We didn’t do too many outdoors things in my life, but one of the places we did sometimes go was Mt. Graham. I have many memories of picnicking at Wet Canyon because it was low on the mountain, had a lovely small picnicking area, and had a fresh, cold spring that had a spigot so water was always flowing. It also had a bridge over the stream. I liked this because we were in the mountains but we didn’t have to drive over the frightening, narrow, steep, road with all the switchbacks and curves. Also, because it was lower we could go there a little more often. We would meet Wayne and Barbara's family there for an evening dinner. The other names that bring many snatches of memory are Lady Bug Saddle, Snow Flat, Turkey Flat, Arcadia, Heliograph Tower, and Columbine.
Our Hoopes cousins had a cabin at Turkey Flat, so that was a fun place to stay occasionally. We actually had a family reunion there when all the kids were little. I do remember a serious infestation of Daddy Long-Leg Spiders. When we camped on the mountain it was usually at Arcadia.
I do remember a “car” camp out one year with Wayne and Barbara’s family. They had a dark maroon station wagon and little kids. Wayne rigged a plywood sheet to lie between the windows in the back so they could layer the family. I think that Lindyl and Kelly slept on the two seats in front, Wayne and Barbara under the plywood, and the little boys on top of the plywood. We had taken our pickup so Dad, Mother and I were lying in the back of the pickup. We were pretty uncomfortable and had a long night, but I don’t think we were anywhere as close to miserable as the family in the car.
Our Mt. Graham State Girls’ Camp was also held on Mt. Graham. Those were weeks I did not enjoy, not loving camping. I not only worried the whole trip up the mountain about the roads, I also didn’t like bugs, animals, sleeping bags, dark, noises, etc. I also remember one girls camp that I hadn’t taken pajamas that were warm enough, so I was cold the whole time. We also had an adventure with a bear one year. I guess the leaders knew the bear was in camp and were watching it. The bear came to the tent where I was sleeping with my friends and, probably because we had food in the tent, started pulling up the tent stakes on the side of the tent where Susan Pace and I were sleeping. At that point they shooed the bear away and didn’t even tell us about it until we were back home. I think that might have been my last girls’ camp!
It was also on Mt. Graham that Vessa and her cousin, Hilda Hoopes, lived for a summer while Vernon was serving his mission.. They lived in a tent and cooked all their meals over a campfire. They lived near a family they knew and had a wonderful summer, feeling renewed and ready to go back to teaching school in the fall.
Our Hoopes cousins had a cabin at Turkey Flat, so that was a fun place to stay occasionally. We actually had a family reunion there when all the kids were little. I do remember a serious infestation of Daddy Long-Leg Spiders. When we camped on the mountain it was usually at Arcadia.
I do remember a “car” camp out one year with Wayne and Barbara’s family. They had a dark maroon station wagon and little kids. Wayne rigged a plywood sheet to lie between the windows in the back so they could layer the family. I think that Lindyl and Kelly slept on the two seats in front, Wayne and Barbara under the plywood, and the little boys on top of the plywood. We had taken our pickup so Dad, Mother and I were lying in the back of the pickup. We were pretty uncomfortable and had a long night, but I don’t think we were anywhere as close to miserable as the family in the car.
Our Mt. Graham State Girls’ Camp was also held on Mt. Graham. Those were weeks I did not enjoy, not loving camping. I not only worried the whole trip up the mountain about the roads, I also didn’t like bugs, animals, sleeping bags, dark, noises, etc. I also remember one girls camp that I hadn’t taken pajamas that were warm enough, so I was cold the whole time. We also had an adventure with a bear one year. I guess the leaders knew the bear was in camp and were watching it. The bear came to the tent where I was sleeping with my friends and, probably because we had food in the tent, started pulling up the tent stakes on the side of the tent where Susan Pace and I were sleeping. At that point they shooed the bear away and didn’t even tell us about it until we were back home. I think that might have been my last girls’ camp!
It was also on Mt. Graham that Vessa and her cousin, Hilda Hoopes, lived for a summer while Vernon was serving his mission.. They lived in a tent and cooked all their meals over a campfire. They lived near a family they knew and had a wonderful summer, feeling renewed and ready to go back to teaching school in the fall.
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