Young Men / Young Women Outings at Flaming Gorge, 84, 85 and 86

(Photos and memories courtesy of Lynn Larsen)

In the early eighties, a new YW presidency was called with the encouragement to have outdoor activities for the young women similar to those that the young men were having. Konnie Larsen was called as president with Kathy Van Orman as first counselor, Melba Hill as second counselor and Rhonda Smith (now Porter) as secretary. John Jarman was serving as president of the young men at the time. After much discussion and planning a combined YM/YW activity was held at Flaming Gorge at a primitive campsite at Hideout Bay each summer for the next few years. It was a perfect site but it required transporting everything needed including drinking water for several miles by boat from the Sheep Creek boat ramp, which was the nearest access point by car. Feeding 40 plus people for 3 nights and 4 days with the big propane grills and Dutch ovens was not a simple task. But planning made it work. The Dutch oven spare ribs were always the favorite meal of the trip. There were usually 6 or 7 boats and Jarman's canoes. Water skiing was always the main attraction, but playing in the water, fishing, canoeing and riding the zipline over the water installed by Loren Peck added variety. During the last year the adults decided it was too much work for just a few days stay so when the youth were taken home on Saturday, one couple stayed to watch the camp and the others came back on Monday for a few more days. That started a tradition of an adult only outing with no children that lasted for about 35 years, first at Flaming Gorge for a few years and then it moved to the Uintahs. It wasn't actually a ward outing because no ward resources were used. But it became a yearly get together for any of the adults who wanted to come. Usually between 35 and 40 attended. Dutch oven spare ribs were always served to keep the tradition alive. Later cooking a 20 pound turkey in a homemade charcoal oven was added for variety.