Update from PNW!
July 21, 2025
Heyoooo!!!
It’s Adam and May back with another Trip Update from the Pacific Northwest. Boy O Boy are we having a blast out here. We are stoked to share what we’ve been up to but it has been a little change of plans. Unfortunately, due to the poor air quality in Smith Rock caused by a wildfire. We had to leave earlier than expected which means we did not get to rappel off of the Monkeys Face. A bummer for sure, but May and I had a plan to make our irregular day special for the kids. Moondance is always seeking a way to make lasting and unique memories so with spirits high, we headed on the dirt roads of Washington in search of a mountainous snow fed lake. Jack and Will led the choir of songs sung, dare I say screamed, for the back of the car. “I Love My Mom” and “The Seatbelt Song” being two favorites that were sung with particular enthusiasm, on repeat, at least seven times in a row.
After a short 40 minute drive, Goose Lake was upon us. The clear waters were calling our names as we prepared for the Summer Olympic Games of Moondance PNW 2024. Between rafting, kayaking, and swimming, the kids got to compete and play amongst trout beneath their feet and bald eagles soaring and swooping overhead. The battles raged all day and were only completed when Levi kayaked his team to victory. However, all were awarded squirt guns for their aquatic efforts. For the rest of the afternoon, everyone got to lounge in the sun or take a dip. It was a day of wonder that Mae Mae remarked as her favorite day of the trip yet! As the sun started to lower in the sky, we packed up our little van and headed towards the next campsite. After arriving safely, the group had a delicious and hearty meal of pesto pasta before enjoying a thoughtful moonup.
The morning of our travel day started with a bang. Literally. A squirt gun war raged between the campers in the early hours of the day that raged on until the van was all packed up and ready to go. Off to the Northern Cascades! We listened to lots of great music during our ride, and I think all the kids were able to squeeze in a nap. Once we arrived at camp, it was time for the duffle shuffle: the big duffel explosion where all the kids pull out their gear for backpacking and learn how to pack it. Adam lead us through an excellent demonstration and then the kids were free to pack. We had an easy dinner of pita pizzas before moonup by the river. Tomorrow, our backcountry adventure begins.
Gooooood morning Moondance! It is day one of backpacking and we are super stoked! We had a big breakfast of eggs and hashbrowns before loading up to drive to our trailhead. The kids got their first taste of hiking with a big backpack as we walked down to our Ross lake water taxi. Adam and the boys lead the way, chattering and laughing down the trail. We enjoyed a lovely boat ride on the lake under snow capped mountains. Jack was a huge fan of our lunch spread, peanut butter and Nutella tortillas. After lunch, we hit the trail! Cici helped Adam and I keep the group morale high, and Henry, Levi, Jack, Will, and Harry played 20 questions. We hiked about 3 miles and got to camp by mid afternoon. The kids spent the afternoon hanging out at camp and swimming in Ross Lake! For dinner, the boys cheffed up some chicken and bean burritos for our first dinner in the backcountry! Levi and Mary Olive lead us through an awesome moonup on the beach where they asked us where we see ourselves in ten years, an amazing moonup question.
Day two of backpacking started with a glorious sunrise. We had some cheesy hashbrowns courtesy of Adam to get us fueled for our biggest day on the trail. Before heading out, Mae Mae and Will lead us through some stretches to get warmed up and we also played a round of me and Adam’s favorite game: shake and pop. Our hike started out with a good uphill push to wake us up, then mellowed out into rolling hills through the mountains and then down into a mossy valley. Think trees as big as the ones in the forbidden forest from Harry Potter and tons of moss and ferns. Pretty magical. We had lunch on the trail while continuing our group game of Star, a movie guessing game. By mid afternoon we had made to camp and all the kids went straight into the river. Although it was chilly, Mae Mae bravely took the plunge. We hung out by the river, and for dinner, the girls made us chicken pad Thai backcountry style! To close moonup, Will lead us in a very fun game of categories where lots of laughs were had.
Day three of backpacking started with some cheesy grits, a favorite of our southern kiddos. We all took one last glance around our magical campsite then we set off for our next spot, Hozomeen lake. The kids motored through the five mile hike we had planned. We got to the lake around lunchtime, but before eating, we had to jump in. Henry and Adam explored the bottom of the lake with goggles while the rest of us swam nearby. We spent the day drying in the sun , taking naps, and playing games. By dinner time, a storm had moved in, so we ate our chicken fried rice with speed and then hunkered down in our tents for the evening, except for Henry, Harry, and Adam who erected a covered hammock village for themselves. Although it was a bit rainy, no spirits were dampened.
On our last day of backpacking, we woke to the sound of loons calling on the lake, and a clear blue sky above. The rain had stopped and the reminding clouds hung low over the misty lake. We had a quick breakfast of oatmeal before hitting the trail to make our water taxi on time. While hiking, Will, Jack, and I played an intense game of “movies” which eventually turned into us talking about movies we loved. After one last uphill push, we were back at our van and on to our next adventure. Next stop: the San Juan Islands! We will send another update with all the details of our journey on the high seas very soon.
Bye for now,
Adam & May 🦭🐳🪼🦀
Student shoutouts:
Mary West – Hey! We just finished backpacking and it was better than expected. Really pretty views that made the hikes worth it! I can’t wait to shower. Sea kayaking next which is what I’ve been looking forward to the most.See yall soon and love yall!❤️
Jack- Hey fam! After 3 days of backpacking, we finally finished today and are now headed to our next campsite to prepare for sea kayaking! I really enjoyed backpacking. It was tough but in the end it was all worth it. I can’t wait to tell yall all about it!! I love y’all so much and can’t wait to see yall in a few days!
Henry – Hello everyone! Backpacking was amazing, and the views were spectacular. I can’t wait to be home but will of course be sad to leave. Sea kayaking next, super excited! Love you guys!
Cici – Hi guys! Backpacking was really great and was so stunning! I’m having so much fun and time is going by so fast. Tell haze I hope she enjoys the lake house! Love you so much
Levi – Light work, when I get home I’m going on a diet, love you guys so much!
Mae Mae – Hey! We just finished backpacking and it was hard but very fun! I haven’t showered in 5 days. Yesterday I fell into a bush backpacking and then fell into the river and got my clothes soaking wet. I miss everyone so much but I’m having a lot of fun! Love y’all so much and see yall very soon!🩷🩷
Will Kemp – Hey! This experience has been so amazing. I just know all of yall would love this place so much. The views during backpacking were absolutely unbelievable, like out of a movie. I really enjoyed it and I’m so excited to go sea kayaking. I really miss you guys and can’t believe I’ll see you in just a couple of days! I’ll tell yall all about the fun we’ve had and I can’t wait!
Mary Olive – Hi everyone!! We just finished backpacking and it was actually a lot of fun but I am definitely excited to shower now. We are on to sea kayaking which I am really excited about!! Anyways I can’t believe I see yall this Friday!! The time went by so fast! Miss y’all and see yall Friday!!
Harry Tiller – Hi! How are things back at home? I hope it’s not too quiet without me and Liza. We just finished backpacking for four days and it was really fun! We’re about to go sea kayaking and I’m excited. So excited to see you guys and love you!
Riley Peltz – Hi guys!! We just finished backpacking for 4 days and it was so so pretty. The lake at the end was so cool! Sea kayaking is next and I am very excited for it. I am also really excited to shower tonight. I miss y’all so much and I’ll see you very soon!❤️❤️
Let the Fun Begin!
July 17, 2025
Choo choo! The Moondance train has officially left the station!
May and Adam here bringing you all an update on our first few days with your amazing kiddos! Our first major success: we got everyone to Seattle safely! Once we had all the kids and their bags, we hit the road to our first campsite. While on the way, we had some delicious pizza, where the “train stop meat fest”, “cheesy conductor”, and “pepperoni platform” were all fan favorites. We got to our campsite and had our very first moonup. The kids had a big day of traveling, and after moonup, we all went to bed for a well deserved night’s sleep.
All aboard for day two! But instead of trains, we stepped aboard our trusty rafts to ride the rapids of the White Salmon River! But before getting out on the river, we needed a big breakfast to fuel us for the day ahead. The kids awoke to the smell of bacon and pancakes hot off the stove! After a good breakfast, we headed down to the river to meet our rafting guides. We started off our rafting adventure by getting geared up in wetsuits and paddle jackets! After we had helmets on our heads and life jackets on, we hit the water for our first class 4 rapid of the day: triple drop! Despite the minibus name, the kids rocked it, and we were off on our journey, 15 miles of scenic paddling down the White Salmon. We saw lots of swallows dipping in and out of the water, a mama duck and her babies, while we floated down thousand-year-old cooled lava tubes! In my boat, Henry and Mary West, our very first LODs of the trip, were fearless and sat up front, taking the brunt of the big splashes with huge smiles. After a quick lunch of chicken and veggie wraps prepared by our guides, we got back into our boats for a more relaxed paddle down the remainder of the river. Levi entertained us with some awesome “dad jokes” while we took in the beautiful day before us. Our day on the river ended at the Columbia River, where the sky was dotted with the multicolored kites of wind and kite surfers. After heading back to camp, the kids enjoyed the outdoor shower and the comfy couches in our outdoor living room. Harry, Jack, and Will got into a game of Bananagrams while our first cook crew cheffed up a big pasta dinner. After dinner, Mary West and Henry lead us in our first student run moonup.
This duo set the bar high, to say the least. After moonup, we enjoyed some stories from our camp host, Big Dawg, while we gazed up at the stars. I think it’s safe to say that our second day was a great one!
Day three started early, but we were eased into the morning by our cook crew, Jack, Riley, and Henry, who made us some delicious breakfast burritos. After we loaded up the van, we headed down to Oregon for our first day of climbing. Mae Mae and Jack kept the vibes high as our second set of LODs. When we arrived at Smith Rock, we hit the crags for a fun morning of climbing. We learned all the basics: tying into the rope, belaying, and some climbing techniques. Harry and Will were first on the wall, trying every route our guides set for us. After the kids had had their fill, we went to Steelhead Falls to cool off. We spent the better part of the afternoon splashing in the cool water and admiring the Oregon landscape. Adam made us all a delicious Jambalaya that Jack declared the best meal of the trip so far. For moonup, Jack and Mae Mae asked us about which member of our family we look and act the most like. I think it’s fair to say that this group admires their families very much. After a game of telephone to close out moonup, we headed to bed to rest up for another big day of climbing.
We started day two of climbing with a yummy French toast breakfast before hitting the wall once more to prepare for our big day on Monkey’s face. The routes were more challenging, but boy did the kids rise to the challenge. Jack, Riley, and Will cruised up a 5.10a route! Mary Olive and Cici made their way up a tough climb with lots of funky holds, but they worked hard to reach the top, and were all smiles when they did. Later, all the kids had a chance to practice rappelling. Lowering yourself over a cliff edge will never not be scary, but we’re so proud of everyone for going for it! After another awesome day of climbing, we went to the town of Bend to grab lunch and explore. We spent the rest of the evening hanging out at camp, and the kids hit the hay early for one more good sleep before our epic morning ahead. We will be sure to keep you all updated on our next few days to come.
Talk soon,
Adam & May
Student shoutouts:
Mary Olive- hi mom and dad! I am having a great time so far!! The climbing was probably my favorite part so far but we start backpacking Friday. Love y’all and see y’all soon!!
Riley- hi guys! The trip has been very fun so far! I loved the rafting bc it was so pretty. Climbing was amazing as well, you would love it!! Love you so much and see yall Friday!
Cici – Hi, I miss you guys and hope you are all doing well! Say hi to the dogs and Hazel for me and I will see you soon! Love you so much
Henry – Hi mom and dad! Hope Croatia is fun, this trip ha been amazing so far. My group is great, and hope all is well there (especially with Lily), Love you all!
Mae Mae- Hey everyone! I am having a great time and love the people on my trip! Me and Mary West have already planned to room together at Alabama. I miss everyone so much see yall soon! Love y’all!💕😚
Mary West- Hi! I am having so much fun everything is so pretty and I keep wishing yall could see it too! Me and Mae Mae have become best friends and have many future plans. This has been such a cool experience- love y’all!❤️😁
Will Kemp- Hey! I’m having so much fun with my group and Jack! Every place we go I think of how much yall would enjoy being here. I can’t wait to go backpacking, and I don’t think Jack feels the same 😂. Can’t wait to see yall, love yall see you soon.
Jack Pease- Hello Fam!! I miss y’all so much but I am having a ton of fun with Will and everyone in my group! I have really enjoyed climbing and I have a lot of funny stories to tell y’all about the trip so far when I get home! Hope Colga and my pups are good! See yall soon and I love y’all so so much!!!
Harry Tiller- Hi mom and dad! Hope you’re doing good. It’s been really fun here and I’m really excited for backpacking later. Miss you guys and can’t wait to see you!
Levi Noggle – I climbed sum big rocks and found a cool stick. Haing a blast, love y’all.
Let the Fun Begin!
July 13, 2025
Hello Pacific Northwest Families!
We heard from our leaders that the group has landed safely in Seattle! 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
