The Beautiful Martin's Cove

Welcome to Martin's Cove

Getting the Hand Cart Ready

Ready for the Hike

For Some Must Push (Dad)

Some must Ride (Rachel and Juliana)

For Some Must Pull (Mike and Joseph)

At the Cart Stop

At the Top of the Cove

At the Cove

A quote in the Museum from Mike's Ancestor

So, for years and years Mike and my Dad has wanted to go to Martin's Cove.  So, over Labor Day weekend we went.  We loved it!  It was so much fun!  Just a four hour drive to Rawlins WY from Denver.  Mom and Dad flew into DIA and then we drove out.  Staying in Rawlins was perfect.  It is an hour drive up to the Cove from there.  We spent the day at the Cove.  We began by watching a couple of movies about the history of the site.  We then got a cart and then proceeded on an eight mile hike round trip to and from the cove.  It is about three miles up to where you park your cart and then about a mile and a half into the cove.  You cannot take a cart up into the cove as it is tight curves and steep hills to get up there.  But, it is totally worth it.  The feeling of peace and sacredness was so powerful.  It is quiet and peaceful up there with a rugged beauty to the trees, wild life, and underbrush.  We saw quite a bit of wild life, but thankfully no rattle snakes which is just fine with me.  We then hiked back to the visitor center where we ate lunch and witnessed the 2nd baptism being held that day in the Sweet Water River.  There are about 30 baptisms there a year in the famous or shall I say infamous river.  It is so serene and beautiful when we were there.  But, come winter with the heavy snow and constant wind I can see how it could be very dangerous.  The Sweet Water winds throughout the beautiful rugged valley that you have a great view of coming out of the cove.  The Saints took shelter up in the cove during the harsh winter storm that fateful October.  They spent about 5 days in the cove waiting for the storm to blow over.  History indicates that about 50 people died up in the cove.  Their loved ones attempted to bury them in the hard, frozen ground by day only to hear the prowling wolves come out at night and eat and scatter their loved ones remains as they helplessly listened and watched.  What a beautiful legacy these stalwart people left behind for all of us to remember.  Mike was very proud of one of his ancestors who was highlighted several times in the stories told and in the museum.  Also, one of my ancestors is highlighted there as well.  He was a McBride who watched his father freeze to death in the snow under a wagon and then shortly thereafter watched his mother freeze to death as well.  There is a touching picture that hangs in the museum of the young McBride finding his father the next morning frozen and stiff under a wagon.  How touching, how powerful to see his emotion and anguish.  It was very telling to see how many men died during the the trek westward.  I think one of the main reasons why they died was because they were giving their portion of the food to their children and wives.  They were carrying people across frozen rivers.  They were pulling a heavy handcart through very rough terrain and deep snow.  They were not replenishing their bodies from all the calories they were burning every day.  The men simply died by sacrificing their lives for their loved ones and for what they believed in.  At the end of the museum tour there hangs three lists of names of all the people that were recorded that went along with the Martin and Willie Companies.  The ones who died have their names are written in gold.  There were many names written in gold, most of them were men.  My heartfelt thanks goes out to the people's whose names hang there in remembrance.  Go to Martin's Cove, it is a must!