Rocky Mountain Way

Rocky Mountain Way Log (2008-06-17 -> 2008-06-29)

Leaders: Sarah Machin and Jake Richardson

Students: Palmer Campbell, James Carter, Thomas Dorsett, Alex Graham, Alex Hunt, Nik Kern, Bryson Lepree, Lib Moore, Nik Weber

These first few days have been great. Alex Graham was our first arrival at the airport on June 17th, and both Jake and I had a great time getting to spend some time with him until the next students arrived.  Alex's sense of humor and energy has been catching the hearts and attention of all of us on this trip. He keeps us entertained!  I greeted Lib and Alex Hunt at their gate, and they had already found and met one another before they even boarded the plane. As the only two girls, besides myself, I think that they are so strong and I know that they are already having a great time.

After we made it to Hecla Junction, near Salida, CO, the first night, we awoke to a beautiful day, perfect for whitewater rafting.  Palmer and Nik were visibly thrilled to be headed to the river, and everyone was further excited to find out that the Arkansas River had not been at its current (high) water level since around 1995...The guides told us that this week is the peak week for the river this year, for certain...

As we headed down the river, Lib and Alex Hunt joined me, Sarah, along with Bryson and Thomas in one boat.  In the other, with Jake, were Nick, Nik, James, Palmer, and Alex Graham.  This was an incredibly exciting day. We began around 13 miles upstream from the River Runners (our outfitters) base camp.  Throughout this stretch, we went through the "narrows," which included intense sections like House Point Rock. Nik and Palmer loved this section, as it was indeed one of the most exciting of the entire trip.

Thomas and I were the lead paddlers for our boat, and we worked quite well as a team. Thomas' steady and responsible attention to rafting were a major asset as we conquered this river!  

After we had lunch at the RR base camp, we got back in the boats and headed about 2 miles downstream to our camp site for the night.  There we set up camp, and Nick (Kern)exhibited such maturity in his helping other students put up their tents.  They were all appreciative, as we were all tired from such a full day.  Later in the afternoon, many of the students went on a hike which I know everyone will be hearing about when this trip is over.  The view from the area right above our campsite was amazing, as it overlooked a massive valley that was then stopped by a group of 4 or more 14,000ft+ mountains.  The kids loved this and I think group bonding was solidified here, if not before, during the rafting section.

The next morning we woke up and had a great breakfast made by the River Runners crew.  It was excellent (just like the chicken and beef burritos we had the night before)!  While Bryson, Nick, and Nik threw the frisbee around, others made one last stop up at their beloved vista just a few minutes up the trail.  We got on the river again after breakfast and continued 15 or so miles downstream.  We had a great time and stopped to have lunch on an abandoned railroad track overlooking the river.  Lib and Alex Hunt have been going strong keeping up the minority of the group! This experience definitely brought the group together, and as time continues, the bonds formed will only get stronger.

Tomorrow we begin our backpacking section of the trip.  Palmer can't wait to get more chances to test out his cooking skills.  Check back for more in five days!

Sarah and Jake

Trip Update 6-26-08

Since the last update, a whole lot has happened! The backpacking trip went well, as we hoped.  We began hiking in Ryman Creek, an area a few miles south of the small town of Rico, CO.  We hiked a few miles into this trail and stopped for the night.  We headed to Bear Creek for a few wonderful days of backpacking.  We camped in a clearing along the Little Bear Pack Trail, which offered stunning views and beautiful scenes full of aspens.  The weather has been great so far. 

The kids have come together even tighter than I last reported.  Our first day on the Little Bear Pack Trail proved challenging but rewarding.  When we set up camp, Bryson, Nik, Nick, and I (Sarah), set out on the trek to fill water bottles.  We hiked about 1/2 mile downhill to the Dolores River and met our goal of 30 minutes to get there! Bryson, Nick, and Nik all were so helpful and determined to get this job done, and I truly appreciate their willingness to come along with me.  Each is so strong and I am really grateful to have had the chance to spend that time with them one-on-one. Not to mention the view from the valley where the river ran was wonderful.  What a sight for sore eyes it was.

The cook group on our first night at Little Bear consisted of Alex Graham, Nick, and Thomas.  They made an awesome meal of mac 'n cheese with sausage.  It was just what everyone wanted and needed...It was a very welcome treat to have such a great meal in the middle of the wilderness.

Palmer, Lib, Nik, Bryson, Nick, Alex Graham, Thomas, and Alex Hunt all performed beautifully as leaders of the day throughout the backpacking section. James and Alex Graham are the leaders of the day today. 

After leaving the backcountry, we headed to Lake City, CO, where we are now and where we will be until tomorrow.  Today we had a great climbing about 800ft above our campsite at Henson Creek.  This campsite is by far the most amazing one we've encountered.  We drive through an area of abandoned mines and along a beautiful river that is green-blue.  The kids have had a great day and we can't wait for another good one tomorrow.  Come back to find out more about the close of our climbing section!

Hello outside world! Greetings again from our family! This is Jake speaking! Sarah and I and the rest of the group just finished our rock climbing section and everyone agrees that this was one of the highlights of the trip. We spent two days climbing at a local crag in Lake City, CO called God's Crag. The name was definitely fitting because the climbs were perfect and the views were spectacular. The base of all the climbs are located at a breath taking 10,000 ft., and everyone was able to feel the effects of the altitude.
 
The first day we split up into three different groups. The groups were Alex Graham, Nik Weber, and James. Then we had Thomas, Palmer, and Nick Kern. And last but not least we had Alex Hunt, Lib, and Sarah. I, myself, just kind of floated around to help out wherever needed. Each group had three different jobs. There was the climber, the belayer (responsible for keeping the climber safe), and the back up belayer (for added safety). Everyone had a chance to rotate through all the jobs to get a good feel for the sport.
 
The first day Lib was the first person in our group to complete a route and all the others followed in close pursuit. Nick Kern was the first to attempt what everyone soon would decide was the most difficult climb and succeeded with energy to spare! Even though Bryson was unable to climb he provided the group with much appreciated moral support and encouragement. Nik Weber said to me, "I could live in Colorado and rock climb in the summer and snowboard in the winter!" That should say a lot about where we are and the things that we are seeing coming from a life long surfer from Costa Rica! That night our cook group was Alex H., Thomas, and Nick K. They fixed us some of the most amazing stir fry that any of us had ever had!! Everyone said the it was no doubt the best stir fry ever!!
 
The group wanted to take just a minute and give a shout out to all their family and friends! So here you go!
 
Nik W. - Miss you! Miss Home, but I'm having a great time. Moondance was a great idea!
 
Bryson- Having a great time!
 
James- Hey family!
 
Thomas- Hey to the family! Sorry to hear that UNC lost. Hope Melissa is well in New York!
 
Palmer- Hello! Hope all is well! If possible pizza for dinner when I get home!
 
Alex G.- It's a blast!
 
Alex H.- Hey family! Colorado is beautiful! Can't wait to show you my Rock climbing pics! See you soon!!
 
Lib- Hey Mom and Dad! Having a lot of fun! Miss you! Sorry I missed Laurens B- Day!
 
Nick K.- Don't open my grades yet!
 
As you can see everyone is doing great and having a blast! Talk to you soon!!!
 
Switching to Sarah now...Yesterday's rafting proved to be an excellent time.  While the Royal Gorge was closed due to high water, the 13 or so miles upstream of the Gorge were open and available for us to enjoy!  We began the day in calmer waters, then we had another great meal provided by River Runners, and then we headed into some more intense white water.  Luckily it was in the mid-90's, and we were far enough down the Arkansas River that the water had had time to warm up...Everyone was soaked as we went through the rapids. While everyone loved climbing, this day by far out-ranked the rest.  We had excellent river guides who showed such great patience and aptitude for leading and working with kids.  We couldn't have asked for a better day. 
 
Today we cleaned our gear, van, and U-haul, and we're about to make way for our banquet dinner!  This has been a wonderful trip, and each of the students have made a great impression on both Jake and I.  Thanks to everyone who has been a part of Moondance! We couldn't have done any of this without you. Take care!
 
Jake and Sarah

 Final Trip Update 7-1-08

Hello! 

Well, the kids made it safely from our last campground in Aurora, CO (Cherry Creek State Park) to the Denver airport.  Jake and I couldn't have asked for a better group of kids. We are so thankful to have had students who cared so much about each other and enjoyed spending all of their time with one another.  The group's strength was something to be rivaled, I assure you.

Lib was the first to leave the group, and following her (rather soon after her departure) were Thomas, James, Palmer, Bryson, Alex Graham, Nik Weber, Nick Kern, and then Alex Hunt.  It was sad to see everyone leave, but I know that each one of them have gained something that can never be forgotten.  A group of best friends, a number of unparalleled experiences, and a host of great memories will remain with everyone for years to come, I am certain.

Thank you to everyone who participated in this trip on any level! I believe it was a great success, and Jake and I can't wait to begin hearing back from each and every one of the group members. We miss you all, and we loved being able to spend these past two weeks with you. Please take care of yourselves and keep in touch!

Sincerely,

Sarah Machin and Jake Richardson