Adventure, Friendship, and Farewell: Our Last Days in Jackson
July 10, 2024
Yesterday was a whirlwind of activity, and we truly made every moment count. We kicked off the day surprising the kids with the full zip line experience at Snow King Mountain. As the steepest zip line in North America, it did not disappoint, with everyone reaching speeds of 40-60 mph. We all raced and Charlotte, Blake, Lucy, Will, London, and Michael all won their respective races.
Afterward, we headed into town for a quick lunch before giving the kids some time to explore Jackson. A highlight was our stop at a local thrift shop, where everyone picked out hilarious outfits for the final evening banquet. Livia had one of the best finds with a dress she got complimented on when we got to dinner.
Dinner was a treat at the best Mexican restaurant in town, followed by massive scoops of ice cream at Moo’s. As the day began to wind down, we took a leisurely sunset hike in Teton Village and were fortunate enough that Walker spotted a huge moose just off the trail!
The day ended back at camp, where we packed and prepared for the travel day ahead, huge shout out to Sam and Lydia for being so helpful in cleaning out the van and throwing away trash! We ended the day around the fire, enjoying our final evening together. Betts had the best idea before bed to go around and give each other one compliment, which was really meaningful for all the girls.
That brings us to today. Saying goodbye never gets easier. With teary eyes, we made sure each of them boarded their flights safely. We gave them all one final hug as we watched them head to their gate. Jack was the last student to leave and it was really hard saying the last goodbye. This group was truly exceptional and will forever hold a special place in our hearts.
Thank you so much for entrusting us with these incredible kids for the past two weeks. Each day was a new adventure, and we were so fortunate to share it with them. We are deeply grateful for the opportunity to get to know every facet of each student. They have shown themselves to be remarkably mature, kind, thoughtful, intelligent and funny.
We hope you all have a good summer and you enjoy some quality time with the kids. I can tell you that we sure did! Please keep in touch with any updates about the inevitable successes and challenges the kids face as they transition into high school. We’re always here!
Best,
Hayden + Dan
Water Wars and Fly Fishing Fun!
July 7, 2024
Hey there folks!
Dan and Hayden here, back again with another trip update. We hope y’all enjoyed the Fourth of July somewhere warm surrounded by friends, family, and fireworks. It’s amazing how quickly time has flown by! It’s hard to believe we’re nearing the end of our adventure. This group continues to tackle each day with bright smiles and positive attitudes. Despite the hectic pace of the second half of the trip with new activities every day, the students make it look easy and are always eager to lend a hand and contribute. Their respectfulness, politeness, and maturity are truly impressive, constantly raising the bar for 14-year-olds everywhere.
When we woke up on the 4th and everyone was teeming with excitement. We all had lots of fun telling stories about the beach trips, lake trips, mountain trips, etc. that we usually take with our families for the Fourth of July. Although we’re having the time of our lives out here, the kids do miss you all! After breakfast, we headed to Payette Lake to go kayaking up the river. The views were spectacular and the water was crystal clear. Lydia was cracking everyone up as she reprimanded us for splashing her. She and Charlotte managed to snag our hats at one point to get revenge! We ended up having an all-out splashing war with everyone! We made an alliance with Walker and Sam, and our team had 11 paddles at one point (so it’s safe to say we won). Betts and Lucy thought they were slick and asked to join our alliance to get info for the other teams, and we almost fell for it! Meanwhile, Blake and Livia took advantage of the tandem kayaks and spent a lot of the morning letting Will and London handle the paddling while they kicked back and relaxed. We also played kayak tag and raced each other until our arms were tired. At lunchtime, we returned the kayaks and went to a nearby beach on the lake to throw football and enjoy some chicken, bacon, and ranch wraps. Then we went into McCall to check out Liberty Fest, which is their carnival-like celebration for the Fourth. We decided to let them take their town day here to check out the games and food trucks. The kids spent their free time eating sugar for the most part. They went to an ice cream shop, a candy shop, and a gas station for various sweets! Around dinner time, we all met back up and brought a picnic to a park and hung out until dusk when the fireworks started. We had a great view of the show that lasted for about an hour with some of the most spectacular fireworks we’ve ever seen. The colors lit up the entire lake, unlike anything we’d ever seen before. We were exhausted after a long day of fun, so we went back to camp and went straight to bed afterward.
The next day was our first day of fly fishing school. We learned a variety of knots and how to set up a fly rod. We spent most of the morning practicing how to cast and various fly fishing techniques. All of the kids seemed to be naturals, and they picked up a proper cast in no time. After the lesson, we took our rods to a nearby river to practice on our own. Sam, Walker, Michael, and Blake took off with the rods, eager to implement their new fly fishing knowledge. They read the water to find the optimal places to cast their lines. Meanwhile, the rest of us threw the football, played guitar, and swam. Jack, Will, London, and Livia inflated two big rafts and used those to leisurely coast down the current. The laid-back float quickly turned into a raft war and London and Livia were forced to abandon ship. They didn’t mind though because by that point there were rods available to use, so we were able to walk upstream to do some fishing. After the river time, we picked up everything we needed to make breakfast for dinner and an ice cream sundae bar. We went back to camp and had a full-blown feast: bacon, eggs, hash browns, pancakes, and then, of course, the ice cream. The food coma we were all in put us straight to bed.
When we woke up, we headed straight to day two of fishing school. We followed our guides deep into the heart of the Payette National Forest, traveling for over an hour on a rugged dirt road. Along the way, we passed old mining towns and eerie abandoned shelters. The view down to the middle fork of the Salmon River was amazing. It was so fascinating to see a different part of the river we knew so well during rafting from a bird’s-eye view. We hiked to see some five-thousand-year-old Native American pictographs. The drawings were left by the Tukudeka or “Mountain Sheepeater” Tribe. The bright red depictions of dogs and horses were clear as day. It was so surreal to stand right in front of such immaculate pieces of history. Then we spread out along the river to try and catch some Trout. Everyone was able to snag at least one fish, which made the trip worthwhile. Betts caught the most with four, including one huge Cutthroat. After fishing, we headed back to camp for dinner. Lydia and Betts manned the stove, cooking everyone quesadillas and grilled cheese for dinner. London and Michael kindly volunteered for dish crew and then we all played hours of death sac. Jack, Walker, and Sam ran the game and got almost everyone out. Lucy, Will, and Jack grabbed the football and kept everyone occupied until the death sac game wrapped up. Afterwards, we hung out in the pavilion curating a perfect playlist of all our favorite songs from the last two weeks. One by one, kids peeled off and went to bed without us even asking.
Overall, these past few days have been filled with unforgettable adventures and tons of laughter. From kayak battles on Payette Lake to mastering fly fishing on the Salmon, the kids have shown remarkable cohesion, enthusiasm, and upbeat attitudes. As we approach the final stretch of our trip, we’re constantly amazed by their spirit and camaraderie. They’ve made each moment special, and we can’t wait to see what the final days hold. Thank you for sharing this journey with us!
Best,
Hayden + Dan
Off to a Wild West start!
July 4, 2024
Howdy friends and family! We miss you all and hope you’re doing well. Our trip is off to a fantastic start and we could not be more grateful for how awesome this group is. Everyone is so kind, supportive, respectful, courageous and enthusiastic to be here. You’ll never believe it, but we’ve already made our way through four states and two time zones. Before we get to all that, let’s take it from the top.
Airport day was definitely a haul, but no one seemed to mind. It gave us a lot of time to get to know each other right off the bat. We also had time to start developing our hacky sack skills, which has been a huge part of the last week. Poor London and Will were stuck in Salt Lake while their plane was delayed over and over again. They sat a mere 278 miles away for eight hours! Despite the crazy travel day, they were both keen on keeping us updated and showed up with huge smiles and positive attitudes. The rest of the group welcomed them with open arms and boxes of pizza while we loaded everything into the van. We went straight from the airport to the rodeo as an exciting surprise to get everyone pumped to start our wild west adventure. Sam, Jack, Mike and Blake all were inspired by the cowboys and they rode the mechanical bull before we left. I think Sam might even be asked to join the professionals for the next rodeo because he would not fall off that bull! The girls very carefully tried on all the different cowgirl hats before deciding which ones they would finally purchase. I’m so glad we got the hats on the first night because it’s been so fun wearing them throughout our different adventures. They perfectly encapsulate the western charm. After a long day, everyone was exhausted and beyond ready for bed. I’m not sure whether it was because we were too tired to set up tents or if it was the spirit of the rodeo, but we all cowboy camped that night. A night under the stars all together was the perfect way to end day one.
Day two we had our first day of climbing school. After a filling breakfast of oatmeal, fruit and yogurt parfaits, we headed to Teton Village to meet the climbing guides. They got us geared up and then we took Bridger gondola up to 9,095′ of elevation where the climbing took place. Everyone spent the first couple of hours learning some climbing basics. We practiced some traversing and bouldering to get used to the shoes and equipment and then we learned how to tie into the belay. Afterwards, the guides set us up for our first multi-pitch climb. We were so proud of everyone for overcoming their initial fears and successfully completing the climb. Cheers rang through the mountains around us as Lucy and Lydia encouraged their friends to push through the hard sections. The support everyone showed each other was unmatched and a big reason all of the students did so well. Especially after the climb, when we had to hike back up to the gondola. Betts and Charlotte pushed through the hike together. The altitude and steepness was extremely challenging, but they were able to motivate each other to make it to the end. When we left climbing, we all decided a dip in the cool water of the Snake River is exactly what we needed to revive ourselves. London and Livia were the first to take a polar plunge and go all the way under and the boys all followed closely behind. Afterwards, we got in our warmest driest clothes and grilled out. There’s nothing better than hamburgers, hot dogs, watermelon and chips to fill your belly after a long and strenuous day. We played a bunch of rounds of Mafia together, led by Blake, before saying goodnight and getting rested up for another big day.
The next day was day two of climbing school. The guides took us to Jenny Lake for the climb today, which seemed daunting at first. The nerves were high as we took a ferry across the lake and took in the sheer magnitude of the Tetons. The Grand got bigger and bigger as we approached the dock and headed toward the climbing area. The guides set us up on a difficult climb adjacent to the Grand Teton. When we got to the top, we had an amazing view of the Teton Range and Jenny Lake. We were impressed by the courage and strength everyone exemplified during the multi-pitch climb. Some students were worried they couldn’t make it to the top, but they all killed it. We could hardly keep up! We rewarded ourselves at the peak with a leisurely lunch taking in the views and congratulating each other on the feat we all just accomplished. Michael stood out during the climb as a true natural. He very strategically approached some of the most difficult climbing lines and supported everyone around him. After the session, we waved goodbye to the Tetons as we took the ferry back to the other side of Jenny Lake and headed back to camp. When we got back to camp, Walker took no prisoners in a game of death sack, which is a hacky sack with an elimination component. He used his height to his advantage to win almost every point. Meanwhile, Will was able to outrun everyone and win the game of capture the flag the other half of the kids had organized. Some of the other activities included a modified version of dodgeball, spoons and a headstand contest that Lucy won by a landslide. If you can’t tell, this group doesn’t know idle time and they get very creative with campsite activities. We’ve started a list of the games they come up with because they honestly have some of the most fun and creative ideas.
When we woke up, we immediately hit the road for our big travel day to western Idaho. The kids all slept for the first few hours until we got to Costco to replenish our snack collection and grab a quick lunch. Once we got back in the car, Livia started a card game that kept everyone busy for most of the ride. And then Jack gave us some good song suggestions to keep everyone’s energy up for the last couple hours of the trip and before we knew it, we made it. After being cooped up in the van all day, we were pleasantly surprised to find a beach volleyball court at our campground. The kids took a quick dip in the lake and then headed to the court to play an intense volleyball game before dinner. After dinner, we prepped for rafting and went to bed.
Day five marked the first day of our rafting trip, which was so exciting because that is what a lot of the kids were most looking forward to. Our morning started around 5am in order to get to the boats in time, but we didn’t hear one complaint. All 12 kids took advantage of the car ride to the boat ramp to get a couple extra hours of sleep to make sure they were well rested for the big day on the river. The awe inspiring Lower Salmon is a destination for rafters from across the world, so we all felt pretty lucky to be experiencing it ourselves. We did almost 20 miles in four hours and hit multiple level three rapids. As everyone began to get tired and hungry, a massive sandy beach called our names so we decided to call it a day. While the raft guides got dinner together, we successfully kept the volleyball up in the air for 102 consecutive hits, mostly thanks to Betts and Michael who have legit experience. After dinner, Sam set up a soccer field for us to play a short lived but competitive girls v. boys match that ended with the ball rolling into the rapids. The score was 1-1 when the game got cut short, with goals from Walker and Charlotte. I guess we’ll never know for sure, the girls were looking successful having Lucy and Lydia on their team. The rest of the evening consisted of so much laughter, Livia had tears rolling down her face. Blake even fell backwards in his chair at one point because he was laughing so hard. Even though it doesn’t get dark until almost midnight, we all zonked out pretty early after the slam packed day.
The next day was a big push day on the river. We covered a lot of ground, including some of the Salmon’s most technical stretches. Will and Jack fearlessly lead the row boat all day setting the pace for the rest of the team. Meanwhile, Charlotte and Lydia rode the bull through some level three rapids on the lunch boat without ever falling out. London picked up the sticks (or paddles) at one point showing off her crew experience and the guides said she was the best first timer on a raft they’ve ever seen. We even pushed through two level four rapids. The first one was called Snow Hole and the wave clam shelled us causing us to clip the rock of Gibraltar, knocking Betts down into the boat. However, she didn’t skip a beat! She jumped right back up and kept paddling to get us through. The next level four was called China, which is a memorial rapid paying homage to the Chinese indentured servants who came to America for the gold rush. Learning the history about the area of the country we’re exploring has been super mind opening for all of us. We eventually made it to a new campsite where we got to do some fly fishing and play football. London caught two small mouth bass within about a minute and Sam spotted a huge trout, but we weren’t able to snag it. The sun took it out of everyone, so right after dinner the leaders of the day, Lucy and Jack, led us through a meaningful Moonup to close out the day and then we went immediately to bed.
The next morning we had breakfast and got right back on the water for another day of covering lots of ground. We spent almost all day on the river with the exception of lunch where we stopped at a beach overlooking the confluence of the Snake and Salmon Rivers. This confluence also marked our crossing into Oregon from Idaho. We took a moment during lunch to fathom that we were at the point where North America’s two deepest river gorges meet and ultimately flow to the Colombia River and on to the Pacific Ocean! We made it to our Oregon campsite in great time, having plenty of time to get a football game going before dinner. Jack, Betts, Charlotte, Michael and Walker’s team fought hard and won the game, but it was definitely close. After dinner, we set up beds on the beach to cowboy camp for our last night on the river. As we were going to sleep, we watched a vibrant shooting star fly by, leaving a bright orange streak in its path. We all made wishes before falling asleep to the sound of the river.
That finally brings us to today! We woke up this morning and got on the Snake for one last time. We floated down a pretty relaxed section of the river for a few hours until we crossed into Washington. We only hit a few smaller rapids today, but it was nice to have time to reminisce about all off the best parts about our time on the river. Everyone appreciated their final moments surrounded by the beautiful landscape we were lucky enough to call home for the past few days and then we loaded into the van. We’re currently driving back to Idaho and everyone is super excited for all the adventures ahead.
Spending the past week getting to know each kid has truly been a privilege. They are a special group and we have had the time of our lives with them. They all have so much to bring to the table and we’ve loved hanging out with them. They mesh extremely well and I’m confident they will stay in touch and continue their friendships for years to come. We can’t wait to experience new adventures with them over the second half of the trip and we look forward to continuing to spend time with all of them. We hope you all have a wonderful Fourth of July! Whether you’re traveling or staying home, be safe. We’ve got some fun surprises planned for the kids to celebrate the holiday that we’re really excited for. We’ll be back soon to check in again!
Best,
Hayden + Dan
Student Shout outs:
Charlotte: “Hey fam, hope y’all are living the life in Europe! Don’t forget to take pictures for me. I’m having so much fun and I’m never coming home.”
Betts: “Hi mom and dad! I miss you guys, but I’m having the best time. I hope Nantucket is so fun. Love y’all to the moon and back.”
London: “Hi mom and dad! I miss you guys and love you. I’ll see you soon.”
Livia: “Having the best time here! Missya!”
Lydia: “Hey y’all! Having the best time. Miss y’all. By the way, I’m not leaving. I love you!”
Blake: “Sup mom and dad. Wouldn’t be too worried about me, making the best friendships!”
Will: “Hey mom, dad and Matt. It’s a lot of fun up in Wyoming. Have fun in Chicago. Bring me back something French!”
Lucy: “Hey y’all! It’s so pretty up here. Miss y’all. Love you!”
Jack: “This trip has been really fun, but I really miss you guys! Love you.”
Michael: “I’m having a lot of fun and I miss you guys a lot!”
Sam: “I had fun cliff jumping. Just went white water rafting for four days in Oregon, Washington and Idaho. I’ve made lots of new friends and my counselors are awesome. I love you guys!”
Walker: “Hi mom and dad. I miss you and I love you.”
Safe arrival in Jackson!
June 27, 2024
Hello Big Wild Families!
We heard from our leaders yesterday evening that the group landed safely in Jackson Hole! 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
