Battalion Trek - Adventures and Aha Moments Hiking the Mormon Battalion Trail

On June 28, 2025 David and Tera Day with their daughter, Rachel joined us for a day full of stops along the Mormon Pioneer/Oregon Trail. We started at Twin Mounds and worked our way past South Pass, Charlotte Dansie's Grave, Dry Sandy, Little Sandy, Parting of the Ways, and Big Sandy Creeks. There was A LOT of open space filled with sagebrush and sandy washes in between. Here, they share their...

What is it like to be on the trail? Mark & Becky Woodbury share their experiences and feelings after their first day with Trek 2025.

This last segment gives you an idea of HOW we will do thetrek - which is one of the most frequently asked questions. The WHO is going is easy! Kevin & Denny except for a fewfriends who have expressed interest in coming at various points along the trail or... any of you who decide to pop in and surprise us. We wrap it up describing the last minute items on our to-dolist and some thoughts from s...

In Part 2 Kevin explains the WHY of Trek 2025 - and one of the goals for this effort. We'll also give our best information we have at this time about the HOW of finding us and following along with our travels. Then Kevin will talk about WHEN we will be starting and ending. I'm hoping the little sound clips will help you understand a bit better based on past experience about how things may...

We've been pretty busy to say much about our upcoming Trek but when we do mention it, there are lots of questions a-n-d- lots of raised eyebrows. I thought it would be fun to reminisce about some of the reactions people had back on our 2008 trek and laugh at ourselves - amidst all the chaos of getting ready for this one. With a mix of sound bytes from our trail friends and Kevin's explanat...

The Battalion Documents have been found, digitized and partially transcribed. But now what? 17,000 archival boxes full of documents! How can we help Laura create order out of chaos? How can people be able to search with one click to pull up all the pages that have your ancestor or a certain place mentioned? Laura explains the process and benefits but also sends out a plea for help. Contact Laura i...

Real historians rely on primary documents to explain accurate information and that is what the Battalion Researchers being able to do today even better because of these documents. They are finding exciting new information never before included in the Battalion Story.   If you’d like to get access to the records that are posted on Kindex by the Mormon Battalion Association currently, contact Laura...

Have you ever wondered what it's like to visit the national archives? In this segment, Laura walks us through the process, procedures, and guidelines that are constructed to safeguard documents. Next, she describes how she actually found the battalion records that have been so integral to acurately identifying who was in the group, and the historical background of previous efforts to locate the re...

Meet Laura Anderson - document-finding super sleuth --whose persistence and expertise have helped discover thought-to-be-lost original battalion military records. We learn how Laura began her interest in primary documents, the experience she gained to help make primary document research easier, and how she became aware there may be a discovery to be made in the National Archives after all.

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After our last episode about music of the Battalion, we are happy to have Miriam Andrus share the story of her ancestor, George Washington Taggart. He was a gifted musician in the Battalion and the blessing of music has continued on through his descendants even today. The photo used for this episode is a picture of one of the instruments that belonged to GW Taggart housed in the Mormon Battalion H...

What music did the Battalion sing, hear, use? A conversation with Margaret Larson, about her research and the delightful stories behind the tunes battalion members would have known. Sheet music for: We Wept When We Remembered Zion ⁠https://levysheetmusic.mse.jhu.edu/collection/121/096⁠  

Carl and Margaret Larson share his efforts to identify burial locations for all Battalion members - which is still ongoing today. Listen to his dedicated efforts and perhaps you'll be inspired to help fill in some of the blanks for men's burial locations that are still unknown. If you know of a battalion grave that does NOT have a battalion plaque, please contact the Mormon Battalion Assoc...

Carl Larson's research was absolutely critical to Kevin Henson's modern delination of the trail. His years of diligent research also serves as the basis for the Battalion Association's current efforts to identify an accurate battalion roster. We think you'll enjoy meeting Carl and his wife Margaret and be amazed at the effort it took to obtain the information described in this inte...

Kevin & Denny were asked to present a fireside on the Spiritual lessons they learned from walking The Mormon Battalion Trail. This is the recording of that fireside given on April 23, 2023 in Midland Michigan. As ordinary people who found themselves in an extraordinary situation, they reflect on the things that touched their hearts & blessings that came to them through God's love. Many...

It may have been started in the 1950's - but when you hear this interiew with current President, Greg Christofferson, you'll realize the Mormon Battalion Association is transforming itself into a well respected academic and historical group with new research, new leadership, new website, and new projects designed to make them the "Go-To Repository of Mormon Battalion History." Ev...

A true "Battalion Trek artifact", this porta-potty was a fond (and fun) memory of all who trekked with us.   So....Where in the World IS it today?   Laugh along with us as we remember "The Porta-Potty" and learn the back-story we didn't know.   

Being in San Diego surrounded by so many of the people who had been cheerleaders, fellow-hikers, blog readers, SPOT trackers, and rescuers in more ways than you can imagine was a sweet and tender time for us.  What a finish to an incredible Battalion Trail adventure! The only thing that could have made it better was having ALL our Trek Friends there.  This podcast, as Kevin says, "Is jus...

Becky and Mark Woodbury join us again to share their memories of traveling to San Diego with their tipi and participating in the mult-stake event at Old Town State Park.  Mark went on the Night Hike with Kevin & Peter near Yuma, AZ and Becky didn't want to miss San Diego.

Taking pride in and having fun learning about the Battalion history - ancestors, and educating others has helped these dedicated reenactors make connections to their ancestors.  They share what the experience of walking into Old Town meant to them, and we relish in the memories we have of that day.  Jerry Gardner, Smokey Bassett, Bob Tingey, and Peter & Virginia Guilbert will share h...

Eight intrepid souls march into the Plaza in Old Town San Diego arriving on the same date the original Battalion did January 29, 1847.  No fanfare, no welcoming committee - just a sense of connection with those we were honoring and a quiet sense of satisfaction. 

Learn how an archeologist, hair stylist, highschool history teacher, and opthalmology tech saved The Vail Ranch History of Temecula, CA.  If you don't get the history bug from these dedicated folk, you'll have to contribute a quarter into their   mythical "Tell-people-about-history-when-they-aren't-particularly-interested" jar.  You'll be touched by the insights they have about the...

Have your heart touched as you hear the poignant story that happened here in a less well-known location along the Mormon Battalion Trail.  And, who better to tell it than our friends, Darell and Rebecca Farnbach local historians extraordinare.  They have embraced the Battalion story making it their own in a way that is both heartwarming and inspiring. Visit the Vail Ranch Headquarters an...

Our son, Jon had no clue what lay in wait for him when he came to celebrate his 24th birthday with us on the trail near Mason Valley.  The teddy bear cactus were in fine form, and the heat and terrain about as inhospitable as the Battalion experienced in 1847.  His perspective is insightful.  "What are you gonna do? Turn around and go back through all the horrible stuff you've been...

We had trail angels come in a lot of forms along the long trek, but when Craig joined us at Vallecito Valley to Box Canyon, he brought a breath of fresh air and lifted the hearts of some very weary hikers.