Silly Clothes and Sad Closings
July 8, 2025
It’s hard to believe we’re already sending out our final update – these past two weeks have truly flown by. Everyone is either up in the air or already landed safely, and just like that, our incredible two weeks together have come to a close. Last night wrapped up our final full day of the trip, and it was filled with laughter, reflection, and a bittersweet sense of just how special this experience has been.
Day 12 began very early to take on one of the most beautiful hikes of the entire trip-an unforgettable sunrise trek up to the High Dune at Great Sand Dunes National Park. Brooks, Olive, and Wynn showed incredible grit and perseverance as they powered up the dunes, and everyone reached the summit just in time for breathtaking 360-degree views bathed in golden light. As part of the group paused to catch their breath near the top, the rest pushed on to the summit-and Wyatt, after reaching the top first, turned around and walked back down to encourage and guide the others to the very top. His quiet, thoughtful leadership in that moment stood out to all of us. Earlier in the hike, we found a sand board along the way, and Henry kindly carried it up so everyone could take a turn gliding down the dunes.
Once we made it to the top, Olive won the very prestigious award for Best Nap With a View, while Margaret and I were close runners-up. Millie, Ellie, and a few others spent the morning sprinting, leaping, and somersaulting down the dunes with so much joy that we couldn’t help but laugh. After our sandy adventure, we headed back to camp for a well-earned meal of breakfast burritos, and then set off for a fun town day in Salida. With delicious ice cream in hand and Fitz’s new hacky sack making the rounds, we rolled into camp that night tired but happy. We were especially grateful to Wyatt, Fitz, and Neve, who jumped in to help clean up dinner without hesitation.
The next day brought our final road trip to Cherry Creek State Park near Denver. Spirits were high as we washed the van, sorted gear, and dove headfirst into our silly costume tradition. Gigi, Evelyn, and Evans pulled together some of the most outrageous and creative outfits of the whole trip-one final celebration of the laughter and personality that’s filled every day. Our feast at In-N-Out served as the perfect capstone to the evening, and as we sat together one last time, it was clear just how much this group had grown together.
We’re endlessly grateful to you for sharing your incredible children with us. Each and every one of them brought something unique and meaningful to our group-from their sense of humor and kindness to their willingness to try new things and lift one another up. Watching them step out of their comfort zones, grow in confidence, and form genuine friendships has been such a privilege. It’s clear to us that they are headed for bright, impactful futures and we’re so proud to have been a small part of their story.
Thank you again for trusting us with them for these two special weeks. We are so proud of this crew and are wishing them all the best.Happy trails from your COT2B family,
Colin, Margaret, and Virginia
Lots of FUN in the San Juan Mtns!
July 6, 2025
Greetings from COT2B!!!! A crazy busy few days we’ve had and we sure are excited to update you all on it!!
Day 6 was a group favorite for sure as we spent the morning crushing the ropes course and the afternoon zipping above canyons! Our LODs, Olive and Wyatt, confidently led the group through the day with high spirits and encouraged their friends to conquer their fears! After a full morning on the ropes course, the group ate some much deserved sandwiches and carrots and hummus for lunch before gearing up for the upcoming afternoon activity, zip lining! Though initially nervous, Evelyn soared through the sky, even noting that it may be her favorite activity we’ve done on the trip! Once back at the campsite, we began preparing dinner, quesadillas!!! With so many different toppings options, the group noted this was one of the best dinners we’ve shared! Even though the sky opened up on us, we made the most of the rest of dinner before we crammed in the van, ate ice cream sandwiches, and shared funny stories!
Day 7 was filled with excitement as it was the day many had been waiting for, fly fishing! Wynn, Fitz, Ellie, and Henry hopped right in and began catching fish right off the bat, while the rest of the group listened as our guides showed us the ropes on casting and setting the bait. Laughter was shared by all as we patiently waited for the right fish to come and grab our flies. Millie especially enjoyed reading her book while recasting every few minutes, making sure she wasn’t missing out on any fish swimming by. After a few hours of fishing, we decided it was finally time to give the fish a rest and we loaded up and headed towards the San Juan Mountains, where our backpacking journey would begin the following morning.
Day 8 was crammed full of last-minute backpacking preparations before we headed towards the Kilpacker Basin trailhead for our adventure to begin! With one LOD, Neve, at the front of the group and the other, Wynn, at the back, our group glided through the green trees and made it to camp by midafternoon. Our campsite is a beautiful little cove placed next to a waterfall that lulls us to sleep at night. After setting up what we would call home for the next 4 days, we began dinner prep. With lots of helpers, we whipped up pita pizzas just as the sun began to set around us. It was delicious!!! After an awesome first back country Moonup around the camp fire, we went to bed excited for all to come in the following day!
With bellies full of oatmeal, the group geared up for a day hike to a beautiful viewpoint. Shortly after, some mid morning showers threw a wrench in our plans and sent us back to camp, but the group made the best of the unexpected tent time! While some took much-deserved naps, others played card games and made friendship bracelets as the rain dripped on their tents. Once the rain had finally stopped, Colin led the group on a short hike up to a meadow with an amazing view of the surrounding mountains! Afterward, Virginia and Margaret tried their hand in cards against Brooks, Evelyn, Olive, and Evans, but dang these kids are crafty with the card games!! We then made chicken pesto pasta for dinner and played games around the fire before heading to bed!
Day 10 was so amazing! We started the day by waking the kids up playing Firework by Katy Perry and covered them in 4th of July decor. We had everything from glow stick headbands to temporary tattoos to a star banner hanging above the campfire and everyone was pumped! After playing every song that had the words America or U.S.A in it, we made chocolate chip pancakes and decorated them with red, white, and blue icing! The kids will have to tell you more, but it’s safe to say it was pretty awesome!!! After breakfast, our LODs, Gigi and Evans, led us on a hike to Navajo Lake, where we would spend the afternoon fly fishing, polar plunging, and eating a surprise watermelon that Colin hiked up with!! Vibes were up!!! It was much deserved after the 4 mile hike there with lots of elevation gain! After chilling out for a few hours, we packed up and headed back to camp where we made an awesome dinner before a great Moonup! We sure had a great 4th!!!
The next morning we woke up early to pack up camp and get back to civilization!! After eating breakfast, we swept camp to make sure we had everything, and then Henry and Evelyn led us on our hike back to our beloved van, Clifford. When we arrived, the group shared celebratory Oreos and loaded up to start our drive towards our next activity, the Great Sand Dunes!!!! We made a quick lunch stop in Telluride for burgers, chicken strips, wings, and anything else these hungry campers could wish for! It was the most quaint and picturesque summer mountain town ever! We then continued on with our long drive to camp! After a long day (and a super early morning in our future) we mooned up and then hit the hay!!!
Bye for now!!! ❤️
Much love,
Virginia, Margaret, + Colin
A word from the dozen:
Gigi – Hey fam! I am having a life changing experience. Thank you so so much for sending me! Lots of love!
Neve – Hi guys! I miss you all. Hope you had fun in Watch Hill. I’m having a really fun time. Thanks for sending me here! Love you!
Olive – Hey mom and dad! Having the best time! Thanks for sending me here! Time has gone by SO fast! Can’t wait to see y’all!! Tell KK I said I love her! Love yall!
Millie – Hey mom. Ilysm and I’m so grateful to be here. See you soon! Love you!
Evelyn – Hey Mom + Dad. I’m having lots of fun thank you for sending me here!
Ellie – Hi everyone! I miss you all and can’t wait to see you all soon! Thank you mom and dad for sending me on this trip! I love you all so much!
Henry – Hi mom and dad. Thank you for sending me love y’all
Evans – Hey mom and dad thank you for sending me on this trip. I have loved every day of it. Love you!
Fitz – Wassup Mom and Dad. Thank you so much for sending me on this trip. We were just in the backcountry and I caught a trout on a grasshopper fly. Love yall!
Brooks – Hey mom and dad. I have been having a lot of fun. I miss you too Rocky. I have made lots of friends. I love y’all very much.
Wynn – Hello mother and father. Hope y’all are good. Thanks for sending me on Moondance! Miss the dogs
Wyatt – hi mom and dad I am having so much fun. thank you for sending me! Love you
Climbing, Cooking, and Clifford the Big Red Van
July 1, 2025
Helllooooooo from COT2B!!!! Oh what fun we’ve been having and we can’t wait to tell everyone about it!!
After gathering our group from the airport, we hopped in our bright red 15 passenger van and hit the road towards our first campground in Gunnison! The long car ride gave us a chance to start to get to know each other, play card games, and curate the perfect van ride playlist for the next two weeks together! With everyone contributing songs, we have everything from Rihanna to Zach Bryan to the Red Hot Chili Peppers on our rockin playlist. We picked up pizza in Gunnison for our first dinner together and headed to the campsite to learn about campsite etiquette and setting up our home for the next two weeks: the tents. After eating dinner, we gathered for our first Moonup, a nightly moondance ritual where we get to learn new things about each other and elect our LODs (leaders of the day). Being elected LOD means that the previous leaders believed you would be the right fit to lead the group in the upcoming activity and have been acting as a great role model for others throughout the day. Our first chosen LODs were Neve and Fitz because of their awesome airport day attitudes. After moonup, we called it a night so we could rest up for our first activity: Rock Climbing.
Day 2 began bright and early with a breakfast of blueberry and cinnamon chip muffins along with yogurt and fruit. After packing lunches for the day, the group filled up Nalegenes and headed to Hardman Rock to begin our day of climbing. Our amazing guides made sure everyone was ready and then we started climbing! Millie and Brooks were crushing it up on the wall and even completed all 3 courses in record time! Though parts of our group were initially feeling nervous about rock climbing, everyone got up on the wall and absolutely killed it! After working up a sweat at rock climbing, the group decided to take a dip in our chilly lake by the campsite. We played games, swam laps, and dried off by laying on the big rocks surrounding the water. Fun was had by all! We then began cooking our first dinner: burrito bowls!! With lots of helpful hands, dinner was cooked perfectly! Shoutout to Gigi, Evelyn and Olive for helping make the perfect appetizer for the group, guacamole. After dinner, our LODs led us in Moonup and then we went to bed!
Day 3 began with a hearty breakfast of sausage, smoothies, and yogurt before our second day on the rock wall. Our new LODs, Millie and Evans led the group in morning huddle and then we hit the road. The second rock climbing location was awesome and challenged our kids the perfect amount. Gigi even faced her fears and climbed to the top of the wall not once but twice!! After everyone felt satisfied with their climbing, we headed to Crested Butte for a spontaneous town day! The kids bought tshirts, new games, and we surprised them with an ice cream stop! It was the perfect way to wrap up the day. Once back at the campsite, we cooked spinach tortellini with meatballs while the Ellie and Wynn chopped up zucchini and squash for the pasta. Dinner was scrumptious!!!
With lots of excited energy, day 4 was an action-packed day. After filling up on pancakes and sausage, we headed down the road to River Runners where we would begin our overnight white water rafting trip! After a safety briefing, the boats hit the water and we were off!! With Henry and Wyatt in the front of the boat, we cruised down the water, crushing each rapid we passed. Our amazing guide, Payne, even let Millie, Evans and Brooks guide us down some of the calmer sections! Smiles could be seen from miles down the river! After a few hours of rafting, we arrived at our waterfront campsite and set up camp. Quickly after, we all threw on our swimsuits and began floating down the river to cool down! It was a blast! Later, our guides cooked us a fabulous dinner of steaks (!!!!), corn, and sautéed peppers and onions! Best backcountry meal everrrr!
The next morning began our day with eggs, bacon, and potatoes before suiting back up and hitting the water. After crushing the class 3 and 4 rapids, we hopped out of the boats and headed back to River Runners where we ate chicken ceaser salad wraps and surprised the group with a SHOWER!!!! The group was over the moon! After all of that, we reunited with Clifford, our red van, and headed to the campsite. Our LODs, Gigi and Brooks, fearlessly conquered the much-needed grocery run with us and once we got back, we began cooking a group favorite: burgers! After dinner, we went over how to clean group gear and keep things tidy before starting Moonup! With the ropes course and zip lining starting early the next morning, we headed straight to bed after Moonup to rest up!!
Can’t wait to share more of our adventures with y’all! Talk soon!!
Virginia, Margaret, and Colin 👋🏼🌎
A little something from the kiddos! :
Henry- Hello! I am having so much fun! Thank yall so much for letting me do this. Love yall.
Fitz- Hi! I am having lots of fun and rock climbed, whitewater rafted and just zip lined!
Evans- Hey Mom and Dad! I am having a lot of fun. Thank you for letting me do this. I miss y’all. My favorite part has been zip lining.
Brooks- Hey Mom and Dad! I am having a lot of fun and having a great time. My favorite thing we did was zipline. Love yall!
Evelyn- Hey Mom and Dad! Yesterday we white water rafted and today we zip lined! See yall soon!
Olive- Hey Mom and Dad! Having a blast and got to see Hazel the other day! Can’t wait to see y’all soon. Love yall and stay safe!
Neve- Hi guys! Have fun in Watch Hill! Bye!
Gigi- I am so grateful for yall sending me on Moondance! I faced my fears of rock climbing! I love yall!
Wyatt – Hi mom and dad. White water rafting has been my favorite activity so far. We’re fly fishing today and I’m so excited. love you
Wynn – Hello mom! This trip is very fun and I’m so happy I decided to go. love you and miss you so much
Ellie- Hi Mom and Dad, I’m doing good. Can’t wait to see you both soon! Also can’t wait to see griffins jon boat! Love you!
Millie- Hi!! I’m great! Having a blast. Love you!
Safe Arrival in Colorado!
June 25, 2025
Hello Colorado Trail Families!
We heard from our leaders that the group has landed safely in Denver! 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
