Hulls Gulch

In preparation for our upcoming Stake Pioneer Trek, we did a hike with the young women,

at Hulls Gulch.

We have about 40 young women, from our ward, going on trek. Just over half of them were there that night.

It was interesting to hear the different attitudes of the girls. Some were totally excited and loving every minute of being outdoors and with their friends. Others worried about getting sweaty and dirty and screamed at the HUGE beetles along the trail. And a few thought the hike was a total drag and SO HARD they might die!

On the way up, I was in the back of the pack. I found myself trying to encourage, but also relating to the girls who thought this was tough. I didn't complain out loud, but did think a few times..."Are we there yet?"

About forty minutes into the hike, it was 8:15p. (Mutual is usually over at 8:30p.) If it had been solely up to me, I think I would have turned around at that point... but it wasn't solely up to me, so we hiked on.

When the sun started setting and we were still not at our destination, we stopped and consulted our map. We were told by other hikers around us (another group also preparing for trek) that we had the wrong map for that part of the trail. Following the trail we were on, would NOT loop back around getting us back to our cars, but to a different parking lot.

After much deliberation, we decided that we would turn around and go back the way we came.

This time I was in the front of the pack. Three girls, one other leader and I, jogged along the trail. (I don't know why we were jogging, but I wasn't willing to go too slow and get left behind either.) The speedy girls got out in front of us and temporarily out of our sight. They were FAST! We finally caught up to them at a fork in the trail. They had let us catch up, because they were unsure of which trail to take.

Uhh..I don't remember either. Sister Read and I were ready to take the trail leading down, but then we were told by the other group of hikers that we needed to go up. Ok.

Thank goodness they were there. That's twice they saved us from our selves that day. :)

Here are the SPEEDY girls...Kaylie, Kamryn and Katie.

We got back to our cars, way ahead of the other part of our group. Sister Read started calling. She called leaders from the group behind us to make sure they took the right fork in the trail. Then she made phone calls to leaders that had stayed home and had them start calling all the parents of the girls to let them know that we would be WAY late.

When our group was finally all back together, it was dark. We rested a bit and drank another bottle of water. Then we divided the girls up into carloads and took off for home.... all the way across town.

By the time we got home, it was close to 11:00p! I was sweaty, hot, dirty, tired and ready for bed.

I think this hike was a great way to physically prepare the girls for trek. Although some of them thought they would DIE, they didn't. I wonder how trek will go for them?

Good luck girls! :)