An Unforgettable Adventure: Two Weeks in the Western Wilderness
July 27, 2024
Today marks the end of our team’s two week adventure in this epic western landscape. We played hard, zip lining over Jackson’s iconic ski mountain, running through an oasis, kayaking and rafting through narrow sounds and broad river stretches, and finally, rock climbing in the Grand Tetons. After such endless fun, however, it seems that hindsight has shrunken the duration into a blurry whirlwind of laughter and music, and we find ourselves at a loss to recollect the specifics that made up the magic. Certain moments certainly prevail, don’t get it twisted. We will never forget Sutton’s goldfish fiasco, Parker’s (AKA Russ’) pawn shop, Will’s fried chicken, William’s (Weam’s) accent, McConnell’s comprehensive packing, Beau’s rotisserie chicken… etc — but perhaps such collective amnesia of the two weeks derives from the extent to which we lived in the moment: the fleeting, intangible nature of genuine happiness, the blissful blur of its recollection. By the trip’s tail end, the different ways in which everybody came to terms with this paradox was powerful and quite poignant. Every moment was embraced to its core, even through the wistful implication that it was the conclusion of something beautiful. Emily and Cam cherished the final moments of their newfound friendship. Emerson climbed every route on the wall, at least once, with significant belaying to boot. Laine and Sutton, in vain efforts to prevent the melancholy of the trip’s finality, stayed up until the crack of dawn as a method of preserving the magic. By the time we arrived at the airport, it was perhaps the first time we could safely declare that Charlie was not a happy camper. The snow capped Titans jutted out from the pink, smoke-blurred horizon. The climbing routes beckoned with agonizing temptation. All the wonders of the Big Wild hung beyond us unbearably, and there, we were pinching ourselves to see it go. Must there be a limit to our adventures? Must the fun stop there?
During our first day climbing, after Laine demonstrated inspiring perseverance in the face of a daunting descent, and Emerson and Sutton competed in a high intensity race to the top of a rock, a wandering black bear was spotted. Among a crowd of bewildered tourists, wielding cameras in one hand and bear spray in the other, it was Moondance, ever composed and seasoned to the thrill, that took appropriate precautions to the cub’s innocent intrusion. Huddled safely behind our trusting guides, we took in the scene purely as it happened, without the distraction of having to broadcast it to the outside world, sans selfie stick, tripod, and the back to the beast with a filtered lens. As the bear wandered, Simon, our Alaskan guide, yelled at it to scram, and all of us were mesmerized by the effortless bravery that we had just witnessed. Although nothing could have made the trip better than it already was, this was the icing on the cake, especially for Will, who had been hoping for a bear sighting through the duration. Grand finales come in different varieties however, and Russ might argue that the real last hoorah was the town fair. Taylor hung back with the newly acquired cowboy hats as the band embarked on their last ride. Charlie and William bought delicious cheesy French fries for the group as a reward to congratulate the efforts, and everybody devoured thankfully while stunting the swagger of their new (fake) tattoos. The boys got Batman on their shoulders and the girls got mountains on their wrists. Laine and Russ jammed out with all their heart to the sound of the music on our scenic van route home. Finally back at camp, cowboy campers snuggled in their bags reluctant to see the excitement fade away. All fantastic groups are alike; each fantastic group is fantastic in their own way. But this group was different. Polite and thoughtful. Selfless and willing to help at the drop of a hat. Funny and endlessly entertaining. Sydney and I will miss it terribly. They had us in stitches. It was truly the experience of a lifetime and we cannot thank you enough for making it happen. Long live the veggie van and its motley veggie band!
Sincerely, Taylor and Sydney
An Incredible Rafting Adventure!
July 23, 2024
Continuing the adventure, we put our newly polished fishing skills to the test, following the guides into a remote location of the Salmon river. Ancient Native American cave drawings, more than 4,000 years old, etched magnificently behind us as we let out our lures. Although Taylor’s group didn’t have any luck catching fish, Charlie honed in on his craft by learning how to extend his cast by significant length. He and Will fished patiently through the lull in action, and took it upon themselves to swim to the other bank for the chance of a better shot. Sydney’s team saw more luck, and McConell caught the most fish with characteristic quality through an air of nonchalance. It was hot and we decided to end the outing early when the fish stopped biting. Fate prevented such perfunctory an exit, however, our tire popped on a sharp edge as we left the winding road. Over the course of the next two hours, we were fortunate to become acquainted with the delightful aid of Idaho’s camping population, as well as the bounty of our own groups largesse. At the drop of a pin, an entire cohort of conveniently passing vacationers engaged in refilling our tire with pressure. Meanwhile in the van, Emerson and Laine initiated a group wide Sandwich line to raise morale. Once we got enough pressure in the tire we bid adieu to the friendly helpers and left for a nearby haberdashery. The team went inside for world class huckleberry ice cream as the leaders worked with the shop owner to put on the spare. As this undertaking transpired, the culprit of the debacle was revealed: a toe nail clipper lodged like a knife beneath the rubber. Everyone laughed as the scoops melted into the hot ground, and we hit the road once again for a rewarding ride back to McCall. Hot Dogs and Hamburgers were cooked that night at the campsite, and everyone enjoyed the grounds of the lovely ponderosa tree lined forest, with Sydney, Emerson, Sutton, Parker, Will, and Beau even braving the cold lake for a nighttime swim. They howled from the lake’s water as the full moon made an appearance over the clearing. It was breathtaking. Charlie and Emily pulled off a hilarious skit for Moonup and we went to bed pleasantly exhausted after an epic day
The sun rose early and marked the start of our biggest adventure yet: overnight rafting on the Salmon. This three night long journey was the unanimous highlight of the trip and I am at a loss in attempting to describe its magic. The days were hot, scorching hot, but the perfect coolness of the transparent blue salmon offered a constant relief. We started the trip in girl and boy boats, and bonded with one another as we got to know the guides through the mellow currents. Over the next few days, we would wake up in our sleeping bags on the white sandy beach campsite, roll into breakfast after packing up our gear into dry bags, and embark on the rafts for a day on the water. The guides spoiled us with amazing food, and we quickly got into the swing of things at the first lunch stop, when sandwiches were prepared as the gang scattered to pursue their own individual destinies. Beau quickly emerged as the rock skipping MVP. Sutton and Parker swam into the deepest depths of the lake in search of Idaho’s own Mariana Trench. The girls freshened up on their tans. Everyone jumped on a make ship slipping slide, brought together by a raft and a team of splashers. There were genuine Mediterranean views. Crystal clear waters encased by jagged quarts walls. Everyone cliff jumped and belted music on calmer stretches. Everyone swam through currents and let the water glide them through long stretches of lazy rivers. Arriving at camp each night, such lounging and antics continued before a beautiful dinner was prepared by the guides. One night, the girls went to an orchard to collect fresh fruit and were interrupted by a family of deer. After interacting with the wildlife, they brought the apples to the kitchen and a delish cobbler was prepared for dessert. During another activity, we put the rafts together and commenced a game of boat wars wherein players attempted to reach the guide of the other boat without getting pushed over the edge. Through these activities, everyone learned the magic that comes with living in the moment. William always brought meaningful contributions to Moonup, and inspired others with his maturity during those more serious moments. Cam retained a remarkably positive attitude through stressful moments on high stakes currents, and was impressed with her adventurous spirit throughout the length. It was truly an unforgettable few days and we are so pleased with the way the students came together and embraced the fun.
With sadness we packed up our gear and finished the final stretch of the river in the early morning. The group sat and took in the remaining views before hopping back into the veggie van (we named our van this). The crew thanked our guides and we were off. The car ride entailed the kids getting ahead on their summer reading and requesting songs to be played on the speaker. We drove for a couple hours taking in the vast views that the Wild West had to offer. After the long haul we surprised the kid with some Chick-fil-A for dinner. There was a cheer heard throughout the whole van. The kids were so extremely thankful. Their manners are so excellent, it was really sweet to be thanked even hours after our feast. Overall just a fantastic group. After dinner we arrived at our campsite where showers awaited us. Everyone enjoyed a spa hour refreshing themselves after the last couple of days on the river. The group went to bed giggling after a great moon up with the stars looking down at us.
We can’t thank the parents enough for sending this group on this trip. It’s been a pleasure getting to know every single one of them. They all have such big hearts and love to help out in any way possible. It’s been such a great time tapping into our child-like side and enjoying every moment to the fullest. Thank you for raising them so well and teaching them to be respectful young adults. We have cherished every second of this trip and cannot wait to soak up these last few days.
Sincerely,
Taylor and Sydney
First hello from Big Wild 5A!
July 18, 2024
BGW5A began the trip with remarkably fast friendships and positive attitudes. Patiently waiting at the airport for all of the team members to filter in, we got to know each other in the courtyard outside of the baggage claim, playing hacky sack and card games. The space was quickly adopted as our own, and before we knew it, a pizza dinner was enjoyed on its picnic tables as airline attendants walked by with curious glances. “Who are these exuberant youths,” they seemed to wonder, “and why are they so chipper and polite?” On our van ride to the campsite, Sydney and I asked ourselves the same question. We swam and set up camp and were consistently impressed by the high group morale and general sense of friendliness. We went to bed knowing that our final group of the summer was going to be one for the books.
On the zip lines, everybody soaked in the thrill of fast-paced gliding, including the steepest zip line in North America. Emerson demonstrated particular poise in the often frightening high-altitude flights by self-rescuing herself upon losing momentum at the start. We took the alpine sled back to base, where Taylor and Sutton raced down in a treacherous pursuit of glory to be first. Although Sutton barely won, by the skin of his teeth, the resulting triumph made for a day’s worth of bragging rights, of which he never ceased to remind the group. After a sandwiches picnic in a field, we shuttled to Idaho for our next round of activities. More than a few highlights punctuated the scenic drive, including the world’s first nuclear-powered city, moon craters filled with volcanic rock, and Sydney’s life-altering observation about yellow cars always being sighted next to red ones. We slept, stocked up on a healthy assortment of gas station junk, and belted music with the windows down before arriving at our sand dune campsite for a delicious pasta dinner over the scenic views. Emerson and Beau, the LODs (leaders of the day), led us in commendable maturity through our first student-led Moonup, and we went to sleep eager to sleep off the travel day’s restlessness.
The next morning, the girls packed up camp swiftly as the boys straggled behind. See, the night before, the former made the wise decision of sleeping in tents, while the latter preferred the more manly task of sleeping in their bags under the moon. The disheveled stargazers, swatting flies off the seams, rolled into breakfast with cowlicks protruding like pompadours from their shaggy hair. It was to be their final night without a tent. Finally making it to the dunes, Parker rolled into the soft sand with pure unadulterated bliss, crashing into softer patches like a happy rag doll. Charles and Beau left the site with sticky grains caked tightly on every part of their bodies. With music down and windows up, our sand-soaked dune buggy was off to McCall for a town day visit with a view. Soaking in the sun and swimming in the lake, we stopped at a local restaurant for a highly satisfying dinner and finished off the evening with large portions of mountain-high scoops.
The following morning we arose to a lakeside view and the sun greeting us for the day with pink and orange hues. The crew gathered their gear for the day and headed towards the beautiful shores of Payette Lake. The group was off to kayak the morning waters of the Payette River filled with beautiful marshlands and wildlife hiding from our loud voices. Everyone took in the mirror-like reflections of the trees as we glided towards Sydney’s favorite swim spot, a nice sandy beach tucked in our kayak route. Everyone hopped out of their kayaks and took a plunge into the cold depths. We hung out in the sun until we felt like continuing to paddle. On our way out of the river, we were pleasantly surprised with a mama moose! She stood with her twins trailing behind. It was a once-in-a-lifetime run-in. Emily has officially made her favorite animal a moose. Cam and she, sharing a tandem kayak, sat together amazed by what we were experiencing. Sydney had waited all summer to see these moose as the kayak rental company told her in early June about these three.
After the wonderful morning on the water, we found a nice pull-off to enjoy some lunch on the way to the trailhead of our hike. We indulged in some peanut butter and Nutella sandwiches with a select few throwing in a touch of pretzels. We topped it off with some clementines and apples. It was a great lunch with a view! Our hike was short but sweet. We steadily inclined 0.7 miles up with Dr. Seuss-like flowers scattering the trail. The kids were blown away. No longer did Idaho just mean potato fields. It now meant mountains covered with trees going for miles with touches of snow dusting the tops. It now meant alpine lakes tucked in mountain tops waiting to be swum in. And that’s exactly what we did. We reached the top of Josephine Lake and immediately everyone agreed: We’re going in. Everyone jumped in and were greeted with some pretty chilly water. Nonetheless, the group worked together to encourage everyone to take a plunge. McConnell was hesitant at first, but with a wet hug from Sydney and her best friend Emily by her side, she slipped below the surface. It was so much fun! Hands down the best day of the summer. What made it so extremely special was every single one of the kids saying that it was the best day of their life. “One of the best things I have ever done.” Taylor and I were on cloud nine. Not every day does the group cohesively thank you for showing them a spot such as Josephine. After swimming forever, we made our trek back down. Back at camp, the cooking crew stepped in and made a delicious steak dinner with asparagus, salad, and mushrooms. Cam, originally not liking steak, loved the meal so much! 10/10 day.
On our fifth day of the trip, we spent the morning learning how to fly fish with amazing local guides. We gathered in a field and they taught us how to tie knots and assemble the reels and eventually how to cast with increasingly longer amounts of line. After practicing, we went to a hole in the river to identify the type of flies we would be casting. Everyone listened attentively to the guide’s fascinating erudition about the local nymphs, hatches, and eddies. Wrapping up around noon, we cliff jumped into cold water before lunch. Everybody cheered Laine on as she faced her fear of heights on the elevated fall. We were so proud of her! The team celebrated our feats with a charcuterie lunch over the lake and wrapped up the past few days of adventure with a calmer afternoon of swimming, group games, and tanning. We are so thrilled to be in the presence of such hardworking, adventurous, fun, and kind company. The past days have been an absolute privilege and we cannot wait for all the bonding and lifetime experiences that are to come.
Sincerely,
Taylor and Sydney
SHOUTOUTS
McConnell: Hey Fam! Love + Miss yall lots! Can’t wait to see you!
Charlie- Hey Mom, Love yall It’s so much fun.
Parker- Hi family! Hope yall and the pets are doing well, im having so much fun, love you so much! See you soon! Tell dad to make free time for Aireforce 1
Beau- Hi guys hope yall are doing good. I’m having a great time. Love and miss you.
Emily- Hey Mom + Dad I miss ya’ll so much. I have met friends that are amazing! I’m having blast love you!!
Laine- Hey Mom+Dad+Hope+Kate! Love and miss yall! Everyone here is so nice and fun and im having the best time! We’ve been listening to lots of Zach Bryan! Love yall.
Will- Hi mom and dad and mason. Camp is super fun and everyone here is nice. Love you.
William- What’s cooking. Having a lit time. Lost half my blood to mosquitos but I am ok. See y’all in 8 days.
Emerson- we’re on day 5, we haven’t done climbing or rafting yet, but we went to a lake up in the mountains and it was huge and freezing and we had it all to ourselves. We also went to another spot with a cliff jump. The water’s cold but land’s like, really hot, haven’t used a single jacket. Love ya!
Cam- hey mom and dad I miss yall so much! I have had the best time! Love yall.
Save arrival in Jackson Hole!
July 14, 2024
Hello Big Wild Families!
We heard from our leaders yesterday evening that the group landed safely in Jackson Hole and are anxiously awaiting Laine’s arrival this morning! 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
