Final Trip Update
June 24, 2024
Hi from Big Wild! What an adventure we’ve been having. Last night we spent the night under the stars cowboy camping! The moon is becoming super close to a full moon. We all slept amazing and felt well rested to continue our trek back to Wyoming! The car ride was a blast, we played our favorite playlists and enjoyed the views. Once arriving at our next campsite we enjoyed some lunch and dinner and got ready for the rodeo!!! The kids were so excited. Thegirls, Pierson, Saige, Rheya, Elliot, Porter, and I had a fun makeover in our campground bathroom for the first time on the trip. It was fun to spruce ourselves up a little for “A night on the town”. I have loved how natural we have all been throughout the trip though and appreciate how they loved to let loose appearance wise! Everyone climbed into our trusty van and we were off. We hit the town of Jackson Hole to stroll around and check out the shops. We were on the hunt for cowboy hats… instead Tillman made the whole group die laughing by purchasing a Batman mask that he wore all over town. Zakir got a super cute wooden moose and Landon acquired a lego set that he couldn’t wait to get building. Either way, it’s fun for the kids to get things in town that make them remember our trip in their own way. After shopping we walked to the rodeo. It was a beautiful evening in Jackson. We enjoyed walking through the town and admiring the houses, gardens, and scenic mountain backdrop. We arrived at the rodeo and sat with another Big Wild group! It was fun for us to sit together as a Moondance squad. The rodeo was so fun to watch! The kids really enjoyed it- Noah, Tillman, Zakir and William all got to go out into the rodeo and be a part of the sheep chase. During the rodeo Porter, Elliot, and Pierson all got cowgirl hats! They were so cute and made me so happy to see them all western. Truly looking the part for our big wild adventure.
The next day we woke up and got ready for rock climbing! It was the first day of rock climbing school so we were all eager to get out there. Once at the climbing school we geared up and took a boat across Jenny lake to Cascade Canyon where we climbed above hidden falls. The boat ride was soooo scenic with the Tetons watching over us as we chugged across the water. We hopped off the boat and began learning knots and climbing techniques. After learning all the info we needed to get going we hiked up towards hidden falls and began our climbing. Everyone tied into each other so it was a giant chain of us! It was so much fun. All the kids were excited for climbing day two to experience more technical moves. Landon was someone that really stood out because he was so fast at climbing! It was cool to see the kids shine in an activity that we hadn’t done yet. Noah really got into the not tying and rope organization. He learned how to properly organize the rope to carry back down the mountain! After climbing Henry and I took the kiddos deeper into Grand Teton National Park. This was particularly fun for me because I could show them the spots I have gone to in the past that were really special tome. We drove into the Signal mountain area where we hit the general store to grab some snacks and enjoyed a snack picnic at a beautiful pull off. This pull off was home to the Sacred Heart Chapel that was renovated in honor of the fallen for 9/11. The chapel is beautifully placed on a lake with mountains peaking above. We walked down the trail to swim in the lake where only a few kids were brave enough to bite the cold. Elliot and I were first in where we took the run straight in approach. After a dip in the water we headed to a short hike! This hike was so beautiful. It was an easy lakeside loop. The kids absolutely loved it. Bunker walked with Henry and I. It was great to get to know him more and learn more about him. He is such a great kid and appreciates the beauty that surrounds us. After the hike we pulled out dinner and set it up at a beautiful lakeside picnic spot. It was the summer solstice so it felt like the day was forever, but in a good way. We made a delicious Pad Thai. Porter had never had it before and ended up loving it! Overall the meal was a hit. We ended the evening with moonup by the water. Elliot and Noah were the LODs and made the convos so fun and engaging. Noah won the best nug jug award with a hilarious dive into the water to receive the jug. He threw everyone off guard so kudos to him for being so creative! William, Tillman, and Noah ended the evening with a swim and then we were on our way! We had an amazing car ride back with the sunset dipping below the Tetons and Bunkers favorite music playing through the speakers of the van. The next morning we all woke eager to start our second day of climbing school! Rheya was so great throughout the entire trip getting everyone excited for each activity. We ate breakfast and got on our way! All geared up we headed back across Jenny to start the day.
Today everyone was able to choose the level of climbing they wanted to do. There was the hard group and then the easy group. We really liked this approach because it allowed us to challenge ourselves or just have fun on a route that made us more comfortable. Henry joined the easy group where all of the girls killed it! Elliot especially pushed herself and stepped out of her comfort zone. Saige was an absolute natural! She climbed like a mountain goat. The girls really helped each other by hyping each other up. Pierson, with the boost of confidence from the group, took on repelling and did an amazing job. I joined the boys on the harder route! The route was more technical and allowed them to really figure out good grips to get them up. Zakir was so helpful keeping the rope organized and feeding nicely for his co climber Landon. I was attached to Tillman where we spent our times waiting our turn enjoying the views. We sat on the cliff sides taking in Jenny lake from above and hidden falls beating down the rocks beside us. Not a bad place to be. After climbing we all headed into town where we stopped at a thrift store to get goofy outfits for our last evening together. Everyone was so sad to leave and we couldn’t believe how fast time flew. Nonetheless the kids made it so fun to find funny outfits and runaround being weird. William rocked some red snake skin pants while Noah worked it in a rainbow dress. It was SO funny. After cleaning the van as a group we made our way to Bubba’s BBQ where we feasted on some delicious food. Back at camp we got everything ready to head to the airport in the morning. We let everyone stay up late just to soak up every minute of the trip. We had a great last moonup that ended with a birthday cake for Elliot’s birthday! She was turning 15 years old at midnight. It was so fun surprising her with a little celebration.
The next day we got up at the crack of dawn and headed for the airport. It was so sad saying our goodbyes but we were happy to have met each other. The kids got on their flights with a breeze, leaving Henry and I feeling accomplished and thankful for such an amazing group. We are really going to miss them! This being our first Moondance trip these kids will stick with us forever. Thank you to all of the parents for sending them on this trip and making such a huge impact on us! We have gained so much from each and every one of your kids and appreciate all the fun memories we got to make together. Give them a hug for us from the Wild West! Signing off Sydney and Henry
Whitewater Champs on the Salmon!
June 19, 2024
The adventure of Big Wild 1A continued with a second day of fly fishing in beautiful McCall, Idaho. We woke early too breakfast already being prepared by Landon, Zakir, and Noah. After breakfast, we drove to our fishing spot for the day, following our guides whose trailers were loaded down with the large drift boats that keep us afloat. After a long drive up the winding gravel road, we reach the beautiful Brundage Resevoir which was nestled among the pines of the Payette forest. Pierson, Saige, and Rheya climbed aboard with Don. Tilman, Noah, and Sydney setout with Coop, while Bunker and William hit the water with Tristan. Landon and Zakir went with Parker. Finally, Porter, Elliot, and Henry took off with Trevor. While it was a tiny bit brisk, the weather couldn’t have been better for some fishing. The day was a blast, with almost everyone catching fish! They day was highlighted by William, Bunker, Henry, Landon, and Noah absolutely lighting the day up as all caught over 5 fish! However, the best fish of the day went to Porter and Elliot. Porter landed a massive 19 inch rainbow trout and a beautiful 17 inch cutthroat trout! After fishing, we made our way to our next campsite, located in Ponderosa State park. The campsite was beautiful, as we were surrounded by the amazing red hue of the towering Ponderosa Pine the populate Idaho! After our showers, we passed the time by playing the card game ERS but all went to bed early as we had to be up early for our next adventure!
The next day marked the start our rafting adventure down the mighty Salmon river near Riggins, Idaho. We arrived at the rafting shop promptly at 7:30, where we were greeted by Lauren who would be debriefing us on what to expect over the next 4 days. The drive to the take out was beautiful, as the gravel road traced the river, slowly descending into the canyon that holds the great Salmon River. When we arrived at the boat ramp, we were greeted by our amazing rafting guides Zinnea, Austin, Kai, Hayden, and Jonah! Before we departed on our river adventure, our guides instructed us on proper paddling technique and river safety in order to prepare us for our journey ahead. Shortly after we dived into our boats and hit the water! Zinnea was at the helm of the girls raft while Jonah was at the helm of the boys raft! After an hour or so, we pulled to the side of the river where we enjoyed a delicious sandwich lunch prepared by our guides! We continued along the river for a few more hours until we reached out first beach campsite! Camp was made quickly as everyone worked together to get the tents pitched and the gear unpacked. We enjoyed the sunny afternoon playing catch, cards, fishing and laughing! The hours seemed to fly by as soon it was time for dinner! Zakir and William were the first to volunteer to help our guides with dinner, which was bbq chicken. After dinner, we all gathered under the stars to play a game of mafia and a good night’s sleep to prepare for our next day on the river! We awoke the next morning to the soothing sound of the river rushing through the canyon. After we broke camp, the group decided to pick boats by doing a mock NBA draft created by Bunker in which Henry narrated. The teams were chosen and we hit the water, moving swiftly down river. Today we faced three big rapids; cherry, time zone, and hammer! All big class three rapids! However, the group did not back done from the challenge! William even rode the bull through some of the class 2 rapids of the day! After a hard day of paddling, we arrived at our awesome island campsite surrounded by the lush green mountains lining the river. We lounged around, enjoying the beauty of the river. At one point in the afternoon, Rheya used her cheerleading expertise to show everyone how to make a human pyramid! Everyone was up just long enough for Sydney to snap a photo before everyone tumbled down in laughter. Henry even let the girls braid his hair! Our LOD’s Tilman and Porter led moonup under the stars before we all headed to bed.
The next morning we awoke to the unfortunate sounds of rain on our tents and the sight of our breaths in the air! In an effort to keep everything as dry as possible, we broke down camp before we ate our awesome pancake breakfast! The morning on the water started off cold and rainy, but the weather broke for just a little around noon allowing us to see the newly snow dusted peaks around us! Even while we got rained on morale was never lost as William and Noah led their raft in a raft karaoke session, which quickly progressed into a raft to raft singing competition with Pierson leading the charge in the other raft. Our voices echoed across the river canyon as we soon approached our camp. We quickly made camp and everyone settled into their sleeping bags to get out of the rain, eventually the camp fell silent as well dozed off for an afternoon nap. While we were sleeping, the storm passed giving way to sunny evening. After dinner Sydney, Noah, Henry, and Zakir all played hacky sack with Austin and Hayden. The rest of the group sat around the fire talking and laughing, and before we knew it the sun had set and the stars had come out. We all went to bed with full bellies and smiles on our faces! The final morning flew by, as we only had 7 miles and one big rapids before we were off the river. Light work for our group of now experienced paddlers, who made Devil’s Drop look easy! Once we got to the take out, we unloaded our boats and hit the road, travelling to Three Crossings State park in southern Idaho.
Sydney and I are beyond proud of the group and how well they have meshed! It has been awesome to see everyone step outside their comfort zones, face new challenges, and make new friends! We can’t believe how quickly the time has flow, and we are beyond excited to see what the final days of our adventure hold!
Howdy from Wyoming!
June 14, 2024
BGW 1A started its adventure in Jackson Hole Wyoming. With the Tetons gazing down on us we arrived at our campsite with jitters of excitement and views that went for miles. Our first night was filled “with getting to know you’s” and games. We watched a storm roll in over the range and learned how to be safest when camping! Tillman being a veteran student kept the group comfortable by teaching everyone what moonup meant. We laughed in the van until the rain ceased and jumped in our tents for bedtime.
The next day the group awoke super early to watch the sun rise over the Teton valley. Noah took the lead and became our private chef for the morning, making us delicious pancakes. We drove into Jackson Hole and made our way to our first activity consisting of ziplining and rope course. Rheya rode with Sydney showing her bravery at the highest zip. It was so much fun! Blue skies looked down at us as we conquered the ropes course. We felt like we were monkeys climbing through the trees. Tillman, Noah, William, Bunker, and Zakir challenged themselves and dominated the Black Diamond rope course. They earned the title of kings of the jungle. We ended the adventure with a picnic at the base, followed by a local scoop of ice cream to celebrate the first full day. We made our way back to camp with the sun dipping into golden hour and enjoyed playing cards at the campsite. Landon taught the group Mau, which confused everyone but the group LOVED it. They won’t stop playing!!
Day three the band conquered the great west and traveled cross country to Idaho!! Zakir was the first up getting everyone on track for the long haul. He is so organized and helpful with all the cleaning up. The group were some troopers! Bunker kept us entertained with his jokes and stories, and Noah embraced the spirit of “unplugging”. After arriving at our campsite for the next few days we ran down to the lake to take a dip. Pierson, Elliot, Saige, and Porter kept Rheya and I (Sydney)company while we swam. We had some great girl time. Porter and Elliot especially enjoy this campsite more with the surrounding lake views. We ended the night with some chicken Alfredo and salads. Pierson was so helpful with the salads along with Zakir. What a legend! The gang finished up dinner, closed up camp and got snug in their tents.
Day four we woke up to a beautiful sunrise over the lake. Zakir and Noah lead the charge on breakfast. With their help we created some delicious breakfast burritos. Once our bellies were full we packed into the van and headed into McCall. On one of the many lakes surrounding the are awe rented some kayaks and explored the river. Pierson started a kayak train and Zakir and William were naturals cruising through the water. We also loved learning more about Porter and Elliot and their life on the water. I think kayaking just brought out more opportunities to learn more about life in Charleston! Afterwards, we went back to McCall and enjoyed lunch by the lake. The mountains surrounded us watching as Tillman, William, and Sydney swam out to the floating dock to check out the view. After lunch we took the group to go for a 3 mile hike! It was awesome to see Pierson push herself and absolutely thrive! She was nervous at first but did an excellent job. Saige was dynamite when going uphill, we chatted about how big her lungs are going to be for her future cross country endeavors. The evening ended with a BBQ and a fantastic moonup. One of our best yet. Noah and Saige our leaders of the day asked the group what changed for them from the beginning of the trip until now. Some of my favorite take-aways that were said came from Elliot and Porter. They stated that they are so glad that they are here and know to soak up every minute because the days are flying by and it will be over before they know it. We awoke the next morning to indulge in some fly fishing with some local guides. The group perfected the cast in a matter of minutes…so dads get ready for a new fishing partner. Zakir and William both caught fish! The smiles on their faces spoke for themselves.
Henry and I are so happy with the group and cant wait to continue to make memories.
Until next time
Henry & Sydney
Safe arrival in Jackson Hole!
June 10, 2024
Hello Big Wild Families!
We heard from our leaders this afternoon that the group has landed safely in Jackson Hole and is headed to their first campsite! The trip is off to a great start, and we cannot wait to hear more stories from their adventure!
Please remember our leaders and students will be unplugged during their trips, but we will be posting trip updates throughout the next two week! This will allow you to follow along with the trip. You can also follow us on Instagram, @moondanceadventures, to see more of what we are up to!
-Moondance HQ
