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Show rmm zi;::: : The Trails of Timpanogos a - - ' .- -Vr ' " : ..' - . r.1.v - v.'--.-'. :'.-!. - x V - , : ... , .... v-" , ' .!'.' "' "-.f . . .. ,:-- ...... .,-,.. .y. 1 t ,. i . ,-. .. - .. by Geri Taylor Along our Wasatch mountains one can find trails and paths leading to some of the most beautiful scenery on earth. But long before these trails were etched along the mountainside with grubbing hoes, picks and shovels, they were formed by the perpetual foot traffic of Utah's ancient inhabitants. The primitive people of the valley had lived, fought and conquered in the ongoing battle between clans for centuries as their nomadic lifestyle kept them ever on the move. Certain tribes made their yearly trek to Canada, closely following the mountain ranges to avoid the more aggressive Utes and Shoshones living in the valley and desert plains; the paths they traversed weaving through the mountains and foothills of the Wasatch. In 1776, two Franciscan friars became the first Europeans to enter the Utah Valley as they searched for a direct route between Santa Fe and Monterey, California. They found "the most pleasant, beautiful and fertile land in all New Spain " and stayed for a short time, teaching the native Indians their Christian beliefs. It is doubtful they ventured into the mountains and their promise to return was thwarted by the colonization and missionary efforts in the Spanish New World. Nearly 50 years passed before French Canadian trapper Etienne Provost arrived in the valley, searching for fur-bearing fur-bearing animals. The company was met by 20 or 30 Shoshone '"'ins to, J. they could not smoke the peace pipe with iron in their presence. Provost and his men complied by removing their knives and guns out of reach and were subsequently attacked with hidden knives and tomahawks. One record stated eight men were killed while another said 17 of the 22 lost their lives before they could escape to the mountains. Again the record does not indicate if Provost and his men navigated the mountain passageways, but if they did, they made no impact on its pristine beauty. Even the militiamen, dispatched by Brigham Young to quell the stealing of horses, were led along these primeval paths by Indian scouts to the creek called Mepha or Little Waters, where a band of Ute Indians were hiding. The skirmish that ensued became the first encounter between the Mormons and Utes and the site, as well as the creek, became known as Battle Creek, a name used when settlers came the following year. Some time later the citizens voted to change the name to Pleasant Grove, a reference to the grove of trees that welcomed the pioneers to the area. With a scarcity of trees in the valley, timber was harvested up Battle Creek canyon and a drag road was created to haul it down for fuel and building homes. Pioneer David West settled in Pleasant Grove in 1856 and recorded his experience with bringing wood down the mountain. David had answered the call by Brigham Young in October 1857 to defend "home, family and church" against Johnston's Army and left behind his wife and five children, the oldest being nine. Late in December the army was disbanded and David returned to find his family in dire straits, with no heat and his wife ailing. Three days after arriving home, he headed up Battle Creek Canyon to get wood to burn and met a man who had also come to cut cedars. David asked him not to throw his wood down, but the man ignored the request and began pushing the trees over a ledge. With lightning speed a rock was dislodged, hit another rock and struck David's right leg, breaking it and dislocating his ankle. With no doctors or surgeons around, he was confined to bed for 18 weeks and then used crutches for many months after, stating he was lame ever since. Pioneer life was harsh, but the determination of these early settlers kept them from giving up or giving in. He later owned a saw mill in American Fork Canyon and for 20 years supplied much of the lumber to the valley. Many years later, the mountain trails and pathways were considered for improvement by a collective effort of the U.S. Forest Service and PG High School teachers and students. The forest ranger was David West's grandson, Vivian, who headed the projects and is credited with developing the Alpine Loop, American Fork Canyon and the Timpanogos Cave Trail and National Monument. One of the first trails to be improved was an old drag trail that went up Battle Creek to the saddle between Bald Mountain and Timpanogos, then left to Dry Canyon ending at the head of the glacier. From the glacier a foot path led to the peak, an elevation of 1 1 ,750 feet. Tom Walker, recruited by the Forest Service to help build the Timp trails, told of how the bishops and council members of Pleasant Grove rallied the citizens to help build the Battle Creek Trail. Cattle overgrazing became a problem in the lower ranges and a major push for a trail up Grove Creek was made by local farmers. In order to use all their farmland for crops during this depression era, cattle were taken to the foothills and up the canyons to graze. Areas around the springs were especially bare due to the fact the salt licks were there. Trails were built so men could get. the salt to higher places, forcing the cattle higher up the mountain. This ecological remedy was far before its time and not only improved the range, but prevented flooding that had been their heavy winter snow. This trail also resulted in revitalizing springs that cattle had tromped until they quit running by fencing them and building troughs for the cattle to drink from. The trails of Timpanogos and her surrounding hills, canyons, gullies, hollers and gulches, abound with tales of days gone by. We may only imagine the Indian village nestled behind Little Mountain or the sturdy pioneer seeking precious wood for a home, but the trails forged by these men, women and children of the past, afford us the opportunity to enjoy the spectacular vistas of Timpanogos. |