June 19, 2025
What a trip. WOW. We are both in awe of your incredible children and feel beyond grateful to have spent the past two weeks with them. This group is something really special; each student brought their own unique, amazing personality that blended together seamlessly. Our last few days together were so special as we cherished the last moments together. At Moonup last night we all agreed that some of our biggest laughs and favorite memories came from the final days of the trip. Picking up where we last left off…
On Monday morning, day 11, we ate a yummy breakfast at Rifugio Tissi and said goodbye to our mountain oasis to hike down the mountain. This Rifugio was definitely a favorite of the group. We were joined by other hut-to-hut hikers, making the experience feel especially authentic and removed from civilization. Our final day of trekking felt bittersweet. LOD’s David and Louise led the way, making fun jokes and leading group conversations along the way. It was rewarding to hike downhill-all day-and a much needed rest for our lungs. They have been working hard over the past many days!!! In total we descended 3,775′, all of which was spectacular. From Rifugio Tissi, we hiked to the Val Civetta over the Col Rean. The open green meadows met with the narrow valley of Val Corpassa. The route took us just below two sheer rock faces called Torre Venezia and Torre Trieste. They are stunningly tall, reaching heights of 7,667′ and 8,064′. We were all taken away by the beauty and even more stunned to hear that people rock climb them often. After our previous days climbing, we agreed it would be so fun to become better rock climbers and take on challenges like scaling these mountains. About halfway through our hike, we reached a lovely picnic area where we snacked on gummy bears and protein bars to fuel us for the rest of the hike. The group consensus is that sour gummies are the best, especially when they’re shaped like dinosaurs! We finished out the 6-mile hike strong where we rested our legs at Rifugio Capanna Trieste. Emily got Cokes and Chips for the kids to accompany the packed lunches. Noah whipped out the cards and all of the boys joined in to play a quick game. It was such a fun and rewarding end to the trekking portion of our trip! We then piled in to two cars to drive about two hours to the Dolomiti Friuliane in Clauzetto. Emily’s car jammed out to some great music on the drive where the most popular artists included Michael Jackson and Mt. Joy. Taylor’s van had some much needed nap time to recharge for the rest of the day to come. Upon arrival to Clauzetto, a super small town, we were greeted by our wonderful hostel host, Eva. Eva is truly a character-just ask your kids and they will tell you all about her. We think she and her husband may have once been professional dancers but couldn’t fully tell…. They have tons of family pictures scattered around which we all found entertaining. After checking in, we took a nice stroll around town just before it started to rain. It was a little ominous with the storm approaching, so we hung out in the hostel and played some games while we waited for the rain to pass. Eva gave us all an afternoon ice cream treat. She really spoiled us throughout the whole stay! This hostel also had a few pets. Owsley and CC lovingly named all four of them. Our favorite is the smallest dog, and by small we mean she is seriously the tiniest dog you’ve ever seen. We shared a lot of laughs about the animals that roamed around the main level and thoroughly enjoyed their company during our days here. For dinner we shared a delicious spread of homemade chicken, potatoes, and salad followed by more ice cream, of course! We then played our nightly Code Names games. Code master Mattie gave some incredible clues. Taylor, Owsley, CC, Dallie, Louise, and David were victorious, winning 2/3 games! To finish off the night, we had an incredible led by David and Louise. We circled up next to a fountain that looked over a spectacular mountainous landscape. Tonight, the group shared about some of the challenges we’ve each faced and the lessons that we’ve learned from them. It was definitely a memorable, deep conversation that brought us all closer. What a day! So packed full of laughs, even some tears, the good ones, and overall just so much fun. It is really apparent how much love the whole group holds for one another and so special to see everyone continue to form lifelong friendships.
Tuesday morning, day 12 of our Italian journey, we woke up full of excitement for the day ahead of us full of canyoneering! The whole group was absolutely stoked to finally have a water activity. It was a luxury to get to sleep in a little as our activity did not begin until 9:00 am, a nice change from our usual 8:00 am hikes. After a charming breakfast at our beloved Hotel Corona, our canyoneering guide, a local guide named Ennio, picked us up. We had a short ride to Grotta di Pradis. The group got all geared up in our water socks, wetsuits, harnesses, and helmets. It was quite a process to get dressed and the group shared lots of laughs as we wiggled into our tight wetsuits. Owsley was given a particularly funny wetsuit, that actually came in two pieces for a complete look that sort of resembled a wrestling singlet! We started off the canyoneering with a bang as we repelled straight down a mini waterfall into the canyon below. It felt like some sort of natural water park. Charlotte loved the canyoneering and it felt fantastic to cool off in the water after the last few weeks of hiking in the sun! For the next three hours, we descended through an absolute wonderland! We explored the adrenaline rush canyoning can provide as we hiked, slid, and swam our way through the crystal-clear water of the canyon. It was a dream to splash around in the chilly water while taking in the amazing views of rock and the area around us. We ended the activity just as strong as we started and the students of DOL 1B changed from master hikers and became fish as our group swam around after cliff jumping off a nearby rock. Of course, all safely facilitated by our guide, Ennio. Nate and Noah found a frog and passed it around the group, posing for pictures. After the canyoneering was done, we had a quick hike back up to our pickup location. As I am sure you all know by now, it was nothing we weren’t more than capable of! The kids have become quite the little hikers and there is no hill they won’t tackle. We had a private transfer back to our hotel where a scrumptious pasta and Caprese salad were waiting for us. After lunch, per tradition, we had to get ice cream. We let our lunch settle with some downtime filled with poker, journaling, and foosball. Emily and Taylor took the group to explore the town where we soaked up the afternoon sun. Owsley, Dallie, Louise and CC went into the local church where they met the kind Italian who had been ringing the clock tower alarm that we woke up to in the mornings. This cute town had really grown on us over the past 24 hours and we had so much fun in the afternoon all outside together! We headed back for dinner. Eva made us hamburgers and tater tots which was a great reminder of home! After dinner, more ice cream of course! We walked up to the park while enjoying the sunset and took some golden hour photos along the way. Nate and Mattie led an early Moonup inside of a perfect gazebo. Right as Moonup wrapped, we received an invite to play soccer with some of the local Italian kids of the small town. It was such a cool cultural immersion experience. The Moondance DOL 1B soccer team held our own for a while against the Italians, with some epic moments from Charlotte and David. However, our lead didn’t last forever as the local player’s Italian skill eventually prevailed and they secured the win. It was a highlight of the trip for many! We said good night to our new local friends and made our way back to our hotel.
Yesterday morning we all got to sleep in and woke up to head to Venice for our town day. We were all SO pumped to explore the city!!! Before saying goodbye to Hotel Corona, we retrieved our laundry that Eva, our hostel host, so kindly washed for all of us. Breakfast included warm, jam filled croissants and fruit with cappuccinos and hot cocoa. At 10 am our two taxis drove us to Venice. We of course played music along the way and the vibes were high when we arrived in the city. For most of the trip we’ve been staying in remote areas, so it was really exciting to have the opportunity to explore a bigger city together. The kids were troopers carrying our bags through the city to get to our hotel. It was pretty warm out, but a perfectly sunny day in Venice. Once we dropped our belongings at the hotel we quickly headed back out to hunt for gelato. We have some tough critics in the group and couldn’t stop at just any gelato spot-it had to be authentic in the metal tins with a certain type of scooper. We were all satisfied by GROM, a delicious gelato spot. Noah recommended the Stracciatella flavor to the group which many people ordered and thoroughly enjoyed. CC and Taylor tried the yogurt flavor, which was equally great! Then Emily led us to the iconic Piazza San Marco, where Taylor shared some fun facts about the city and Saint Mark’s Basilica. From here we divided for lunch. Emily took Owsley, Mattie, Louise, Dallie, CC and Charlotte to a the illy cafe where we shared one of our favorite meals of the trip. The ambiance was beautiful, coffee tasted so great, and the macaroons were a big hit. Meanwhile, Taylor led David, Matt, Noah, Nate and Jack to an authentic pizza restaurant. Everyone spent the afternoon exploring and shopping, too. Dallie, CC and Louise all bought matching leather purses and bracelets. The boys sat along the canals and thoroughly enjoyed people watching. It was a super fun afternoon! For banquet dinner we went to an amazing restaurant where we sat outside on the water. Emily and Taylor surprised the group with superlatives. Matt received the “best laugh” of the group and David was given “MVP of the DOL 1B soccer team”. Most of the kids had margarita pizza for dinner, importantly soaking up every last bit of the Italian food while they can!! It was a perfect evening, just warm enough but not too hot as the sun set. Golden hour on the canal is beautiful. After dinner we hunted for more gelato and found our best yet! Then we had our final Moonup in the plaza right next to St. Mark’s Basilica. We discussed what we will take away from the trip; it is evident that we all learned so much in just two weeks. Everyone wants to continue embracing Moondance’s “LITMO” mentality-the importance of living in the moment and being present. In other words, being where our feet are and embracing every single moment without being too rushed. Over the span of our trip, we shared so many incredible memories that we will all cherish for a very long time. Discussing these moments at Moonup was an excellent cap on the night and trip as a whole. We headed back to our hotel, skipping through the streets of Venice. It was such an amazing final day of our trip!
Today sadly marks the end to our Italian adventure. We woke up early for a bitter sweet last morning together. Breakfast was grab-and-go-style Nutella filled croissants. Noah and CC’s parents both picked them up at the hotel to continue on their own travels. We said our goodbyes and it hurt to already start parting ways with group members so soon. Soon after, we brought our gear to our private transfer via water taxi pickup point near the water. Our water taxi arrived and we rode about 30 minutes to the airport. Dallie was pumped to be back on a boat, her natural habitat. David, Bender, and Louise caught up on some Z’s as we glided away from the magical floating city of Venice. At the airport, we got boarding passes printed and the group all checked in and ready to go for a long travel day home. After rounds of hugs and sweet words, we said our final sad goodbyes and sent the group off through security and on their way back home to you. We were so sad to see them go but know you are all so excited to have them home and hear all about the trip!
It has been an absolute joy to lead Louise, David, Noah, Jack, CC, Charlotte, Mattie, Nate, Dallie, Victoria, Owsley and Matt in the Dolomites. We both adore your kids and are so grateful to have spent the past two weeks together. Thank you so much for sharing them with us! We cannot wait to see all of the incredible things they accomplish throughout high school and beyond. All twelve of them are truly incredible individuals with such bright futures. BIG LOVE!!
💙💙
Emily and Taylor
June 16, 2025
Since we last checked in the group has been scaling mountains, rappelling from rock faces, and reaching the peaks of seemingly impossible summits. We’ve been exploring more incredible destinations in the Dolomites and continue to be blown away by the spectacular natural beauty that surrounds us. Let’s jump right in to the past few days!
On Thursday morning we set out to embark on our first day of climbing. After an especially delicious breakfast at Rifuguo Lagazoui, we packed our bags and took the gondola down the mountain. This scenic ride was an unexpected surprise for the kids, and they were all so excited to rest their legs from hiking (we may have convinced them that they were going to have to hike back down to the base…)! We then got to take a second chairlift to the climbing spot: Cinque Torri. Also known as “Five Towers”, these stunning rock faces are located above Cortina d’Ampezzo. It is part of the larger Averau-Nuvolau group in the Cortina Dolomites, and these mountains are also home to an extensive WWI Open Air Museum. The history in this area is really incredible! We could see Refugio Lagazuoi perched a few thousand feet on the mountain above us, so we all felt especially accomplished from our trekking the day prior. Once we arrived, our three guides, Michele, Marco and Felipo, set up four climbing routes that ranged from easy to moderately challenging. The kids jumped right in; Nate was the first to climb and showed off his impressive skills. Dallie was not far behind, easily reaching the top of all four routes. It was a really fun morning- all of the kids took turns climbing and learned how to belay, too. Victoria was our group photographer, “clipping” everyone while they climbed. You all will love seeing these photos soon! After everyone had finished the pt. 1 routes, we moved to a new location for lunch and more challenging climbing. Michele impressively scaled the wall using only a top rope to set up the lines and showed us all how the real pros do it! There were three lines, pink, blue, and orange. We had fun racing up them because they were all right next to each other. The group consensus is that the blue was most challenging, as our arms and legs were shaking after rappelling down. Noah, Dallie and Owsley completed all three of the lines which was super impressive. After a fun-filled day of rock climbing, we hiked back to the base and drove to Rifugio Giau, our home for the next two nights. This Rifugio is located at the top of the Albergo Alpino Passo. There is a lovely restaurant and front deck where bikers and hikers rest to enjoy lunch with a view of the beautiful surrounding landscape. We spent several hours soaking up the sun here while the boys played poker. With a huge pile of rocks at the end, David and Emily brought home the big bucks! In the late afternoon, we hiked up to a viewpoint behind the Rifugio that was absolutely beautiful. Matt, Jack and Noah found a new “sack spot” with a legendary view. They’re on the hunt for the best places to play Hacky Sack, and this one definitely ranks high on the list! Charlotte joined in and the group invented a new game called Poison Sack. The rules are as follows: you have to successfully pass the sack three times, catch it mid air, and tag someone. If you are tagged, you get a point, and the winner is whomever has the lowest points by the end. This has become a group favorite and we play all the time! Our dinner was a delicious, 3-course meal consisting of spaghetti and ravioli with eggs, speck, and potatoes. Followed by several desert options, of course. We could all get used to this!! Following dinner, Emily introduced the group to a new card game called Code Names. We had a great time playing before Moonup and bed. This was a really fun day. It feels like two full days with a morning of activities and afternoon spent enjoying one another’s company. We are so lucky to share such special experiences!
It is hard to believe that this is the halfway point. Time flies, especially when you’re having as much fun as we are! On Friday morning we set out on a hike to climb a Via Ferrata from our Refugio. To reach the Via Ferrata, we had to ascend up a relatively steep slope, so we played 20 questions and wavelength along the way to distract ourselves from the steepness of the hike. Everyone absolutely crushed it; the kids are becoming faster, more confident hikers every day! Our three incredible guides roped us in with one another to climb up and reach the summit. David and Charlotte, our LODs, led the way as we climbed up dramatic rock faces, alongside cliffs, and even through some patches of snow. We ate lunch at the top and soaked up the insane views. The way down felt like a breeze! Our trail conversations ranged from dream cars to favorite movies to college sports and everything in between. The group is becoming more tight-knit by the day, and it is amazing to see everyone show interest in getting to know more about each other. We made it back to Rifugio Giao where we spent the afternoon. Before we knew it, Nate, Jack and Noah had pizzas in hand and Dallie and Mattie shared an order of tiramisu. In the Dolomites, we love a second lunch! We all agree that we could spend hours on the deck at Giao, people watching, playing poker (always) and reminiscing on the fun morning of climbing. David started a game of Poison Sack and the whole group joined in this time which was really fun. Our DJ, Jack, was on aux with music that perfectly matched the vibe while we played. The stand-out dish at dinner tonight was the Italian spaghetti followed by apple strudel and ice cream for dessert. After a couple rounds of Code Names, we had a special Moonup outside. We all shared the best advice we’d ever received or a favorite quote that we live by. Nate dropped some wisdom on us, sharing a sophisticated quote that offers a wonderfully relevant perspective about the experience we are all sharing. It goes as follows: “It’s easy to love the flower, but difficult to love the leaf. It’s ordinary to love the beautiful and beautiful to love the ordinary.” It was the perfect night cap on the day.
On Saturday, day 9 of the trip, we woke up in the morning, ate a hearty breakfast and packed up for the day. LOD CC helped make sure the group was proficiently sunscreened up. We met our lovely guide from earlier on in the trip, Karin, at our Rifugio. (Of course joined by Michele!). We set off for the day on foot straight from our Rifugio, following Michele and Karin. The beginning of the day was pretty steeply uphill. Per usual the group prevailed and crushed it. The trail led over the Forcella Giau with plenty of ups and downs; here the views of the Tofana and Lastoi de Formin are inspiring, not to mention the mountains on display to the south: Monte Fromin, Cernera, Pelmo and the upswept flank of Monte Mondeval. The views were spectacular and we were once again reminded of how lucky we were to be in Italy. We hiked over lush alpine meadows, and even spotted some wild edelweiss. We hiked through an uphill stretch, then all of a sudden, the Pelmo was incredibly close. We could now easily understand why it was dubbed ‘Throne of the Gods’. David helped lead Taylor, Jack, Noah and Nate in a game of categories as we hiked. We broke for lunch in a sweet little meadow and all ate on a big rock. All of the boys finished off lunch with a game of Hacky Sack before the group kept pushing on. For the last part of the day we hiked below Pelmo’s North Face to our comfortable little mountain Rifugio at Passo Staulanza, our home for the night. The hiking in total was 8.3 miles and took around 5 hours. At the Rifugio, we were reunited (at last!) with our personal duffels and it felt great to have all of our belongings back in one spot for the night. It felt like Christmas Day as we went through the goodies in our bags that we had forgotten about. The group enjoyed some chips and apples in our one shared Mega bunk room. Nate cracked out a pen and paper and started practicing his drawing skills. Meanwhile, Louise pulled out some string and a group began making friendship bracelets. Noah led the other half of the group in some poker downstairs. After some downtime, it was time for dinner followed by a round of Code Names. This game has become a group favorite and nightly routine! Owsley and CC led us in a really moving Moonup, led in the Rifugio garage as it rained heavily outdoors. They passed on LOD duties to Jack and Dallie (the upcoming birthday girl) and it was a perfect way to end the day.
Sunday morning we woke up to sounds of birthday music to celebrate DOL 1B’s finest, our very own Dallie Rankin! After a quick BDAY dance party, we packed up quick and said goodbye to our beloved personal duffels once again. Downstairs, breakfast greeted us and Taylor brought out a special treat of Apple Strudel (our makeshift Italian version of a Birthday cake) and sang happy birthday as sweet Dallie blew out the candles! She opened her card with special notes from each group member, while wearing her happy birthday crown of course! Jack helped facilitate the group to grab their packed lunch and got the crew ready to go for the day. We set off with Michele and Karin, on foot again, and the daily hike began at 8:00 AM sharp! This days hike anchored one end of the famous Monte Civetta, one of the most impressive Dolomite formations. Shaped like an enormous trident and likened to a set of organ pipes, it rises majestically between the deep-cut Cordevole river valley and the smiling pasture of Val Zoldana. It was a push to conquer the steep uphill so early in the morning, however, with no surprise, the kids attacked the challenge. We took a longer break at the beautiful Lago Coldai. The lake was a stunning ombré from blue to green and felt amazing as we cooled our feet in the icy water. Dallie and Mattie waded in knee deep while Matt and David skipped rocks. After breaking we continued on to the Col Negro di Coldai that looks over at the towering west face of Monte Civetta. This “wall of walls” extends for over 4 miles! We stopped for lunch in the valley between the steep rock face and the mountain leading up to our rifugio. About midway past this wall, we climbed steeply to Rifugio Tissi, perched on mountaintop looking out at the Val Civetta, down the Alleghe Valley and west to the Marmolada Glacier. This overnight stop was super memorable. The days hike was around 6.8 miles, 5.5 hours of hiking. Louise and Dallie took a walk and tanned on the helly pad. Nate continued to practice his sketching skills. Mattie and Emily journaled. Of course, more poker was played with some tunes in the background. Later, Emily and Taylor led some of the group in a little mountain-side workout where David and Noah had a push-up competition. We were even joined in our workout by one of our fellow Rifugio mates, a personal trainer named Ernesto from Spain. He really showed us up, completing an impressive 100 pull up’s and 200 push ups. Needless to say, we all have some work to do!! Before dinner, the whole group played a game of Solo, an Italian version of Uno. Despite the modified rules, the kids made it work and had a great time playing. We refueled on pasta and eggs. Turns out Italians only eat eggs for lunch and dinner, something we’re all still getting used to but really enjoying. Then we sang happy birthday to Dallie again as Emily and Taylor arranged for her dessert to be brought out with a HBD candle. Dallie told the group that there was no where else she’d rather turn 16! We bundled up to Moonup outside and made a quick climb behind our Rifugio to a spot that overlooked the steep cliff and the valley below. Noah snapped some pictures on his camera and Moonup began, led by Dallie and Jack. We talked about our dream concert lineup and went around sharing what our own version of success meant to us. It was a very memorable Moonup and LOD duties were passed to David and Louise for the following day. Exhausted but content, we quickly hit the hay for an early bedtime.
We are currently overlooking an insanely dramatic, beautiful mountain landscape that is partially covered with snow. It stormed last night, so the air feels cool and crisp. After breakfast we will descend from Rifugio Tissi to the Val Civetta over the Col Rean, hiking through supposedly beautiful, open, green meadows to the narrow valley of Val Corpassa. It’s so hard to believe that we only have a few days left, but we are all so excited for what is to come-canyoneering, Venice and banquet dinner. This group’s dynamic is something really special. Everyone has become so close, like family. We are looking forward to an incredible last few days together and will certainly soak up every single second!
Sending you all SO MUCH LOVE!!
❤️
Taylor & Emily
Shoutouts!
Jack: Hi family, thank you so much for sending me on this amazing trip. It has been so much fun and I think that I truly have gotten so much better at hiking. It’s been challenging stuff but I think that it’s been fun. I can’t wait to see you guys in a few days!
David: Hi Dad Happy Father’s Day sorry I can’t be with you today but I really miss you. You are the best father I can ever ask for. Family I can’t wait to be back but thank you send me here I am having a great time. Mom just confirming you’re trying to talk to Mrs Foster or anyone to change the grade it is important. Talk to Mr. Atkinson as well if needed. Thank you!
Noah: Hi Dad happy Father’s Day I love you so much and I hope you had a good one. You’re my role model and you mean so much to me, thanks for being my dad. Thank y’all for giving me this opportunity and I am having so much fun. Love y’all so much.
Nate: Hey guys! Hope you’re enjoying your time without me! I love you guys so much and am glad to see you soon! The trip has been very fun and I’m exciting to finish it strongly. Happy Father’s Day, and looking forward to seeing you again.
CC: Heyy!! Happy Father’s Day dad! This trip has been so much fun and I’m so thankful you gave me this opportunity! I’ve met so many great people and seen so many cool things that I can’t wait to tell you guys all about it. I miss you guys so so much and can’t wait to see you soon and get ready for Italy pt 2!!
Louise: Hi mom and dad. I am having the best time in Italy!! Thank you so much for giving me the opportunity to go on this trip. I’ll see you guys soon! Happy late Father’s Day dad. Love you both ❤️
Owsley: HEY PARENTS! I’m so so so grateful you guys give me the opportunity to do crazy cool stuff like this and I can’t thank you enough! With this opportunity I missed Father’s Day 🥀 – dad I love you so so so much and I can’t wait to see you and give you the best hug! Love you guys both so much ❤️😍
Mattie: Hi mom and dad. Happy late Father’s Day. I’m so grateful for y’all and the opportunity you gave me to go on this trip and do so many amazing things. I miss you and can’t wait to see you guys in a few days. I love you so much!
Charlotte: Happy Father’s Day! Mom and Dad, thank you so much for allowing me to go on this amazing trip and for giving me all of the great opportunities that you do. This trip has gone by so quickly and I can’t wait to see y’all soon! Love you!
Dallie: Hey Mom and Dad! Thank you so much for sending me on this trip it has been a blast with great friends and food! Happy Father’s Day! Also can you bring me my retainers in the blue box in my bathroom. Everything has flown bye! Can’t wait to see you! Love you!
Matt: Happy Father’s Day! Mother and father, thanks for letting me go on this trip, it has been really great. This trip has flown by and I’ll see you guys soon.
Emily: Hi family! I keep thinking of you guys all the time and how much y’all would love it here. From the incredible hiking views to the awesome Refugio’s we stay in, it really is a magical place. Thank you for supporting me in spending the summer leading Moondnace again. I’m loving every single second! Miles, hope wisdom teeth recovery is going well. Dad, I love you so much and hope you had a special Father’s Day celebration. Let’s do a make up Father’s Day when I’m home and go on a fun adventure together! Mom, enjoy Denver and summer in PC. Can’t wait to play Rummikub soon with you!! Sending lots of love always. Xoxo. Ems
Taylor: How’s it hanging Brown Fam! I sure do miss y’all. I am so fortunate to have y’all in my life and for pushing me to chase opportunities like this incredible one! Det, hope you had a good Father’s Day and that you didn’t over do it! This session has flown bye. Such great kids. Talk to y’all soon. 💙-T
June 7, 2025
Hello Dolomites Families!
We heard from our leaders that the group has landed safely in Venice and is traveling to the Dolomites! 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