Living it up in Jackson Hole!
June 22, 2024
Hayden and Dan here!
Just checking back in again from the Wild West. We can definitely confirm that we’re all still having an absolute blast! It seems like every day is more fast-paced and action-packed than the last. Is crazy how fast time has flown by. It feels like just yesterday everyone was learning each other’s names and now they’re all practically inseparable. We have a lot of ground to cover since the last time we updated y’all, so buckle up!
It turns out the kid’s suspicions were right, and day nine we did have fly fishing! We headed to the Payette River with fishing guides who taught us all the basics. Everyone was casting like a pro by the end of the lesson! Specifically Evelyn, who truly was a natural hitting the target every time. Unfortunately, the weather wasn’t ideal to spend the whole day fishing, but the boys were adamant about hooking something before we left. Even through the snow and wind Brennan, Whit, Auggie, Owen and Otto all caught fish! Whit was able to snag the most catching four fish in an hour. After we wrapped up on the river, we headed into McCall for a town day. Immediately all the kids dispersed throughout the town. Andrew and Owen headed to the library to play some chess. Otto, Brennan, Whit and Auggie got some free stickers from the fly fishing store. And the girls came back with mountains of candy, including these bizarre sour green tongues Evelyn and Molly carried around for over 24 hours.
The next day we hit the road and headed back to Wyoming. The travel day to Jackson was long but so easy with this group to keep us entertained. The hours flew by with the sound of Whit and Andrews song requests, Laura and Ann Tolly’s giggles in the back seat and everyone’s constant jokes.
On our first day back in Jackson, it was Andrew’s birthday! The day started with pancakes and we sang happy birthday while we fueled up for an afternoon hike. We all took the tram up to the top of the mountain and got to take in the views while scarfing down waffles from the famous Corbet’s Cabin. Then we split into groups to embark on different hikes. Lillian and Georgia stood out as the most positive and supportive members of their respective groups. Evelyn, Molly and Georgia stopped to take some pictures at the coolest swing someone set up on the side of the mountain that looked amazing. After the hike, we had a quick turn around before going to the Jackson Rodeo. The Rodeo has been a part of Jackson Hole’s cowboy culture since the first settlers arrived over 100 years ago! All of the girls got matching cowgirl hats because, that’s what you do at the rodeo! Auggie also bought a hat and even rode the mechanical bull to fully immerse himself in cowboy culture.
On day 12, we had our first opportunity to (kind of) sleep in. We made some bacon and eggs and had a leisurely morning before spending a few hours in Jackson. I thought it was so sweet to watch the kids meticulously pick out gifts for their family members. They all shared sandwiches for lunch and got matching merch which just showed how the kids have genuinely gotten so close and comfortable with each other. We had an afternoon reservation at Snow King, where the group spent their time ziplining North America’s steepest zipline, and a full ropes course! Brennan finished the ropes course with ease almost an hour before everyone else. In the other group, Ann Tolly and Lillian were the first to fearlessly volunteer to go down the zipline with speeds up to 60 mph. Then we headed back to camp for a HIGHLY competitive cook-off using the last of the groceries. Whit, Laura, Molly, Andrew, Ann Tolly and Owen’s team barely edged out the others and won the competition. They made caprese skewers, pasta with meatballs, and a cookie skillet with vanilla ice cream. The attention to detail was incredible and that’s what put them over the edge as the victors. With full bellies we went to bed early to prepare for a slam packed final full day.
On the last day we woke up super early to go fly fishing on the Snake River. The guides loaded us into drift boats and you could feel the excitement in the air. The weather could not have been better which made a world of difference. We caught White Fish, Sucker Fish and and Cutthroat Trout. All twelve students caught at least one fish which had even the guides impressed. Auggie caught the most with 16 fish followed by Lillian who caught 10. However, Otto had the biggest catch of the day with a 20″ Sucker fish. We all decided as a group that the ropes course was our favorite of the park activities because it was the most challenging. Then we got Mexican for dinner and had a great time enjoying each other’s company over a meal for one last time. We spent hours at night reminiscing about the funniest moments from the trip and a few tears were even shed. We had Dairy Queen before heading back to camp and packing up our things for the travel day.
We couldn’t have asked for a better group of kids to have spent these last two weeks with. We’re so sad to say goodbye, but we’re so thankful we had the opportunity to get to know all of them. We’re impressed everyday with their humility, kindness and courage. They truly taught us so much. With heavy hearts we’ll make sure they all get out of Jackson safe and back into your arms. We can’t wait to watch them all do amazing things as they transition into high school and beyond. Whenever they need anything or just want to talk, we’re only one call away. We are so proud of everything they accomplished and we hope they take some of the Moondance magic with them into their future endeavors. Thank you again for sharing them with us for a couple weeks. We hope you enjoy the rest of your summer!
Signing Off,
Dan + Hayden
Climbing and Rafting Galore in Wyoming!
June 17, 2024
From the second they stepped off the plane, this crew has kept up the energy. This past week has been filled with laughter, singing, adventure and lots of games. There is truly no shortage of enthusiasm and positivity with BGW 1C.
While we waited for all of the kids to touch down in Jackson on airport day, we learned that none of us are very good at hacky sack but at least we all know how to have a good time. Georgia’s infectious smile was the first face to greet all of the students and it immediately helped calm any nerves. Once all the kids landed, we scoped out the campsite and then immediately packed back into the van to do a polar plunge in Jenny Lake. In that moment we all were able to immediately bond and start a foundation for the relationships we’ve cultivated over the last week. We then went back to camp to get warm and dry before we headed into Jackson to get a bunch of pizza and cheesy garlic bread for dinner. We quickly devoured the pizza in the town square because we couldn’t even wait 15 minutes to drive back to the campsite. Once back at camp, we were just getting settled when out of nowhere the weather turned and a huge storm rolled through. The kids did not hesitate to help us batten down all the hatches and jump in the van where we had our first Moonup. In that moment we knew that this group was special and the next two weeks were going to be a lot of fun.
On day two, we had a blast during the first day of climbing school! We started with some climbing basics to build everyone’s confidence before our first multi-pitch climb. We learned some knots, how to belay and various climbing techniques to get a good grip of the rocks. A lot of the students were nervous about the climb but everyone killed it. Evelyn was always eager to lead the pack and show the other students that they can do it if they put their mind to it. The spray from a glacial waterfall was much needed to help cool us down as we hiked past it leaving the climb. After a long day on the mountain we had a delicious cookout with hamburgers, hotdogs and watermelon. Owen broke out the spike ball and we played until the sun was about to set. Georgia and Andrew were LODs (leaders of the day) and they ran a wonderful Moonup by the river while the sun set.
The next day, everyone got up at the crack of dawn with puffy eyes and bed head for another day of rock climbing. This climb was legit. I was amazed at the courage and strength each student was able to demonstrate. Auggie and Ann Tolly stood out and excelled during this level two multi-pitch climb. They both inspired the rest of the group with their determination and can-do attitudes. It was so special to see how each student really felt a sense of accomplishment when we made it to the summit. After the climb, we did a 50-foot repel and I was amazed to watch Lillian scurry right back up to the top of the cliff to get in line for a second go at it. To cap off the day we did another polar plunge in Jenny Lake where Whit had no problem wading in the 38° for longer than the rest of us combined. We ate a huge pasta dinner and then LODs Evelyn and Brennan kept us all entertained during Moonup with their constant jokes and witty senses of humor.
Day four we hit the road and headed all the way to the far west side of Idaho. Despite the long hours in the car, the kids high spirits never diminished. We made various stops to keep them well fed and excited, including a stop at Swig, a flavored soda chain. You would’ve thought someone hit the lottery with the screams of excitement when we passed Swig, so of course we had to stop. Maybe it was the boost of sugar that got the girls to sing their hearts to every word of the Taylor Swift, Olivia Rodrigo, Katy Perry, and all the other songs we played for the remainder of the ride. Molly shamelessly belted the words while trying to get the boys to join in as well (even if the guys don’t admit it, I heard them singing along). Otto brought a deck of cards that he played with for hours, also keeping people entertained. Once we finally made it we all played some volleyball together and then went for a swim before setting up tarps and cowboy camping in one huge blob all together.
After a good nights sleep, we woke up ready to start our four day rafting trip down the Salmon River. Everyone got suited up in all their gear and we loaded into three boats. Laura and Whit stepped up the plate big time as LODs. They were both so helpful in anyway they could be and they kept the other students up-beat and excited, especially the ones on dish crew! Our campsite was a beautiful secluded beach with so much room for games. We played tug of war, dude don’t touch my rock, hot seat, look up look down and hobby horse. Evelyn also taught us a new game called “who bunny tiki” that kept us all entertained for the rest of the rafting trip. After dinner we had s’mores and Moonup around the fire to stay extra warm. The kids insisted we all cowboy camp again, so we spent another night looking for shooting stars and pointing out constellations as we fell asleep.
We woke up the next morning excited for another day of rafting, but even more excited that it was Owens birthday! The guides made French toast for breakfast to kick off the celebration and then we got back on the river. This section was a little more laid back but that gave us plenty of time to stop for lunch and swim. Once we got to the campsite an all out war broke out on the beach. I’m not sure who had the idea to start a mud fight, but I’m glad they did. We spent almost an hour catapulting big blobs of mud from one side of the beach to the other. Brennan, Laura, Whit, Lillian and Auggie were almost unrecognizable under the layers of gooey mud that covered their bodies. We made sure to get cleaned up really well before we played a highly competitive spike ball tournament that Molly and Laura won. Afterwards we chowed down on dinner and, of course, Owen’s birthday cake. The whole team sang to him and his face lit up with excitement as he pretended to blow out the candles that we couldn’t get to hold a flame.
The next morning when we woke up, the temps had dropped a little so we stuffed ourselves with warm hash brown scramble and put on our wet suits and splash guards. We rafted over 20-miles down the Salmon and faced our toughest conditions yet. Otto’s warm personality and kind demeanor helped keep us all going when the cold rain started to fall. He never once complained and even offered solutions for some cold students. This stretch of river was particularly fun with patches of the best rapids we had hit so far, including Big Easy and Ruby Rapid. Owen, Whit and Brennan joined the Salmon River Swim Club by getting in the water during the trip and the rest of the students were very impressed. Once we made it to our destination, we surprised them by taking them to get ice cream as a reward for keeping the positivity flowing throughout the day in some tough conditions. We hit the hay early after a long day and all six girls insisted they wanted to sleep in the same tent, so by all means we let them!
The next day was our final day on the river, which was bittersweet. Although we were sad to end the rafting section, everyone was excited to learn something new and try a different activity. We had a two hour car ride to the next campsite fueled by Andrew’s killer song suggestions. Once at camp, we had grilled cheese and tomato soup to warm ourselves up to prepare for snow on the forecast. The kids all have guesses on what’s in store next, but we haven’t ruined the mystery of it all. Owen’s prediction is that we’re fishing, so he’s been getting the group really excited about that. But, we will see what’s in store.
Thank you so much for sharing your kids with us over the past week. We have had so much fun getting to know them. I genuinely can’t remember a time I’ve ever laughed this hard or felt this much love. We appreciate each and every one of their unique personalities and wonderful qualities that make up who they are. We’re so excited to spend another week hanging out with them!
P.S. – Happy Father’s Day to all the amazing dads! It’s clear how much your kids love and look up to you. They all begged to tell you themselves, so I promised I would add something to the trip update.
All the best,
Dan + Hayden
Shout outs:
Andrew: “Hi mom and dad! Miss you and can’t wait to see you soon!”
Whit – Happy Father’s Day Dad! Love you both Wyoming is my new favorite state!
Molly: “Love you family! Thanks for this incredible opportunity. I’m having so much fun!”
Otto: “Happy Father’s Day Dad! We just finished rafting in Idaho and miss y’all love you!”
Lillian: “I love you mom and dad! I’m having so much fun!”
Georgia: “I’m having the best time! Love you mom and dad and happy birthday Robert!!”
Ann Tolly: “Hey momma and dad, thank you so much for sending me on this trip! I’m having a blast!”
Evelyn: “Love you mom and dad! Never coming back!!”
Laura: “Hey mom and dad. I’m having a grand ole time! Tell Buster and Baker I say hi!”
Auggie: “Happy father’s Day! I wore my sunscreen love y’all!”
Brennan: “Hi family, this is sick we have been climbing and rafting this past week happy Father’s Day Dad and hi Emmy and Maddie!”
Owen: “Happy Father’s Day! We haven’t done any fishing yet but think we’re going tomorrow just finished rafting and it was so much fun miss you guys love you!”
Safe Arrival in Jackson!
June 9, 2024
Hello Big Wild Families!
All students have landed safely in Jackson and the group is headed to their campsite! The trip is off to a great start and we can’t wait to share more updates from their adventure.
-Moondance HQ
