by the boys. By the time my turn rolled around, the water was a little grey. Priesthood Meeting was first followed by Relief Society and Sunday school. Then home for dinner and rest before going back in the evening for Sacrament Meeting. We all met in the old 3rd Ward Meeting house on Main Street in those days. That building is still being used today.

Wildlife

Early on there were wolves and coyotes, mostly coyotes. When we moved the new young pullets up in the field to pick some green feed, the coyotes would sneak down in the night and help themselves to some nice young chickens. Occasionally, I got to sleep in the field by the coops to scare the coyotes away, but they usually outsmarted us. There were a lot of mice. There was an occasional rattler especially up in the foot hills where the horny toads and lizards lived. I loved to go up and find them.

I also loved to find the caterpillars that made cocoons into moths and butterflies. I would put then in a shoe box where they would make their cocoons hanging from the top of the lid. A few days later, the boxes were filled with beautiful moths or butterflies. There were lots of beautiful pheasant roosters, sometimes forty or fifty in a flock with many hunters when pheasant season opened. I was one of them as were nearly all farmers and others who lived there. Raccoons appeared out of nowhere. They loved to eat the eggs of the young. They raided most farm gardens and feasted on corn or whatever they liked. Skunks and foxes joined in the fun and food. They had to eat to live and the eggs and young birds were a delightful dish.

Deer also lived on the mountain and loved to come down and feed in the upper corn and alfalfa fields. They were also hunted during deer season by some of the West Mountaineers. Gophers became a problem in many fields and orchards by burrowing in the ground to eat the roots of plants, trees, and bushes. They left mounds of dirt wherever they burrowed making it miserable to deal with. Most farmers had at least one dog and a cat, and come had several.

Parley Liddle was a great dairy man, neighbor and friend. He lived to be 95 1/2 years of age. Kenneth Shepherd was also an influential leader who knew much about the history and people of West Mountain. I have asked him to write what he remembers to be included in this history.

My parents Abner and Hazel were dedicated temple workers, serving in the Provo Temple. I am sure they must know that a New Temple is in the works for Payson, Utah not too far from where they lived on West Mountain. What a blessing it will be for all in the area.

By Ken Shepherd

It’s been nice seeing you in the temple occasionally. I‘m always glad to see everybody from my growing up years in the Payson Third Ward when we stretched from Main Street in town to the top of West Mountain, and from Utah Avenue north to the Benjamin Ward. Those were happy times and all the people of that time are still very special to me. Thank you for asking me to write a few things I remember of Abner and Hazel Baird and their special family. It was you, Fred, who baptized me in the font of the old Payson 4th Ward church in 1941. You must have been a Priest then, for in those days it seemed policy that Priests did most of the baptizing, each ward taking its turn in rotation Your father, Abner Baird, confirmed me a member of the Church.

Abner was involved in Boy Scouts much of his life, even while he was a bishop and then in the stake presidency. I don’t remember him being a scoutmaster, but he must have been when my older brother, C.H. and Rex were scouts, for I remember my mother talking of him some years later as their scout leader.

Abner must have been at my first Boy Scout camping experience at Payson Lakes, in August 1945. World War II ended that week and it seemed almost all Payson towns people went up to celebrate. They joined us in our giant fire program that evening. Mayor Floyd Harmer was commissioned to light the fire. It took him a long time rubbing sticks together, but he finally made it and all cheered. We had a wonderful camp that week. Abner, I believe, helped lead us on a hike to the top of Mr. Loafer. If I remember right, your dad taught us how to make ropes from binder twine and how to weave the loose ends into itself to keep the rope from unraveling and to avoid having a knot at the end. I used that still a number of times later in my life to make jump ropes for my children.

In 1947, (July) when I was 14, a number of Payson scouts attended the church’s Pioneer Centennial Scout Camp east of Salt Lake, near Ft. Douglas and before you get to Hogle Zoo. Abner was our bishop then and also the adult Scout Leader of the 3rd Ward boys who went. He passed me off on my signaling to help me be eligible to go It was in the bishop’s office. Some of the other boys from 3rd Ward were Garth Hill, Robert Bliss, Jerry Dixon and Don Milnar. Your brother Alan might also have been with us. Scouts from all over the church were there. We had our camp next to scouts from Canada. Your dad accompanied us in all the week’s activities.

We had a night camp program at Westminster Campus. We attended the dedication of This is the Place Monument sitting on the hillside waiting for the unveiling and the dedicatory prayer.

President George Albert Smith was there, and Chief Washakie was there in his ceremonial robes and Indian head dresses.

We marched in the parade downtown and sang “The Promised Valley” production, we toured downtown and surrounding Salt Lake points of interest including the State Capitol seeing Ab Jenkins Mormon Meteor under the capitol rotunda. We visited Temple Square hearing an organ recital in the tabernacle, went to Memory Grove where you can put your car in neutral and coast uphill. We swam at Black Rock in the buoyant water of Great Salt Lake. Then we went to Brigham Canyon to see the Bingham Copper MInes—waiting our turn to go through the mile long one way tunnel—up the back.

On these tours, our camp traveled with the Canadian Camps. On our way home from the copper mine we began hobnobbinb with then and trading Boy Scout paraphernalia— belt buckles, knives, neckerchief slides, badges—boys with boys, leaders with leaders. Abner traded something he had for something he desired. I don’t remember what, but it was something of value and he seemed pleased with his trade. It was a good week. It started on Saturday with 2 days at Camp Williams learning to march in cadence and then Monday to Friday at Ft. Douglas. What a week!

When Onion Days came around, President Smith spoke at the Sunday evening services and had all those who attended Pioneer Centennial Scout camp to come forward and sit on the stand with him. Your dad was part of all of this. We couldn’t have helped but treasure the experience.

Your dad was still bishop when my brother C.H. went on his mission. Then the wards were divided to create the West Ward and we were separated. He was the first bishop of West Ward for a short while and then became a counselor to George Christensen in the stake presidency. I believe he was a companion counselor with Edwin Cutler, a teacher at the high school.

When I was 16 years old in June of 1949, 27 men and boys went on a 10 day river boat trip on the Colorado River, early June when the river was running high. Abner and Ken Hansen were the adult leaders on my boat (they were rubber rafts.) What a fabulous experience that was. The river we traveled on is now under Lake Powell. No one will ever again see what we saw.

We went from Nite Ferry in Utah to Lee’s Ferry in Arizona. From Nite to Glen Canyon Dam is now covered by Lake Powell. The last 17 miles from the dam to Lee’s Ferry is still river but with clear water instead of brown, murky water filled with silt.

Each boat crew put on a program one night during the trip. When it was our turn, we put on a skit about Little Red Riding Hood. Abner played her part, and he was hilarious. You’ve never seen anything so funny. Our costumes were just what we had with us, so we weren’t so glamorous. Abner spoke in a squeaky high pitched voice, so unlike Abner. It was so funny. Enclosed is a copy of Blaine Moore’s log report of the trip. You’ll find it interesting. Just put your dad in all those places and experiences and it makes it live for you.

At that time we hiked 6 miles from the river up Aztec Canyon to see Rainbow Natural Bridge. Now you can go by boat to the base of the bridge. It was a beautiful sight. We were told the bridge arch is high enough that the nation’s capital building can fit under it. We swam in many of the little pools in the rock surfaces as we hiked to the from the bridge. We stayed there two nights and a full day.

We saw Nite and Lee’s Ferries, Indian dwellings, hieroglyphics and corn cribs. We visited Scout Canyon and Music Temple, passed Crossing of the Fathers, Hells Crossing and saw Tapestry Wall, Sentinel Rock and numerous other spectacular sights. We visited Cass Nite’s and Bert Loper’s abandoned dwellings. Incidentally, Bert Lope died that fall and I have the newspaper clipping about his life and demise.

While camping at Rin Con (Reen Cone) one of the boys found a live scorpion under his pillow. Our guide, John Cross put it in a jar of Formaldehyde to preserve it.

At Hole in the Rock, we hiked clear to the top of that historical site. It was a fantastic experience to imagine how the San Juan pioneers discovered the crevice, blasted and carved walls and steps into the rock, blasted the narrow and hilly places, and drove teams and wagons down through the gorge to the river. They had to fill some areas with sand after each wagon. Then they still had to build rafts from whatever material there was on site, cross a wild river, and then find a way through the labyrinths of canyons (through Canyonlands today) to get to Southeastern Utah and settle it into productive farms and towns. It was a spiritual experience.

We camped on the Glen Canyon dam site one night. It was told a dam would be built there. (It came to pass in the latter 1950’s). We saw government explorations, excavations and many signs of engineering work on the high rock wall and around the ground area.

The day we left the river at Lee’s Ferry, we went through the Paria Rapids, twice no less. If we hadn’t made it to shore after that, we would have sailed out of site to the Grand Canyon. We drove all afternoon to Jacob’s Lake and the next day to the north rim of Grand Canyon and then headed home camping our last night at Bryce Canyon. While hiking a trail there someone discovered a pair of black women’s bloomers. Blaine Allen put them on a pole and they were carried around the rest of the time. They became sort of our mascot. Then we drove home ending our exciting and wonderful trip at Roland Lindsey’s home. We sang lots of silly scout songs while traveling and while sailing and around the camp fires.

Your dad was a jovial and a joyous boat companion. I believe he thoroughly enjoyed the trip. He did associate and companion with the other men when we were not on boats. He joined us in all activities.

One time in my teens I with a crew of other boys worked for a time on your dad’s farm—hoeing beet or corn. When the field was finished it was early so he took us across the road to Grandma Rebecca Twede’s and we shingled a shed or a chicken coop. It was you dad who taught me how to hold the roofing nails between my fore and middle fingers and pounding them hard. It made the job quicker and easier than holding the nails with my thumb and forefinger. That trick came in handy many times later in my life.

Sometime later, he hired me a day or two to help around the yard. At noon, I had dinner with Abner and Hazel. There I learned what a good cook your mother was. It was not fancy, but oh so delicious—and nutritious. I learned also your folks were frugal and unwasteful. It was apparent all on the menu were of their own doing. Your mother canned and dried fruit and vegetables, ground their own stored wheat, and kept things stored in root cellars, etc. They lived as our church leaders instructed us to do.

Hazel, your mother was one of our Sunday school teachers. What a spiritual, knowledgeable giant she was. She was always well prepared and interesting. What a great testimony she had. And she lived her life that way—you know that. She read and studied the gospel continuously and yet kept up on all things around her. While she was our teacher, she had us at their home for a Sunday school class party. It was delightful and we had fun. She also took time to give us a spiritual moment in the evening. Then Abner and Hazel drove us all home. We piled 2 deep in the car. I had the privilege of sitting on your mother’s lap. Imagine!! That simple thing has meant a lot to me over the years.

Your parents were solid church workers and servants. They did all that was expected of them and more, and never faltered, as far as I ever knew.

Your Mother (and your dad) seemed always so good to her mother. It was apparent they had a sweet and companionable relationship. There was a sincere strong bond between Rebecca and Hazel Baird. Rebecca was a sweet lady, and so independent, and yet allowed her daughter to look after her needs while still recognizing her mother’s need to be self-reliant and independent in her own home.

I remember of one of West Ward’s parties, or a reunion, Rebecca was made West Ward queen. And she was regal! She took it all in good spirit. I believe the ward built a float and she rode in the Onion Day parade that year in Payson.

When the fateful day came that West Ward grew and had to be divided, it was made the 12th Ward (south) and 13th Ward (north). My part of in town Payson was included in the 13th Ward. We were there for 2 years and then put back into the 11th Ward (about 1978), but how we enjoyed the 13th Ward experience. The people out there were so accepting and friendly.

I had the privilege then of being your parent’s home teacher. How I loved again to go into their home. I always came away spiritually fed and stronger than when I entered. It was noted that your parents were excellent gardeners. And they ate what they produced. They wasted nothing. Your dad, even late in age, was energetic and strong. He was always trying new varieties of vegetables, berries, trees and fruit. He tried new gardening methods and irrigation methods. His and her gardens were always productive and successful.

Abner gave me some starts of his September bearer raspberries. They took in my soil and were excellent berries, big and flavorful. I already had some regular berries that were good, but the September bearers were a very good addition. They were different in that they sent up new and complete growth each spring.

Yes, I remember your mother’s Christmas story that became an annual event in West and 13th Wards. People anticipated and looked forward to it each year. It never became repetitive or old. Many still recall and talk of it today and cherish the memory—it was something remarkable. I heard her only twice, once in a ward sacrament meeting and another time at the Stake High Priest and wives annual Christmas program at the stake center.

(My wife just mentioned that Rebecca Twede was her 4-H leader when she was younger.)

Now, Fred, there are probably many other things I should say buy memory fades too much. But the things I have written are special to me, and I love your mother and father because of it al. I’m just going to add one more thing as a side line. We in our youth had another set of Sunday school teachers. They were Sarah Orton and Norma Tew. They were young and so fun. We enjoyed them so much. They surely were a great team. Our class might have been in the cultural hall or on the stage. They were good to us. One of our Sunday school class parties was a Halloween party at the Tew home. What a party—one of the best Halloween parties we ever went to. Norma Tew was the ghost, and she was so real we almost believed in ghosts. Elder Tew grabbed us with his strong sinewy hands in the dark as we went through the spooky trail. Everything that night was so well planned and exciting—how could we ever forget it. Sarah and Norma were really good—great.

I remember your family. Each of you were so good. How could Rachel and Ruth be such very sweet people so much like their mother without a mother like Hazel and a grandma like Rebecca?

I remember Robert and Leda coming home from the war. They had two small children. They came to church in a jeep with the two little ones in the back on chairs in the open air. You and he built homes out on the mountain a little north of your folks on the east side of the road. And then you all moved.

Allen, though 2 or 3 years older than us, gave us lots of association in the ward at various priesthood activities and ward functions. On many occasions he was there along with Carwin Williams and others. Those were all good times and pleasant memories. Allen married Priscilla, Ruth married Mark, you married Sarah, Rachel married McOmber (can’t think of his first name right now) and Robert married Leda. (I hope that’s her correct name.) I think you and Ruth are left.

Fred, yours was a good family, and of course those old associations are still an influence. Now I hope what I have written is acceptable to you. What I have written is meaningful to me.

Sincerely, Kenneth Shepherd

Payson River Trip

June 6, 1949 to June 15, 1949

Payson—We left on the morning of June 6, 1949. We have a crew of 27 which are sub-divided into four different crews. Members of the crews are as follows:

Red Witches—Fred Winnie and Reid Pulver—leaders

Blaine H. Moore, Alan Baird, Robert Bliss, Mike Brown—captain

Shmoos—Blaine Allen and Mayor Floyd Harmer—leaders

Jay Harmer, Jack Clark, Arnell Heaps, John Parkinson, Charles Pace—captain

River Rats—Abner H. Baird and Ken Hansen—leaders

Kenneth Shepherd, Bobby Fulmer, Dick Christensen, Duane Johns—captain

Red Raiders—Ronald Lindsay—leader, Dennis Dixon, Glen Dixon, Don Milner, Don Lee Worthington, Robert Stevens—captian

River Guide

John Cross

Doctor

Log Keeper and Scribe: Blaine Moore

Dr. A. Edgar Robison

We left from the Nebo Stake Tabernacle, across the street from the 3rd Ward church. We traveled in a bus and our equipment was in a truck. We had a fine send-off with a large group of mothers wishing us well. Partiarch Francom (George A.) offered a word of prayer as we stood on the steps of the tabernacle. We were all in good spirits and no one was sick.

The trip was uneventful for seeing a lot of country. We stopped at Loa and gassed up. There we chose captains and stocked up on a few last minute commodities. The man at Loa said that the roads were pretty bad from now on that only mountain goats went that way. We later found this out. There were a few light rains. We went through Wayne Wonderland going slow so we could take in all the sights. There were many unique and beautiful scenes. At Fruita we visited one of the old settlers and enjoyed his rock collection immensely.(Dr. Inglesby.) In the Grand Wash or Narrow’s we saw names of early pioneers in the walls of the canyon, high above our heads.

We found that it had been raining slightly after we got out of Wayne Wonderland. When we got to Kanesville the ditches were full of water and the road was one big mess of gumbo. There had been a flash flood. We stopped and pulled the car out of the ditch. Just outside of Kanesville it had really poured and the road was washed out. We tried to run it but went into the ditch or canal as it was then. A little tiny jeep came along and about forty guys piled on the back of it and it pulled us out. We made good time in the mud about an inch an hour. After we made sure that everybody had fallen and gotten completely muddy we finally got out. We built roads all along the way. We set camp about a mile out of Handsville by an old well. It was about 8:30 then. Hanksville was very remote—50 miles from no where in those days & poor roads.

June 7—We camped last night on a flat south of Hanksville. We had to cook our supper in the dark. That way we couldn’t see what we were eating and that was all the better. We all had a word of prayer with Kenneth Shepherd leading out. There was one little store in Hanksville, several loaves of bread & 2 cans beans, etc., on its shelves.

Note: The jeep driver was Mike Keyes, the mailman, between us and Hanksville and several points in between. He became sort of a guide and stuck with us the rest of the way. He was a great help to us, and we were to him.

We arose this morning about five and cooked our last breakfast that was land bound, for a while anyway. We broke camp about 7:30 and gassed up. From there we went to Little Egypt; a place 7 or 8 miles out of Hanksville. We stopped the bus and walked through it. We picked up many rocks which John Cross identified as agates, jaspers, and just plain flint. There were many pretty and interesting formations. They were made of red sandstone and were piled up in some of the most tipsy-turvy positions that I have ever seen. From there we went into North Wash. It is just a canyon of solid rock reaching up several hundred feet on both sides. As I mentioned before there had been a cloud burst the day before and all roads were washed out. This made it particularly bad because we had to cross the wash in our journey from there to the river, a total of 63 miles. It seems like 663 because we had to build a new road at each crossing. Finally the bus could go no further and we all piled into the truck. At Hogs Waller Springs, Don Milner and John Parkinson were left behind and we didn’t see them until we had gone about two blocks down the road. We came to the river about three and set about immediately to inflate the boats. The Red Witches were the first to get their boat inflated so they will be the lead boat tomorrow. After a few instructions we set out on the river for Nite, which was seven miles down the river. Here we got our first taste of what the trip would be like. We made camp about 6 and cooked our supper. We roamed about till about 9 when we held a program. We sang songs and each crew put on a stunt. Mr. Hansen closed with prayer and we went to bed.

June 8 Wednesday—We camped last night at Nite. We had beautiful campgrounds with plenty of wood and water. The ground was not near so hard as the night before. (John Cross explained what we would see here & down the river and how to get by the cable. He explained the lustoria and other

We arose that morning about 5:00 the time we were to leave. We cooked breakfast and had a meeting before we started out days activities. Instructions were given (personal hygiene & health by Dr. Robison) and a prayer ceremony was held with Dennis Dixon leading the prayer. From there we went up the mountain to an old Indian fortress. It was built of sandstone slabs piled together. Eighty years ago when it was discovered it was three stories high but it has deteriorated until there is only 3 walls of one story standing. Behind it are recorded some old names. Its walls are as straight as any building you will see today and the corners were laid precisely in line. We saw our first glimpse of Indian writings. It is recorded in the Smithsonian Institute that on the walls there at Hite is the only Indian record of a papoose on a mother’s back. There were also drawings showing a prominent camping site with a Kiva or a ceremonial room. We watched a car cross the ferry and entered our first rapids. They were nothing to brag about. After the first 8 or 10 miles we came across Bert Loper’s old gold parkings. He had a tunnel below and his sluice up on the hill. We stopped at his cabin and rested a while. It had been unoccupied since 1914. He hilled the soil and lived off the land. Up on the hill above his place is an old Indian fortress and a ceremonial chamber. Below is a corn crib in which we found corncobs and charcoal from their fires and small pieces of pottery. (Bert Loper died later this summer in 1950) From Loper’s cabin we went next to Cass Hites cabin. It had been burned to the ground and all that was standing was the chimney. Off to the side was his grave and along side of it was the grave of another man of which no knowledge is known. He died in 1914. Cass served time in the Stake Penitentiary for one year for killing a man. His old grape vines and apple trees were there still living. There were more Indian writings there telling of a great battle and how it was settled and how it involved the river.

We rowed from there to Warm Springs Creek where we are staying for the night. (This was a pretty place with a clean fresh stream of water.) Robert Bliss caught the first fish of the trip. There were a total of four fish caught. Poor fishing!! To the right of the camp is tapestry rock which is a mile and a half long and 2000 feet high. (Beautiful tapestry Wall! Massive red rocks with black markings.)We all took a bath today and washed our clothes. The Raiders put on the program tonight. Don Milner closed with prayer. Good night!

June 9th (Rin Con) Thursday—We camped last night at Warm Springs Creek. We traveled a total of 18 miles yesterday. It was a good camp with built in tables and chairs. We arose this morning about five and cooked breakfast. We were in the boats and ready to go at 7:15 but at that time the River Raiders decided that they needed their boat fixed. It took about 2 hours before we were on our way. We stopped at Hall’s Crossing for lunch and then pushed on down to Lake Canyon. There at Lake Canyon we went up the canyon for about a mile to an old Indian Hut. John Cross said that it was the best preserved hut that he had ever seen. It is approximately 600 years old. It was just a single little hut, almost square in shape and probably fifteen to twenty feet high. It had one small hole for entrance. The vines which were holding the poles in the roof were still intact. Most of the dwellings we have seen thus far have been stone, but this hut was plastered with mud inside and out. Pieces of cornbob and pottery were chinked in the plaster to absorb the moisture and prevent the mud from cracking. It had a hole in the top about a foot square, two six or seven-inch holes high in the front and a two-foot hole in the west side. Probably the reason for its long existence is the preservations on the interior was the coating of carbon upon the inside. The Indians did their cooking inside and the soot collected on the roof. The air is also very dry. Outside of the hut, we found tops of squash and corn stocks still perfectly preserved. We found many interesting pieces of pottery of several shades and kinds. We hiked back to the mouth of the canyon and filled our canteens.

The next stop was in Scout Canyon (a little knoll on the left side of the river.) Here all of the scouts had stopped and registered on a paper left in a bottle. Someone had stolen the bottle with the names in it though.

We went on looking for a campsite but had to make a dry camp at Rin Con on a Sandy Beach We traveled approximately 36 miles today. We had a good supper in spite of the prevailing conditions. The program was put on by the Shmoos. They told the story of the Hole in the Rock. Dennis Dixon gave the prayer and we went to bed.

June 10 Aztec Canyon—We camped last night at Rin Con (Reen-Cone). It was the first dry camp that we have made. There was plenty of water but it was all in the river. We camped on a sandy beach. We arose early this morning and started down the river of mud about 7:00, the earliest start of the trip.

Our first destination was Hole in the Rock, a distance down the river of about 20 miles. After we had floated about 6 or 7 miles we ran onto a goose. This was when the fun started. The Shmoos first sighted it, they were the lead boat. Three of the boats went up front to try and get him while the Red Witches to pick him up if he got by them. Every time we got close enough to get even a look at him, he submerged. We threw everything from live savers and paddles, to rocks and sticks at him, but he always kept a little bit ahead. Finally he took over to the right side and ducked into the willows. The Red Witches finally got him. He weighed approx. 8 lbs. dressed. That was the fastest time we made on the river. That chase almost took us to Hole in the Rock. We arrived at 10:00 and were painted up with tannic acid to protect us from the poison ivy which grew in abundance. It was very hot and sultary. This almost sacred spot was a standing memorial to the courage and determination of the San Juan Pioneers. The Balding mission was called Parawen and Cedar City and a group of settlers set off across the Escalante Desert. When the settlers first reached the gap, they were concerned mainly with the ascent up the other side, but they had most of their trouble getting over to the other side. It took a total of three months to make roads with sand and boulders and explosives. Men were lowered over a steep cliff to drill and set dynamite charges. There were a total of more than 500 steps carved out of the rock, but only about 157 are visible now. There were a total of 128 wagons in the caravan, 30 of which were taken down the first day of ascent. They built a road right along the side of the mountain. In some spots it was just a build up of rocks. They built a raft and floated the wagons across the river. The scratches and gouges were still in the side of the canyon where the hubs of the wagons scraped against the wall. No lives were lost in the expedition.

Our next stop was at Music Temple, so named by Majoy John Wesley Powell. (It was an enclosed grotto, cool pleasant and restful with only a spot of direct sunlight.) His crew had quarreling and things were upset on the Powell expedition. That night as his expedition were bedding down in this vine-covered cavern (Maiden hair fern) the cook sang, and the music echoed beautifully and calmed the feelings. There was a beautiful smooth pool of clear water and on the walls of the grotto was carved the names of some of the Powell expedition members.

On a flat outside of the grotto were the chipping grounds of long since dead indians. The Indians went to the flint beds and hurried off with all they could carry. The Indians then brought the flint to this spot where they broke it up into small usable pieces. The idea was to get away from the flint beds quickly in order to avoid attack.

We camped at Aztec Canyon and there we had the good fortune to meet the King of the River Runners, Norman D. Neville. He had brought an expedition down the San Juan River from Mexican Hat. He had three wooden boats and 12 passengers besides his crew. Later in the evening Norman Neville climbed to the top of the cliff above us. Here he built a fire and then told an Indian story of the birth of the river. He said that two Indians were transformed into immortals, they followed the path where the river is now, later they were changed back into mortals. The river was formed to cover their path. We had prayer and went to bed.

June 11, Saturday, Aztec Canyon—Fishing season opened today. Last night a group of guys took out for the rainbow bridge and arrived there about ten. Just in time to see the moon coming through the arch. The main group started about 7:30 the next morning and arrived around eleven. The Rainbow Natural Bridge is one of the seven wonders of the world, it is the only natural bridge which is arched on the outside and the inside too. The group ate dinner under the bridge and then leisurely made their way back down the canyon. There were many ready made wash basins in the creek. There were large sink holes in the rocks which were filled with water and were wonderful to swim in.

An old Indian guide first led the white man to the bridge. The Indians knew about the bridge, for a long time. Two white men were in the camp and found out about the bridge and started out to find it with Indian guides. The two men had a disagreement and split up in an Indian camp near the bridge. They found out that there was an Indian in the camp who knew where the bridge was. The Indian told Cunningham where the bridge was and led Weatherhill there himself. Weatherhill arrived at the bridge just 6 minutes before Cunningham and was credited with the discovery. I wonder who gave the Indian credit.

That afternoon we finished, swam and in general loafed around. The fishing was good and it tasted good to have something that wasn’t all dehydrated.

The River Rats put on the program that evening. They did a portrayal of Little Red Riding Hood, it was very clever. John Cross told about the Crossing of the Fathers. Father Domingos and Father Escalante and one other Catholic Father felt a need for a connection between the Monterey Mission in California and the Sante Fe Mission in New Mexico. Escalante with his two associates along with a group of soldiers started towards California overland. Near Moab they first crossed the river and then headed up into the Duchane Country coming down Spanish Fork Canyon to the shores of Utah Lake and thence South and West for a while and then he came back across the Escalante desert to where Lee’s Ferry is now. There he tried to cross but couldn’t, he came back up the river to what is known as the Crossing of the Fathers. Don Lee gave the prayer and we went to bed.

June 12, Sunday Aztec Canyon—Last Night it looked as though it might storm so we all went over to the other side of the big hole that we were in and slept under an overhanging cliff. We arose about 6:00, put on our Sunday Clothes and went to Sunday School.

Abner Baird took charge of the meeting. We sang “For the Strength of the Hills”, Jay Harmer gave Morning Prayer and then we sang, “We Thank Thee O God For a Propher”. We baked some bread and used water out of the river for sacrament. Dennis Dixon talked on the pioneers and the sacrifices they made for us. John Parkinson told us to beware of all of the temptations that are around us. A quartet sang, “How Firm a Foundation”. Reed Pulver and Roland LIndsay gave talks, we had another song and then prayer.

We started down the river about 10:30 and traveled with no troubles. We ate dinner at the Crossing of the Fathers. It was on an adjustment of rock into the river. It was very hot and we didn’t stay long. The water was foul in taste, we tried to put punch powder into help but even then it had a very bad taste.

We camped that night at the Glen Canyon Dam site. It was a dry camp but a very comfortable one. We had built-in tables and lots of wood. Quite a few of the boys had Brigham Tea. It was good and tasted alright for a change. It is proposed that a dam will be built here. It will have twice the dimensions of the Hoover Dam. It’s purpose will mainly be to control the amount of silt coming down the river. One of the big problems of maintaining a dam on the river is keeping it clear of the tremendous amount of silt and fine coloidal material coming down the river. The Dam will provide water for irrigation for Utah and Arizona. It will back water to the mouth of Green river and it is expected to be completed within the next 100 years. That night we had a simple sacrament service. We all sang “O Ye Mountains High”, Ken Hansen and Fred Winnie gave talks then we sang “Come, Come Ye Saints,” and Charlie Pace closed the night with prayer. (Note: Within 10 years, the Glen Canyon Dam was being constructed.)

June 13, Monday, Glen Canyon Dame Site—We arose this morning and had breakfast. This was to be our last morning on the river. We left about 8:00. We had ahead of us, 17 miles which would bring us to Lee’s Ferry. We traveled about two hours before we reached a cluster of old sandstone cabins which was all that was left of the old ferry, which the Mormon pioneers going down into Arizona used to cross the river. We went through the Paria Rapids twice and landed our boats on the river bank for the last time. We washed the boats and set them out to dry. Then we washed ourselves. We could hardly tell any change after we got out of the muddy water. All around us were Indian hogans which were just piles of sticks covered with mud. They were very very crude and I imagine very hot just as the counrty around them. (Our bus and truck were waiting for us.) We all rode the bus up to Marble Canyon Lodge where we all had a drink on John Cross. We had our first ice cream in a week which really hit the spot. Art Green invited us to stay there for the night but we voted to go on to the Kiabab National Forest. There really was a beautiful collection of Arrow Heads there at the Lodge. We walked over and looked at Navaho bridge which crosses the river at a height of 400 feet. It makes approximately 10 seconds for a rock to reach the bottom. It really makes a boom when it strikes the water below. (A match dropped from the bridge will light as it hits the water.)

We reached the Kaibab Lodge near Jacob’s Lake which was equipped with tabes and lots of stoves in the camping area. That night we had a camp fire program with Billy Crosley, a great-grandson of Jacob Hamblin. He told us the story of the Kiabab Mountains and how they were given to the Indians as a special gift and then were taken back because the Indians used it wastefully. The Colorado was formed as a boundary with rocks upheavels on the other side. This was the first phase in the growth of the range. The second was when the white men came into the country and the balance of nature was upset and the ranges were left bare. The next phase was threat of being a natural park. A skit was put on by the Red Witches and the Red Raiders. Dick Christensen closed the evening with prayer.

June 14, Tuesday, Kiabab—We awoke this morning about five, breakfasted and the we left for the Grand Canyon about 7:30 and arrived there about 9:30 and had an hour to do as we pleased. The Lodge here at the Grand Canyon is one of the most elaborate that I have seen in the National Parks. Everything was spic and span. We were at the North rim of the Canyon at Bright Angel Point. On the way over to the rim we saw approximately 65 head of deer out grazing on the meadows. It is estimated that there are 20,000 herd of deer here in the Park. At one time there were over 50,000 and the range was much overgrazed. I was rather disappointed in the Canyon, it was just more of what we had seen and not so pretty as some places we have been.

We arrived in Bryce’s National Park about 5:30 p.m. that night and set up camp. At six that night we had a meeting and all of those who had seen the canyon got on one side and those who had not got on the opposite side. Each person who had seen the canyon picked one which had not and led him blindfolded over to the edge of sunrise point. I was one of those who was blindfolded and when I was allowed to see, I think that I was more impressed with the sight than any I had seen thus far on the trip. It wasn’t so big, but it was so delicate and the colors were so rich. We all took a hike through the Queens Gardens and through Peek-a-Boo trail. Mr. Allen picked up a pair of black bloomers and we all had a good laugh, when he put them on. We came up through Wall St., Narrowand, almost straight up. We sang Jolly Sixpence as we climbed up and the tourists enjoyed it immensely, we thought. That night after supper we went to a campfire program where the ranger showed us some pictures of the Utah Parks. We almost froze sitting there on those benches. We went to bed after.

June 15, Wednesday, Bryce Canyon—We arose this morning about 5:50 and were on our way by 7:30. Charlie Pace was quite sick this morning and was losing his breakfast all over. We made Richfield by 11:00 where we all had a malt on the Mayor, not of Richfield, but Payson. We met back in the park and ate diner, then we expressed our thoughts and feelings about the trip. We presented a pair of Scout pants and shirt to John Cross as a token of our appreciation to him as acting as our guide. We then hit for home as fast as the old bus would go and arrived around 3:30, just ten days after we had left. We paraded through the old home town and all sang Jolly Six Pence. We unloaded at Lindsay’s home where a picture was taken of each crew.

Thus ended a trip which none of us will ever forget and about which we will talk for a long time.

(Soon after returning home, we presented a program of our trip in sacrament meeting of a number of wards in Nebo Stake and in Ken Hansen’s Santaquin ward. These were exciting and emotional. Some of the boys displayed bottles of Colorado River water they had brought home as souvenirs to show the people how much silt was in the water.)