Extreme trekkin': Teens follow in forefathers' footsteps to understand sacrifice and faith

Three trail bosses lead groups on the organized treks and stop to talk about the locations in Emigration Canyon rich in pioneer history such as the reported plateau where Brigham Young first looked into the Salt Lake Valley, the estimated trail the pioneers took while traveling to Utah and Donner's Bluff, a spot the infamous Donner Party used as camping grounds.

Trail assistant Jeff Stevens calls the excursions a Spiritual Boot Camp for the young participants.

"When people start out, it's interesting because there's a definite change you see in the unity of the people," said Stevens, 22. "Seeing the people's change in attitude, it's neat to see that transformation."

Leaders hope that after the grueling hike, the teens will have an appreciation for the trials their pioneer ancestors faced while traveling across the plains and over the Rocky Mountains and turning a barren desert into the established settlement of Salt Lake City.

"The pioneers had to go through a lot harder stuff than I thought," said Zane VanWagoner, 14. "The craziest thing is, the pioneers didn't have a trail. It's just amazing that they did that."

VanWagoner, a member of the Centerville 3rd Ward, went on the trek for his ward's Youth Conference. About 40 leaders and teens, ages 12 to 18, were separated into six families and played the part of the Ninth Handcart Company starting an exodus west with fellow LDS faithful.

The Ninth Handcart Company was one of hundreds of companies that took the Mormon Pioneer Trail to the Great Salt Lake Valley between 1847 and 1868. According to the LDS Church Web site, the trail was approximately 1,300 miles long from Nauvoo, Ill., where most of the companies left, to the Salt Lake Valley. The trail eventually led 70,000 Mormon pioneers to the valley.

"Instead of knowing about the pioneers and their handcarts and wagons, we know the pioneers," said Scott Newton, 14.

And the Centerville teens had their fair share of pioneer trials during their trek in early July.

In the first few minutes of the journey, a wheel popped off one of the handcarts and the teens worked together to salvage provisions and possessions neatly piled in the handcart — jugs of water, tarps, rope, food, blankets and even sand bags, which represented wheat and flour that pioneers would have packed on their trip.

Earlier, the group collected supplies at the park's replica Bishop's Store House, which served as a tithing office for the pioneers.

"I thought it was going to be hard," said Jessie Shupe, 12. "But you want to go because you want to experience it."