Camping Out is a Family Tradition

Clifford, Warren (holding Troyleen), Doris, Lee (at far right) and Grandpa
Albert Edward Rufus Butt playing cards. Note the white Army-style tent
in the background under a cluster of pine and aspen.

(The next several blogs will include pictures I found in a box I inherited from my mother, Beatrice Lorraine Butt Hunt Magee.)

As a child, I remember that every summer was time for camping out up in the mountains. I don't remember ever going on any vacations like Nancy and I did after we were married, but we did a lot of camping either up in Big Cottonwood Canyon or Little Cottonwood Canyon or up at Bear Lake or Sevier Lake for reunions. Our favorite spot up in the local canyons was just above Alta Ski Resort. We camped at the same site (roughing it) over and over.

Even though Vivian and Doris are newlyweds, their neice
and nephews won't leave them alone: Lee, Troyleen and Merrill.

When I was in my teen years, Alta expanded their chairlift runs and put a chairlift tower right in the middle of our camp site! We never camped there again, obviously. 
I remember several great experiences there, besides Merrill and his Superman flight down to the stream, Dad catching his arm on fire lighting the campfire with gasoline and Merrill and I tormenting a porcupine. Probably the best memories include climbing all over the granite boulders, hiking to the snow plains that back then seemed to last all summer and having a testimony meeting with just the family up in a perfect spot in the pines on granite boulders when I had just turned 12. Merrill blessed the Sacrament, I passed the Sacrament and Dad presided. It wasn't too long after that that church leaders said though the outdoors are a great place to commune with our Father in Heaven, we needed to be in the right place at the right time -- in church in Sunday.

Looks like a cold night in the mountains! Mom, Lorraine, holds
Lee (I'm probably about 17 months old; that would have been in
1952). Merrill is next to me in front. The other three are friends of
mom and dad. Note the milk bottle in the foreground at left.

Some of our best reunions with the Hunt side of the family were at Bear Lake and Sevier Lake.
One of the best campouts was with Grandma & Grandpa Butt, Clifford, David, Vivian and his new bride, Doris. I remember everyone playing a lot of card games, including conasta, which Grandma and Grandpa taught me how to play. Also, some played softball out in the meadow. I believe several other members of the family came up for awhile one or two of the days we were up there.
What a great time we had. Merrill, I and Troyleen enjoying the company of Grandpa, Grandma, all the uncles and cute Doris.

Picture was taken from the mountain hillside. Note the Army-style
tent, the 1940s car and the rough campsite. I'm not sure who the people are.