Friendships, Confidence, and Memories
June 30, 2025
One last hello from Iceland 1A!
What an amazing trip we have had the past two weeks! From white water rafting and horseback riding in the sunshine, to snorkeling in just above freezing water, to trekking through the Icelandic highlands, the group made this trip a blast. Iceland is truly an incredible place filled with all kinds of vistas and viewpoints, but the best viewpoint of all was from Moss and I’s perspective, as we had the opportunity to watch each student learn about themselves and grow in their confidence and love for the great outdoors! Although it is the big moments that we remember the best, it is the little moments that we cherish and look back on fondly when we take a deeper look into our time together. As our unforgettable adventure through the wild and stunning landscapes of Iceland comes to a close, we’re feeling a mix of pride, joy, and just a little bit of sadness to say goodbye to this incredible group. Over the course of our trek, through sheep-dotted hills, glacier valleys, roaring waterfalls, and miles of trail, we’ve laughed, grown, and made memories that will last a lifetime. Harper brought light and joy to every moment with her hilarious sense of humor and serious bracelet-making skills. Though she wasn’t always on the trail, her positive energy was a constant, and she made the most of every moment, reminding us all how to find fun no matter the circumstances. Bennett, our talented troubadour, kept the music going strong, strumming out tunes on his guitar and teaching others with patience and passion. His deep love for the outdoors was contagious, and it was clear how much this trip meant to him- and to us because of him. Chip made every trek more engaging with his enthusiasm for solving riddles and sprinkling in fun facts from history. He kept our minds moving even when our legs were tired, and his curiosity added so much to the trail conversations. Auggie never missed a beat with his quick wit and sense of humor. Whether cracking jokes or jamming out during a hike, he kept everyone smiling. He also helped lead one of our most meaningful final Moonups with Auden, where we all got to share “nugs” (shoutouts) of appreciation. Gavin and Poppy wowed us with their artistic talents, creating incredible character sketches of everyone on the trip. Their drawings captured the spirit of the group in such a unique and personal way-it’s hard to imagine a more creative duo. Our soundtrack wouldn’t have been the same without Gavin and Ava Montgomery, who curated the ultimate trip playlist that kept the vibes high-whether we were trekking or dancing around before dinner. Auden, Poppy, Harper, Maxwell, Bennett, and Gavin also kept the hacky sack dream alive, embracing the challenge (and the repairs!) with energy and teamwork. It quickly became a beloved group ritual. Ava Montgomery, known as our trip sweetheart, showed off her competitive side during our epic, improvised baseball game-and wow, she brought the heat! We loved seeing her playful determination and how she brought people together in the spirit of friendly competition. Maggie and Bea kept us laughing around the campfire, sharing jokes and stories as we roasted delicious s’mores generously supplied by Bea-one of our sweetest evenings of the trip. A big shoutout to Maxwell, consistently stepped up to help others. Whether lending a hand with gear or checking in on teammates, his thoughtfulness and generosity didn’t go unnoticed.
We played countless games, sang at the top of our lungs, shared deep conversations, and marveled at Iceland’s awe-inspiring beauty. From sheep sightings to waterfall spritzes, and from glacier views to giggle-filled nights, this crew made the most of every single moment.
These kids never failed to soak in a moment and put a smile on Moss and I’s faces, and they were such a joy to lead. They all learned that they can indeed do hard things, and I believe that will serve them well as they go through high school. May they continue forward with confidence and spontaneity, always living in the moment and taking opportunities to make a connection with someone or spend time in nature. We are so proud of everything this group accomplished, both as individuals and as a team. Saying goodbye is hard, but we know each of them is heading home with new friendships, confidence, and memories they’ll carry into the rest of the summer-and into the new school year ahead.
Thanks for an amazing adventure. We’ll miss you all!
With love!
Georgia and Moss
Snorkels, Sleds, and Solstices
June 24, 2025
Greetings from Iceland 1A!
Since our last update, our agenda has been packed with fun activities in breathtaking places with lots of sights to see, so there’s lots to recap!
Saturday, June 21st, was the longest day of the year, which is a day that holds lots of traditions in Iceland because it marks the beginning of the end to the everlasting summer light. At our campsite, we saw people in costumes dancing and played games with several of the younger locals! They especially loved jumping on the trampoline and playing soccer with Bea. After lunch, we headed to Thingvellir National Park for a cold water snorkel session in between the North American and Eurasian tectonic plates! Because we were swimming in fresh glacier run off water, it was quite cold we had a wet suit so we could truly enjoy the beauty of the site and clearness of the water. Everyone got the chance to hold out their hands to touch two continental plates at one time and snap a photo! One section of the river was bright blue with white algae on the bottom which the locals called Iceland’s Bahamas. We ended the unique experience with a nice cup of hot coco, and hopped back in the bus for a relaxing evening at camp. Before we reached camp, though, we celebrated the summer solstice with homemade ice cream at a local dairy farm near our campsite! That night, Maxwell dealt cards as the group played games in the main kitchen tent, while Bennett taught Maggie and Ava Montgomery some new chords on the guitar. Everyone enjoyed a much anticipated shower, which afterwards Auden and Poppy started a braid train for the group! We ended the night with delicious spaghetti bolognese and a meaningful Moonup led by Poppy and Chip.
Sunday we embarked on another hike to old woman mountain, Kerlingarfjöll, where the iron in the dirt made the small hills bright red with patches of snow throughout. At the top of the mountain, we had the chance to do some light bodysledding, using our rain jackets as our barrier between ourselves and the snow. We enjoyed our lunch along the river surrounded by peaks in every direction. We went on another quick hike to a hot spring at the base of our hike to warm back up, and we got a few pockets of sunshine through the clouds along the way!
When we got back to the campsite, everyone was feeling pretty tired but we still had enough time to play quick game of soccer with the locals and jump on the trampoline. Auggie was crowned king of the trampoline, as he definitely spent the most time on it and caught the most air. Gavin and Bennett practiced their hackey sack skills whenever they could, and I’d have to say they’re approaching mastery pretty fast. The next morning everyone packed up their tents, sleeping bags, and sleeping pads in record time, and we got on the road with time to spare. Our wonderful guide, Zak took us to a huge waterfall going through a narrow gorge called Gullfoss waterfall that slightly resembled Niagara Falls! Chip, Bennett and Gavin got their push-up reps in on top of the waterfall before piling back into the bus to head to white water rafting. After a quick safety briefing, gear distribution, and bus ride to the put-in, we were off to our first rapid on Iceland’s White River. Our American raft guides loved learning about where we were from and had many games for us to play on the water. In between the rapids we took a short break for a chilly cliff jump in a gorgeous lava gorge- I applaud Maggie for being the brave one to jump first. Harper provided unlimited music and entertainment from the front of the boat, unafraid of a little splash here and there! We were pretty cold after getting splashed and swimming around in glacier water, so we jumped in the hot tub and sauna when the trip was over (and some brave ones hopped into the cold plunge, a common thing for establishments to have here in Iceland) followed by the best burger and fries in Iceland for lunch.
After rafting, we headed to our spot for the night, which was a cozy mountain cabin with bunk beds which was a wonderful break from sleeping in tents for the past few days! everyone was playing around with the guitar, chatting with each other, drawing, journaling and winding down for the day. Bea led the group on a walk to see the horses, and we closed out the night with a delicious broccoli cheddar soup. Auggie and Bea brought the vibes back up for Moonup by having us all share our favorite dance move with the group.
We have kept quite busy over the past couple days, and are now so excited to jump into the next portion of our trip-trekking in a national park tomorrow! Moss and I have had such a blast getting to know these kids and can’t wait to get even closer as such a dynamic group in the next week! I’m confident everyone is going to do amazing on our trek and bring the hype like they have every day!
Much love,
Iceland 1A
P.S! Here are some notes from our students to you:
Gavin- hi mom and dad, thank you so much for letting me do this trip. It’s really fun and I love it. We have done so much and I have met so many people. Love you guys so much
Bea- Hi mom and dad!! Thank y’all so much for sending me on this trip. I have made the best friends and pushed myself places I never thought I could. Tell Clairey I miss her and I love her and I hope camp went well. Our 4 day non stop trekking starts in 2 days and I’m super excited!! This trip is going by WAYYY TOO FAST. I’m literally friends with every single person on the trip which is amazing!! I love y’all so much and I’ll see y’all in a week.
Bennett- Hey mom and dad. Thank you so much for sending me on this trip. I am having so much fun with new friends. We just finished rafting and it was super fun. Can’t wait to see you.
Ava Montgomery- Heyyyy mama and daddy!!! I miss y’all so much and can’t wait to see y’all but am having the best time. Thank y’all so so much for sending me. We’ve gotten to do so many cool things but my favorite so far might be horseback riding or the day hikes. We start trekking in 2 days and I’m super excited. Tell Oby, Fran, Mae, Nana, Poppop and Mimi I say hi and love ya. Can’t wait to see y’all at the beachhhh!!!
Maggie- Hi mom and dad!! I am having the best time and I’m so thankful for getting the opportunity to do this. I have definitely experienced the coolest things now in the family and I’m only half way through. The views are ridiculous; George would love it here. We are about to start the big trekking adventure and I am super exited. I have gotten super close with everyone and can’t wait to tell you all about it. I hope Montana is awesome and Jake is doing good work. Love you all!
Poppy- I am having so much fun!!! I love you guys so much!!! Tell Juni welcome home and that I love her, and Casey that I hope he’s having fun in Africa, ask about the rhinos. We got to do some really cool stuff like white water rafting, going in hot springs, horseback riding, camping, snorkeling, and hiking. I love this trip, but I can’t wait to see Larry and Sam again. I love you so so so much!!!
Harper- Hi Mom, Dad, Nash, River, Amma and Lennon!!! 😍I miss y’all so so so much and I can’t wait to come back home to see all of you. I’ve had so much fun horse back riding, white water rafting, trekking, and more! The hiking part but it will be so much fun. This has been such a fun experience and I’m so happy and grateful that I could come. I’ve made so many friends and can’t wait to finish it off!! I LOVE Y’ALL❤️
Auden- hey mom (and Cora)! Mom, thanks for sending me on this trip! I’m having a lot of fun, and the snorkeling was just as cool as we were hoping! I’ve gotten to swim in a hot spring almost every day, ride a horse, drink from a glacier river, and white water raft. Cora, I miss you and love you. I met some really cute dogs and took pictures for you, on your camera which has not fallen in lava (yet). Have fun in New York, and I’m excited to live out the rest of this trip and see you next week! Love you guys!
Chip- Hi mom and Dad, Wyatt and Tallulah. I am having a lot of fun here. We went hiking, rode horses, white water rafted, and went on a tour of a glacier tunnel and a lava tunnel. We have also swam in multiple hot springs which was very fun. The food has been good, and everyone is nice. We have stayed at multiple camp sights so far, like a farm and a cabin right now. We saw a lot of cool things like a waterfall and a lot of mountains. I hope you all are doing well,
Chip
Maxwell- Hi Mom and Dad, thanks for sending me on this trip and I have been making new friends. One of my favorite moments so far is the hike through a sulfur deposit and up a mountain and into the snow. Yes, Dad I have many videos to show you on the go-pro. Again thanks for privilege to go on this trip and I hope y’all are having a great time in Cali. Or back home if you made it back. Also tell Lauren to give Duchess and Clyde lots of love from Iceland.
From,
Maxwell P.
Kicking Off in the Land of Fire and Ice
June 21, 2025
It has been an eventful last four days! Our journey began with a layover in the JFK, giving everyone plenty of time to meet and learn names. We departed from JFK around 1am and landed in Reykjavik at 11am-total red eye! Everyone was incredibly impressive in their patience, positivity and excitement despite the long hours in the airport-we are so proud of them for that!
Once we left the airport we were met by our Arctic Adventures guide, Zak, who gave us a warm greeting and grand introduction. We piled in the van, stopped for subs and headed to Sky Lagoon-we had no idea what we were in for.
Once we arrived at Sky Lagoon, we were all totally shocked by the impressive design of the entrance and the official speech given by the attendant who informed us we would be completing seven steps throughout the experience that were ancient Viking healing and spiritual rituals. Everyone was very intrigued! After a quick shower in the locker rooms we set off to the first step: the lagoon itself. Surrounded by black volcanic rock we walked through a short cave which opened up to expose a gorgeous crystal clear blue river that made a canyon between the walls of black rock. We waded down the river until it opened up into a massive Infinity pool with spectacular views of the ocean complete with a waterfall! We swam around and played for a while and explored the twists and turns of the lagoon.
Then it was time for the next step: cold plunge. Gavin and Bennett were particularly keen to experience this part and spent a lot of time in the cold plunge, even getting fully submerged. After the plunge, everyone funneled into the “turf hut” which was meant to resemble ancient Viking design as it was a simple A Frame wooden doorway carved neatly into a grassy knoll (think Hobbit Houses!). The third step was the sauna which everyone enjoyed. It had impressive views of the ocean through floor-to-ceiling windows. Auggie seemed very at peace here.
After the sauna we moved to the next step: cold sprinkle which was exactly what it sounds like-a room with cold mists meant to refresh after the heat of the sauna. After that we moved to the body scrub where we rubbed natural Icelandic salts on our bodies and went into the beautiful steam room. Ava Montgomery and Maggie loved the steam room and stayed in the longest. The last step was a sip of traditional Icelandic herbal cranberry tea. We dried off, got dressed and headed back to the van.
We enjoyed pizza at the hostel with the help of Gavin and Maxwell deciding toppings for the group- they were very efficient. After pizza and games, we had our first Moonup where we established our intentions for the trip and named Bea and Maxwell as the LODs (Leaders Of The Day)!!
The next morning, we drove to a local bakery and had delicious sandwiches and pastries. We left the bakery and set out for Reykjadular Thermal River. We embarked on a 2.5 mile hike deep into the mountains and hills before we arrived at the river. Auggie was the first in and enjoyed the super hot section while everyone else navigated downstream to the cooler spots. Harper enjoyed measuring the difference in weight between the volcanic porous rock (very light despite its size) and the regular rocks.
We explored the different spots in the river as they gradually cooled down the further down we went. Then, we were off to the lava tunnel tour. We strapped on our helmets and headlamps and walked straight into the depths of Iceland. We had a very funny guide and Chip impressed him with his diverse knowledge of geology. After the lava tunnel tour we drove to an Icelandic sheep/horse farm to make camp for the night. It was a beautiful campsite with giant plateaus, conical mountains, and snowy peaks in the distance. We had an incredible meal prepared by our hosts and everyone ate their fill.
After dinner we went back to camp and played capture the flag! Auden had her head in the game the whole time, making many full-forced rushes into enemy territory and narrowly escaping back to her side. In game one Bennett capture the flag and won, in the second Auggie and Maggie used great teamwork to see cute the win, and in the third Maxwell triumphed as the flag capturer. Afterwards we had Moonup and the next LODs were announced: Ava Montgomery and Gavin!
the next morning we enjoyed breakfast at the farm prepared by Zak and departed for horseback riding! The farm was gorgeous, and we were all very excited. Poppy had a particularly gassy horse and kept the group laughing by predicting when it would break wind. After the horseback riding was complete we hiked a meteor crater and saw some beautiful views. Then we headed to base camp for the glacier tunnel tour. We traveled across barren, black rocky desert for a while before we reached the edge of the glacier which was completely covered with snow. Every direction was completely white! When we parked and got out the temperature was completely different and we were so glad we bundled up!
The glacier tunnel was incredible. The white-blue ice tunnel was smooth and shiny and lit by small electric lamps. We used special ice chains around our boots to keep from slipping. The tour lasted about an hour and took us 300 meters deep into the glacier. The students enjoyed trying to drink the clean cold glacier water dripping from the ceiling! Afterwards, we drove an hour and a half back to camp where we were surprised by the hosts who let us feed their lambs from the bottles! Then we ate dinner prepared by Zak and after that had Moonup in a hot spring close by!
The Journey Begins!
June 18, 2025
Hello Iceland Families!
We heard from our leaders that the group has landed safely! 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
