| Pacific Northwest Exposure log (2005-07-18 -> 2005-08-06)
Leaders: Tommy and Maggie Gavigan
Students: Kat Allred, Megan Clower, Brooks Cochran, Rob Eakin, Jamie Fogel, Pemberton Heath, Kailey Izard, Hannah Lucal, Mary Elizabeth Montgomery and Alan Rothschild
Welcome! Moondance Adventures PNW 5 got off to an exciting start with a drive through the state of Washington seeing Mt. Rainier, Mt. Jefferson and Mt. Hood. We finished in the alpine desert that surrounds Smith Rock, Oregon. After a couple of days of welcoming and preparing, we met our First Ascent (FA) guides, Gabe and Aaron, who took us to the North Point. There we learned the skills of belaying and climbing that we used for the next few days. Everyone started off and was able to complete the two easier climbs, Pumpkin Patch and Double time. The group really attacked the climbing and in particular the "spicy" (difficult) climb of Thumper. A majority of the students were able to scale the climb and it pushed everyone to their limits. Two brave climbers, Mary Elizabeth and Kat, who were unable to conquer the face on the first try, made it up the second time, showing a real sense of courage and determination. Following the hard day, we came back to the campground for a great Jambalaya dinner. The second day of climbing at Smith Rock we ventured into the heart of the park at Spider Man's Buttress. We woke up earlier to try to avoid "The Death Star" (the sun) because the temperatures have been getting up into the upper 90’s. It was there that we climbed Squashed Spider and Out of Harm's Way, while also practiced rapelling (belaying ourselves down). Out of Harm's way was another tough one at 100 feet where everyone who tried it made it all the way up!
Yea! After the Death Star took its toll on us, we went out to Steel Head Falls and jumped off some small cliffs (about 15 feet high) and had a blast! We returned to camp to have the most delicious meal yet of Penne Alfredo bake. The climax of the section happened the third day when we experienced Monkey's Face. We woke up even earlier to beat the heat and walked up the brutal Misery Ridge trail to get to the Monkey's Face. The Monkey's Face is a rock Tower, shaped like a monkey's head, standing 300 feet high. One by one, we traversed the gap between the ridge and the monkey's mouth by pulling ourselves across a rope suspended over the gap. From the mouth of the monkey, we swung out and climbed about 15 feet up to our rapelling point. It was very high and was deemed to be both exhilarating and unnerving at the same time. Everyone made it across the Tyrolean Traverse, climbed up Panic Point and rapelled the full 150 feet to the valley floor.
The students wanted to include a couple things they have learned about each other so far:
Rob Eakin, who is from Nashville, TN, is always in a good mood and has acquired the name of "belayer" because he is always willing to help. Alan Rothchild, from Columbus, GA, is a strong climber and is great when help is needed. Hannah Lucal is from Boston, MA, and has a friendly, approachable demeanor and is really nice and sweet. Pemberton Heath is from Charlotte, NC and is always willing to try new things and is very enthusiastic. Kat Allred, is from Atlanta, GA, and is very determined, never gives up and gives good advice. Kailey Izard, from Charlotte, NC, is an excellent climber, extremely friendly and is always up for playing games and makes them more fun. Jamie Fogel is from Ann Arbor, MI and is determined and when others are in trouble, he is the first one there to help. Brooks Cochran, from Spartanburg, SC, is hilarious, is a fast climber and quick learner. Megan Clower, from Philadelphia, PA, is helpful and great at starting conversation. Mary Elizabeth Montgomery is from Atlanta, GA, and perseveres while climbing by never giving up and is also extremely friendly. Tommy and Maggie Gavigan, group leaders, are brother and sister, cook great meals, always there to help and have a great time.
July 25, 2005
Hello there from PNW 5!
Just wanted to get a short note in before heading out into the backcountry for a week to tell you about our rafting experience. Our group is really starting to come together and gel as a group. The rafting section helped by allowing us to spend some quality time with the other 6 people on each raft in between the crazy rapids of the Lower Deschutes River. Orion, our guides, did a great job showing us the alpine desert landscapes and introducing us to some declicious food. The rolling mountains on either side of the river reminded us of old western movies where the indians are on their horses up on the cliffs looking down at the settlers moving in. We dined on coucous and chicken with tomato sause and wonderful french toast the next morning. We are all set to go backpacking around Ross Lake, Washinton and look out for a really thorough update in about 7-8 days....after we get out of the woods!
Everyone is in high spirits here and we will have some great stories to tell from the woods!
August 1, 2005
Dear Moondance Folk (i.e. Parents, Friends, interested Parties),
PNW 5 finished rafting a little while ago but wanted to send you a more detailed update about our adventure.
We just finished rafting the lower Deschutes River with Orion and our three guides, Dyame, Amanda and Tom (not Tommy), who were great. On the first day of rafting (day 6 overall), we woke up early and took down camp except for one lone tent in the middle of the field. Megan and Rob forgot to wake up Jamie and Brooks, so they got an extra 30 minutes of sleep. After Jamie and Brooks were aroused from their slumber, we packed our gear into dry bags and left the RV campground to start the lower Deschutes at Buck Hollow put-in, which was ten minutes away. There we met our three guides and loaded up our gear into the rafts and got off to an early, sunny start. Soon enough, the waterguns were pulled out in calm waters, between the rapids. Many were thrown into the cold water by their rival boat. We went through many Class 3 rapids which were exciting and fun. The guides had prepared an excellent lunch for us which we ate on a beach along the way. We all sat on the train tracks and even saw a car traveling backwards on the tracks. Here we shared stories about scars we had and how we got them. After 22 miles of rafting on the first day, we stopped and pitched camp. At our campsite, we talked about all the wildlife (deer, osprey, herons, ducks) we had seen. Pemberton aka Pem, Kailey aka Lizard, Mary Elizabeth aka ME and Brooks aka Brooks helped the Orion staffers make some delicious couscous for dinner. Tommy helped Alan and Rob put coins on the train tracks and now we have some squashed coins, which are pretty cool. (Hannah counted 107 boxcars on the train that squashed the coins)
The final day of rafting (day 7) we woke up a little earlier than the sunrise. (The students don't have their watches, so their sense of time is according to the sun.) But anyway, we enjoyed a great breakfast of French toast, sausage and fruit. We packed up camp and started rafting when the sun hit the river. We saw more deer and cattle, and one boat even saw a little coyote, spotted by Jamie. We stopped before lunch at a small beach where we had wild blackberries and covered Brooks with war paint (berry juice) for the rafting water wars we were having. Kat was key in defending her boat while Alan squirted intruders with the water gun. The water wars were spirited and ended with everyone laughing. After eating sandwiches and watermelon and more fruit, we finished covering the 18 miles to the Columbia River. After merging with the great Columbia, we packed our gear, changed into some dry clothes, threw the duffels into the Uhaul, said goodbye to the Orion guides and set off for Washington and backpacking on Ross Lake. We are looking forward to prepping for backpacking and a fun week in the backcountry.
Rafting was a blast and the Deschutes is a beautiful, exciting river.
August 1, 2005
Greetings from PNW 5!!! We are safely out of the backcountry and headed up to the San Juan Islands for some fantastic kayaking. But before we tell you about that, we wanted to go through a day by day of backpacking so you all could see what we have actually been doing!
Day 1: Our backpacking started with a mild 1 mile downhill hike to catch the Ross Lake water taxi. The water is some of the most beautiful, clear, clean water you have ever seen. We sat on the dock waiting for the taxi to take us 6 at a time to the northern most point of the lake...just feet away from the Canadian border. The taxi took 30 minutes, dropped the first group off and came back an hour later with the next batch of people. Once we had all arrived, we began a 3.1 mile hike to our first campground at Hozomeen Lake. The lake was set back in the woods, half way up a mountain and provided a great place for Jamie, Rob, Tommy, Maggie, Pem, and Kat to enjoy a refreshing swim. Afterwards, as darkness was rolling in, Megan and Alan cooked up a delicious dish of Chicken Alfredo, which we were all grateful for. Before we go to bed every night, we have Moon Up...a Moondance specialty...where everyone goes around in the circle and talks about a topic or two. Our first topic in the backcountry was talk about a high for the day, a low for the day and end up with another high...we call it "high low high" for short. After Moon Up the first night, everyone was pretty excited to get into their sleeping bags after their tiring first day.
Day 2: Maggie and Tommy graciously let the group sleep in an extra hour because of the exhausting day before, and to get ready for the next 4.7 leg of backpacking to Nightmare Campsite. With Kat in the lead as Leader of the Day (LOD) we made it safely to the next site. Two LODs are chosen at Moon Up by the previous day's LODs and are the Leaders of the group for the next day. They make sure everyone is getting ready, has their stuff together and leads the group on the trails. There is one LOD in the front of the line and one in the back to make sure everyone is okay and accounted for. The hike to Nightmare Camp was flat and the group enjoyed playing several word games while walking. Halfway to camp, we munched on cheese and hummus bagels for lunch. When we arrived at our campsite, we all saw how Nightmare Campsite received its name...the trees were extremely tall with wide trunks and the forest bed was sparse....making the site seem extremely spooky. Nevertheless, everyone was in high spirits and jumped into the freezing water of the creek that was running nearby. Three girls who all share a tent together, Kailey, Hannah and Mary Elizabeth (ME) were the first to venture into the chilly water. Everyone else saw how much fun they were having, so Rob, Jamie, Alan, and Kat followed suit. Brooks displayed excellent Bear Bagging skills from his boy scouting days, as he and Tommy worked on hanging the bear bag. Because they decided they wanted to read a little after the hike instead of jumping in the water, Pem and Brooks were hanging out with the counselors and offered their assistance in making dinner....Tommy's famous Macaroni and Cheese was the specialty of the night. For Moon Up, Tommy was asked to provide a scary story to go along with our surroundings, which, in turn, made going to bed a little scary but a lot of fun!
Day 3: On day 3 of backpacking, we hiked 6.3 miles to our next campsite, Lightning Creek. The hike was extremely challenging. Though our campsite was on Ross Lake, the trail continued to lead us uphill...which was extremely frustrating!!! When we finally reached our campsite, Maggie and Tommy spotted a bear running across an A-Frame bridge in between Lightning Creek Stock Camp and the hiker camp. Luckily, the bear was not there to disturb anyone and as quickly as he had been spotted, he was out of sight again. At the campsite, everyone had a great time jumping off the dock and playing on a huge rolling log that was attached to the bottom of the lake by ropes. It was like those logs on television you see people having 'log rolling contests' on... don't worry, no one stood up on the log, it was just a nice tool to play in the water with. Maggie, ME, Kailey, and Pem stayed on the dock and enjoyed what was left of the afternoon sun. For dinner, we made amazing chicken quesadillas with Pepper Jack cheese...wow, those were good! ...and went to bed early to prepare for the next day's summit hike.
Day 4: EARLY MORNING!!! We woke up at 12:30 A.M.!!!! (at night, while the stars were in full effect!!) in hopes of summiting Desolation Peak, about 6,700 feet above our campsite. After a quick breakfast of oatmeal, we grabbed our daypacks that had been packed the night before, our headlamps and our good attitudes and began our journey. The first 2 miles of the hike were flat and 'mild' on the spicy scale. We then began the steep switchbacks up the mountain, which seemed as if they were never-ending. After 4.7 miles of incredibly steep climbing, over 50 switchbacks and people shouting their favorite foods at each one, we made it to the false peak at the top. We all had to catch our breath, gain a bit more muster and finish the last mile to the actual top. Determined to summit the peak, we all pushed ahead. Once we reached the top, the view of the sunrise was breathtaking!! Some people took pictures, others slept and we were all exhausted! The hike back down went by a little faster and we were all anxious to get back to camp and sleep. We finally reached the bottom around 10:00 a.m.! People slept, swam, ate, and read all day as we all rested after the 15.5 mile hike. We made chocolate chip pancakes for lunch and had pizza and Oreo pie for dinner. After MoonUp we all crashed from exhaustion from the days activities.
Day 5: We woke up at Lightning Creek and started a 3.6 mile hike to Devil's Creek camp. We were doing great until the faster group took a wrong turn due to a sign pointing the wrong way. Kailey and Pem led the charge up the brutal pass and were encouraging the entire way. Not until Maggie and Brooks saw a sign telling us we were crossing into another National Forest, 2 miles into the pass, did we find out the sign at the bottom of the pass was incorrect. We went back down and found the other group waiting for us. Jamie and Alan had been in the back, supporting the back of the brigade. Mary E and Pem helped with the dinner of Penne with Pesto sause and chicken and then we all went to bed.
Day 6: Today's hike was a bit different then all the rest because Maggie and Tommy sent us on solo hikes. The LOD, Brooks, started out the line with the map and the watch and hiked for 1 hour by himself and then stopped. The next person left the campsite 5 minutes after he did and met up with him at the 1 hour break spot....and the 3rd, and 4th, all left 5 minutes after the person in front of them. We broke for lunch where Megan sliced up some cheese and summer sausage on tortillas. Jamie, an avid water drinker and proponent of hydration was eager to get down to the water and fill up nalgenes. Alan and Rob were a huge help and set up an assembly line to get the nalgenes back up to everyone. The day was long and the hike ended 10 miles later at Hidden Hand Campsite. Hannah especially enjoyed the individual hikes because she said it was easier to enjoy the peaceful views instead of focusing on the person walking in front of you. We quickly made black beans and rice for dinner with a side of Tabasco!!! and joyously went to sleep.
Day 7: We woke up at Hidden Hand and spotted a deer grazing around our campsite. Kat was very interested in the deer and tried to get it to stay closer to camp. We began our short hike out to the highway to meet back up with our van and u-haul. Once we saw the van, we realized how excited we were to take showers and get rid of our amazing body odor that had accumulated the past 2 weeks. That night we chowed down on some BBQ sandwiches and chips and we went to bed dreaming about the WENDY's meal we would devour the next day! YUM!
Until the end of our kayaking section....au revoir from PNW 5!
Friday, August 5, 2005
The final chapter of our PNW experience led us to the beautiful islands of northwest Washington. The San Juan Islands are known for their beautiful waters, prestine wilderness and extraordinary scenery. Our guides for the San Juans were Blair, Bucky, and Kathy of Outdoor Adventures (OA), who provided us with top of the line instruction and equipment. From our campsite on Spencer's Spit State Park on Lopez Island, we traveled to the southern portion of the island where rumors of the grey whale feedings were confirmed. So, we paddled our kayaks out to the middle of the bay where we watched the grey whale surface and dive for about 30 minutes. We were all taken by its sheer size and our proximity to the magnificent wildlife. After we watched the whale, we ventured to James Island State Park and enjoyed a nature walk and Blair gathered cool purple starfish for the group to look and play with. Our return paddle to Spencer's Spit showcased the paddling talents of Pem, Rob, Kailey and Alan, and once back at the Spit, Pem and Mary E. cooked an amazing Chicken Alfredo pasta dish to a hungry crew while the rest of us enjoyed the camp fire. Tommy and Kat shared some scary stories before the group got some well deserved rest. Hannah and Jamie greeted the next morning for everyone with a magnificent selection of banana pancakes, hot chocolate, sausage and melon. This meal helped fuel the next challenge of 'wet exiting' the kayaks. The wet exit was a skill we needed to have in order to paddle the rugged southern shores of Lopez Island. They all did a great job although the water felt like...ice water...and I am not joking!! Maggie inspired everyone by sprinting into the chilly water and ending the run with a triumphant bellyflop. The rest of the day was occupied by a strenuous bike ride and an intense game of ultimate frisbee. We finished the day with a great meal prepared by Brooks, Kat, and Pem of cheese quesadillas and cheddar and broccoli soup while watching the sunset. Our final day of sea kayaking took us to the rugged southern coast of the island. Here we saw Bald Eagles, porpi, and Harbor seals. We concluded the day's paddle with a fun lunch on the dock, prepared by Rob, Alan and Jamie. We cleaned the gear and the boats to finish our sea kayaking adventure. OA helped us celebrate the end of our sea kayaking and PNW activities by having a great grillout where we enjoyed hamburgers, hot dogs, chips and salsa and oreos and a beautiful sunset.
Saturday, August 6, 2005
Final Update
Dear Moondancers and fellow interested parties,
The final day of PNW 5 was today as Maggie and I said goodbye to the group. I was a fantastic three weeks in which I saw a group grow more than any other group I have seen in seven years.
It was a drastic change from a collection of student who could not even share their names without being prompted to leaving a cohesive unit of people more easily described as a family than students. The change began the first day of activities after two days of driving and sitting around. "Throwing the eight knot" performed by Pemberton Heath broke the silence. Followed by Kailey and Mary Elizabeth's endless pursuit of more routes to climb. Kat set the standard by returning to a climb that she was unable to finish earlier in the day to complete it in the final minutes of the second day of climbing. Determination was the name of the game, and this collection of students knew what it took. This was a group on a mission to break the barriers of their shyness and capture everything that was available on this moondance adventure.
Rob and Alan showed everyone the art of organizing, not only with the Uhaul but also during backpacking where I would find their packs perfectly stored for the night every night. These guys were the real deal and wanted everyone in the group to follow their lead. Megan made an early impression with her music selection but showed real promise in the kitchen when she and Alan prepared an artful Baked Ziti creation.
When we hit the river, Jamie and Brooks began to emerge as real enjoyable personalities. Jamie has a collection of knowledge that rivals most but his true love of Michigan shines through when you start talking football with him. As an avid sports fan, it is rare to find a student with such indepth knowledge of any subject and I was delighted to talk sports. Brooks took a little warming up, but he soon was the student everyone looked to make any situation enjoyable. The sound of his laughter meant the group was having fun and there was a lot of laughter.
Although most personalities emerge during the backpacking, Hannah really made her mark in the backcountry. It was her quiet confidence and smile that let everyone know she was a real moondancer. Hiking, backpacking and summiting were like second nature, even for a girl who had very little experience.
It is hard to describe how people grow closer to each other over the course of rugged, wild experience such as Moondance. But the image of ten best friends, smiling and hugging one another last night will stay with me for a long time.
Thank you all.
Tommy Gavigan
Maggie shared this message last night at Moon Up and thought some of you might enjoy it.
A Wonderful Message from George Carlin
The paradox of our time in history is that we have taller buildings but
shorter tempers, wider freeways, but narrower viewpoints. We spend more, but have less; we buy more, but enjoy less.
We have bigger houses and smaller families, more conveniences, but less time. We have more degrees but less sense, more knowledge, but less judgment, more experts, yet more problems, more medicine, but less wellness.
We drink too much, smoke too much, spend too recklessly, laugh too little, drive too fast, get too angry, stay up too late, get up too tired, read too little, watch TV too much, and pray too seldom. We have multiplied our possessions, but reduced our values.
We talk too much, love too seldom, and hate too often. We've learned how to make a living, but not a life. We've added years to life not life to years. We've been all the way to the moon and back, but have trouble crossing the street to meet a new neighbour.
We conquered outer space but not inner space. We've done larger things, but not better things. We've cleaned up the air, but polluted the soul. We've conquered the atom, but not our prejudice.
We write more, but learn less. We plan more, but accomplish less. We've learned to rush, but not to wait. We build more computers to hold more information, to produce more copies than ever, but we communicate less and less.
These are the times of fast foods and slow digestion, big men and small character, steep profits and shallow relationships. These are the days of two incomes but more divorce, fancier houses, but broken homes.
These are days of quick trips, disposable diapers, throwaway morality, one night stands, overweight bodies, and pills that do everything from cheer, to quiet, to kill.
It is a time when there is much in the showroom window and nothing in the stockroom. A time when technology can bring this letter to you, and a time when you can choose either to share this insight, or to just hit delete.
Remember; spend some time with your loved ones, because they are not going to be around forever. Remember, say a kind word to someone who looks up to you in awe, because that little person soon will grow up and leave your side.
Remember, to give a warm hug to the one next to you, because that is the only pleasure you can give with your heart and it doesn't cost a cent.
Remember, to say, "I love you" to your partner and your loved ones, but most of all mean it. A kiss and an embrace will mend hurt when it comes from deep inside of you.
Remember to hold hands and cherish the moment for someday that person will not be there again. Give time to love, give time to speak, and give time to share the precious thoughts in your mind.
Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away.
George Carlin
Brooks wanted some reading ideas for the school year and beyond.
Tom Clancy
-Red Storm Rising
-The Sum of All Fears
-Rainbow Six
-Patriot GAmes
-The Hunt for Red October
Ayn Rand
-Fountainhead
Ken Follett
-Lie Down with Lions
-Eye of the Needle
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