Last Moments in the Wild West!
June 19, 2026
Hi Big Wild families and friends!
Today marks the commencement of our trip… how grateful are we to be so sad to leave. Words can’t describe both the end of the trip, and the entire trip as a whole. However, here are some highlights from the past couple of days out here in the Wild West!
Last trip update, we had just landed back in Jackson after a crazy, jampacked adventure in Idaho. However, the adventure continued the next morning in Grand Teton National park for a 6.5 mile hike around a lake! This area was stunning, granting us views of hills, snowy white caps, and the lake.. After a couple hours, we arrived at a famous cliff jump rock area. This cliff had a 30 foot overhang straight into the glacier water clear, aqua colored lake; it was not an easy jump. However, everyone built up the courage to jump, with Zak taking charge and leading the group with confidence. This was such a bonding experience for our entire group, creating such a magical and refreshing way to spend the afternoon before wrapping up for a comfort and well deserved meal of fresh chicken Ramen and veggies back at camp.
The next day, our group awoke from another great day of “cowboy camping,” in which we slept in sleeping bags directly under the stars, to an especially exciting day… OWEN M’s birthday! Turning 15 on the 15th made for an especially memorable “golden” birthday. We started the morning off with breakfast which included donuts, a favorite birthday food of Owen’s. Then, we hopped into our van, decorated with streamers that our amazing “Leaders of the Day,” McCamy and AB picked out. From there we meandered a classic Owen M birthday breakfast. Following breakfast we headed to our activity of the day: rock climbing in the Tetons! We had a short drive and hike to where we were climbing, which was a big boulder with 3 separate climbers. While climbing on what is known as “boulder city,” the students learned to belay on their own, ultimately supporting their peers as the students found intricate and creative ways to scale the rocks. After climbing, our group headed into Jackson to get authentic ice cream for a great treat. Then, we headed towards another lake, where we enjoyed the last of the sun, played more hacky sack, spike ball, fished, and had a burger and hot dog grill out. It was a team effort; Owen E. and Maggie M. on grill duty, with McCamy coming in to clean up! The girls of the group also made a special cookie cake skillet with candles, along with a card and gift for Owen’s birthday! The night didn’t stop there, though, as we spontaneously decided to chase the sunset, leading us to a pull over on the side of the road for a winddown and Moonup. The day was so meaningful for the whole group, as everyone had so much fun celebrating the birthday boy!
The next day, our group was up and at ‘em early on the rocks again… this time across a lake in Teton National Park. Our ferry ride brought us straight to hidden waterfalls, a spectacular 100 foot waterfall spanning beautiful, rocky terrain and vegetation. Bouldering in groups of two or three, we ascended the mountain using “multi-pitch” climbing techniques, which was a scale up from the day before! Camille and AB were fierce leaders, spearheading every climb in their individual small group. After climbing, we descended back down the mountain and took a scenic 2 mile hike around the lake back to the base. We were tired, but everyone had such a positive, determined attitude, which allowed us to fully embrace the LITMO spirit. From there, we headed towards a park in downtown to hang out and relax. We then introduced tonight’s dinner theme: ultimate Master Chef. The two randomized teams got to planning, grocery shopping, and cooking their special meals. One stove, a lack of propane, and limited time did not hold back either team; Rosemary headed up a Greek dish while Owen E. brought forth his famous beef bolognese. Lanie created amazing mocktails, which had both taste and presentation. These dishes were amazing, which incorporated intricate budgeting and planning. It was arguably the best food on the trip, so much that we couldn’t decide upon a winner.
The next day opened with a breakfast feast of eggs, bacon, and muffins. Maggie N. and Will, the last LOD’s of the trip, demonstrated such leadership by spending their morning cleaning the many dishes and campsite. Then, we headed into town for a town day that consisted of showering, grilling out, and picking out thrift store outfits for a partner. And, wow…. we looked amazing. Cheetah print, 3 piece orange suits, silly sunglasses, and mismatched outfits were heavily involved. After this, we headed to our final dinner – a banquet at a downtown dinner spot with amazing burgers, grilled cheeses, and milkshakes. Then… surprise! We headed to the Jackson Rodeo, an iconic staple of the Wild West. Watching bull riding, horse competitions, and silly rodeo clowns were highlights of all the students’ experiences. Lastly, our group headed to the an Elk Refuge, an original and meaningful spot from night one. Here, we conducted a lengthy moon up, lasting over multiple hours. Laughs, hugs, cries, and everything in between was found. We had an amazing time hanging out at night to commemorate the last couple of hours before heading into departure day.
Today, we beat the sunrise as we arrived bright and early to the airport. The drive was sentimental, ranging from cries and laughs. This day has been so bittersweet. However, this day was never about goodbyes. There is no doubt that this group, so deep and strong, will see each other again for more laughter, friendship, vulnerability, and connection. This team. These people. It’s true that the people make the place, and we are so thankful for every experience we’ve had while in the Wild West together. It’s not a goodbye, it’s a “see you later!”
With so much love,
Stephen and Franny
Ready, Set, RAFT!
June 15, 2026
Hello again to the families of the wonderful students part of Big Wild 1A!
We have been kept busy as can be, though it feels like just yesterday we were meeting each other at the airport. It’s been such a fun, hilarious, positive trip for all 13 of us, I barely know where to begin!
Our last update left off in Idaho as we got prepped for our next adventure: a multi-day rafting trip down the Salmon River! Day 5 started out with a two hour drive. This drive was stunning, and the students were so excited that the rainy and cold weather couldn’t dampen their spirits. Once we arrived, AB Buntin and Maggie Mosley showed off their great leadership and kept people excited for an intimidating, but exciting, couple of days ahead. We met our wonderful guides who were such lighthearted, comforting, and sturdy leaders and instilled such confidence in us that we could safely and enjoyably make it down the river! After a safety and rules lesson, we zipped our wet suits up and hopped onto our two rafts to get started with our 28 mile endeavor for the day. The weather was simply stunning, moving between fog, rain, sun, and everything in between. Everyone stayed so positive and we made it to our first camping beach after about four hours. After setting up camp, our outfitters cooked grilled chicken, asparagus, and topped the night off with carrot cake. We ended with a wonderful fire and moon up under the stars. Shout out to Owen Maloney for being the brave student and sleeping with no tent, cowboy style, and fully embracing the nature surrounding us.
On day 2 of rafting, we couldn’t be more ready for a full day. We woke up from a fantastic night sleep ready to take on the water. Our wonderful breakfast from the fantastic guides consisted of build your own burritos with beef, eggs, and potatoes. Along with breakfast was a little bit of morning fishing from a few of the guys to get the day started right. Morale was high and everyone was so excited for a full day in the rapids. After conquering a few rapids, our guides let us practice rowing from the captain point of view. William picked this up fast, blowing the group away with his incredible skills helping guide and row one of the boats down the river. Unfortunately, the weather was a little rainy and cold, but we found a nice place under some trees to enjoy a deli style lunch. Once we were warm again, we hit the water running floating over a few class 3 rapids. We then settled into camp and the entire crew helped unpack our supplies boat and get camp set up. After setting up we had time to play around, catching many smallmouth bass from the river and creating our own makeshift golf course. Some time passed, and another delicious dinner was ready, consisting of pork chops and potatoes. Following dinner, our moonup was outstanding connecting each student on a deeper level. We then gazed at the stars and all fell asleep as a collective under the sky to conclude a fantastic and tough day on the Salmon.
The third morning of rafting marked a fan favorite for the students. We slept in since we had a less intense day of only 16 miles. Owen Endres immediately hopped into the captain seat and ended up guiding one boat for some hefty sections! One of out guides told him “rafting guide applications are open, Owen!” We stopped at a pristine beach for lunch and learned a raft classic game which resembles a sort of tug of war! Our group made our next beach in record timing due to the especially fast flowing water in the area. This gave us time to swim, play football, frisbee, and even used a raft as a water slide by flipping it upside down. The students loved this – in fact, Zakry Chin, Camille Bloomston, AB Buntin, and Maggie Mosley couldn’t stop jumping! AB flew almost 10 feet forward! The beach had amazing wildlife, including butterflies that Camille caught, and small mount bass fish that Owen M and Zak caught! We ate great tacos and peach cobbler for dessert next to the fire pit and enjoyed riddles and long conversations on the beach. Lanie was on it to clean up and help lead Moonup as a Leader of the Day, which ended as we looked at the stars for another night of cowboy camping by the shore altogether.
Trip day 8 encompassed our final day of rafting; a bittersweet end to an absolutely unbelievable experience. After breakfast, we headed back out to paddle a famous section of the lower Salmon River, known for its rolling Class II and Class III rapids amongst a large but narrow, rocky canyon. Rosemary, AB, Maggie Nye, Camille, and McCamy all enjoyed the warm mountain sun while one of our guides steered them through the canyon. He also led a historical walk off the shore that illustrated pictographs from a local Native American tribe called the Nez Perce tribe. Then, within a blink of an eye, those 8 miles came to an end. We said thank you’s to our amazing guides and headed towards a new state park after filling up on local ice cream. It was a well deserved and cooling treat! Shout out to William for embracing the big Costco run and helping us leaders grocery shop during a pit stop.
Day 9 was a bit unique, waking up in a new campsite, once again from sleep under the stars. It was an early wake up so we could catch the sun rise. We took the van a few minutes away and hiked up a small sand dune to look over the valley and follow the sunrise in our sleeping bags. Many students took a short nap here, which was so peaceful as the sun crested over the dunes in the distance. Once again our group was awake and it was breakfast time. We found a pretty grassy area with a picnic bench next to the observatory of the park where we cooked eggs, bagels with cream cheese, and grilled cheese. While cooking, we all engaged in a nice game of hacky sack to practice the skills we have developed over our time out west. Following a fun breakfast we headed back to camp to pack up the U-Haul. After packing up, we went to the visitor center of the park to rent boards to surf and ride the sand dunes the park had to offer. After renting, we hiked up the sand dunes to ride down on our new boards. This was a phenomenal experience as each student tried new and fun ways to speed from the top of the hill to the bottom. We had to move quickly to return the boards so we could make it to our campsite for dinner time. The road trip was filled with music of a variety of genres recommended by the students. After a few hours, we had a delicious lunch from Chick-Fil-A, outside in a cozy space. After lunch we continued our trip, making several stops for snacks and gas. The sunset came as we hit the pass going from Idaho to Whyoming, which was golden and spectacular. After the pass, we once again laid eyes on the towering peaks of the Tetons, a sight none of us will ever forget. Once we reached camp, it was dinner time. Tonight we decided to do our own spin on pizzas, using tortillas as our base. The students loved this engaging and new meal! It then was time for another Moonup where we connected further once again under the stars in the magnificent Tetons to conclude a long and engaging day on Big Wild.
Overall, this trip had been action packed and full of adventure, growth, personal development and tons of new friends and memories. We absolutely cannot wait to continue being a part of this family for a couple more nights. Tomorrow will mark a big hike in Teton National Park and some time to swim, play games, cook, and approach anything in store all together! We look forward to the next fun days of climbing, swimming, hiking, and more back in Wyoming!
Talk soon,
Franny and Stephen
Thank you’s:
Camille: hey mom and dad I’m having the best time at camp and wish I didn’t have to leave. I’m so grateful you gave me the opportunity to do this.-love monks
Zak: hey mom and dad I’m having lots of fun, I’ve met lots of new cool ppl. I am very happy u sent me on this. Love u-zak
Rosemary: hi mom and dad!!! I’m having so much fun, and couldn’t thank y’all enough!! It has been so fun and I love yall!! – Rosie
AB: hi mom and dad!!! I am having a blast and I am so thankful to be here!! The trip has been so much fun and the group is amazing!! Love y’all -AB
Maggie Mosley: hey momma and dad thank you so much for sending me on this trip it is a once and a lifetime experience. I have made so many memories and met so many people. I love you guys so much. Love, Maggie
Maggie Nye: hey mom and dad I’m having a great time! Thanks you so much for sending me. The trip has been amazing and I’m so grateful
Lanie: hi mom and dad!! thank you so much for sending me on Moondance. I’m having so much fun with my new friends. I love yall!
McCamy: hey mom and dad! I’m having such a great time on this trip and have made so many amazing friends and memories. Thank you so much for sending me on this trip and I love yall so much!!
Owen Endres: Hi mom and dad. I’m having the best time ever. Thanks.
Owen: Hi mom and dad. Thanks for sending me on the best trip ever. I’m having so much fun.
William: Hi Mom and Dad. Thank you so much for sending me on this trip. It has been an amazing experience and I’m really grateful.
Mountains, Memories, and Moondance Magic
June 9, 2026
Wow… we simply cannot believe today marks day four of our BIG WILD trip! What an amazing, adventurous, hilarious, stunning trip we are currently on. To say we all introduced ourselves to each other less than a week ago is just crazy. As Lanie put it, “it feels like we’ve known each other forever.”
On day one, the students arrived from all over into the tiny, cute airport of Jackson, Wyoming! While waiting for everyone, we ate sandwiches in the courtyard and played hacky sack, ice breaker games, cards, and jammed to music. Once everyone arrived, we got in our “Live In the Moment (LITMO) Limo” that the students energetically named. From there, we headed to our first campsite, snuggled in between Teton National Park and downtown Jackson, WY. After chatting and making our campsite feel comfortable and warm, we headed into town to pick up some local Jackson pizza and enjoy downtown picnic views. We ended the night driving towards the Tetons and enjoying a sunset overlooking Grand Teton and Mt. Owen (which Owen E. excitedly pointed out). Our first sunset Moonup, a ritual where we spend time bonding, answering and asking questions, and reflecting, was beyond memorable. Maggie N. was an especially helpful pro as our Moondance student alumni and a great representation of leadership!
The next morning, we began the morning with a hearty and warm breakfast of eggs, bacon, cereal, and fruit. William was such an amazing Leader of the Day (LOD), offering to cook, clean, and oversee our campsite logistics. Camille loved helping us cook and learned all about using a Coleman stove! Next, we took a scenic drive where we saw two moose on the way to Snow King Mountain to begin our adventure day. To begin this adventure, we started with a zipline tour overlooking the town of Jackson and the Tetons. After getting our bearings on the beginner and medium length zipline, we conquered our fear of heights riding up the gondola to the STEEPEST ZIPLINE IN NORTH AMERICA!! Everyone cruised through the mountains, going 65mph, for an adventure like no other. Zakry took initiative, excitingly offering to go first and be a great role model for the others. Lanie, McCamy, Anne Barnett (AB), and Rosemary were such champions, pushing themselves to conquer their fears and ride the ziplines. After breaking for lunch and free time on the mountain coasters and scooter slides, we hit the rope course. The course was beautiful yet strenuous, leading us through the trees. Much body strength, endurance, and bravery was needed to swing between the branches and across the course. Maggie N., William, Zakry, Maggie M., and Owen M. accomplished all four courses with such speedy and positive attitudes. After the conclusion of our day in the trees, we took a short drive to Grand Teton National park where we had a wonderful taco dinner prepared by every single student on our trip. The collaboration and connection to make this taco bar come to life was unforgettable. We played hacky sack and spike ball and enjoyed a well deserved meal from our hard day in the sky. Our drive back was spectacular seeing a wide range of animals such as foxes and gigantic elk. When settling down at camp we had a smooth goodnight with a Moonup connecting all of the students.
GOOD MORNING….. long drive ahead for our following day. We had a quick breakfast of cereal and oatmeal before we hit the road. We started the drive heading to the pass between Wyoming and Idaho. During our crossing of the pass we surprisingly saw a famous instagram influencer who posts impressive juggling videos. We decided to stop and meet him, where he showed us his juggling skills and what highlining is. After this moment we hit the road again, driving through the winding hills and mountains of Idaho. In Idaho we stopped at Canes to have a fantastic mid road trip feast. We decided to eat our lunch at the Twin Falls visitor center which had a stunning view of the canyon below. The drive continued full of loud singing and active trivia. After a full day of driving we arrived in McCall, Idaho where we set up camp. Once we settled we cooked up a fantastic spaghetti dinner that everyone loved. Following, it was bed time for all of our tired travelers.
Waking up on Day 4 felt like a fresh start after a long drive to the long awaited McCall, ID. Camille, AB, and Rosemary crafted up a creative campsite breakfast consisting of warm cinnamon rolls, which Rosemary said was a favorite tradition of hers from home! After cleaning up the rolls, sausage, and fruit, it was time to learn how to fly fish! Our guides, Cooper, Tristan, Trevor, and Ryan, were so welcoming and knowledgeable. After receiving hands-on practice in a field, we broke for lunch at Legacy Park, known for its great beaches and view of the water. Here, Owen M. took a dip in the water! We spent the afternoon with a couple of the guides, fly fishing where hundreds of Trout and Mountain Suckers lie. Camille even ventured into the creek to get a closer look and enjoy the river. While many bites were felt, no one was able to catch any fish. Maybe we can save those catches for rafting! We ended our day at a local restaurant for some tasty burgers and fun company. After a fun hacky sack game, we Mooned-up and got prepared for our exciting adventure rafting on the Salmon River!
We have such a bright, positive, engaging, inclusive group of students that truly follow the Moondance culture and experience so well. We cannot believe we’ve only gotten to love these students over the past days, and can’t wait for more adventure and funny moments to come!
Talk soon,
Franny and Stephen
Safe Arrival in Jackson Hole!
June 5, 2026
Hello Big Wild Families!
We just heard from our leaders that the group has landed safely in Jackson Hole, WY! The group is headed to their first campsite, and we can’t wait to hear 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
