One Last Update from CAN 1!
June 21, 2024
Hello one last time from Salt Lake City!
After an incredible two weeks, we can’t believe our time has come to a close. Being first time Moondance leaders, we didn’t know exactly what to expect with this group of kids, but they blew us away. From day one, the group bonded in the long car ride to our first campsite and became immediate friends playing around the stream beside camp. Over the course of the trip, we watched each person grow into a more confident, independent, and resilient version of themselves. Each kid became a skilled tent setter upper, Coleman cook, speedy duffel bag packer, and as the kids can explain to you, a successful groover user, too. After two weeks of adventure and fun, we hope your kids have had the experience of a lifetime that we feel we have had with them. In our last few days, we packed in some last minute activities like a fun stay at a lakeside campsite, canyoneering, a much anticipated meal at In-and-Out Burger, and a banquet dinner to send us off. Before winding up the beautiful mountain road to find the tucked away lake, we hit the grocery store to hold us over for the few days left after rafting. We’ve learned that grocery shopping can be so fun when you and eleven 14 and 15 year olds take over the store popping watermelon, cheese and cracker “appetizers”, and other little treats into the cart. It’s even more entertaining when you are a leader and push the filled cart to the van, only to find the doors open, window down, and a car full of kids singing along to their carefully crafted “UTAH” playlist. The next morning, we were up early for our day of canyoneering. Bailey and Thomas most certainly conquered their fear of heights by this point, as they both confidently rappelled down the 80ft canyon, and were even the first of the group to go. Lila stepped up next, which was no surprise as she is always eager to be the first belay. Of course this morning was one of the only cooler days that we had, knowing we would be jumping fully clothed into the chilly water in between each rappel. Augie and Thomas dove in the water with no hesitation, while Libby and Ella braced themselves and jumped into the water together. Once the whole group was through, we sprawled out on some big rocks to dry in the warm sun. Our last day was arguably one of the best, even despite it being our cleaning day. After putting our true packing skills to the test, we scrubbed our precious van until she shined. Of course, the hard work had to be followed by some well deserved In-and-Out, a classic western burger restaurant. Nate was convinced he would eat 15 burgers as soon as he laid eyes on them, but luckily, they were good enough to have just one. After lunch, it was time to raid the thrift store for our ridiculous banquet outfits. The elected theme for dinner was Bailey and Harper’s tacky wedding. Not only did we find the bride a stunning Goodwill dress, but the bride and groom spent a whopping three dollars on their tokens of love – their rings. Molly was quick to find her flowery bridesmaid dress, while Jesse took his time finding the most hilarious groomsman outfit. Libby and Ella stumbled upon matching dresses to wear as Harper’s maids of honor, and Bea looked like a true flower girl with her silky gold dress and stylish denim vest…After some much needed showers, we became the most radiant wedding party you’ve ever seen… or at least that Park City Roadhouse Grill has ever seen. We ate a family style dinner, with Woods and Winborne at the heads of the table – only fitting as the mother of the bride and father of the groom. And we cherished the last meal we had together with this fabulous Canyonlands 1 group. To top it all of, Bailey carried Harper out of the restaurant, like a true gentleman on his wedding night.
We hope the few stories we have shared are only the beginning of what you hear from your kids. This was one heck of a group, and we are so thankful to know them. Their energy is contagious and so fun to be around. If you are a camper reading this, WE LOVE YOU!! We will miss you so much, but have a fantastic rest of the summer!
Love, Winborne and Woods
Greetings from Utah!
June 20, 2024
It has been another eventful past few days out here in the west. We started off day 6 early with a 7:00 am climb to beat the heat. We watched in amazement as Bea showed us her amazing climbing skills and applauded Bailey and Thomas for conquering their fear of heights. We not only climbed up but also belayed back down to the parking lot rather than taking the hike. After this, we drove to Dead Horse Point, an overlook above the Colorado River where we would raft in the near future. Legend has it that around the turn of the century, cowboys would use this corral for wild mustangs roaming the mesa top, where they would die on the waterless point. We watched the sunset behind Canyonlands’ sculpted pinnacles and buttes as our Leaders of the Day (LODs) Molly and Jesse led us through our nightly Moonup routine.
The next day, we spent hiking to Mesa Arch in Canyonlands National Park, exploring Moab, and driving around Arches National Park. While in Moab, we stopped at Milt’s for a burger and shake, a Moondance classic. Afterward, we enjoyed some time in town where we bought souvenirs. Augie and Thomas bought matching dew rags, which gave the group a good laugh. That night, we stayed at a higher elevation campground to escape the heat. We quickly came to enjoy the cool mountain air and watching the deer.
The next morning was another early start as we hit the Colorado River for our 4-day rafting trip. The first two days were mellow, and we all enjoyed getting some time to relax after such a busy past week. When the raft got too hot, we hopped into the river and floated instead. After each long day of rafting, we would set up camp for the night on the sandy shores. Harper and Ella led the group in some drip castle making, while Nate and Ella dug a 30ft long trench in the sand. Later, Libby, Nate, Ella, and Bea played Bocce ball while the rest of us sat around the campfire, talking and listening to Lila work on her guitar skills.
The third day of rafting was the one we had all been waiting for – the day of rapids. We all held on to the rafts with white knuckles and braced ourselves as we cut through the 15ft waves. After much anticipation from the kids, it’s safe to say the rafting trip exceeded our high expectations. To end our last Moonup on the Colorado River, the kids performed a special Father’s Day rendition of “Escape (The Pina Colada Song)” for Woods. To all you dads – Happy belated Father’s Day from all the kids! We’ve loved hearing how much these kids look up to you. As our trip begins to come to a close, we can’t wait to soak in these last moments with your amazing children!
All the best,
Woods and Winborne
Hi from Utah!
June 14, 2024
The first few days of exploring has been incredible. To say we are having a good time is an understatement. While it has only been a few short days, we have a had a whirlwind of fun fly fishing, hiking, and bonding at our camp sites. This group of kids has kicked off the summer with an unmatched energy that I know is going to make these two weeks fly by. After a long day of traveling and a beautiful drive through our first siting of bright red rocks, we arrived at camp where the kids learned how to set up their new homes for the next few weeks – the tents. We did a few classic ice breaker to introduce the group, as expected by the kids, and tucked in early to start the trip off on the right foot.
For our first full day, we were up and at ‘em to catch the early morning serge of Tiger Trout. The fish were being stubborn, but a few patient fishermen had some bites. Bailey and Molly had the magic touch, whether you consider it luck or skill, they were the only two who reeled in a fish. Harper and Ella were successful too, with the help of our awesome guides and a trusty fish net, they waded in the water to get up close and personal with those stubborn trout. For the rest of the afternoon we hung out at camp like true campers do, and played ultimate frisbee, card games, and explored around the stream by the campsite. During ultimate frisbee, Jesse, Augie, and Nate wracked up their points with ease, despite Bea’s lockdown defense. That evening, Bailey and Libby, our first LODs (Leaders of the Day) prepared a delicious spaghetti dinner, all thanks to Bailey’s cheffing expertise. We ended the night with a sunset watch and Moonup by the lake that we began the day fly fishing in.
Day three was what some might call a perfect day. Our new LODs, Lila and Augie, helped us prepare breakfast burritos to fill the group up for our first hike through the beautiful Bryce Canyon. The boys ran through the steep hike with ease, proving their everlasting energy, while the girls took their time gazing at the magnificent structures around them. Thanks to Nate’s constant jokes, Bailey’s one liners, Bea’s out of pocket humor, and Thomas’s goofiness, this day was a blast! After the hike and another drive, the entire van was awestruck as we entered the massive red canyons of Zion National Park. At this point, I think the whole group realized just how excited we were to embark on the rest of our adventures through the Canyonlands.
The next day, we set out for a hike over the river and through the woods, except this hike was through the river and in some really big rocks. We hiked the Narrows which consisted of towering canyons of flat rock that were split by a river that the kids hiked about 8 miles through. Harper, Lila, Libby, and Ella held hands the whole way, supporting each other through every rocky, wet, and hilly area. The intricate rocks tried time and again to be obstacles to us hikers, but Molly wouldn’t give them a fighting chance, Augie and Thomas avoided them fully as they floated down the river, and Jesse became a balancing pro as he skipped from rock to rock. We ended the day with some much deserved ice cream and burgers, which were cooked to perfection thanks to Nate’s expertise.
Our last day up to this point, consisted of a travel day to the famous town of Moab and the rocky surrounding areas. To pass time in the car, we’ve had fun culturing each other in our various music tastes. We leaders have played Led Zeppelin, Jimmy Hendrix, and The Avett Brothers in hopes to get the kids hooked, but have been met with lots of requests for Kanye West, Morgan Wallen, and Kendrick Lamar, which we are learning to love. Our group arrived at the Moab campsite, which was the coolest place we’ve stayed so far. Billowing rock structures stood in front of and under us, perfectly placed to watch the bright orange sunset as we ate dinner. This was also the first night that the kids decided to cowboy camp, which for those of you who don’t know, is camping under the stars with no tent! We’ve had no shooting star sitings, but are hopeful that they are yet to come.
We are so impressed by these kids, and have had the best time getting to know their amazing personalities. Our little family is holding up here, and excited for so much more to come! Thank you for giving us the opportunity to spend this quality time with your people. They are a blast!
All our best,
Winborne and Woods
- Libby Certain : Hi mom! Hi dad! I miss y’all so so much. And tell tiny and marg I miss them too. These places are all gorgeous. And I’ve made so many friends! Have y’all seen the pictures?! The group is actually so fun! 2 weeks feels soooo long and I’m ready to see y’all! And get home LOL! I can’t wait to tell you guys all about this and show y’all all of the pictures. I got 2 postcards for yall and I think we’re mailing them soon!! Also – mom – I wrote down the answers to your questions and I will read them to you when I’m home! Water rafting is the last thing we do. And – dad – We went repelling and rock climbing today and we are repelling again next week!!! This group is so funny we’re always laughing. I can’t wait to see y’all !! 1 more week !!! I love you all sooo much. And I miss you so much!!!!!! Xoxo -lib 💗❤️🫶🏻😘
- Harper Harrell: Hello Madre and Podre! I am having so much fun! I made friends so that’s good and we have done a lot of fun stuff. We still haven’t done water rafting but we did so much and I saw the prettiest sunset ever that was over the canyon! I can’t wait to show u all the pics and vids. The food is okay but I REALLY REALLY want a shower and a real bed cuz I haven’t had either since I left. I haven’t gotten homesick yet but I like I might be soon. I miss y’all SO MUCH AND I LOVE YALL SO MUCH! Love Harper!💗
- Lila Jennings: Hi mom and dad! I miss y’all so much but I’m also having so much fun hiking, rock climbing, fly fishing, and so much other things. Tell Poppy, Skippy, and Disco I miss them. I hope that Houston is not as hot as it is here! I love y’all see you in a week! P.S. I miss Mitzi too
- Bea McAleer – Hey Frances, Oscar, Mom, and Dad. I miss y’all but I’m having lots of fun on the trip! We slept in Zion and Arches national parks. We also visited Bryce Canyon it was beautiful! Make sure to give Oscar lots of hugs for me! And mom don’t worry I’m wearing sunscreen. Miss and love y’all, can’t wait to see you guys back in Boston. Happy early Father’s Day Dad!
- Love, Bea
- Ella Rivers:Hey mama and dad!! I miss y’all so much and I love yall so much. We’ve done hikes and Zion is amazing. Last night was the prettiest campsite and it was so pretty. Today I climbed down a canyon and swam in river. I miss my shower and bed and all of y’all. Tell Hannah I love and miss her so much. I love y’all and I can’t wait to see y’all.
- Molly Ryan: Hey, guys! I’m having lots of fun so far, don’t worry about me and I’ll see you soon!
Canyonlands 1 Boys:
- Baily Bryant: hello from utah
- Augie Hillenbrand Hi mom and dad. Im having a lot of fun and I don’t wanna come home because of how much fun. I have made many great friends. Miss you and love you !
- Jesse Kumin – Hey guys, can’t wait to see you soon and tell you all about the trip!
- Nate Loeffelholz – Hi mom, dad, katy, and probably Will it’s 106 F but I’m having fun love you all and I want steak in shake when I get home a burger fries and a mint Oreo milk shake a hot shower and clean clothes in my own bed!
- Thomas Mason – Hi mom and dad. I’m having fun and miss you both. See you soon.
Safe Arrival to SLC!
June 8, 2024
Hello Canyolands Families!
We heard from our leaders this afternoon that the group has landed safely in Salt Lake City and is headed to their first campsite! The group is excited to finally be together, and we are so excited to hear more about their adventures over the next couple weeks!
Please remember our leaders and students will be unplugged during their trips, but we will be posting trip updates throughout the next two weeks! 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
