When I was 10, my brother Carl and I lived with our mom and stepdad, Roger Gleason. Roger leased summer pasture on Dallas Divide. Every Sunday we would go there to check the cattle. We had pasture leased along Leopard Creek where Ski Dallas used to be. Carl and I wanted to camp there and fish.

One Sunday after we checked the cows, Mom and Roger spit us out at Ski Dallas along with camping gear and a few groceries with plans to gather us up the following Sunday. Mom sent us with a dozen eggs, 10...