This entry comes from a journal kept by ABCHomes Executive Director David Perry during the backpacking.

Psalm 121: 1-2a: 

            I will lift up my eyes to the mountains;

            From whence shall my help come?

            My help comes from the Lord,

            Who made heaven and earth.

            He will not allow your foot to slip.

                                                NAS

July 15

The group that had been serving in McNary joined Executive Director David Perry, Ranch Director Bill VonderMehden and Fayetteville Area Director Mark Weaver at the Lost Creek Trail deep in the Weminuche Wilderness Area of southwest Colorado. All of the boys, Rec. Director Russ Draper, Charles and Lana Flynn and their exchange student Lu camped at Lost Creek Trail.  The houseparents camp at Three Mile Campground, which is actually eight miles away on the opposite end of the Rio Grande Reservior.  It is on this day that we begin the seemingly constant process of pumping water through purifiers to drink. We had hot dogs and power bars for dinner. Saw three mule deer and one elk cow, all in camp or close by.

July 17

We weighed every backpack.  Some are carrying as much as 50lbs.  Some of the smaller boys have as little as 20 to 25lbs.

After a devotional, lead by Mark Weaver, we head for the mountains.  First order of business was to wade the Rio Grande (the frigid Rio Grande) in shorts and sandals with our backpacks unsnapped at the waist in case we fall.  We moved down stream to find a lower crossing.  However, this meant a steep backtrack to find the trail.  We divided into groups A & B with group B going first.  We passed beautiful Aspen woods, water falls, and mountain views.  The day became long and hard.  We had six miles to hike by the crow’s flight and the path was uphill and steep. Multiple switch backs made it difficult to progress.  We were repeatedly disappointed as the distance grew.  Lunch in a green meadow was cooked over our pack stoves.  Lentil soup, noodles, instant potatoes, tuna or chicken in foil pouches, power bars and granola bars were our options for the next several days.  Two horseback groups, one going each way, passed us and we were envious.  A hiker informed us that we had several miles to go with several switchbacks.  He advised us to camp a ¼ mile pass Black Lake due to the mosquitoes at the lake.  At one switchback, as we refilled our water bottles, group A caught up with the rest of us. I was surprised as they have more of the small boys.  They left Mr. and Mrs. Easter in the meadow. They, the Easters, will camp in the meadow.  We joined forces and I lead the way to Black Lake.  Russ Draper developed altitude sickness.  We arrived at 6:15 p.m., about nine hours of hiking, climbing from 9,500 feet to 10,800.  We found the most beautiful valley and camped above it (6.6 miles from Lost Trail Camp).  Beautiful mountains with snow, trees and meadows made it a wonderful sight.

July 18

In the middle of the night one can step out of one’s tent to a tremendous celestial show of stars.   In the early morning two bull elk fed in the valley.  Two bull moose got everyone’s attention as they passed about 30 to 40 yards from camp.  After breakfast we moved camp about 35 yards so we could camp under a group of trees, right on the ridge overlooking the valley.

A morning hike to the stream below helped us realize how high we were above the valley.  We bathe and wash clothes in the frigid Ute Creek. The hike back up the mountain was a strenuous climb, even without our backpacks.  The boys noisily spent the day in camp, purified water, or hiked with the adults.

Chip monks, snowshoe rabbits and gray jays were frequent visitors in camp.

The Easters arrived in camp on this afternoon.  Mrs. Easter, “I’m no quitter!”

We spent much of the evening watching the expansive valley for game animals.

Finally two bull elk are spotted (probably the ones seen earlier).  They are perhaps a 3/4 of a mile or more away.

We decided that Bill V. and David P. will take a group of the larger boys to the Continental Divide in the morning.  We’ll pack as light as possible (food for two days, clothes, tents, etc.)  We’ll take only three tents for the eight of us.  The rest of the group will stay at base camp and make a short hike in the area.  Robert K, Robert W., Robbie, Alex, and Joe are selected for the hike.  The summer missionary, D Ray, will also go.

July 19
We, a group of five boys, David Perry, Bill VonderMehden and summer missionary Daniel Ray left camp at 7:30 a.m.   Prior to leaving we had a wonderful little prayer meeting with each of the eight hikers praying.  We hiked at a very fast pace.  Our plans were to arrive by noon or 12:30 p.m.  We first hiked down the valley that extended in front of our Black Lake camp.  The trail was narrow as fewer hikers go this far.  Sometimes the trail would be deep but only wide enough for one foot at a time.  At the bottom of the valley we found the ground boggy and changed to our sandals to cross the streams. We crossed the Ute and pumped water through our purifier filling all of our water bottles.  Two boys carried “Camelback” water bladders.

From the valley we ascended into the pines, crossing one large area of fallen trees where we had to relocate the trail.  We kept the fast pace but it was exhausting.  We traveled through a beautiful long valley with huge mountains surrounding it (most with some snow on them).  The beauty was overwhelming.  Perhaps the most difficult beauty to describe is that of the flowers.  Purple, purple and white, orange, red, yellow, and on and on.  When you think that you’ve seen them all a new variety will suddenly appear.  As the morning passed we begin to stop for rest more frequently. We began to gradual ascend up the far end of the valley.  There were no switchbacks here, just steep climbs.  We arriveed at the Continental Divide at 10:30 a.m. (12,200 feet)!  In no way could I give justice to the sights.  Pictures are taken and we descended into a valley to find a camping spot.  We camped off the C. Divide to get out of wind, have a semi flat surface, have a little shade and have access to creek water.  We set up camp and purified some water (we had to dig a little hole in the mountain stream to make it deep enough to draw water).  We grabbed food from our packs and headed toward the sparse shade of the pines about 50 to 75 yards away. The heat with little shade and the mosquitoes were nuisances.  We worked on the water purifier which had become difficult to pump.  We were unable to fix it and it gave us quite a workout just to pump a bottle of water, but we’re always thirsty so we pump water. 

Bill V. plans to take the boys that want to go to The Window (12,800 feet) and the Rio Grande Pyramid (13,800 feet).  The pyramid is almost straight up a slippery slope.  It is about 2 ½ miles away to the Rio Grande Pyramid and a steep climb.

July 20

Up at 5:45 a.m. to help Bill get ready for his hike.  None of the boys want to go along.  I helped him fill his water bottle and follow him most of the way back to the C. Divide where he left some of his pack.  We will meet him here later, hopefully at 11 a.m. 

A bit of envy arose within me as I watched him proceed.  I turned the other direction to climb toward another mountain.  As I turned back to watch him I kept thinking I could do that but my body knew better and my mind knew better.  It was more difficult to convince my heart.  I climbed several hundred feet toward a snow capped mountain and almost stepped on a pair of ptarmigan.  The closer I got to the mountain I begin to think that maybe I could climb it.  I climbed until nothing was left before me but rocks and dirt.  Soon I was climbing on my hands and feet.  I finally convinced myself to stop this foolishness. Now ¼ mile from camp and a bit disappointed but I found a place to thank God for my family and for the beauty of the mountains that was before me.  I asked God to speak to me.  Almost immediately I saw the first of them.  Perhaps ½ mile away or more (distance is so hard to judge here) there were elk.  I moved toward a rock to lay down on so I could steady my little binoculars and an elk cow, not a hundred yards away, runs away.  I looked back at the herd and even though many of them are hidden in the trees and my binoculars are small, I coulc tell there were at least 75.  I estimated that there were more than a 100.  God’s morning gift to me!

As we pumped water this morning the purifier broke beyond repair.  We didn't have near enough water.  We packed up camp and met Bill V. at the C. Divide at 11 a.m.  He had succeeded in climbing the Rio Grande Pyramid.  He had no water left.  We gave him some of ours, but he needed much more.  We began our descent at 11:15 a.m.  In 1 ½ hours we were back at Ute Creek in huge valley below our Black Lake camp.  We stopped there boil water, but it takes lots of time to boil water at this altitude.  As soon as the water was boiled, for the required five minutes, it was put in the stream to cool and was quickly consumed. We climbed to the Black Lake camp and loaded up the supplies and tents we had left there.  In a nearby stream we doctored Bill’s feet which have developed open blisters.  By then it was 4:00 p.m. and we were almost 6 miles from the Lost Creek Trail Camp. We had already hike about 6 miles.   We headed for the meadow with thoughts of boiling more water there.  The boys traveled fast and the first of them arrived at the meadow, were the Easters had previously camped, by 5:15 p.m.  By 7:15 we were able to see the tents of the rest of our group in the valley far below us at Lost Creek Trail. It was apparent that our group is not in camp.  We changed, for the last time, to our sandals when we reached the Rio Grande and crossed it again.  I rummaged through Mark Weaver’s pack to find his water purifier.  It was difficult to pump but we manged to get some water which was quickly consumed.  Our group arrived just in time to see the last of our group (Bill V., D Ray and Robert W.) descending down from the mountains. I was greatly relieved to watch that last group which had fallen behind about thirty minutes arrive in view (Bill V. had developed severe blisters on his feet. We had decided that I would take several of boys and go to Lost Creek and he would come with D Ray and Robert at a slower pace.  The possbility existed that they would spend one more night on the trail and we would bring them more water at first light.  By this time we were down to two half filled wated bottles).  We all rode to the houseparent camp at Three Mile Campground.  Though the houseparents were not there we raided the supplies for cold ham slices, cheese and hamburger buns.  It was our best meal in several days!

July 21

Up at 6 a.m. and found the other adults already up and a mule deer doe in camp. Houseparents Stan and Lisa Bolding made donuts for the boys.   That was followed by a Southwest breakfast for lunch at 1 p.m. 

Saw three more mule deer and a mountain grouse today.

We enjoyed dinner, prepared by Stan, Lisa and Dan Everett.  They prepared grilled elk, antelope and venison. They also fried squash and potatoes.  A cold rain fell on us all as they cooked over the open fire and grills.  What a wonderful meal!

We returned to our camp.  Several tents had wet sleeping bags and dry ones were pulled out of the trailer.

July 22

Up at 5:30 a.m.  Broke camp, drove to the houseparents’ camp and headed out in a caravan.  Arrived without incident (other then a minor tire problem) in Amarillo at 6:30 p.m.  Dinner at CiCi’s Pizza.  After dinner we gathered in a local school yard and spent the next hour sharing about the trip, expressing appreciation to one another and giving compliments.  Great time!  The kids and some staff still had enough energy to play ultimate Frisbee until almost 9:00.  We spent the night a Coulter Road Baptist Church.  After we located a shower room key, there were showers for every one.  In bed (actually sleeping on air mattresses borrowed from Sherwood FBC) by 11:30 p.m. 

July 23

Backpackers back at base camp.

Executive Director David Perry called in about noon to report that everyone survived the backpacking, despite some blisters and altitude sickness. Ranch Director Bill VonderMehden wins the prize for being the only person to make the peak climb. He also wins the prize for having the biggest blister. David reported that the scenery was beautiful and they saw a lot of wildlife. They actually had wildlife walking through their camp, including two moose. They saw lots of elk and deer.

David and Bill were making their phone call from the First Baptist Church of Creede (pictured to the right). A group of houseparents stayed behind at base camp instead of backpacking. They have attended FBC of Creede on three occasions during the backpacking (including a covered dish meal). The church also allowed them to use their showers. David and Bill had just received their invitation to use the showers. I guess you could say they were "happy campers."

Thank you First Baptist Church of Creede.