Schiess: Trekking at Sellar’s Creek Ranch - East Idaho News
Living the Wild Life

Schiess: Trekking at Sellar’s Creek Ranch

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“Poop on the right!”

“Poop in the middle!”

“Oh crap, that poop was runny!”

These comments could be heard up and down the line a quarter of a mile long made up of 17 “family groups.” The 270 teenagers were pulling and pushing hand carts on a five-mile trek on the first day of a three day outing at Sellar’s Creek Ranch near Bone. The individuals pulling the carts were trying to warn the pushers of the cattle fertilizer bombs lying in wait along the trail.

Oh well, it would be washed off on the next of six stream crossings.

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The ranch is a working cattle ranch of 1650 acres including the Cumorah girl’s camp and is owned by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.

I had volunteered to be one of the photographers to join the two companies last week. I enjoyed the trip more than any 70-plus old man should and got to see the kids at their very best.

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The group arrived around noon on Thursday and set up 34 camp sites. After a quick lunch, it was time for the first five mile trek through the meadow filled with streams and waves of Elephanthead and Indian Paintbrush flowers. Each company including medical personnel and leaders made up about 175 people. They traveled different loops established by the ranch missionaries.

Each family group was made up of a Ma and Pa, four girls and four boys, usually not related, and they also included physically and mentally challenged youth who were cared for by the family. Families lived in tents and when there weren’t enough, the boys slept on tarps.

Both companies had been warned about four aggressive badgers that had been defending their dens midway through the trek, but the animals probably saw the line of humanity and headed for a less populated territory. One cow did decide to challenge the leaders of one company; a switch across her nose caused her to rethink her priorities.

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After a nice meal, most of the trekkers gathered for some pioneer games and square dancing. The tired muscles were forgotten and most enjoyed the activities. Some even complained when the dancing ended.

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The next morning I was awakened at 4:30 by the coyote-alarm clock from the meadow. Soon after the crying of the wild dogs came the winnowing of the Wilson snipes as they greeted the early alpine glow over the east horizon.

The cries of the young House wrens wanting an early breakfast above my camp convinced me to crawl out of the sleeping bag into the 31 degree air. An early morning hike around the fringe of the trekking area revealed Lazuli buntings, Mountain bluebirds, a Kingfisher, killdeer and Swainson’s hawks active before the sun was up.

After breakfast the companies were back on the trails spending nine hours in the great outdoors featuring a woman’s pull up a steep side hill, devotions and individual journal writing about each obstacle faced during the daily trek.

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Research shows that outdoor recreation by youth and adults strengthen them physically, socially, emotionally and intellectually.

An article at www.livestrong.com says, “The benefits of outdoor recreation are endless and will help keep you and your family physically and mentally healthy…Physical activity helps reduce stress and prevents some cases of depression…Breathing fresh air in a natural, serene environment also helps many people to relax and reduce stress and anxiety.”

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During the three day activity, I did not see a single young person involved with an electronic device as they were encouraged not to bring them. The smiles during the activities were contagious and laughter was heard continuously along the trails and in camp.

Given another chance to experience living the wild life with over 300 great people will probably get my old bones raring to go again. But if you had a child on a trek to the Sellar’s Creek Ranch and their feet quickly grow much larger, it may have been caused by the cow fertilizer in the meadows.

Living the Wild Life is brought to you by The Healing Sanctuary.

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