Wild Fun with the BGW!
June 12, 2025
Hello Big Wild family and friends!!! We are having an absolutely amazing time out here in the big and wild west. We wanted to check in and tell you about our awesome group of kids and the adventures we have had so far!
We started the trip strong on Sunday afternoon with everyone arriving at the airport in our first of many locations, Jackson Hole, Wyoming. We headed to our first campsite and learned how to build tents and properly manage a campsite triangle. Wills was the only student whose plane was majorly delayed, and when he arrived he was in great spirits and immediately joined in the comradery of the group. Our first activity was pizza in Jackson’s downtown park- because who doesn’t enjoy a good pie. Then we ventured to a beautiful spot overlooking the Grand Tetons where we discussed expectations and goals for the trip. We finished the night with an introduction to Moonup back at camp and got excited for the awesome days ahead.
On Day 2, we woke up and fueled ourselves with delicious bacon, egg, and cheese Moon-muffins (our Moondance version of McMuffin sandwiches) before heading to downtown Jackson Hole for the day. We began the morning at Snow King Mountain on the steepest zip-line in North America. Hunter and Morris led the charge and conquered this daunting challenge, zipping down the mountain with views of the beautiful Teton Mountains in sight. Sam kept us laughing during our scenic and yummy lunch on the mountain. In the afternoon, Victoria and Wills eagerly scurried through the ropes course, impressing us all with their dexterity 50 feet in the air. We left Snow King Mountain feeling exhilarated and headed back to our campsite for dinner. Ann Wallace, West, Chandler, and Victoria prepared a hearty meal for us all- taco bowls with ground beef, cheese, lettuce, tomatoes, sautéed onions and peppers, black beans and rice. The kids will be experienced chefs when they return home 🙂 With full bellies, we headed to Grand Teton National Park for the sunset. There, we dunked our heads in a mini waterfall on the trail to Phelps Lake, and we jammed out to Dugger and Victoria’s guitar playing next to a river. We headed back home with another incredible sunset over the Tetons in view and finished our night with a Moonup at Gros Ventres led by Chandler and Wills, our first Leaders of the Day.
We drove to McCall, Idaho on Day 3 in the van that the kids now refer to as their “safe space”. We hit the road early and started our trek to Idaho. Most of the kids started off by sleeping except for Morris, West, and Chandler who were sitting in the first row and excited for the drive. The drive went across almost all of Idaho, but we made sure to keep it entertaining. And it made for a great time for the kids to start getting to know each other better. Their favorite part was our stop in Twin Falls for some Chick-fil-A and sightseeing of the Shosone Waterfalls. After that we got back on the road to complete our ride to McCall, where we would spend the next two nights. When we arrived, the kids helped cook some chicken and pesto pasta, with onions, zucchini and red peppers, while the others set up camp. Our hard work was rewarded with a beautiful sunset over the Payette Lake, a campfire and s’mores.
Today we woke the kids up to hot oatmeal and fresh fruit before hitting downtown McCall for our first fly fishing lesson. We started out at the local high school baseball fields where we learned how to cast and tie knots with expert fly fishing guides. Chandler impressed the guides with her casting technique, nailing it within the first few casts. Victoria was a natural with tying knots and joked she may just have to start a knot-tying business. Next we headed to the Little Payette river to practice our new skills. The scenery out here in Idaho continues to amaze us- we drove past steep rapids and joined our guides at a more peaceful spot. There the kids listened intently to the guides explaining river features, insects, and species of fish. We practiced rigging rods and casting in the river before enjoying lunch on a huge rock overlooking Little Payette lake. Back at our campsite for the afternoon, we cozied in our tents and played Apples to Apples all together while it rained. Hunter won the game by a mile, making us all laugh with his red apple card choices. Once the rain cleared, we headed back into McCall for ice cream where we were served the biggest single scoop ice cream cones we’ve ever seen. Victoria and Chandler branched out and ordered Mountain Blackberry and Marionberry pie ice cream… loving the local flavors! Dugger, Victoria, and Sam practiced fly fishing at the Payette lake while the others enjoyed a lake-side swing set and jungle gym. Ann Wallace, Chandler, and Claire did yoga in the grass and soaked in the afternoon sunshine. We stayed in McCall for our local food stop of the trip- burgers at Frenchies! The kids devoured these yummy smash burgers before going back to our campsite to watch the sunset and Moonup.
The trip has only just begun, and we are having a spectacular time. We can’t wait for more adventures, and we will update you soon!
Sending love and warm wishes to you all!
Claire and Dugger, Big Wild 135C
Safe Arrival in Wyoming!
June 9, 2025
Hello Big Wild Families!
We heard from our leaders that the group has landed safely in Jackson Hole! The trip is off to a great start, and we are so excited to hear more stories as they begin their adventure.
Please remember our leaders and students will be unplugged during their trips, but we will be posting trip updates throughout the next 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
