This Mormon Summer Camp Is Insane
Description: Every summer, Mormon teenagers dress like pioneers, push handcarts, and walk for miles in the heat for an event called Trek. 🏕️ It basically looks like Oregon Trail cosplay with bonnets, suspenders, and flour babies (yes, you read that correctly). But underneath the weirdness is a much bigger story about suffering, obedience, gender roles, and sanitized Mormon history. In this video, I’m breaking down what Trek actually is, why the church still does it, and why some of the stories from it are genuinely wild. Mormon pioneer cosplay is out of control.
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A few resources I mention in the video:
*My Patreon video about Girls Camp: https://www.patreon.com/alyssadgrenfell/posts/strange-world-of-162739540?utm_medium=clipboard_copy&utm_source=copyLink&utm_campaign=postshare_creator&utm_content=join_link
*Mormon Church Trek Handbook for leaders: https://assets.churchofjesuschrist.org/7f/ab/7fab01500ad311ecb305eeeeac1e1a1b8d7ecb53/handcart_trek_reenactments_guidelines_for_leaders.pdf
*Mormon church training videos about Trek for teens: https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/callings/safety/trek-safety?lang=eng
*Mother of two dies on Trek: https://www.deseret.com/2016/6/21/20590696/mormon-youth-leader-dies-on-trek-outing-in-oklahoma
*My video explaining some of the history of Mormons and Native Americans: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eJtZguq1Zz4&t=1s
*Medical release form for Trek: https://assets.churchofjesuschrist.org/ec/6a/ec6a32b2ded011eda8abeeeeac1eefc32321140e/parental_or_guardian_permission_medical_release.pdf
*Example packing list for Trek: https://sites.google.com/view/2019staketrek/trek-preparation/packing-list
*Parent texting child about Trek on Reddit: https://www.reddit.com/r/exmormon/comments/1u53uzn/wait_mormons_still_force_their_poor_kids_to_go_on/?share_id=PrmeaTMfSG9ZKFm4Rl78u&utm_content=1&utm_medium=ios_app&utm_name=ioscss&utm_source=share&utm_term=1
*Mormon church Trek Q and A: https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/learn/history/sites/wyoming/trek/common-questions?lang=eng
*5 gallon Trek bucket tutorial: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=78wTTtZ67qk&source_ve_path=MjE0Mjgz&embeds_referring_euri=https%3A%2F%2Fsites.google.com%2F
*She went on “Trek” for school in fourth grade: https://www.tiktok.com/@avreyovard/video/7478179576795925802?_r=1&_t=ZT-979Trez0OCs
*Woman sees Trek happening while hiking in Utah: https://www.tiktok.com/@estytravel/video/7648411938375945502?_r=1&_t=ZT-979Tz0ULFzK
*Example of the (young) women’s pull: https://www.instagram.com/p/40OFOflmkA/
*Examples of Trek outfits: https://www.tiktok.com/@ashlyn.ebmeyer/video/7244649074232757550?_r=1&_t=ZT-979RYJaIJUj
*Rare aesthetic: Trek: https://www.tiktok.com/@wardescapee6/video/7547062715412516109?_r=1&_t=ZT-979Ry2Fbhkr
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Where to find me:
*Patreon (ad free & bonus content): https://patreon.com/alyssadgrenfell?utm_medium=unknown&utm_source=join_link&utm_campaign=creatorshare_creator&utm_content=copyLink
*Read my book, How to Leave the Mormon Church: https://amzn.to/4na4rpo
*TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@alyssadgrenfell?lang=en
*Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/alyssadgrenfell/?hl=en
*Email me: alyssadgrenfell@gmail.com
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Support my channel:
*Patreon (ad free & bonus content): https://patreon.com/alyssadgrenfell?utm_medium=unknown&utm_source=join_link&utm_campaign=creatorshare_creator&utm_content=copyLink Close description
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A few resources I mention in the video:
*My Patreon video about Girls Camp: https://www.patreon.com/alyssadgrenfell/posts/strange-world-of-162739540?utm_medium=clipboard_copy&utm_source=copyLink&utm_campaign=postshare_creator&utm_content=join_link
*Mormon Church Trek Handbook for leaders: https://assets.churchofjesuschrist.org/7f/ab/7fab01500ad311ecb305eeeeac1e1a1b8d7ecb53/handcart_trek_reenactments_guidelines_for_leaders.pdf
*Mormon church training videos about Trek for teens: https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/callings/safety/trek-safety?lang=eng
*Mother of two dies on Trek: https://www.deseret.com/2016/6/21/20590696/mormon-youth-leader-dies-on-trek-outing-in-oklahoma
*My video explaining some of the history of Mormons and Native Americans: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eJtZguq1Zz4&t=1s
*Medical release form for Trek: https://assets.churchofjesuschrist.org/ec/6a/ec6a32b2ded011eda8abeeeeac1eefc32321140e/parental_or_guardian_permission_medical_release.pdf
*Example packing list for Trek: https://sites.google.com/view/2019staketrek/trek-preparation/packing-list
*Parent texting child about Trek on Reddit: https://www.reddit.com/r/exmormon/comments/1u53uzn/wait_mormons_still_force_their_poor_kids_to_go_on/?share_id=PrmeaTMfSG9ZKFm4Rl78u&utm_content=1&utm_medium=ios_app&utm_name=ioscss&utm_source=share&utm_term=1
*Mormon church Trek Q and A: https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/learn/history/sites/wyoming/trek/common-questions?lang=eng
*5 gallon Trek bucket tutorial: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=78wTTtZ67qk&source_ve_path=MjE0Mjgz&embeds_referring_euri=https%3A%2F%2Fsites.google.com%2F
*She went on “Trek” for school in fourth grade: https://www.tiktok.com/@avreyovard/video/7478179576795925802?_r=1&_t=ZT-979Trez0OCs
*Woman sees Trek happening while hiking in Utah: https://www.tiktok.com/@estytravel/video/7648411938375945502?_r=1&_t=ZT-979Tz0ULFzK
*Example of the (young) women’s pull: https://www.instagram.com/p/40OFOflmkA/
*Examples of Trek outfits: https://www.tiktok.com/@ashlyn.ebmeyer/video/7244649074232757550?_r=1&_t=ZT-979RYJaIJUj
*Rare aesthetic: Trek: https://www.tiktok.com/@wardescapee6/video/7547062715412516109?_r=1&_t=ZT-979Ry2Fbhkr
~~~~~~~~~~
Where to find me:
*Patreon (ad free & bonus content): https://patreon.com/alyssadgrenfell?utm_medium=unknown&utm_source=join_link&utm_campaign=creatorshare_creator&utm_content=copyLink
*Read my book, How to Leave the Mormon Church: https://amzn.to/4na4rpo
*TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@alyssadgrenfell?lang=en
*Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/alyssadgrenfell/?hl=en
*Email me: alyssadgrenfell@gmail.com
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Support my channel:
*Patreon (ad free & bonus content): https://patreon.com/alyssadgrenfell?utm_medium=unknown&utm_source=join_link&utm_campaign=creatorshare_creator&utm_content=copyLink Close description