| Big Wild log (2005-06-21 -> 2005-07-08)
Leaders: Mitchell Bilbro and Mary Jane Partlow
Students: Greg Benoit, Kristin Eckstein, Griffin Fraser, Claire Gregg, Anne Morris Hackney, Robert Hirsch, Holly O'Donnell, Ginny Spilman, Justin Thomas, Parker Travis, Mark Vickers, Megan Wendling
Thursday June 30, 2005
Everyone arrived in Jackson Hole eager to get into the backcountry and make some new friends. Our first two nights at Highline campground were spent preparing for our backpacking section through the Wind River Range of Wyoming.
After meeting with our guide Scott, we to the trailhead with only our packs and our ambitious attitudes! The first day on the trail helped everyone work up a fierce appetite and Griffin, Ginny, Claire and Justin rose to the occasion and proved themselves quite the chefs! They prepared some tasty Italian flavored pasta with Cheese sauce. With full bellies and tired legs, the group hung a bear line to secure our food (just in case) then retired to their tents for our first nights sleep in the Winds. We awoke to our cook crew, Griffin, Ginny, Claire and Justin preparing a hearty breakfast of bagels, grits, and bacon. Justin helped scout out a good spot to cross the river while camp was being broken down. After a safe river crossing, we began making our way up steep switchbacks to a ridge. Everyone was pushed hard and was rewarded with a stunning campsite near a swimming hole and a beautiful meadow. After a dinner of stir-fry vegetables we hung another bear line and once again hit the tents utterly exhausted but proud of our accomplishment.
Saturday we took a day hike up to Slide Lake where a playground of granite boulders awaited the adventurous group. We spent the afternoon playing like school children on the boulders. Upon returning to the campsite, Anne Morris beat everyone in two games of Mafia. Kristin’s eagerness to help out has kept moral high and her experience gained on previous Moondance trips is obvious to the group. She could teach some of the lessons herself! We enjoyed fettuccini Alfredo for dinner followed “strawberry shortcake a la Holly.”
Sunday we made our way back down the switchbacks in no time and found a great campsite where everyone was able to spread out a little and just relax. While supper was being prepared, Scott our guide spotted some Moose in the distance. Greg, being the outdoorsman that he is, had some binoculars so we could take a closer look. The group really seemed to come together today and the positive attitudes have become contagious.
We slept in a little on Monday and then feasted on pancakes for breakfast. After eating, Scott, Mary Jane, Kristin, Anne Morris, Greg, Holly, Megan, Claire, Justin, Ginny, and Mark hiked up to a big lake for a day hike. Griffin, Parker and Robert stayed at the campsite with Mitchell and discussed the finer points of wilderness travel. Scott managed to catch 4 lake trout. The group enjoyed a pasta dinner with fresh trout as prepared by Anne Morris, Parker, Robert and Megan.
Tuesday morning we made record time in breaking down camp. Mark’s help in pumping water for the entire group made things go smoothly. Megan took on the responsibility of leader of the day and helped navigate us back to the trailhead. Jenny and Claire wore smiles all day and it wore off on the rest of us as we made our way to the trailhead.
This group is excited for two days of rock climbing in Grand Teton National Park!
We will check back in soon!
Friday, July 01, 2005
We came back into Jackson Hole 3 days ago and we have hit the ground running since we got here. After a quick bite to eat we were up and out of our campsite at 6:30 am on Wed. morning to see a beautiful Teton Sunrise and head over to meet our climbing instructors for the first time. Our guides Cindy and Scott from Exum Mountaineering took us up the Tram to the top of the Mountain where we quickly learned the meaning of what it is to be in an alpine environment. It was a bit chilly at 9,500 ft. as we hiked past the last bits of remaining snow to learn our knots and basic rock climbing technique. Griffin, Justin, and Robert showed us some rather impressive belay technique while Kristin and Holly showed us that they had their knots dialed in and could tie their bowline with their eyes closed in under 10 seconds. After class we all headed down the mountain a bit to practice our new found skills with a beautiful Teton view all around us. Ann Morris (our resident "5 ft of extreme" showed us how to rappel in style and then we headed back to camp where we had a barbeque grill out. We definitely went to bed that night full of hamburgers and hot dogs that were absolutely delicious (thank you Claire and Ginny).
Today we were up early again to meet our new Exum Guides, Brenton and George over at Jenny Lake. We rode the ferry across Jenny Lake with an amazing eye full of Teewinot, one of the famed peaks of the Tetons, to keep us company as we headed up past Hidden Falls to go climbing. The falls were an impressive sight as they were quite swollen with snow melt. Today we graduated up to intermediate rock school and the Exum guides did not disappoint. Some folks got their first taste of multi-pitch climbing. Mark belayed me up some pretty steep rock in grand style while we climbed in the shadow of the Grand Teton. (You folks at home won't believe the pictures!) After an awesome lunch of the most amazing sandwiches I've ever had, we all got to rappel off of a 120ft cliff which included a free hang for the last 90 ft! Greg styled his rappel like and old pro as he confessed "I'm kind of a big deal" (a movie quote from Will Ferrell's "Anchorman"). I got to rappel right beside Ginny and the photos are sure to make the Moondance catalog cover!! After such a huge rappel I was in shock to learn that folks still had more climbing left in them and Holly (our resident knot tying and climbing guru) led the pack up our second big multi pitch climb. Parker showed us that he had his belay technique dialed as he belayed me up the climb and kept me safe all the way to the top. This climb proved to be our most difficult yet and it definitely challenged us all.
We then headed back across the ferry on Jenny Lake to get back into camp while Holly, Mark, Greg, and Kristin show us their pasta making skills as they whip up some Pasta Primavera. Tonight we head to bed with visions of the Salmon River and Idaho in our head as we prepare to seek new adventure on the river. We can't wait!
Wednesday, July 6
We met our guides Dylan, Matt, Brandon and his daughter Rae at the Salmon River on July 2 ready to paddle! Holly was the first to "cowboy up," as Mitchell would say, and take on the single duckie. She showed us all her incredible paddling skills and we were very impressed. At camp that evening we all enjoyed burgers and s'mores on the beach.
July 3rd was an especially fun day for all! We got to celebrate Griff's 18th birthday with him! Megan and Rob took control of the double duckie and made it through some impressive rapids! After a fun day on the river, where Parker and Greg made sure everyone stayed soaked, we settled at an awesome site that was perfect for a volleyball game. Justin's skills shone on the court and he was the first to suggest a second game. Anne Morris impressed the guides with her help in the kitchen and we all enjoyed some yummy lasagna followed by a cake in Griff's honor.
We awoke on the Fourth ready to take on our third leg of the Salmon! This proved to be one of the more technical days, as we were able to help the guides scout out a path to take down one of the rapids. Mark, who was in the single duckie breezed right through it, impressing us all! When we got to camp we had a Mexican Fiesta! Kristin, Justin and Megan prepared fajitas and upside down pineapple cake for the group, as Claire and Ginny used some down time to soak up some rays. Some sparklers and star-spangled night left everyone in smiles at the end of the day.
Our final day on the river was a breeze and we all had the chance to soak it up and reflect on our wonderful rafting section. After saying good-bye to our guides, we began our "long haul" back to Jackson for our final days together.
Final Update
July 9, 2005
As our trip winds to a close we are reminded why we do this. We seek out the "big wild" places because they challenge us. They remind us how easy our lives are in the "real world." Wild places teach us that the simple joys of life, good food, clean water, and being warm and dry are really all we need to be happy. Life is simpler out here and this simple life rejuvenates us for return to the grind of daily life.
We were so blessed to have such awesome weather during our trip. We never once dealt with extreme cold or heat or rain. On our backpacking section we got to experience the most grand of sights in the Wind River Range. The scenery was beautiful. The Winds had seen so much snow late in the season that the rivers ran very high. Our local guide had never seen the waters so high. It made for quite a show. I had so much fun teaching Greg, Ginny, Robert, and Griffin how to fly fish. They were truly entertaining. Robert truly took what I had to say to heart about fly fishing because right after I hooked myself (its tricky to fish in the wind) Robert got himself.
Out of the Winds and onto climbing in the Tetons. Our group really shined on this portion of our journey. We had some real "rock stars." Holly came to us knowing quite a bit and she absorbed every morsel we could throw at her. She amazed us all. I had the pleasure of being on a rope team with Parker and he really styled the climbing that day; which is no small feat considering that we climbed some pretty stout stuff. Claire really challenged herself and totally exceeded all our expectations. She styled her climbs all the way up to the top. Ginny meanwhile got a little help from our guide Cindy's helmet (you'll have to ask her the story!) while Anne Morris showed us all how its done. Robert and Greg learned what its like to air it out on a rappel and I've never seen such wide eyed faces. I'm pretty sure that got their attention.
The last section of our adventure lead us to the most decadent section of trip; whitewater rafting on the Salmon expedition style. For those of you who may not be familiar with western rafting expeditions you simple must go on a trip. We saw that most beautiful canyons and got to carry everything including the kitchen sink because we are floating in down and not carrying it on our backs. We ate the most amazing food while we played volleyball on remote beaches overlooking the might Salmon. Justin and Mark showed us how to have a good time on the river with our water wrestling matches and Parker and Griffin organized attacks on opposing rafts keeping us wet and cool and dodging the heat. Kristin and Meagan really showed us how cooking is done and we all are the better for it. Claire, Ginny, and Anne Morris were our resident "ducky" master boaters and we all saw their whitewater skills.
Mary Jane and I were truly blessed to have such an amazing group of people come out and play with us. It was genuinely beautiful to watch them come together and get to know each other and grow together.
Thanks!
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