Photograph Exhibition
Sesquicentennial of the Mormon Trail - Field Trip, Fort Bridger, Wyoming to Salt Lake City, Utah
Aug 23/24, 1997
This expertly-guided field trip took participants from Fort Bridger, Wyoming to Salt Lake City, Utah over the course of two days with most members staying overnight in Evanston, Wyoming. Because of OCTA's and Utah Crossroads' prestige and reputation for responsibility as well as the personal influence of individual chapter members, it was possible to gain access to many stretches of trail on private land that have had to be closed to casual visitors. John Eldredge and Roy Tea led the group on this well-attended trip.
1. Made about nine miles SW of Fort Bridger, WY, 8/23/97. Beauty on Wyoming's High Plains. Photograph by Steve Berlin.
There is a spare beauty to the Wyoming landscape along this part of the trail as can be appreciated in this view from Bigelow Bench, south toward the Uintah Mountains in Utah.
4. Made August 23, 1997 - George Ivory & Lunch at Muddy Creek, WY. Photograph by Steve Berlin.
George Ivory, 1997 President of Utah Crossroads Chapter, addresses the field trip group at lunch on Saturday, August 23, 1997. For those that don't already know, he explains that he traditionally furnishes chips and homemade salsa for these affairs. Tastes great.
Lunch was beneath the cottonwood trees on the bank of Muddy Creek about 1/4 mile downstream from where Brigham Young and the Vanguard Company camped and at about the location of a ford.
"At three o'clock p.m. we crossed Muddy creek, a beautiful clear stream of water with a pebbly bottom and camped on the west side after travelling 3 miles during the day ... we had a pretty campground.
- Thomas Bullock journal of July 9, 1847
"...descended a long steep hill, and found our way down a hollow to a creek called Muddy Fork. ... Upon this stream we camped."
- Erastus Snow journal of July 9, 1847
7. Made August 23, 1997 at Muddy Creek, WY. Detail of Fjeldsted Grave Marker SW of Ft. Bridger, WY. Photograph by Steve Berlin.
The marker reads:
PETER ANDERSEN FJLEDSTED
BORN APRIL 14, 1821 DIED SEPTEMBER 9, 1859
TRAIL JOURNAL OF JENS C.A. WEIBYE
TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 16, 1862 ON MUDDY CREEK
"HERE WAS TWO UNINHABITED HOUSES, AND THERE A SHORT DISTANCE WEST ON THE NORTH SIDE OF THE ROAD, WAS THE GRAVE OF PETER A. FJELDSTED, WHO DIED WHILE CROSSING THE PLAINS IN 1859. HE HAD PRESIDED OVER THE VENDSYSSEL CONFERENCE IN DENMARK FOR TWO YEARS. ELDER WEIBYE HAVING SUCCEEDED HIM IN THAT PRESIDENCY."
The correct spelling of the name is Fjeldsted.
10. Made August 23, 1997 near Quaking Aspen Ridge, WY, SW of Ft. Bridger, WY. Caravan Near Quaking. Photograph by Steve Berlin.
The field trip caravan consisted of about 15 four-wheel-drive vehicles, most carrying several members. Here we are seen on Quaking Aspen Ridge near the place where the trail veers off the ridge, climbs a little more and starts a steep descent. A sprinkle of rain has made the road slick. The view from the high ridge is beautiful and vast in all directions. This route was used by, among others, Brigham Young.
"About 3 o'clock we resumed our journey starting up the valley; we passed over a small hill, and then ascended the dividing ridge by a zigzag road. A she bear and two cubs were seen by Brother Cloward going (up) a high hill on our left hand. We descended by two steep pitches, almost perpendicular, which on looking back from the bottom looks like jumping off the roof of a house to the middle story and then from the middle story to the ground. Thank God no accident happened." (They had locked their wheels for over 1/2 mile)
- Thomas Bullock journal of July 10, 1847
2. Made about ten miles SW of Fort Bridger, WY, 8/23/97. Gravel Hill Bigelow Bench. Photograph by Steve Berlin.
View from Bigelow Bench looking a little south of west. After climbing up from Fort Bridger onto the bench the trail traverses several miles of largely flatland before descending from this point to Muddy Creek, several miles beyond. This was a very steep descent and over time, required considerable road building to make the trail relatively safe, as well as useful for travel in both directions. The track crossing the grass and sagebrush plain to the right of center is the trail. It has seen considerable use this year by folks recreating the handcart experience. The Muddy lies in the distance where a few dark trees can barely be seen just above the plain. The stream flows left to right (south to north).
5. Made August 23, 1997 - Roy Tea at Muddy Creek, WY. Photograph by Steve Berlin.
Roy Tea, seen here having lunch on the bank of the Muddy, guided the field trip along with John Eldredge. Apologies for the too dark snapshot.
8. Made August 23, 1997 at Muddy Creek, WY, about 13 miles SW of Fort Bridger. Carsonite Marker. Photograph by Steve Berlin.
Carsonite (a manufacturer's trade name) markers are made from a durable, reinforced plastic material that is flexible, resists weather and may even survive the irresponsible target practice of unscrupulous shooters. Trail identification and marking is a major goal of the Oregon-California Trails Association and Utah Crossroads members, especially Al Mulder, have carefully placed nearly 200 Carsonite markers exactly along the California and Mormon Trail routes in Nevada, Utah and Wyoming. This Carsonite marker is just a few steps from the Fjeldsted grave.
3. Made about ten miles SW of Fort Bridger, WY, 8/23/97. Gravel Hill Bigelow Bench. Photograph by Steve Berlin.
Another view of the descent from Bigelow Bench toward the Muddy. This gravel hill, strewn with large cobblestones, was the cause of considerable comment by travelers. Among these, William Clayton wrote on July 9, 1847:
"The descent from this hill is the steepest and most difficult we have ever met with, being long and almost perpendicular."
Richard F. Burton in The City of the Saints, pp.99, who passed this way by stagecoach on August 24, 1860 commented:
"After passing the Mormons we came upon a descent which appeared little removed from an angle of 35 degrees, and suggested the propriety of walking down. There was an attempt at a zigzag, and for the benefit of the wagons, a rough wall of stones had been run along the sharper corners."
Rocks piled on the downhill side of the track to level and smooth it are still quite obvious and give the appearance of a dugway. Fine artifacts of trail use remain here with abundant rust marks from wagon tires and draft animals' iron shoes.
6. Made August 23, 1997 at Muddy Creek, WY. John Eldredge at
Fjeldsted Grave. Photograph by Steve Berlin.
After lunch we move 1/4 mile upstream and John Eldredge, field trip guide, takes us to visit the grave of Peter Andersen Fjeldsted in the vicinity of Brigham Young's camp and later, a Pony Express station. The grave was discovered several years ago by John and a friend and fellow OCTA member Jerry Petersen.
We were reminded that along the 1100 mile length of the Mormon Trail nearly 7,000 Mormons died - about 6 for every mile of trail. A Carsonite marker and the foundation stones of the Pony Express station are nearby.
9. Made 8/2397 near Muddy Creek, WY. Al Mulder Attaches Decal To Carsonite Marker SW of Ft. Bridger, WY. Photograph by Steve Berlin.
Carsonite markers appear to exert an irresistible attractive force on Al Mulder, who stopped at each one we passed in order to add decals indicating California Trail, Mormon Trail and where appropriate, Pony Express Trail.
Registrations are open! Book your exciting trip on the trails!
Discover more about the convention and the many activities that will be available for you and your party at our Convention page. We look forward to your arrival!