Trip Update 6-24-08
Dear families, friends and jealous readers, Greetings from warren bridge Wyoming. We just completed our rafting section on the Snake River back in Jackson! We beasted some super rad waves and cruised on down the river for a nice half day river trip. It was an excellent introduction for the team and a great bonding experience right off the bat. Rob, John (Yani) and Margaret (Marge) stuck to the front of the raft and got the most soaked of the bunch.
Roby and Matt also took on the 50 degree water and went for a nice swim. It was really great to have everyone in the same boat as we navigated through famous rapids such as Lunch Counter, Champagne and Cottonwood. As we approached our take out spot on the Snake and peeled off our wetsuits, we started to get a bit hungry, so we devised a plan to have a picnic under the sun at Snow King Park. We even had friendly dog welcome us to the park (and of course clean up any food that fell on the ground!)
Our leaders of the day were Hollis and Alexa. They even got our team motivated enough this morning to cook a great breakfast, pack our day packs for the river and hop in the van to head to the Snake. Not any easy task to do in an hour and a half but we got it done, and our LODS really helped make it a smooth process. Ashley spearheaded the GORP creation process, which will provided us with snacks for the next 10 days. Preparing food for such a long backcountry section is a serious task. Morgan has brought a crucial element of leadership to the group from her previous two trips. She has provided a lot of encouragement to everyone and is able to help her leaders out with bringing about that Moondance community. Do not worry Mrs. Miller Matthew is reading his book as we write this. He was educated in the rare art of thermarest repair today as well and is set to help everyone with such issues in the future. The already legendary Mr. Steele is excited to get back to the streams and fish. We look forward to cultivating his casting skills in the Winds. His sense of humor creates a unique leadership style that keeps everyone relaxed. Douglas is one of the funniest kids we have ever met. He is eager to help out with anything and is constantly entertaining the group. He is seriously talented with a frisbee as well. As valiant leaders we have been providing musical entertainment every night after moon up. The team has been jamming out to some Gillian Welch and Wilco. In case you have not heard, Genna has a voice to rival Alison Krauss and Tyler provides background mandolin sounds. After such a hard day of preparation we treated the team with some local ice cream. We all look forward to hitting the trail tomorrow for ten days. The Winds are currently full of snow. We can see them in the distance from our site tonight. We are all headed to sleep early tonight for a big day. More updates to come!
We will be out of the mountains on July 1 just in time for Douglas's Birthday. More to come!
- Genna and Tyler
Trip Update 7-1-08
Greetings and thanks for checking back in with Grand Ascents 1! We have just returned from our backpacking section where we spent 9 wonderful days in the Wind River Range. I must say, it feels pretty strange to be back in civilization! There are so many great things I want to tell you about our trip thus far, I don't even know where to begin!
I guess I should start by saying we have certainly enjoyed ourselves and become a closer and stronger group with all of our experiences in the Winds. We spent many days hiking off-trail, meaning we decided to use our navigation skills to get us from point A to point B instead of following an already made trail. We also have really improved our fly fishing skills! I would have to say that all of the boys are very skilled, but it seems Harrison has taken the biggest liking to the sport. He has caught fish in 15 inch range, and he and Tyler took a couple trips down the trail to seek some beauties. John, Hollis Robey, Douglas and Rob have also shown an interest in fly fishing. In fact, John caught about 10 fish at our 3rd to last campsite in the backcountry. We even enjoyed a couple of these as a mid-day snack or used them in meals at night. It's been really simplistic and beautiful to live off the fish we've caught.
We have been so lucky to have Dan Carson and his dog, Niko, on the trail with us. He is our O'Kelley outfitting guide here in the Winds, and he has without a doubt become an honorary member of our Moondance family in the past 10 days. He has taught us so much about this land where he grew up tramping through these mountains with his father.
Dan's dog Niko has been a great source of entertainment during the trip. Niko's claims to fame are piggy back riding and reeling fish in with his mouth. Ask our kids when they get home about Dan and his dog.
They will tell you what a lasting and wonderful impression they have left on our group.
The weather has been beautiful for the most part. We did encounter a strange hail storm on our 4th night in the backcountry which was really beautiful as we were at an already snowy campsite, Rainbow Lake. We stayed there for 2 days, and I think we've really become acclimated with the altitude since many of our campsites, like Rainbow Lake, were at 10,000 feet. The kids took advantage of our surroundings by "bodysurfing" down the snowfields. I'd have to say that Rob, Alexa and Hollis spearheaded this movement as they took several turns throwing themselves (and each other!) down the slick and snowy hill.
The group has really stepped up and accepted challenging days with ease. Even on the longest and toughest of days, you can always find these kids laughing as they walk down the trail. Perhaps our longest and most challenging day was our 6th day when we attempted to climb Raid Peak, about 12,500 feet. This day was one of the hardest days I have ever encountered as a leader as we hiked off-trail through miles of snowfields. Some people remarked that the areas where we were climbing and exploring looked like Antarctica! It really was a gorgeous and unreal scene to be climbing up a snowfield with the amazing views of the Winds surrounding us. After hours and hours of climbing, Dan and 9 of the kids made it to the top of Raid Peak.
Hearing their stories and accounts of the view from the top was amazing. Because of everyone's hard work, Tyler treated the group to a huge dinner of rice, beans and cheese that he cooked by himself before the rest of the group made it back from Raid peak. It was quite a treat!
Another challenging day when I think we all learned so much was when Morgan and Matt were leaders of the day, and they led our group off trail to our second to last campsite. For anyone who has traveled off-trail, you know that you must be able to read our map and your surrounds well. Matt and Morgan did just that, and they got our group to our Monroe Lake campsite safely and happily. I was really impressed with their leadership and outdoor skills.
Each student has added so much to this group. Rob is the KING of being helpful in any way he can, whether it is rigging up the bear bag or carrying extra group gear. Aleca never ceases to have a smile on her face, and she can make anyone laugh with her caring sense of humor.
Douglas also has a hilarious and sarcastic sense of humor that can keep anyone's spirits up. Hollis is such a motivator for the group, always helping folks push on when they are tired. Robey's perseverance is inspiring as he has overcome a couple long days on the trail with an upset tummy (no worries- he is fine now!) Margaret is constantly positive and excited about whatever is thrown her way. Harrison has definitely led the group and even myself when it comes to the basics of fly fishing. John is another skilled fisherman as mentioned before, and his athletic talents have aided him on the trail as a fast and strong hiker. Morgan is a great communicator with the group, and she always has an inspirational story of some sort to share at Moon-Up.
Matthew is a quiet leader, but whatever advice he relays to the group is always so wise and positive. Ashley is probably the most organized of the bunch, and she is the first to have her back on and step on the trail- a great example for all of us. Matt is a fantastic and eager leader, and I love the fact that he is always wonderful what is right around the corner.
Last night, we spent our remaining moments with Dan as we shared burgers and shakes at the Sugar Shack in Pinedale. We also had a fireside Moon-Up at our Warren Bridge campsite, and we are all going to miss him and Niko so much! Today we are celebrating Douglas's 16th birthday before we begin climbing tomorrow! We are planning on doing some showering and possibly laundry before sharing some cake to celebrate Douglas's big 1-6.
Stay tuned as we begin our 3 days of climbing school with Exum Mountain Guides. I know our many days of backpacking combined with our upcoming climbing sessions will aid us in our attempt to climb the Grand Teton on July 7. I can't wait to tell you all about it! Until then, have a happy 4th of July, and you'll be hearing from us soon!!!
Trip Update 7-5-08
Hi there! This is the update from Tyler...I hope you will enjoy it. Xoxox- Genna
Well hello again Families, Friends, and perhaps jealous readers,
Welcome back to the Grand Ascents trip updates. We missed you!
However, we are glad to have you back and informed. I am sure you parents are aching for your children to return, but we are so excited to have them for these last few days. We shall cherish the moments. It is always a challenge to live in the moment out here, yet, as John and Matt learned from reading Cormac McCarthy's The Road, (A book that is currently enticing many members of the crew) "tomorrow doesn't even know we are here." John is reading this book incessantly and hopes to finish it today, (July 5th). We are all working hard at sponging up these last moments with each other.
Over the past three days we have undergone strenuous mountaineering and climbing training with the world renowned Exum Mountain Guides.
Folks, for those of you who do not know the caliber of guides at Exum, they truly are the best in the world. Exum is an invite only guide company. Three years of unpaid work with the company is required before guiding. After 10 years some folks get the privilege to guide for them as a senior guide. It is the real deal. We are working with guides that spend their other halves of the year guiding such places as Everest and Denali. These folks are the real deal and have proved extremely helpful. Day one was spent in basic climbing school where we learned some crucial knots and climbing techniques. During the knot tying section Alexa impressed everyone with her lasso figure 8 knot, and got some of the guides' hands tied up in attempts at renditions.
The crew was really complimented for their knot tying skills.
Apparently we need to know how to tie these knots with out eyes closed for the Grand so we are working hard. Hollis has perfected some relaxation and focus techniques that he learned from his new buddy, Amy, an Exum guide who has led two trips to the summit of Everest.
Over the course of their time together, Amy and Hollis got to be great friends on the ropes. Of course Douglas is part of this elite crew since Douglas and Hollis are essentially inseparable. They are the lone two-person tent group and have established a precious bond. It has been so cool to watch. After these basic techniques we went to the infamous "Slabs of Doom" where Exum's beginner climber school is held.
We smacked the slabs utilizing our new belay skills and focusing on climbing techniques like smearing and body-positioning that are all relevant for our big climb in two days. Though Rob has suffered from an ingrown toenail, he is pushing super hard. This kid is strong, folks. With a sore toe and tennis shoes, Rob dominated the Slabs of Doom with no complaints. He continues to impress guides with his experience from Shasta last year. We also worked on our rappelling skills. We have some extreme rappellers. Douglas was most enchanted by the challenge and requested a few extra runs at it. He seems to have no fear of heights and climbs like a spider, according to Amy. Douglas sees a line, calculates it, and scurries through it. He is super strong on the rocks, as the guides have pointed out.
Day two was intermediate climbing school. We met Exum super early and hit some more technical climbs including a multi-pitch 5.6 and a two-pitch crack climb. We split into rope teams of 4 people. The guides entrusted us with their lives and we were put to the test.
Without successfully passing this level of climbing school, we could not move onto the Grand Teton. Of course we dominated, as usual. Marge (Margaret) was on my rope team and has become a very competent climber. She was in charge of cleaning gear at the end of the rope team, a position that commands respect from the guides. She cleaned well, returning all the quick draws and cams to their respective owners. We also took a 150 rappel to simulate one that we will encounter on the Grand. Morgan and Ashely were pro at this already having done the Monkey Face Tyrolean traverse last year on Pacific Northwest Exposure. They were both well trained in the art and fearless of such heights. We finished the day playing out new recent addiction, a complex game called "dip dip dip," which I am sure you will hear about soon. While everyone is good at this game, Matt and John seem to always be the last ones standing. Matt has a mind that that never fails with quick and tricky games. He is always getting us moving on our next game of dip dip dip. It was a long day for many of us, but everyone had a great time and slept well after a long night of games.
At this point it is necessary to explain a little disease that has infected two members of the group. Mr. Harrison Steele is a tough cookie. He got a case of food poisoning from an unknown source that somehow did not pass through the rest of the group. Harrison stuck it through intermediate school after a long night of feeling sick. The guides are very confident in his skills. He never complained once. He did the entire day's activities just as strong as anyone else and got a nice early sleep. He woke up the next morning feeling exponentially better. He says he knows he feels better because he is speaking Spanish. I agree. This is a universal sign of wellness. He will be in prime shape for the Grand.
Day three was snow school. This was a very intense day with a ton of high altitude hiking in snow. Harrison chose to take a rest day to recover, which was well deserved. The guides were so confident in his skills that they didn't require him to complete the course to climb the Grand. Genna and I are in total agreement with them. He will rock the Grand regardless. The rest of the crew without their fearless leaders hit snow school with Exum. They perfected basic ice axe techniques. After learning how to hike in steep snow, they took to the steeper slopes to learn self-arrest techniques. This sounds like fancy mountaineering language but is really just glorified sledding. Matthew emerged from the day grinning and seeking more. He feels much more extreme than his sister (A fellow Moondance Leader), as he seeks to summit the Grand before her. For Matthew, the summit of the Grand is a family circle, bragging rights for those who set foot there. He looks forward to sharing tales of the journey with his family. He hopes you all had a great time fishing in Montana, but I am willing to bet we caught better fish in the Winds…we shall compare pictures soon.
Anyhow, after snow school we met up with the Big Wild groups and Hayes for a little 4th of July cook out. We made burgers and Robey ate all of them. This is not entirely true but he did stuff himself to the point of no return. Robey seems to do this with burgers. We will continue to feed him large portions of ground beef and ketchup to fuel his Grand Ascent. He has an incredible taste for music, suggesting some highly delectable selections from the Ipod. He is our new back-up DJ.
We also cruised into Jackson to watch some impressive fireworks. It really did feel like the 4th at the end of the day and we all went to bed a little late. We are swallowing up our rest day focusing on hydration and eating high energy foods. We have a long journey ahead though the trip is drawing to a close. Folks, the Grand is no little mountain. It is highly respected out here. The situation is intense on the mountain. Due to snowy conditions we are maintaining a 2:1 client guide ratio, very safe. The mountain is icy and cold. Here is the situation we will face:
We will arrive at Exum early to begin the 8 mile snow and boulder covered hike taking us 5,000 feet in elevation. We will utilize those snow school techniques and backcountry stamina that we have acquired recently. This will put us at base camp for a little dinner and some light sleep in a shack. This is not a simple walk to the top like many mountains. We will not trot in snowy footsteps to the summit and descend. We will awaken at 3;30 AM and get our ropes together for 11 pitches of 5.6 on ice covered rock in 20 degree weather with high altitude stars, moonlight and headlamps lighting the way to the summit. Teton ratings are etched in ancient stone, incomparable to modern rating systems. 5.6 means nothing but toughness. Hopefully by 9 or 10 AM we will arrive at the summit together. The Grand is for real and we are taking it quite seriously. We will most likely be taking the famous Owens Spalding route to the summit, a well-traveled path to the top. It is a route that has enticed many a serious mountaineer for nearly 100 years. It will convert some hungry hearts to mountain addicts; these kids could well be the future of climbing. The sport is addicting. Summit fever is serious and the team is amped. We look forward to a successful and safe summit. On the morning of the 7th, think about your children and friends, as they will be high on a mountaintop in perfect liberty. It will be exhilarating and amazing at its best.
I cannot wait for them to share stories of the journey. We are so lucky to have such a wonderful group. Your children are no longer students. They are friends. The bond is established and will not break. It will take us to the summit together. They will be with you soon, but stay posted for the next update. Oh yes, there is more to come from this short periodical. We shall see you soon!
Until that day,
-Your Fearless and Loving Leaders, Tyler and Genna
Trip Update 7-8-08
Hello again to our generous supporters. We cannot thank you enough for following our journey thus far, and we know we couldn't have done all the amazing feats we've accomplished thus far without the help of you all as family and friends.
Since you last heard from us, we have climbed a few thousand feet and learned so many lessons along the way. We began our journey up to base camp at 9AM on July 6 with six wonderful Exum Mountain Guides as our mentors. As Tyler mentioned in our last update, these are some of the world's BEST guides (Kevin Mahoney, one of our guides, is even in Mountain Hardwear and Sterling Rope advertisements!). As usual, John, Matt, Matthew and Douglas were at the head of the pack as we hiked up the Lupine Meadows Trail, and about 4.5 miles from our starting point we reached our lunch break, The Meadows. Once we go to the Meadows, the terrain turned from a well-worn trail to fields or rock to snow.
As we downed our lunch and some energy bars, we switched into our more technical gear: rain pants, helmets and ice axes at hand. Before we broke into our small rope teams of 3 students and 1 guide, Morgan and Margaret remarked on how great and full of energy they felt. We knew we were halfway to base camp after lunch, and our ascent went from more casual hiking to technical mountaineering. Hollis and Robey, despite feeling a bit under the weather, did and AMAZING job on a rope team.
They really encouraged each other to keep going, and their teamwork was unbeatable. After a few hours of digging our ice axes and boots into the snow and uphill, we finally arrived at the Exum base camp hut. It was quite a thrilling situation to be where so many other great climbers had been before. As our leaders of the day, Alexa and Harrison made sure everyone drank plenty of water and ate plenty of Ramen to prepare us for all the energy we would be exerting the next morning. After an early dinner, we had a meeting with our guides Brenton and Calvin to discuss our route up the Grand. We studied the contours of the mountain- The Black Dyke, the Needle, The Own Chimney- from down below, and we studied the terrain we'd embark on in just a few hours. Around 8PM, we all squeezed into the cozy Exum hut and tried to get some rest, though our excitement made it a bit hard to fall asleep!
...And then something very uncharacteristic of an early July morning happened in the middle of our sleep, though some of us woke up to hear it. Thunder and snow clapped and pattered outside our shelter. It was so interesting to be up at such a high altitude and to hear such noises. Some of us slept right through it while many of us heard the commotion. It did not last long, but unfortunately, it created a thin sheet of ice over all the ledges and rocks on our route up the Grand.
These conditions were enough to have our Exum Guides advise us not to attempt the summit of the Grand. Even these most experienced of guides would not attend to climb the Grand in these conditions on this day.
It was just too icy, snowy and dangerous to continue up from base camp.
However, do not think our spirits were crushed! We all focused on the positives of the situation: we had learned SO much in our 5 days of climbing with Exum; we had accomplished our ascent to base camp safely and together; we didn't have to summit without Rob and Ashley who got sick and had to stay down from base camp; we are so PROUD of each other, and we work beside each other in light or dark, wind or rain, sun or snow. In fact, when we got down from base camp, we listened to one of our favorite songs from the trip, "High Tide, Low Tide" by Bob Marley and the Wailers. The lyrics say, "In high seas or in low seas/ I'm going to be your friend/ I'm going to be your friend/ In high tide or in low tide/ I'll be by your side/ I'll be by your side."
These words really rang true for us as we reflected on all we had accomplished together, despite not summiting the Grand. To congratulate ourselves on a job well done, we treated ourselves to some ice cream in town and shared some smiles in the sunshine.
So tonight we will have our banquet dinner, and we might have a special guest show up...don't tell your kids, but we are planning on getting our O'Kelley guide, Dan Carson, to make an appearance. We hope he will make it so we can spend one last time with such an admirable man!
Thank you so much for sharing your wonderful children with us...they have all gained so much wisdom, strength and knowledge on this trip.
Tyler and I couldn't be more honored to be a part of this group. There are many more stories I am sure you will hear about when your kids return, but I hope I've relayed enough to keep you in the loop. I know you are all very proud parents, and I am going to hate to see these guys go tomorrow! Thank you all for being a part of this wonderful Moondance community. Until next summer!
-Genna and Tyler
