So Long From Canyonlands
July 9, 2024
Things are starting to wind down here out west, but we could not be happier with all we have accomplished over the past couple weeks! The rafting trip was an absolute blast. It started off pretty calm the first couple of days, but the kids soon came to realize how the rafting outfitter got its name – Mild to Wild. The first two days were indeed mild, full of sunbathing, listening to music, and floating down the Colorado River. Hayden and Penn were always eager to jump in whenever the guides allowed, floating alongside the raft in the cool water. The rest of the group was never far behind. After a day of floating down the river, we beached for the night and set up camp. Sammy, Nicholas, and Laurel enjoyed a fun game of Bocce ball on the sandy beaches the first night, while the others circled up to hang out in their beach chairs.
The second day was much of the same activities with lots of sunbathing, swimming, and relaxing. Belle, Ellie, Glenn and Parker put their game faces on and rivaled each other in a game of two-hand touch football; that is until the rafting guides set up the game of Hunker Down. This is a river runner classic game where each competitor stands on one of two metal containers and plays tug of war with a long piece of rope. Our competitive sides were exposed and some hands were torn with rope burn, which was totally worth the hours of pure entertainment we got from the simple game. After patiently waiting, the third day finally arrived for the culmination of the rafting trip. It was rapid day. Elliot, Willa, Cece and Blair all laid on the bow of the boat, taking the waves head on. The water surged over the front of the boat, crashing down on the campers, proving the wild side of “Mild to Wild”. Everyone was soaked, smiling, and laughing the whole way down. The fourth and final day we had to move on with our trip, a bittersweet parting with the river and canyon we came accustomed to. After four days of comradery and time well spent on the river, our group was closer than ever. We had one final drive back to the Salt Lake City area, which the kids loved a surprising amount. They like to compare the van rides to the rafting trip – hang out time just without water! We arrived at camp ready to embark on our final day of cleaning, packing, and banquet. After a quick van clean out, we stopped for lunch at the classic In-and-Out Burger, a much deserved treat. We then headed to Goodwill, where the kids raided the store for funny outfits that we would wear for our final banquet dinner. We embraced our silliness walking around in public dressed in crazy outfits, where onlookers were clearly amused. We enjoyed a delicious meal of Mexican food, which came close to topping the fajita bowls that Winborne and Woods cooked while we were camping… After, we headed back to camp for one last Moonup with this incredible group of kids.
Our time spent with your people in the Canyonlands and all around Utah has been one for the books. We are so thankful to have gotten to know each and every one of your kids. They are funny, kind, and responsible young people, who we have watch grow even more throughout our time out west. Thank you for giving us this incredible opportunity to have an experience of a lifetime with them!! We will miss them dearly.
All our best,
Winborne Broughton and Woods McCormick
Update from Canyonlands!
July 3, 2024
Hi from the Canyonlands! Our first week with this group of Moondancers has been an absolute blast! We’ve explored all over Utah from Bryce Canyon and Zion National Park, to Moab and of course, Canyonlands National Park. Our roadtrips have consisted of lots of Zach Bryan listening, craning necks to play the card game Pres, and stopping at gas stations to try every kind of sunflower seed, from ranch to dill pickle. While we have found every which way to entertain ourselves during the journeys from site to site, we have also had an incredible time fly fishing in Panguitch Lake, hiking the Narrows of Zion, and rock climbing the big red structures that Moab has to offer. In the process, this group has clicked together like one big family.
The first day of activities consisted of fly fishing and a surprise trip to the rodeo! I’m not sure if the kids had more fun fly fishing, or working behind the counter of the local gas station to get their fishing licenses. The sweet woman who has worked behind the counter of the convenient store took a liking to the kids, and let Belle and Ellie play cashier, while the rest of us hung out behind the counter like we owned the place! One we got our licenses, we waded in the water and threw out our lines, hoping for some fish bites. Sammy, Laurel, and Winborne lucked out and got the prime fishing spot – the john boat in the middle of the lake. Laurel successfully reeled in a Rainbow fish, while Sammy caught the whole experience on his GoPro. After a little rain shower and some hang out time at camp, we hopped in the van and headed to the rodeo. Hayden loved the show so much that he wanted to participate, which was quickly denied, to his disappointment. Watching the cowboys cling onto their horses and bulls immediately allowed the kids to embrace the western culture, which Parker later continued with his cowboy hat purchase during our town day in Moab.
Next, we headed to Zion National Park, where we were greeted by towering red rocks, in the deep winding canyon. Around here, any source of water is met with extreme enthusiasm by the kids, as they are always eager to swim after spending their days in the desert-like country. We played in the swimming hole by the campsite and got our first taste of a stream to float down, in prep for the upcoming rafting trip. The next morning Woods cooked a pancake breakfast of pictures, including Willa’s requested pig, a mountain scene for Penn, and an attempted chicken. We headed to the Narrows with full bellies and some nervous excitement as we headed into our longest hike of the session. We trudged through water deep enough for us to carry our bags above our heads. Nicholas hiked with ease at the front of the line the whole time, leading the way for the rest of the campers.
Our next big activity was rock climbing outside of Moab. Elliott had a blast scrambling up the rock faces up to the top. This was his favorite activity yet! The next day we canyoneered, going down the rocks instead of up. Blair mastered this technique, looking calm cool and collected the whole way down. She even stopped for a photo shoot! After rappelling, we spent the day exploring the town of Moab. Cece and Willa got a matching pair of “fish flops”, while Glenn decided on a pair of goofy shorts to hike in. Penn and Laurel have found a new passion for fly fishing, even getting up early to fish with Woods one morning. They are both quick learners!
The first week has flown by, which is just a testament to how fun this group of kids is. While the first half of the trip was amazing, we have even higher hopes for the second half. Everyone is pumped for the rafting trip, and as leaders we can’t wait to see how this group continues to grow together. While the beginning of the trip is fun because the friends and the place are new, there is something to be said for the second half of each trip. After spending a night looking out over Dead Horse Point, we felt the group dynamics shift up to an even more bonded level. We began to click as a group in a way that we hadn’t yet, as we squeezed laughs out of each other (if you know the game, you know), the kids pulled pranks on the leaders, and we circled up for a cohesive Moonup at the end of the day. This is the stuff that makes Moondance so special. We are so excited to have your kids here and have absolutely loved getting to know them so far. Thank you for giving us this opportunity to have a trip of a lifetime with them!
All our best, Winborne and Woods
Safe Arrival in Salt Lake City!
June 25, 2024
Hello Canyonlands 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
