Adventures and Aerial Views: NLT 2B's Unforgettable Alaska Finale!
July 26, 2024
Our final hello from Alaska!
These past few days have offered us our last tastes of adventure all together, as a group. After our backpacking section, we unpacked our backpacking bags and packed up our dry bags for a quick turnaround to the Matanuska River to go white water rafting/float. We jumped right in by paddling down some class 4 rapids! We screamed and laughed and some of us got soaked in the frigid glacier waters. It was some of the most exciting white water that any of us had ever seen! After an exciting morning section down the river, we stopped for lunch, changed our clothes, got some treats at the coffee shack near the main lodge, and loaded back on our rafts for an easy-going float down the river to our river-side campsite. Once we arrived to our campsite, we spent the rest of the day talking by the river, playing with a volleyball that we found left behind by another group, and just soaking in our final moments together as a group. We ate a hearty dinner of spaghetti and garlic bread, made for us by our river guides, and finished the night off with freshly made brownies. The next morning we hopped back onto the river and finished our float trip down to Chickaloon. Once we had taken our boats off of the river and packed all of our personal gear back into our duffels, we all shared an award-winningly delicious lunch (chicken caesar wraps) and then waited for our beloved charter bus to pick us up and take us to Talkeetna, Alaska for our final section. After a long and restful bus ride, we arrived to Talkeetna and immediately started to get ready for our Denali flight tour! We shoved all of our things inside of our tents and began walking to our air taxi service. Soon after, our pilot gave us a quick safety briefing, we got into our plane, put on our headsets, and took off for Denali! As we flew towards Denali, it quickly became clear how amazing this land truly is. There was not an angel or view point that did not offer chilling beauty. As we flew closer to Denali, the mountains began to surround us on all sides. We saw glaciers that stretched for miles and mountains that made us feel microscopic. It was truly an unbelievable experience. Once our plane landed, we hopped off and walked over to the charming town of Talkeetna to find a place for our “banquet” dinner. We ended up at the homiest pizza restaurant. It had a massive wooden porch adorned with paintings of wildflowers, colorful prayer flags, and a cozy atmosphere. After a giant dinner and a quick ice cream stop, we walked back to our campsite and shared our very last moonup all together. The next day we woke up early to break down camp and take a quick shower before heading back over to Talkeetna to have the heavily anticipated town-day. We walked around the one street town in search of the perfect trinkets to take back home with us. Tate, Bridget, and Vaeda all got matching pajama pants with a giant bear printed across them – it is quite the statement to say the least. After a successful day on the town, we walked back to camp and waited for our last charter bus to pick us up to take us to the airport.
We done-did it! We successfully finished one of the most challenging trips of our lives! It has been an incredible 3 weeks with some of the best kids that we have ever had the pleasure of meeting. We cannot thank you enough for sharing them with us and allowing us to get to know them and learn from and through them. I can say with confidence that I have never met a group of young adults as inspiring, unique, capable, and independent as Max, Parker, Vaeda, Tate, Bridget, and Hunter are.
To our kids:
Thank you guys for being the amazing people that you are. We have learned so much from you all these past 3 weeks and you have forever impacted who we are. We mean that. Each of you is so special. Remember what you learned about yourselves and the world while out here in these hills and continue seeking to be challenged and to find comfort in the uncomfortable. We miss you already and we love you so much. Don’t ever, ever be a stranger. We will always be here for you. <3
With gratitude,
Grace, Vann, and James
A "Bould" Adventure
July 23, 2024
Hello again!
These past 8 days have flown by and we can’t wait to tell you all about it. It is hard to believe that our time in the backcountry has come to an end – It feels as though it went by too quickly. We began our first day eager and ready to hit the trails. With 8 days worth of food and gear on our backs, we set out to tackle the first tough inclines of our section and make it to our campsite. After a long and challenging day, we arrived at Hicks Lake where we were greeted with beautiful weather, a calm lake, and some truly unbelievable mountains. We threw our packs down triumphantly, put our group gear together, and then set up camp for the night. We already felt sore and tired but after a good night’s rest we woke up ready for more. After a slow morning, we finally put our packs back on and headed further into the Alaskan wilderness. As a slight reward for tackling such a big hike the previous day, we camped at “Hunter’s Camp” which was only a handful of miles from Hick’s Lake. It was a pleasantly quick hike and we were able to set up camp and really relax afterwards. We made it to camp in time to set up our tents and a couple tarps and hunker into our sleeping bags as a brief rain shower passed overhead. Many of us napped, read, talked, and enjoyed some quality down time! On the morning of day three, we were starting to feel a little bit more comfortable in our packs and really get into the rhythm of backpacking. This was a memorable day as we were hiking to the now infamous “airstrip” campsite. After hiking some pretty steep, rolling hills we made it to the site. The Airstrip is a working dirt road airstrip in the heart of the Talkeetna Mountains complete with a very charming, faded orange excavator tractor which we quickly deemed to be our kitchen/living space. We set up our tents and some very elaborate tarps to protect us from the incoming weather and all gathered around the tractor. On the backpacking trip, our LODs (Leaders of the Day) were entrusted with two dragon eggs to be opened on a low of the trip and a high of the trip. Unbeknownst to the kids, dragon eggs are in actuality bags of candy wrapped in duct tape. The group unanimously decided to open one of the eggs while all huddled under the tractor and it was the perfect pick me up after a rainy day in the wild. The next day, we woke up to a thick fog and a chilly drizzle. However, this didn’t slow us down at all! We hopped out of bed, ate a quick breakfast, and hit the trail. This fourth day is what we call Chitna pass day. After a successful river crossing, we made it to the Chitna mountain pass where we were thoroughly challenged with roughly 12+ miles of hiking. While the hike was our longest and most demanding one yet, we found ourselves mesmerized by the vastness of the valley and the beauty of the mountains. Tate shared with the group that he found himself in the “flow state” on this day, with which everyone agreed. We had finally done it – we had entered the flow of the walk and fully leaned into the wild! After the most rewarding and beautiful day of the trip, we made it to our riverside campsite on the rocky banks of Boulder Creek. We whipped up a quick dinner and slept harder than we had ever slept before. The next morning, we woke up and hit the ground running once again. This day of hiking was different from any other day we had had since being in the backcountry because we were now walking along the stone covered banks of Boulder Creek instead of bushwhacking or following game trails. It was a pretty flat and open hike so it didn’t take us long before reaching out next campsite! After some scouting and hiking, we made it to our last backpacking campsite “Tent City”. This was one of the best campsites yet! It was a bit more established and even had a pit toilet (yes!). We all threw our packs down and laid in the sun till dinner. Hunter braved the cold and was the first one of us to jump into the frigid river water to cool off! We decided that since we were getting so close to our trailhead, we were going to take a zero day at Tent City and spend the entirety of the next day just lounging in the sun, swimming, reading, talking, and exploring. The next morning everyone slept in really late and when we were all awake, we made a back to back breakfast/lunch of hash browns with bacon and chicken pad Thai. Vaeda and Max spent the afternoon laying out by the river chatting and playing various games and Bridget, Parker, and Tate embarked on a hike up to the top of Anthracite Ridge. All in all it was an extremely enjoyable day and we all left feeling really recharged. On our last morning of backpacking we woke up extremely early with the intention of making it to our pick up location by 12pm. We packed up faster than we had the entire trip and began our final hike. Our packs were light and our bodies were stronger than ever. Because of this, we ended up making it to our trailhead hours before our pick up car was supposed to meet us! We decided to call for an early pickup so that we could head back to NOVA and take our first shower in 17 days and follow it up with a lunch of pizza and ice cream at the local restaurant called the 99er Diner. Incredible doesn’t even begin to describe it. The little things like pizza stops and hot showers that we often take for granted in our day to day lives have become so special to us all.
We’re now back at our NOVA base camp and are gearing up for the next grand adventure, white water rafting! It has truly been a life changing past 8 days – days that we will never forget. We’re thinking about our friends and family and are sending our love back home. We’ll talk to you all soon!! – Off to the river!
With gratitude,
Grace, Vann, and James
Glaciers and Good Times in Alaska!
July 15, 2024
Hello friends and family!
It’s been an eventful past few days and we can’t wait to share it all with you!
Since arriving to Glacier View, we have done some extraordinary things. Once we arrived to our campsite located at the NOVA headquarters, we set up our tents (we’re pros at this point) and rejoiced at the fact that we would be base camping here for the next three nights! It’s wild how luxurious it feels to not have to break down camp each morning. Once we were all settled we ate some dinner, shared a laugh filled moon-up, and hit our sacks. The next morning we woke up with excitement in our bones because it was our first day of ice climbing! We had an easy rise, a delicious breakfast, and then walked over to the gear tent to be fitted into mountaineering boots and given our helmets and crampons. After we were all geared up, we hopped into our shuttle van and made our way to the Matanuska Glacier. The sun shone bright and it reflected off of the glacier in a way that made it seem like it was glowing blue! After a good hike in on the ice, we made it to our first climbing spot and listened to our guides teach us how to climb safely and with the proper technique. Without hesitation, our crew started flying up the steep walls of ice. Max volunteered to go first and quickly became our ice climbing wizard. He took on every wall multiple times and did it with ease! After a full morning and a nice lunch on the glacier, we started the hike back to our van and then back to camp. Once we arrived back to NOVA, our crew spotted the local coffee shop next to the gear tent and all got in line for some treats. Parker spotted the specials board and decided to get the “today’s special”. She shared a sip with all of us and it was decidedly one of the best lattes we had ever had. At camp we all came together and had a big cookout complete with hot dogs, hamburgers, chips, and Dr. Pepper.
After another good nights sleep, we woke up even more eager than we had been the day before. This was the day that we were going to get into some more serious climbing. Once we had arrived back at the glacier, we put our crampons on and hiked about 2 miles in. We hiked over rocky slopes, through “hallways” of ice, and finally ended at a large crevasse. This crevasse was to be our climbing spot of the day! Instead of starting at the bottom of an ice wall like we had done the day before, we started at the top of the large crack and repelled down as far as each of us were comfortable with. Hunter faced his fears and climbed multiple times, coming back to the surface a little more confident than before. The beauty of the glacier was truly incredible and it was hard to believe that we were lucky enough to be standing where we were, and climbing on this clear and ancient ice. After hours upon hours of working away at the climbs, we said goodbye to the glacier for the last time and went back to camp – not without stopping for ice cream at a local shop, of course. While at camp, we soaked in the hot Alaskan sun, played lots of hacky sack, read and journaled, but mostly talked and laughed with one another. Bridget has become our group’s go-to person for a good laugh, always keeping the group’s energy high and making everyone come together in laughter. Tate showed us some pages in his journal which we all found really amazing. They are full of detailed accounts of how we’ve been spending our days out here together, along with drawings of some of the more memorable parts of the trip. We’re now all waiting to see the entries and drawings that he will write down while backpacking. After a quick dinner and moonup, we said goodnight and all quickly fell asleep.
The next morning we slept in and had a very relaxed and slow morning together. This was our backpacking prep day so we spent most of the afternoon getting our food, gear, and personal belongings ready for our backpacking section. Vaeda spearheaded a lunch of grilled cheese and tomato soup which was voted one of our best lunches yet. After lunch, we did some lessons on how to properly pack a backpack, the basics of backcountry safety, and a quick refresher on the principal of LNT. Once we were all ready and packed up, everyone grouped together for a massive game of “death sack” with a nearby group of kids from another outdoor adventure camp. We finished out the day with a warming moon up and went to bed for a well-deserved nights rest. These past few days have been undeniably enjoyable and the group has really started to feel more like a little family. As we prep for our backpacking section tomorrow, we send light and love back to our families and friends and look forward to what lies ahead of us. We’ll talk to you all soon! For now, we go into the wild.
With gratitude,
Grace, Vann, and James
Update from Alaska!
July 12, 2024
Hello from Alaska!
It has been an exciting and adventure-filled past 6 days and we can’t wait to tell you all about it!
We all arrived safely to the airport on opening day and hopped on a charter bus headed for our first campsite of the trip. After a quick pizza dinner and an introduction to our nightly ritual “moonup”, we headed to bed. The next morning, we woke up, packed our bags, and began our travel day to Whittier, Alaska! Once arriving to Whittier, we set up our tents and began our prep for sea kayaking the next day. We also did some exploring in the very small and strange town that is Whittier, peeking into the the handful of shops that lined the small boat marina. We ended our day by receiving a safety and NLT lesson from our sea kayaking outfitters and getting our gear fitted and ready for the next morning. After our brief stint in town, we whipped up our first real dinner all together and went to bed for a well deserved nights rest. The next morning we woke up and hit the ground running. Once we loaded all of our gear up into our van, we went over to the marina where we climbed into a charter boat and took off into the Prince William Sound to begin our sea kayaking excursion. After about a 45 minute boat ride, we were dropped off onto a small, rocky beach called “13-mile beach”. Once dropped off, we then loaded up all of our gear into our kayaks and got on the water. It was a short and easy going start to our kayaking trip where we were able to really get the hang of steering and paddling together in unison. After a few hours of paddling, we reached our next campsite, “17-mile beach”. It was a good feeling getting to our first real campsite in the backcountry and we were glad to be there. Once we set up camp and made dinner, cooked for us by Bridget, Vaeda, and Hunter, we quickly crawled into our sleeping bags and went to sleep. Our group has found it strange but extremely special to get into bed while the sun is still shining bright. It’s something that we are really starting lean into out here and it’s get more comforting as the days fly by. The next morning, we woke up early and got into our boats to paddle over to Beloit Glacier. After paddling in the mist and weaving our way through what seemed like hundreds of boulder sized icebergs, we made it to Beloit. It is an awe-inspiring experience to get to paddle over and see such an impressive and beautiful glacier with our own eyes and it was even more special to get to share this experience with each other. After spending some time near the towering wall of ice, we headed back to our campsite. On our paddle back, we got caught in some classic Alaskan rain – so camp sounded nicer and nicer with each paddle stroke. Once getting back to camp, we all ran to our tents where we put on dry clothes and enjoyed some quality tent time. There was lots of talking, laughing, and card games for the rest of the afternoon and despite the rain, the group was truly starting to embrace our time out here in the wildness and bond with each other in a real kind of way. The next morning we woke up, packed our things with ease, and headed out to our third campsite of the trip. This campsite is called “Decision Point” and it was quickly voted the best campsite thus far. Decision Point is complete with 2 coves overlooking the open ocean and towing mountains, moss covered trees, wooden walkways, and deck-like tent platforms for us to set up on. It was a truly magical place – it almost seemed as though little wooden fairies should be running around in the forest. After a delicious dinner prepared for us by Maxwell, Tate, and Parker, we got some news that there was a storm coming in the next day. After a thoughtful conversion with our kayaking guide, we made the executive decision to leave Decision Point early the next morning via charter boat and head back to Whittier a little bit earlier. The following morning, we woke up earlier than we had before to break camp and stand ready to meet our charter boat at 7am. On this morning, it was clear how much our group had grown over the past 5 days. Our group has truly transformed from a group of strangers to a group of friends, friends who are so willing to help each other out and support each other as needed. It was truly special to see. After another exciting charter boat ride, we landed back in Whittier where we very quickly unpacked our things back into our van and took refuge in a building with heat! We also decided to treat ourselves to a nice breakfast at the “Lazy Otter” and even some ice cream (if you can believe that) from a local shop. Once we got our bearings, we hopped back into a bus and headed over to Glacier View, AK to prep for our next big adventure, ice climbing! It’s been blue skies and sunny for use today and the morale is high. We can’t wait for what’s to come and we’ll talk to you next time!
With gratitude,
Grace, Vann, and James
Shoutouts!:
Bridget: Hello family! I love you guys! Alaska is amazing! Pet Ridley for me!
Vaeda: Hi mom and papa! Miss you guys!! Alaska is so pretty, give naigel a hug please. Love you very much see you soon!
Tate: Hey guys! I’m having so much fun here and I’m so excited to see y’all in 15 days.
Hunter: hey mom and dad! I’m having a lot of fun although I did capsize my kayak two days ago. I love you
Maxwell: I am having a great time and slowly ascending into an advanced stage of divine enlightenment. It really all started when I swam in Alaskan waters. Love y’all. Pet my toothbrush for me
Parker: Hi Mom and Dad! I am having so much fun in Alaska! Love you! Don’t forget to feed Jay for me
Safe Arrival in Anchorage!
July 7, 2024
Hi Northern Lights Families!
Everyone has safely landed in Anchorage and are well on their way to their first activity. We cannot wait to share more about their adventure with more updates coming soon.
-Moondance HQ
