From Laughs to Last Goodbyes – Our Final Days in Paris
July 25, 2025
Bonjour! From Paris!
While our stay in Paris has been short, we have no doubt made the most of this time! Upon our arrival in the city, we quickly dropped off all of our stuff at the hostel before immediately hitting the town! Our first stop was shopping… the girls went to Zara, led by Hannah, while the boys went to Gant. After dressing room fashion shows and a couple of last-minute additions to our Paris outfits for the next day, we were all ready! Of course, for dinner that night, we had to go to a classic Parisian Cafe! The food surely did not disappoint! After dinner, we finished the night with one of the greatest Moonups of the trip! We did a round of individual nug jugs for each person, reminisced on the funniest and most special moments of the trip, and talked about different challenges we have all been through and what we learned from them. It was a night that I am sure we will never forget.
We woke up bright and early the next morning to croissants— what other way is there to start a day in Paris?! Everyone put on their nice outfits, and before we knew it, we were ready to start our busy day! Kane led the group, walking briskly and helping us to make the most of our short time. Our first stop to Julianne’s excitement was Brandy Melville! The girls did some extra shopping, while the boys took a short excursion to a Pirate themed candy store! Thomas M. who was in awe, filled his candy bag to the brim and was nice enough to share with the group! The group met back up at the Shakespeare and Company Bookstore, where we learned a little a bout the history of the store, and a couple people even bought books. While in line, Nat and Mack made it a mission to photobomb as many pictures as possible, eventually even making a couple new friends in the line! Afterwards, I’m sure that no one could tell we were Americans, because from here we went to an … America themed barbecue restaurant! The food was just what we needed! After lunch, we could not resist gelato and macarons, and practically in a food coma, went back to the hostel to rest and do some final packing for our flights the next day. On the way back, Mae Mae and Miller bought matching red white and blue Eiffel tower dangly earrings! This was definitely the statement piece that was the final piece to complete their Paris outfits!
With a couple more things left on our Paris day itinerary, it was time to board the metro. Meg was definitely a sight to see, either wearing her hat sideways or had her rain jacket hood tucked behind her ears! Meanwhile, Thomas H. and Watts were subway surfing, trying to balance without holding on to anything! We visited the Arc de Triomphe, and were in awe of just how big and beautiful it was. After a couple of photoshoots and hacky sack circles, we made our way to pick up pizza for a picnic under the Eiffel tower! Once again, amazed by how beautiful Paris is, we enjoyed our final meal all together, and played our final game of hacky sack where Bridget was able to show off some of the new tricks she’d been working on! As the sun set, we began our final Moonup which ended with a big group hug and some acapella “Flashing Lights” by Kanye as the Eiffel Tower sparkled. For one final surprise, we stopped for ice cream, slushies, and cotton candy on the way back to the hostel.
I can truly say that this has been such a special past 23 days. Corley and I have been amazed by the way this group came together, laughed/sang/danced their ways through all of the fun times, and supported each other through each of the toughest moments. I know that we have all made friends for life and I could not be more grateful to have been a part of our Cham 67 family!
With love and gratitude,
Caroline and Corley
Starry Skies and Scenic Hikes
July 23, 2025
Hola & Bonjour!
We have just concluded our final trek in France and Spain in the Pyrenees. It was a successful expedition traversing mountain passes and French/Spanish borders and we are so excited to share what we’ve been up to!
We started the hike in a remote valley, hiking up to Lake Bernatuara, a legendary lake high in the ridge lines where Thomas M. led the group throwing daydream-worthy skipping rocks. Kane and Watts led the boys on a voyage across the lake, swimming to the scenic beach on the other side. This lake was a morale boost after the long uphill hike. After the lake, we dried up and hiked over a mountain pass and down into the valley of Bujaruelo where we rested and ate great food.
On day 2, we hiked up 3,000 ft. to the rim of Ordesa Canyon. A humongous valley in Spain that held for us a remarkable view and hike. This day was long, with thousands of feet in elevation and over 14 miles. These miles felt easy with the help of Miller’s trail talk. Everyone appreciates her ability to connect about anything from a good book to a good day skiing. Late in the afternoon, we were stoked to get to the historic refuge called Goriz. Here Mae Mae and Thomas H. Led an incredible moonup high in the mountains. Allowing everyone to enjoy the moment andfully take the experience in. To close moonup we star gazed, seeing the Milky Way as well as clear constellations. It was magical! Bridget had the group sleep outside this night because thestars were just too good. Unbothered by the cold mountain air.
On day 3 we hiked down the valley floor past waterfalls and wildflowers all the way to the tiny but stunning town of Torla Spain. We had ice cream and fantastic dinner here. Nat stepped out of his comfort zone by ordering the traditionally-cooked trout in the historic restaurant. Everyone was happy after this three course meal with divine desserts. At the end of the day we held our moonup outside of a beautiful church over 300 years old.
The day after we hiked starting from Bujaruelo and climbed over the mountain pass dividing Spain and France into the iconic valley town of Gavarnie in France. Although we were covering massive amounts of mileage, this didn’t stop Mack from boosting morale and keeping everyone excited with his scenic photo shoots throughout the day. Some of the best memories of the trip are the moments when we arrived to our hostels and had time to enjoy ourselves whether that be Julianne braiding the girls hair or Meg mastering the art of hacky sac and comedy. We concluded the day playing “mafia” in a marvelous old park next to the town square.
On day 5, we hiked up the Cirque De Gavarnie, one of the tallest waterfalls in the world. Here we hiked to the base of the falls, feeling the powerful mist and wind. After this exhilarating shower we hiked up the steep mountainside to the epic refuge of Espeguettes. Here it rained hard after we arrived, leaving just before sunset, giving us a truly special view during moonup. This hostel was one to remember being so remote.
Waking up high in the mountains on day 6, we had more mileage to come. We hiked over the Col de Horquette into the valley leading to our final hostel in Heas. The day was full of birding, sightseeing and river crossing. This was a beautiful descent with an epic nap time at lunch. Our guide Matteo was keeping the kids laughing the whole way down with his jokes and antics.On the final day in the Pyrenees, we had a magnificent day hike, high in elevation, but not too high for a game of hacky sac. We returned from the hike and took a taxi to the beautiful town ofLuz where Hannah led the memorable last moonup of trekking. Her wise words describing her chosen quote were inspiring and left a good feeling resonating in the students after. It was awonderful ending to our last big section of the trip.
The group is living it up over here on our last days of the adventure. Everyone is taking it all in and enjoying each other as much as possible. Caroline and I feel so blessed to be leading this group of teens! Thank you so much for sending your kiddos out here with us, it’s been so much fun!
Sincerely,
Corley and Caroline
Hannah- On our way to Paris, so grateful for this awesome experience with my new friends and cousin. Thank you so much, love you all.
Mack- Thank yall so much for this, I’ve had the best time and will never forget this. Love y’all so much.
Miller- Hey y’all! We are currently on our way to Paris and I have had the most amazing time ever! The people that I have met through this trip are so cool and I want to thank you guys somuch for letting me come here! Love y’all!!
Julianne- Hey mom and dad! We are currently on our way to Paris. It’s crazy to think our trip is almost over. I have had the best time and I am beyond thankful for being able to have this opportunity. Thank you and I love y’all!!
MaeMae- Hey hey everyone! To start this has been the best 23 days and I am so incredibly grateful to have had this opportunity. We are currently otw to Paris (oui ouiii) and I CANTWAITTTT!! Miss and love you all so much and I will see y’all soon!!! XOXO😘🥖🐩
Meg- Hey fam!! This has been the most incredible trip ever, I am super super grateful that you let me come here! On our way to Paris, see you soon!! Love you! 🥐
Thomas M – Hey guys hope yall are doing well we just fully finished hiking and now are going to Paris. I can’t wait for Paris. Think I’m going to get some crepes while I’m there. I’ll see yall soon. Love y’all.
Thomas H – Hey y’all hope everything is going well we are on the way to Paris and just finished the week in the Pyrenees it was amazing. I just wanted to say how grateful I am that you guys gave me this opportunity and I cannot wait to share the memories and pictures. See yall when I get back, love y’all.
Kane- Hi guys hope LA went well. We just finished the Pyrenees and we are on the way to Paris now. The Pyrenees were definitely my favorite part of the trip. Love y’all and can’t wait to see yall.
Nat – Hey people, I hope SD is amazing that yall had a great time in Montana. I’m having such an amazing time over here. We just finished our Pyrenees section which was definitely the highlight of the trip and we are now otw to Paris. Love and Miss yall!
Bridget- Hey everyone! I can’t wait to see you all but I don’t want to leave. Thank you for this opportunity it’s been amazing! I’m looking forward to all the reels from you Allie. Talk to you so soon! I love you guys!
Update from Costa Brava, Spain!
July 15, 2025
What a week it has been! Filled with sea kayaking, beach games, cooking competitions, LOTSof hacky sack, dance parties… we have been having an absolute blast.
Our first day in Costa Brava was a much needed rest day! After a late wake up, the group worked together to cook a hearty breakfast of bacon and eggs before heading off to the beach. Our Moonup question the night before asked what an ideal beach day looked like, and this was surely one for the books! Meg and Mae Mae got a football for the group, which we had one oft he most epic games of our own version of monkey in the middle with. Afterwards, Watts led theboys in digging a massive hole. Sadly, our day did get cut short by flood and thunderstorm warnings, but instead of letting that ruin our fun, we split into teams to plan for a cook off— girls vs. boys! With a budget and a limited amount of time, the teams raced to come up with a plan and collect all their ingredients from the store! This first night would be the boys turn. They cooked an exquisite meal of chicken and shrimp street tacos. Not only were their tacos amazing, but they also made homemade pico, guacamole, and queso. For desert, they made dirt with a secret ingredient of chips ahoy. They prepared plates and served the girls their food, definitely setting the standard high for the girls to compete against!
The next night, was the girls turn. They definitely did not disappoint! They made a watermelon and feta arugula salad, with lemon chicken and veggie pasta. For desert, they made strawberry shortcake, however it may have been more whip cream than strawberry or shortcake! Their attention to detail and presentation was perfection— with strawberries cut to look like roses, and hand picked flower bouquets used to decorate the table. We ate family style, and even did alittle dance at the table to show them how excited we were for desert before we were even done eating! While the results were close, the girls took home the win in the cooking competition, winning 3/5 categories!
After such an awesome beach day, our group was ready to conquer sea kayaking for the next 2days! We paddled through some of the most beautiful blue water, weaving in and out of caves,and had many splash wars. Bridget and Kane, proved to be 2 of the strongest paddlers, andwhen together in the double, were unbeatably fast! We spent our lunch breaks eating oursandwiches and lots of fruit on the beaches. Thomas M. used this time to explore the ocean aswell, snorkeling with our guides! Meanwhile, Miller and Hannah played mermaids, and the restof the group hung out on the beach!
Even when we were not sea kayaking, our group has managed to keep every moment interesting! For example, Thomas H. never fails to amaze the group with his hacky sack skills, whether we are playing hacky or death sack. We participated in a cooking class, where the group worked together to prepare a traditional Catalonian meal! Last night, the group went to a silent disco, where Mack got the whole crowd going with a dance train. Two nights ago, Nat and Julianne, our Leaders of the Day, planned for Moonup to be at the beach. They closed Moonup with a late night dance party followed by a quick dip in the ocean underneath the stars. It was definitely one of the most special Moonups of the trip yet! There is never a dull moment with this group. The energy is high, and we are having so much fun!
Today, we are on our way to Luz, France, which is where we will prepare for our final section of the trip, the Pyrenees! We will soon be trading our swim suits, for hiking boots, and could not be more excited to spend a final week in the mountains with this group!
Until next time, Adios!-Caroline & Corley
We have some shout outs from the group:
Hannah- Hey everyone, I had so much fun in Spain and now we are on our way to Pyrenees. Love you all so much and I can’t wait to see and hug y’all. ps John Henry, Miller said I was her favorite cousin. Kisses Hehe
Mack- what’s up fam! Spain was absolutely awesome and I totally want to come back here again. This trip and group of people are so special and I’m having a blast each and every day. Hope all is well and miss y’all! Say hey to the doggies for me
Meg- Hey Fam! We just had some super awesome days in Spain filled with Sea Kayaking, Silent Disco, Beaches and so much more. Now we are on our way to the Pyrenees for some more trekking!! Can’t wait to tell you guys all about it, live y’all!
Miller- Hi guys!! We are currently leaving Costa Brava to go to the Pyrenees and I am super excited!! Costa Brava was actually so much fun and I loved every moment of it. I am ready for some super cool hiking in the Pyrenees and our day in Paris! I miss you all so much and I hope you guys are having a great July!! Love you all!
Watts- Hey guys, we just had a lot of fun in Costa Brava, moving to the Pyrenees for the last trekking part of our trip hope all is well at home and miss you guys a lot. Love y’all!
Julianne- Hey fam! On the way to the Pyrenees for some more trekking. Costa Brava was SOFUN! I headed the girls team for our dinner cooking competition and we won. It was so muchfun making chicken, cooked vegetables, watermelon salad, and strawberry shortcake whilesinging and listening to music with all of the girls. We also got to go to the beach and sea kayak, the views were amazing! Can’t wait to tell you all about it when I get home!
Bridget- Howdy! I’m having the best time here and I hope you guys are having an awesome summer too! Woof woof Ridley. Thinking of you Allie! Love you guys!
MaeMae- Heyyy Heyyy fam!!! I miss you all so so much! Spain was so amazing and beautiful, I can’t wait to show y’all pictures. I seriously have the best group ever and have met so many cool friends! I’m excited for the Pyrenees and ready to take the challenge! Thank you so much for the opportunity and will see y’all soon!! Say hi to all my friends for me! Xoxo 😘
Thomas H- Hi Guys! Miss you all so much but I’m having the best time ever. Every single day issomehow better than the rest and it’s been an absolute blast. We just finished our Costa Bravasection with sea kayaking, beach days, and a cooking competition that we crushed. I’ve gotten unbelievably close with this group of people and I’m so glad yall gave me this opportunity. Miss you guys love y’all ❤️!
Kane- Hey y‘all the trip has been a blast so far. We just left Costa Brava and we’re heading to the Pyrenees. Miss and love you guys.
Nat- Hey y’all! This trip has been so great and the people have made it so much better. We are leaving Costa Brava now, and headed to the Pyrenees for a week. Love and miss y’all!
Thomas M- Hey guys we just finished Costa Brava sea kayaking it was a lot of fun but I liked the snorkeling. I can’t wait to hike the Pyrenees I heard it is pretty there. I live and miss y’all.
Let the Fun Begin!
July 11, 2025
Ciao!
Our group just finished our trek on the south side of the Tour Du Mont Blanc, and it was absolutely marvelous. The group instantly bonded upon arrival, and there has been perpetual laughter since. We started with a day in the town of Chamonix. Eating well, hacky-sacking, and packing for our five-day trek ahead. On our first day, we began our ascent into the mountains with a steep but beautiful ascent, under glaciers and along ridgelines. Mae Mae boosted spirits by singing and dancing the entire way up. We soon arrived at our beautiful lunch spot, sitting on the mountain pass under the Miage Glacier. Here we ate lunch, but not before an epic side quest hike inspired by Kane and Thomas H. Here we were able to orient ourselves in the mountain sand, see where we came from, and where we were going. It was remarkable. After lunch, we descended into the Miage valley and soon played cards, “signs” and watched the rain come down on the lush valley floor. We had a wonderful dinner and moonup and hit the hay early for the big day ahead.
The morning following was a beautiful and fragrant one after all the rain. Thomas M. seized the opportunity and woke up early to enjoy it all from the porch. We had a peaceful morning before our ascent up to the Refuge De La Tete. A beautiful mountain side hostel where the rain came down shortly after our opportunity to take in the stunning view. We went into the warm hut and enjoyed hot drinks and epic stories from Nat, boosting the group’s already high spirit.
The next day was our longest day planned on the Tour Du Mont Blanc. With fog and rain, the morning started out with a change in environment, and the group seemed to really enjoy the harsher climate. Watts in the front of the pack was making everyone laugh with jokes, and Mack was keeping everyone busy with his deep track riddles. The crowd was occupied all the way up until it was time to make the mountain pass in the frigid, snowy conditions. It was chilly, but the group seemed to love the challenge. With a high alpine environment comes rare sights such as Alpine Ibex and snow-capped mountains. It was a reward well worth the hike. After a long descent down we finally arrived at our own remote chalet. It was a rustic, retired cheese factory that welcomed us with hot chocolate and Raclette. It was a delicious dinner for the books. The cheese factory was a very musical night. Since it was our own chalet, we were even able to have a dance party in the bunk room led by Julianne. Playing country, rock, and pop off the trip speaker. Hannah picked up the old guitar hanging on the wall and practiced chords and songs in one of the coolest venues in the world. It was a sound sleep after such a day like this one.
Then we had a long but steady hike to the trailhead in Courmayeur, Italy. It was exciting to cross the border into a new country, and morale was high all the way through. Miller kept the team entertained, recalling plots from movies and books to tell her teammates to keep them entertained. When we arrived in Courmayeur, we were able to eat some fantastic dinner of pizza and pasta before our memorable moonup in the hotel cellar.
The following day was spent traveling back into Chamonix, eating artisanal hot dogs, and crushing hacky sack rallies led by the all-star hacky sack duo Meg and Bridget. Our crew will be professional by the end of the session. We ended the evening with a few rounds of games before moonup and bed. Our adventure through the Alps was an absolute success, and the group has had so much fun so far. Everyone seems to be having the trip of a lifetime so far, and we can’t wait for the sea kayaking ahead of us in the Mediterranean!
-Corley & Caroline
CHA 4A Shoutouts!
Thomas H – Hi Mom and Dad I miss you guys so much but I am having the best time here it has been the most amazing experience ever I cannot wait to tell you all about it. I have made so many new friends here and everyone is amazing. We are currently on the train to Costa Brava after our hike through the Tour De Mont Blanc. Hope you guys had an amazing time at the lakecan’t wait to see you guys. Love y’all ❤️
Thomas M – Hi Mom and Dad I am having the time of my life. The tour du Mont Blanc is truly magical. The mountains are so steep it’s crazy. The glaciers are huge and they have blue water like in Alaska. I tried my best to learn all the French I could but now that we are heading to Spain I need to remember all of my Spanish so wish me luck. I’m missing y’all and I love y’all both very much.
MaeMae T – Hey Heyyy fam!! I miss you guys sooo much! Currently on our first train ride OTW to Costa Brava in Spain to spend some fun days in the sun! The past week has been AMAZING I have the best group and have made so many cool friends! Hiking the TMB was definitely hardbut all I had to do was look up and see the beautiful mountains around me and remember how lucky I am to be here. Thank you for this amazing opportunity and I love and miss you all (happy late birthday Tom+Julia) and please give Clyde a kiss 😘 xoxo
Julianne- Hey fam! Europe is so cool!! We have already been to France, Switzerland, and Italyand now we are on a train to Costa Brava in Spain. It is absolutely stunning and I definitely think we should come back to ski. I keep seeing lifts everywhere and can tell that the runs would be awesome! I have already made so many new friends and memories and I can’t wait for the rest of the trip. Love and miss y’all!
Hannah- Hey everyone – Love you all and miss you all so much – I have been having so much fun with Miller we have definitely had some awesome cousin bonding time – I also have enjoyed all the awesome people I’ve met, everyone is so uplifting and kind. We finished Mont-Blanc and it was so beautiful I have so many photos I can’t wait to share with y’all. We are on the train to Spain. I am so excited to visit a new country – We will be in 4 countries in 48hrs!! I hope JH is loving VMI and that Tommy has fun seeing the horse – Dad, you’re the second best – Mom I love france but also it is not the same without you – Sistas – Miss and love you Kisses HEHE.
Miller- Hey guys! I miss you all so much and I hope Bridger and Lucy are having fun on their trips! Chamonix has been fun but hard, we hiked 14 miles in hail, rain, and snow, in one day, butit has been so much fun. My group is really great and I have been eating lots of baguettes and Nutella. The food is great, the hiking is fun, playing hackysack is great, and we are on our wayto Spain to hang out at the beach. Yay! Love you all!!!
Meg- Hey fam! I’m having the time of my life, everything we have done and seen has been amazing!! We are eating so good, baguettes, cheese, pizza, pasta, and so much more! The group is so awesome and we have played so many games together! Hacky Sack and DeathSack are my new favorite games! Love y’all so much!
Bridget- Hey fam! Chamonix is so cool and I can’t wait to swap adventures! It’s so pretty hereand the mountains are awesome. Take care of Ridley and Allie. Hi Gavin
Mack- Hey fam! Hope Telluride was awesome as it always is! TMB was tough with the wide range of freezing weather and some brutal sun. We have such a great group of boys and girls with everyone contributing to the group. I’m already looking forward to the Lanier / Shelton family dinner when we come to Athens. I hope Emma is having a great time in innsbruk and Sam and Lucy had a great time with y’all in telluride. Love y’all
Nat- Hey people, Cham is so great. The TMB was hard and weather was super bipolar but it was amazing. Our group is so great and we have spent most of our down time playing card sand hacky sack. We are otw to Costa Brava and I’m super excited. Hope Sam is having fun in Montana and that yall have fun out there as well. Love and miss yall!
Kane- Hi yall the TMB was beautiful and the towns we visited were super cool. Our group isgreat and we have a good rotation of games for when we aren’t doing anything. We are on the way to Spain for sea kayaking which I am super excited about. Miss yall and can’t wait to see yall.
Watts – Hey guys, just finished the trekking in Cham, we went to a bunch of great towns inFrance and Italy everything has been so beautiful. We are currently on a train to costa bravowhich we are all very excited for. Hope Hawaii is great and all is well with Baker and Evvie. Loveand miss you guys lots.
Hello from Chamonix!
July 7, 2025
Hello Chamonix Families!
We heard from our leaders this morning that the group has landed safely in Paris! The trip is off to a great start, and we cannot wait to hear more stories from their adventure as they prepare to begin trekking in Chamonix!
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
