Another great Q&A with a great member Grandpa. I hope everyone enjoys.
Tell us a little about yourself?
I was born and raised at the place my great grandpappy homesteaded back in 1864. The youngest of 6, I was the one who stayed while my older brothers and sisters went off to seek their fortunes elsewhere. When I got married, my parents saw their chance to escape, so they left and I stayed, and now, I'm still here.
When did you start spending time outdoors?
Right from the gitgo, I was wandering the creeks, riding horses and spending time outdoors with big brothers and sisters. We fished for trout in the cricks with our willow poles, hunted rabbits and ground squirrels with our .22's, camped about anywhere we chose, and rode horses directly onto the forest.
What is your earliest memories of the outdoors?
I remember an older brother taking me via horseback to the top of one of the peaks near here for my 7th birthday. I must have been about 4 when fishing with a brother and sister, I lowered my hook and worm through a crack in the wood plank bridge, and caught a 3 lb cutthroat. We couldn't get the fish back up through the crack so my brother had to go down into the creek and wade up on his knees keeping his head just above water to clear the old bridge and get my fish. And of course there was my first trip to Yellowstone in Dad's old black Model A. I was three and most of that trip is a little fuzzy, but I remember a road block on Teton Pass because of an accident on top. I remember because I was so thirsty and there was a pipe coming out of the mountain with water draining out and they wouldn't let me drink it.
Did you have any mentors when learning your outdoor activity?
Mom, Dad, brothers and sisters all contributed heavily to my outdoor education.
What was your least favorite moment?
We had a good skiing hill right across the road from our house. Lots of people would come up from town to ski there. There was a church group of girls over there skiing and sledding one time so I was going to go over and "show off". I sure showed alright. Right through a barb wire fence, shredding the backside out of my blue jeans, leaving a little blood on the snow and all those girls rushing over to see if I was okay and me with hiney poking out of my shredded jeans. Very embarrassing.
What is your favorite outdoor activity?
The title of favorite varied with the season. Skiing and rabbit hunting in the winter, fishing in the spring and summer, camping and water sports in the summer and hunting in the fall all scored high with me. We worked hard when we had to and played hard the rest of the time.
Do you have a dream trip that you would like to take?
I've always wanted to go to Nepal and hike the Annapurnia circuit, Alaska would be awesome as well, and of course New Zealand. I also cannot leave out dreams of Patagonia and the Inca trail. But somehow, I've just never been able to find the time when I've had the money or find the money when I've had the time. After all, I'm just a short distance from the Sawtooths, the Frank Church, the Selway-Bitterroots, the Beartooth Absorkas, Yellowstone, Grand Teton, the Wind Rivers, the Uintas, not to mention all the Utah National Parks. These places still hold amazing views I haven't seen and amazing views that I am drawn back to every chance I get.
Have you ever made your own equipment?
When young, I fashioned all sorts of lean-to's and stuff out of old canvas irrigation dams. The centers of the dams would wear leaving lots of good canvas to work with. We all made packboards out of bits of boards and cotton rope. I used to carry a few coils of "tie wire" that Dad had around for fixing fence. I'd twist it around to make little stands to hold my pot off the campfires. And I can't forget our spring visit to the crick to pick out our willow fish pole each spring.
Who would you like to take a trip with most?
At the age of 12, we were all in agreement, Annette Funicello would have been welcome, but as I got older I was content if Grandma came along. Now I am excited because this summer I will be going with my great grandson and showing him the beauty of the Sawtooth wilderness. We are having a 4 generation backpack trip deep into the Sawtooths.
What is your favorite getaway place?
Answering that would be like eating a bowl of corn flakes and trying to decide which was my favorite flake. The Sawtooths, Wind Rivers, Bighorn Crags in the Church, High Uintas, Beartooth Absorkas all come to mind. If it wasn't for the people, many of our National Parks can almost compete with these places too.
Parting words or advice for members?
Just get outside and do it.
If they can build a road through it, they call it a National Park. Backpackers go where they can't build roads and get to see the good stuff.
Tell us a little about yourself?
I was born and raised at the place my great grandpappy homesteaded back in 1864. The youngest of 6, I was the one who stayed while my older brothers and sisters went off to seek their fortunes elsewhere. When I got married, my parents saw their chance to escape, so they left and I stayed, and now, I'm still here.
When did you start spending time outdoors?
Right from the gitgo, I was wandering the creeks, riding horses and spending time outdoors with big brothers and sisters. We fished for trout in the cricks with our willow poles, hunted rabbits and ground squirrels with our .22's, camped about anywhere we chose, and rode horses directly onto the forest.
What is your earliest memories of the outdoors?
I remember an older brother taking me via horseback to the top of one of the peaks near here for my 7th birthday. I must have been about 4 when fishing with a brother and sister, I lowered my hook and worm through a crack in the wood plank bridge, and caught a 3 lb cutthroat. We couldn't get the fish back up through the crack so my brother had to go down into the creek and wade up on his knees keeping his head just above water to clear the old bridge and get my fish. And of course there was my first trip to Yellowstone in Dad's old black Model A. I was three and most of that trip is a little fuzzy, but I remember a road block on Teton Pass because of an accident on top. I remember because I was so thirsty and there was a pipe coming out of the mountain with water draining out and they wouldn't let me drink it.
Did you have any mentors when learning your outdoor activity?
Mom, Dad, brothers and sisters all contributed heavily to my outdoor education.
What was your least favorite moment?
We had a good skiing hill right across the road from our house. Lots of people would come up from town to ski there. There was a church group of girls over there skiing and sledding one time so I was going to go over and "show off". I sure showed alright. Right through a barb wire fence, shredding the backside out of my blue jeans, leaving a little blood on the snow and all those girls rushing over to see if I was okay and me with hiney poking out of my shredded jeans. Very embarrassing.
What is your favorite outdoor activity?
The title of favorite varied with the season. Skiing and rabbit hunting in the winter, fishing in the spring and summer, camping and water sports in the summer and hunting in the fall all scored high with me. We worked hard when we had to and played hard the rest of the time.
Do you have a dream trip that you would like to take?
I've always wanted to go to Nepal and hike the Annapurnia circuit, Alaska would be awesome as well, and of course New Zealand. I also cannot leave out dreams of Patagonia and the Inca trail. But somehow, I've just never been able to find the time when I've had the money or find the money when I've had the time. After all, I'm just a short distance from the Sawtooths, the Frank Church, the Selway-Bitterroots, the Beartooth Absorkas, Yellowstone, Grand Teton, the Wind Rivers, the Uintas, not to mention all the Utah National Parks. These places still hold amazing views I haven't seen and amazing views that I am drawn back to every chance I get.
Have you ever made your own equipment?
When young, I fashioned all sorts of lean-to's and stuff out of old canvas irrigation dams. The centers of the dams would wear leaving lots of good canvas to work with. We all made packboards out of bits of boards and cotton rope. I used to carry a few coils of "tie wire" that Dad had around for fixing fence. I'd twist it around to make little stands to hold my pot off the campfires. And I can't forget our spring visit to the crick to pick out our willow fish pole each spring.
Who would you like to take a trip with most?
At the age of 12, we were all in agreement, Annette Funicello would have been welcome, but as I got older I was content if Grandma came along. Now I am excited because this summer I will be going with my great grandson and showing him the beauty of the Sawtooth wilderness. We are having a 4 generation backpack trip deep into the Sawtooths.
What is your favorite getaway place?
Answering that would be like eating a bowl of corn flakes and trying to decide which was my favorite flake. The Sawtooths, Wind Rivers, Bighorn Crags in the Church, High Uintas, Beartooth Absorkas all come to mind. If it wasn't for the people, many of our National Parks can almost compete with these places too.
Parting words or advice for members?
Just get outside and do it.
If they can build a road through it, they call it a National Park. Backpackers go where they can't build roads and get to see the good stuff.
