The Gorge

By Aaron Blaylock

The true story of a Venturing Crew's harrowing journey through Hellsgate Wilderness. Follow a well-meaning youth leader as he and his boys set off on a backpacking trip that quickly pushes them to their limits and ultimately forges a bond for life.
At the suggestion of their good Bishop, the Priest quorum and their advisor plan a four day backpacking trip down Tonto gorge. None of them completely understood what they were in for until it was too late to turn back.
The group must make their way from Little Green Valley, up and over Apache Ridge and down through Tonto Narrows outside of Gisela. This twenty five mile excursion, within the confines of a canyon, tests their mental and physical resolve.
They must pull together to insure that everyone makes it out alive.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Aaron Blaylock
• Release date: Dec 30, 2014
• ISBN: 9781311291844

Aaron Blaylock

Born and raised in Arizona, Aaron is proud to call the desert home. Although he lived just outside of Sacramento, California for several years as a teenager and served a mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints in Jamaica for two years, he has always returned home to the valley of the sun.He married the girl of his dreams in 2001 and together they are raising four beautiful children. He draws heavily on his own life experiences and his faith in his writing and has published a children's picture book for his kids as well as a satirical work for humanity. His latest work is a short story about a youth group on an ill-conceived backpacking trip.

Book preview

THE GORGE

by

Aaron Blaylock

Published by Aaron Blaylock at Smashwords

© 2014 Aaron Blaylock. All rights reserved.

Table of Contents

Chapter 1 – Little Green Valley

Chapter 2 – Apache Ridge

Chapter 3 – Never Pass A Decent Spot

Chapter 4 – Freeze Dried Long Night Sandwich

Chapter 5 – Boulders and Spiders and Eggs, Oh My

Chapter 6 – Passing A Decent Spot…Again

Chapter 7 – No Comfort For Old Men

Chapter 8 – Through The Narrows

Little Green Valley

Have you ever made a decision you knew from the beginning was a mistake? When you reached the end did you look back and decide you’d willingly make that mistake again and again? Well I did and this is my story.

This particular mistake, as is often the case, began in a meeting and, like most mistakes, it began with the best of intentions. I contemplated this meeting as I sat barefoot in the back of my neighbor’s Yukon, sandwiched between an idiot in dragon print underpants and a semi-conscious high school football star. I tried to recall just how I’d gotten there.

It was a Sunday evening. As a newly called Young Men’s leader I wanted to make my mark and inspire the boys to greater heights. The Priest’s Quorum presidency had assembled in my living room at the customary time and, per usual, I had already lost their attention.

I’d like us to reach a little higher this coming year, I said. I think we can stretch ourselves more than we have.

That sounds awful, Zach said.

Zach was the first assistant in the Priest’s quorum and often placed himself at odds with me for sport.

No, it will be good, I assured him.

This was a constant struggle in our planning whenever I suggested we do anything other than basketball or playing games and making Root Beer Floats with the Laurels. I was used to this opposition and deftly side stepped their complaints.

What did you have in mind? Mason asked.

Mason was the quorum secretary, although he sided firmly with his brethren on the topic of fun and games he was at least willing to listen to a new idea. With a glimmer of hope I proceeded.

We usually go to the same places we’ve always gone and just sit around the camp fire and eat, I said. I was thinking we could do more.

Eat more? Zach asked excitedly. Like an eating contest?

Not exactly, I said. I thought instead of car camping we could go backpacking.

Like a hike? Cedar asked.

Yeah, like a hike, I answered.

That sounds awful, Zach said again.

Thank you Zach, I replied. Listen, in the next year half of your will be on missions and now is the time for you to prepare yourself. A mission is hard, really hard, and hanging out and chill’n isn’t going to help you.

The group fell silent after my impassioned speech. The boys all looked at the floor and no one spoke. I knew they didn’t want to hear what I was saying and feared I was losing the room. As I considered what I might say next I was rescued by Bishop Petersen, who spoke up from the seat next to Zach.

Tonto Gorge, Bishop said.

What’s that? I asked.

It’s a hike straight down Tonto Creek, Bishop explained. You start up on the rim and hike down to the cliffs outside of Gisela. Our ward used to do it regularly but it kind of fell off the radar.

Cliff jumping? Cedar perked up.

Yeah, Bishop said. You are in and out of the creek. You hike or swim most of the way.

Sweet, Cedar said. I’m going to wear my speedo.

You can’t hike in a speedo, I said.

Challenge accepted, Mason shouted and high fived Cedar.

That wasn’t a challenge, I replied.

All too often they turned my cautions, admonitions and prohibitions into a challenge. It was an ongoing battle of wills that unfortunately I was losing. Most of the time it was harmless, or at the very least only harmful to them, so I’d let it go.

With the boys agreeable to the idea, it was decided that this summer would be the summer of Tonto Gorge. The date was schedule and the meeting concluded. As the boys left Bishop, hung back to speak privately.

Listen, Bishop said. This is a tough one and you’re going to have to prepare yourself. I’ll get you a list of equipment you’ll need and I think I still have the GPS coordinates.

Are you not coming? I asked.

Bishop laughed. Not like a funny joke kind of a laugh, it was more of a scoff really. This good Bishop scoffed at the suggestion that he might go. With that laugh my heart sank into my stomach. I knew we were in trouble, but it would be another six months before I would find out exactly how much trouble.

I would love to, but I don’t think physically I could do it, Bishop replied.

If I had any sense at all I would have called the boys that night and called the whole thing off. But it was my idea to stretch ourselves and I was committed.

So now I sat there and tried not to brush up against Mason’s hairy legs as the Yukon thundered down the Bee Line Highway. Mason had on pants when we left the valley, but liberated himself from them at the vehicle drop off outside of Gisela. That