Rock Creek Hollow

Trail leading into and out of Rock Creek Hollow

This past week, Peggy and I were assigned to Rock Creek Hollow. We spent seven days there helping with trek groups and meeting with visitors who came to the area. Although there were many travelers on the California, Oregon Mormon, and Pony Express Trails in the mid 1800's, Rock Creek Hollow is best known as the camp where the James  B. Willie Handcart Company stayed, suffering from exhaustion, cold and hunger on October 23-24, 1856. This site is situated at the western end of the trail that ascends over Rocky Ridge, the highest point on the trail between Iowa City and the Salt Lake Valley.

The Saints in the Willie Company crossed this difficult stretch in the most adverse wintery conditions that continued for days: a blinding blizzard, freezing temperatures and snow twelve inches deep.  The suffering pioneers finally reached Rock Creek after pulling there handcarts throughout the night and did their best to set up camp. During the time they camped here, fifteen people died and were buried, thirteen in a mass grave. The courage and heroism of even the youngest like Bodil Mortensen, James Kirkwood, Samuel Gadd and Niels Nielsen is touching and should never be forgotten.

Grave Marker Rock Creek Hollow

Rock Creek Hollow Memorial Marker 

Levi Savage, age 36, was a sub-captain in Willie Handcart Company.  In his journal he wrote the following account about his assent over Rocky Ridge and decent into Rock Creek Hollow: “We buried our dead . . . commenced ascending Rocky Ridge. This was a severe day. The wind blew hard and cold. The ascent was some five miles long and some places steep and covered with deep snow. We became weary, set down to rest, and some became chilled and commenced to freeze. . . . [We] were perfectly loaded down with the sick and children, so thickly stacked I was fearful some would smother. About 10 or 11 o’clock in the night we came to a creek that we did not like to attempt to cross without help, it being full of ice and freezing cold. . . . I arrived in camp, but few tents were pitched and men, women, and children sat shivering with cold around their small fires. . . . Just before daylight [teams] returned bringing all with them, some badly frozen, some dying and some dead. It was certainly heartrending to hear children crying for mothers and mothers crying for children. . . . This morning found us with 13 corpses for burial.”

Rock Creek

Rock Creek Hollow is owned today by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints and was acquired over a fourteen year period of time through the leadership and inspiration of Robert Scott Lorimer, former president of the Riverton, Wyoming Stake.  His efforts were continually approved and encouraged by President Gordon B. Hinckley of the First Presidency. President Hinckley considered the site of Rock Creek to be hallowed ground and he was known to become emotional at this and other sites in the area.

Rock Creek Hollow Remembrance Monument

For us, it was a privilege to be able to spend seven days in this most sacred and holy site.  The spirit is very strong here and we have grown to love and appreciate those pioneers who gave so much, even their lives, so they could worship Jesus Christ without ridicule or persecution.  Recognizing we are all pioneers, we pray your pioneer experiences will also prove worthwhile,
Elder and Sister Bowden

Trail leading into the willows at Rock Creek Hollow