Goodbye To The Best
July 8, 2025
Hello, one last time from the Canyonlands 2 crew. It’s with great pride, but bittersweet emotions, that this trip is coming to an end. I can’t thank you all enough for supporting these amazing kids through their 13-14 years of life thus far; you have all done an exceptional job, and for me and Sydney to call ourselves lucky is a massive understatement. These 13 individuals will always have a special place in our hearts.
Last time we left off, there was only one full day left on our itinerary: banquet. We woke up for it yesterday, and Katie, Sam, and Spence came together to make us a breakfast of French toast and bacon. With full stomachs, we packed up camp and headed to Provo, Utah, to shower. After cleaning up and finishing up some paperwork, we rolled onward to our last campsite of the trip. Located about 30 minutes from the Salt Lake City Airport, this shockingly stunning campsite served as the setting for a pizza pocket lunch. We set up camp and set off for our town day in Park City. While in the famous ski town, lots of souvenirs were bought with ice cream cones in the other hand. Then the REAL banquet began. We piled into our van and B-lined it to a Salt Lake City thrift store to pick out outlandish outfits for dinner; I have little doubt the pictures to come won’t disappoint (to set the tone, Jack wore a ninja turtle baby skirt, alien pants, and a shirt fit for Aladdin). The group then stormed the nearest In n Out to stuff our faces with milkshakes, fries, and burgers before heading back to camp. We packed up, held one final Moonup, and hit the sheets for an early rise to the airport this morning.
That’s where we are now, below gate A29. Man, goodbyes are tough. Everyone there for all the amazing memories these last two weeks have conjured up are either in the air or driving away now. As much as I wish I could be slogging up the Narrows or repelling down the side of a canyon, it is more clear than ever how important these 13 students were in making every adventure memorable. Avery’s zeal for life and everlasting smile was contagious. Ben’s sense of adventure and leadership capabilities permeated through every single day. Catherine and Maeve’s electric energy and constant jokes always kept the team in high spirits. Katie’s warm demeanor ensured everyone always felt cared for, and Jorie’s maturity and laid back attitude were crucial in her leadership style. Frances was willing to try anything and be helpful with remarkable consistency, and Stella’s witty humor and independence should be modeled by all. Jack always kept the group rolling with laughter and his courage in conquering his fear of heights was nothing short of impressive. Spence was the Swiss Army knife of the group – whether it was cooking up tasty chicken, rock climbing steep pitches, or quickly making friends, Spence could do it all. Thomas was a ball of energy and humor every day of the week, and Luke’s jokes, willingness to experience new things, and tough skin will serve him well. Finally, Sam was the glue of the group, being an extroverted, very genuine version of himself at all times.
We are a very different group without any of the names listed above, and Sydney and I are eternally grateful for these last two weeks. There is something so special brought out during vulnerable times. During unplugged mornings. During Moondance. I hope that this experience has been as impactful for all 13 of these amazing people as it has been for us. I wish you all well, and am envious you all get to hear their stories for the first time. Have a great summer – I know we sure have.
Sincerely (one last time), Spencer and Sydney
BBQ And BIG Rapids!
July 7, 2025
Howdy Canyonlands trip update readers! I hope you have all had an eventful past couple of days – I know we did. Our last 96 hours have been dominated by whitewater, stars, adventures, and lots of sand.
To start off the most rugged part of the entire Canyonlands journey, the crew had one more day in Moab before setting off on the Colorado River. We woke up to make breakfast burritos (huge shoutout to Frances for the eggs, Ben for the Hash-browns, and Sam for his grandmas famous crispy bacon) before heading to our namesake Canyonlands National Park. After marveling at the sandstone cliffs and mesas carved by the mighty Colorado, we did a short hike to Mesa Arch before the weather pushed us out. Afterwards, Catherine, Jorrie, Maeve, and Katie took us to a custom tee shirt shop with hundreds of prints that they’d heard about from some locals in Moab. We all got our custom Moab memorabilia and walked down to Sweet Serendipity for some much needed ice cream. From there, the group went to get our dry bags and pack up for the following day’s trip.
We woke up before the sun poked out in the La Sal mountains to ensure we got to the rafting guides by 7am sharp with our bags packed (and even saw a few elk on our drive in). The portal is the last entrance to the river before it’s swallowed by red rock canyons for hundreds of miles; we drove through it and departed on our journey. While the morning was a bit rainy, we all cheered up at lunch with a riverside sandwich bar, a football, and sunny skies. We swam a few miles from the lunch spot until we hopped back into the raft barges to rest in the sun. Our campground was large, flat, and sandy: perfect for an improvised football field! Ben, Spence, and Luke took home the victory against Thomas, Jack and Sam in an all time thriller. Sounds of guitar filled the air before some amazing pasta silenced everyone; we concluded with Moonup and some strawberry shortcakes before bed.
“Get up, it’s the Fourth of July!!” Our celebration of this great nation commenced with pancakes, whipped cream, and a whole lot of red white and blue. We headed back to the raft before being dropped off for a hike over a canyon wall to the other side pickup. After that, the group relaxed in the boat for a few more hours before arriving at camp in between the confluence of the Green and Colorado rivers and the start of the infamous Cataract Canyon rapids. Our amazing guides turned the paddle boat into a water slide into the river to commemorate the holiday before we went down with yet more football and some guitar. Luke ate a heroic amount of hotdogs in our grill and we all enjoyed another Moonup to end the night.
Everyone had been waiting a long time for the day to come: rapid day! A bold wild turkey even showed us what courage looked like as he wandered aimlessly through camp for a few hours that morning. Jack and Sam manned the front of the boys boat in the morning through the three big drops before Avery and Frances took over for the girls in the afternoon. Bighorn sheep and blue herons stood as the audience to the show put on by the rapids, and it was by the skill and composure of our guides and team alone that we conquered the mighty Cataract Canyon. We made camp after swimming for a mile or so and wound down after a BBQ chicken dinner and Moonup to remember.
Today marks the last daily update left for this check in! We woke up and got on the water as quickly as we could. After seeing yet another bighorn sheep, our guides explained to us the impacts that dropping water levels in Lake Powell are having on the Glenn Canyon ecosystem. A few chicken ceaser wraps later and we got off the water headed North to begin the commute back to Salt Lake City. We just finished up a post taco dinner Moonup, and we’re all feeling pretty bittersweet about the impending end to this amazing trip.
I can’t thank you all enough for sharing your kids with Sydney and I these last two weeks. This trip wouldn’t be the same without each and every one of them, and it is with your support and guidance that they have turned into the amazing people all of them are. I hope you all have a great last few days of solitude and I look forward to the stories you get to hear from your campers soon!
Sincerely, Spencer and Sydney
Shoutouts:
Maeve – Hey mom, dad, Ainsley, Chace, Bear, and Goose, I love you guys so much! I can’t wait to see you guys – I’m having a blast, see you soon!
Catherine – Hiii mom, dad, Drew, Percy, Laney, Maverick, and Addy, I’m having so so much fun and can’t wait to see you all! Lots of love, Catherine
Jorrie – Hey mom and dad, miss you! I’m having so much fun and I can’t wait to see you
Katie – Hi mom and dad, I’ve had so much fun here. I can’t wait to see you and tell you all about it! Tell Charlie I said hi
Avery – I love you all so much – so excited to see you and hope Alex’s tournament is going amazing. I wish him good luck! You’re the most amazing people in the world
Frances – Hi mom and dad, love you all so much and excited to see you both soon. Hope you are having fun in Monteagle!
Stella – Hey Grandma and Paps, I’m having so much fun in Utah! I miss you guys so much and I’m super excited to see you. Love you, bye!
Luke – See you tomorrow!
Thomas – See you tomorrow!
Jack – In having a lot of fun and enjoying my two weeks here a lot. I’ve made a lot of new friends and can’t wait to see you tomorrow!
Spence – Hey mom and dad, I can’t wait to see you guys!
Sam – Hey mom and dad, I’m having a great time and can’t wait to see you guys tomorrow. I can’t wait to tell you about all the activities we did and the friends I made. I love you guys!
Ben – I’m having a great time, can’t wait to see yall!
Unforgettable Moments in Utah
July 2, 2025
Hey all! I hope everyone has had a great summer so fun but I’m very confident it hasn’t been filled with as much fun and adventure as it has for us this last week in Utah. We started off by gathering in the Salt Lake City and making the four hour trek down to Bryce Canyon (after stopping at a surprisingly good hole in the wall pizza place halfway). The group enjoyed their first of many fresh breaths in the scenic Southern Utah mountains and bonded in our inaugural nightly Moon up.
The next day, we all woke up bright and early to meet our guides fly fishing. While some gathered in boats, the rest hit the shores in search of fish. Ben, jack, and Jorie all caught so many fish too! We soon after retreated back to our camp to make Caesar wraps and get ready for our day in Bryce Canyon. Thomas, having had been to the national park before, led the way, while our first leaders of the day, Ben and Frances, motivated the group through the red arches and hoodoo formations. After doing the entire queens garden and Navajo Loop Trail, we drove back to get camp to eat taco bowls and get ready for the Bryce Canyon Rodeo! It was nothing short of entertaining to say the least; 6 year old barrel racers, unruly bulls, and many unexpected competitors left us on the edge of our seats!
Our first morning of sleeping in was more than welcome; Katie and Jorrie served up chocolate chip pancakes while Sam made his grandmas famous bacon. Katie showing us her amazing pancake flips! Good food was shared, camp was broken, and a full van was on its way to Zion National Park. I don’t think a single jaw left the floor as we drove into the east side entrance through the iconic Zion Canyon; the word stunning doesn’t do the thousand foot sandstone towers justice! Accompanied by the sandstone was lots and lots of heat – the nearby Virgin River made an ideal swimming hole for us to cool off in, and Spence was there to capture it all on his GoPro. After a dinner feast of Greek bowls, Stella led the way for us to conquer the nearby Watchmen hike. We circled up our prettiest Moon-up to date before hiking back and going to bed early to get ready for the Narrows the following day!
Wakeup came early the next day to say the least. After getting ready and walking to the shuttle, we made it to the trailhead of the Narrows at around 7am. The virgin river slicing such steep slopes into the Utah dessert makes it a must see for anyone with an inclination to hike. After finishing up around 2pm, the heat pushed us to a nearby ice cream shop for a much needed cool down. Ben and Jack faced off against Maeve and Catherine in a fierce (and much disputed) spike ball game and the night ended with Katie hitting a walk off home run to win our campsite baseball game.
Our longest drive of the trip came after our unforgettable stay in Zion, and the Canyonlands crew crushed every one of its 7 hours. We made a mid trip Costa Vita stop along the way and ended in Arches National Park around 4pm that afternoon. If you’ve never camped in Arches national park, I highly recommend it – the group quickly found a shaded rock bowl among the crimson towers of rock to hang out in. Soon after, Luke spotted a massive arch for the group to explore. We’re very excited for you guys to see these amazing pictures! After that, Spencer, Avery, Frances and Stella made cheeseburgers and everyone ate under ever expanding pink skies.
A quick wake up later, and we were off to rock climb. Everyone conquered at least one route, with Stella, Luke, Thomas, and Ben doing particularly well and Jack climbing very high despite his fear of heights. We even got to see base jumpers descend the red cliffs next to us, and we all agreed that we would much rather be securely attached to the rock with rope! We returned to eat lunch in Arches afterwards and break camp before heading to a local watering hole to do some cliff jumping. This was, without a doubt, a universal trip highlight. We all jumped as many times as we could into the desert oasis and drove to wrap up our day at our Dead Horse State Park campground.
One more early morning and we arrived back with our climbing outfitters for some iconic Moab canyoneering. The guys and girls split up into groups; the boys explored a classic sandstone slot canyon with lots of water and a big repel, while the girls trekked through a huge canyon and over two massive repels to safety. We all met up at Milts Burgers for lunch at Moabs oldest burger joint before ending at the same swimming hole we visited the day before. To end today, we drove up to the nearby La Sal Mountains to cool off and camp next to a scenic mountain lake. An iron chef competition led to a tasty dinner of chicken, quesadillas, and cheesy bread. We’re so excited to see what this amazing trip has next for us in store! Sydney and I are so lucky to have such an amazing group, and we cannot wait to see how it ends.
Sincerely, Syd and Spencer!
Avery- Hey mom and dad! Miss you so much and im having so much fun! Tell Alex I cant wait to see him soon! Love you guys!
Frances- Hi mom and dad! Love you so much! Im having so much fun and cant wait to see you soon! I have made so many great friends!
Spence- Hi mom! Hi dad! I love you guys so much! Im having so much fun and making lots of new friends! Tell Gilchrist I say hi!
Jack- Hey mom and dad! Im having a lot of fun and made so many new friends! We’ve done a lot of fun things and ive never been bored once! I cant wait to see you and I miss y’all a lot!
Thomas- Hey mom! Hey dad! Im having a great time! im meeting a lot of new friends and doing a lot of fun stuff, like rock climbing! Love you guys see you soon!
Katie- Hi mom! Hi dad! I miss yall! I hope Caroline got to Thailand with riles safe! Im having so much fun! I love sydney and spencer! And ive made so many friends! Tell charlie i love him and cant wait to see him! Give lucy lots of love for me! love yall see you soon!
maeve- Hey mom, dad, chace, Ainsley, Bear Bear, and Goosey! I love you all so so much! Im having so much fun! ive made so many new friends! We have done awesome things and explored new areas! I cant wait to see you guys soon! I love you guys so much!
Jorie- Hey mom and dad! Im having such a great time! Ive made so many new friends. we have done so many fun things and I cant wait to tell you all about it! Love and miss you! See you in a week!
Catherine- Hi mom, dad, and drew! I am having so much fun! We are doing really cool things and meeting great new people! I love and miss you. Hope Maverick, Addy, Laney, and Percy are doing well! See you soon!
Stella- Hi Mom and dad! I am having so much fun in Utah! I miss you guys and cant wait to see you! Tell H, ray ray, and sprinks I said hi! Love you guys so much! See you soon!
Luke- Hey mom and dad! I’ve had a great time! See ya in 6 days!
Ben- Dear mom and dad, I have had a great time here doing everything. I have made really good friends and my favorite part so far has been the swimming hole. I love yall, see you in 6 days!
Sam- Hey mom and dad, I am having a blast here. Ive met so many new friends and I think i want to invite them to my bar mitzfah! We’ve done such fun activities and I am a really good cook! See you in 6 days! Love you!
Let the Fun Begin!
June 25, 2025
Hello Canyonlands Families!
We heard from our leaders that the group has landed safely in Salt Lake City! 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 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
