On Tuesday, May 13, 2014, the missionaries at Sixth Crossing got to see the Willie Handcart Museum which is in a special room in the Riverton Stake Center.  There are two really special sculptures depicting scenes from the handcart experiences.

This shows Jens & Elsie Nielsen on the cart with Bodil Mortensen holding the hand of Niels Nielsen trudging through deep snow.  The other figure in the back is of James Kirkwood who carried his 4 yr old brother over Rocky Ridge.

This is hard to see but it depicts the death of Bodil Mortensen with Jens Nielsen laying her on the ground while an angel greets her.  The Riverton Stake was instrumental in doing the temple work for those handcart pioneers or 'The Second Rescue.'  They have collected all sorts of artifacts, books, articles, pictures, etc and it's all on display in this museum.

On Saturday, May 10, we did some more exploring & found our way to the Upper Monument at the top of Rocky Ridge.  This was where the Willie Company had to cross over on about a 16 mile trek in a blizzard, trudging through deep snow, trying to reach Rock Creek Hollow where they camped.  At least 13 members of their company died that day, October 23, 1856.

Pictures just don't/can't show just how rough and rocky this area is.  Schaufert's were with us on this adventure.

                                       Yes, they pulled their handcarts over this.

On Friday, May 16, we explored the area where the Willie Handcart Company probably crossed the Sweetwater River for the 3rd & 4th crossings.  

We're seeing lots of the area & trying to imagine all the handcarts travelling through this area.