Farewell To California, But Hello To Forever Friendships!
June 20, 2026
Hi Moondance Families!
We cannot believe how fast this stretch of trip has flown by. Between standup paddle-boarding, waterfalls, climbing in Yosemite, and one very special birthday, this group has packed in more memories in six days than some people get all summer long! Here’s everything we’ve been up to!
On day 8, we hit the ground running early with some good ole yogurt and cereal for breakfast. McRae and Ward were on LOD duty for the second time this session! As we paddle boarded around clear waters, Ward turned our session into an absolute blast, sneaking in splashes that had the whole group laughing and soaked by the end of it. After some fun and games, the group entered the “zen zone,” where Lillian and Ella Rose led a good tanning session. After a quick lunch, we got on the road to our campsite, winding through a gorgeous mountain drive. We rolled into camp, got tents up in record time, and capped off the night with a trip to a local pizza spot, where a heated debate over toppings was finally settled by Compton with two cheeses and two pepperonis to keep the peace.
Day nine had Anna and Carr leading the charge, and they had us up bright and early for a drive into Yosemite. The car ride over was smooth and full of good energy, which was perfect fuel for our hike. Everyone earned that sleepy ride home, with a stop along the way for a stunning view. Back at camp, the group cooled off with a jump in the lake, then settled into an impromptu “hair salon,” styling each other’s hair while dinner came together. Many of the boys walked away with a ton of little pigtails. Anna and Carr served up a round of nachos that disappeared fast, and the night wrapped with a dance circle around camp that had everyone showing off their best moves. After a long day, the students went to hit the hay in preparation for another early morning.
Lizzie and Henry took over LOD duties next, kicking things off with sausage, egg, and cheese for breakfast on the road, before another early Yosemite drive. This was a climbing day, and the joy was contagious. Ellie, in particular, channeled her inner spider monkey and scaled her way up with total ease. Lunch wraps kept everyone fueled, and a stop at the cafe for some soft serve was well deserved after everyone’s hard work during climbing. We headed back to camp to jump in the refreshing lake, and Lizzie and Henry closed out the day by helping with burgers for dinner.
Then came a big one- McRae’s birthday! The day started sweet with donuts, muffins, and fruit, and the celebratory energy carried right into another day of climbing, where Henry blew everyone away by flying up one of the hardest routes on the wall. Lizzie was the epitome of bravery and perseverance, as she climbed her way to the top of the rock despite her fear. We enjoyed the view with a popular lunch of Hawaiian rolls and sourdough sandwiches. As climbing ended, our guide let the students know that they were some of the best Moondance climbers he’s ever had, and the day continued with a stop in the gift shop for some souvenir hunting.
Back at camp, the group threw down for a competitive game of Spoons, and Lillian and Rhett stepped in as LODs to whip up a Pad Thai dinner that, quite honestly, was not a fan favorite. Compton took one for the team on dish duty, a few chipmunks made some very apparent appearances around camp looking for crumbs, and the night ended with a full-on ice cream party. The group enjoyed flavors ranging from Cookies and Cream, Neapolitan, Coffee, and Mint Chip, to a new favorite: Brookie. It was a special way to send McRae’s birthday off in style.
The next day brought a well-deserved slow start, with Compton and Ellie on LOD duty letting the group sleep in. After packing up, we hit the road for our “OG” campsite and stopped for some road trip snacks to get us through the long drive! Compton and Ellie rounded out the night with a build-your-own pasta bar that was a hit with everyone. During moonup, our serious question was where we felt most at peace; many students described their homes or vacations with their families. They miss y’all so much!
For our final full day together, Ella Rose and Beau took the reins, starting the morning with a scramble breakfast before an all-hands cleanup of camp. Everyone was such a help and eager to get camp organized. Then we did one of the group’s favorite activities… shower! After a good clean, the group spent a relaxing afternoon out sailing. The group traveled back to the campsite and came back together for banquet- our final dinner! We went to a local Asian restaurant to celebrate the trip.
After eating as much as possible, we gathered for our talent show. Carr opened up the show with a new sport called “rocking,” a talent that has taken this group by storm. Beau and Anna followed with a sweet new handshake, and Ward took victory over Beau in a classic moo-off. After his victory, Ward performed an in-depth dance routine to “Last Christmas.” Rhett and Henry also showed off their handshake work. Rhett made the group laugh until they cried with his “tiki tiki” performance, and we closed out the talent show with a singalong to “Stick Season” by Noah Kahan and “Baby” by Justin Bieber.
At our final moonup, we passed notebooks around the circle so everyone could leave kind words for one another to take home. When asked about lessons learned, the answers were heartfelt and honest: make more friends, open up more, be more confident, and just be yourself. When asked what they’ll miss most, it was unanimous- the funny stories and their new friends. We closed out the final moonup with a race to the group’s favorite pit toilets and a classic game of shake and pop.
All we can think about tonight is how incredible our first session has been. Everyone in the group has come to call each other best friends, and that is all we can ask for. These final few days have truly been so special. We feel so lucky to get to share these adventures with them.
We hope to see y’all next summer!
Katherine, Ella, and Charlie
Full Steam Ahead
June 16, 2026
Hello Moondance family and friends!
Somehow, we’re already cruising through our short two weeks together. Wow, time flies when you’re having fun, and trust us, there has been a whole lot of fun. The group has continued to grow together in the best way, and we couldn’t be happier.
We kicked things off by leaving our campsite and heading up to a river for our whitewater rafting segment. Before we hit the road, Lizzie and Ward crushed it in the kitchen, whipping up some delicious breakfast burritos. They cut up all of the vegetables, cooked bacon, and cleaned all of the group’s dishes with smiles on their faces. We enjoyed the long drive through California, with the scenery shifting and the temperature climbing as we rolled towards the warmer summer weather. After a long day of driving we made it to our campsite and quickly set up camp before Carr wasted no time rallying everyone for a swim in the river. We enjoyed hanging out on the river bank, having some intense rock-skipping competitions, and Rhett showed the group how to take advantage of the lazy river and float back to camp. That night, our LODs, Lizzie and Ward, worked their magic again and made quesadillas and fajitas so good the group came back for seconds and thirds!
Day one of rafting started with an epic breakfast of fruit pancakes and bacon, courtesy of our LODs, McRae and Henry. McRae owned the bacon station like a true professional, while Henry flipped 30+ pancakes without missing a beat. Fueled up, we launched onto the river and spent the afternoon tackling Class 1-3 rapids, getting absolutely soaked, and engaging in splash battles between our two rafts. After a long day on the river, we came back to camp and were treated to a delicious feast from our wonderful rafting guides.
Our second day of rafting started bright and early. We headed down a new segment, and Compton quickly stepped into captain mode, leading the crews paddling through the rapids. Anna kept everyone entertained mid-river with a game of “Wavelength.” Some of the group’s favorite rapids included “Triple Threat” , “Witch’s Brew,” and “Hospital Bar.” Out in the reservoir, the group played a spin in the raft balance challenge, and Beau held on the longest. Then it was onward to Lake Tahoe! Camp went up fast, and the LODs, Ella Rose and Compton, made the group’s favorite dinner of the trip: chicken pesto pasta with cabbage salad. The salad got a standing ovation and has been officially requested again. We then fell asleep under a beautiful sky full of stars.
Our first full day in Tahoe started with kayaking. The group paddled on the gorgeous, crystal-blue water, cooling off in the chilly lake during breaks and stopping for lunch on a rocky beach, where they could skip rocks. Carr dominated the skipping contest with 13+ skips- a new trip record. On the long paddle back (round trip of nearly 4 miles!), Rhett, Lillian, and Ellie kept spirits high, breaking into spontaneous harmonies of “Baby,” “Timber,” and “Empire State of Mind.” Even though it was a long day of paddling, the group kept a positive attitude the entire time. We decided their hard work and positivity were well deserving of a surprise ice cream stop. We enjoyed some local ice cream from a truck near our campsite before exploring the town. That evening, Anna and Rhett took on LOD duties, knocked it out of the park with chicken piccata orzo with zucchini, and then stayed to clean every single dish. We wrapped up the night with “Moonup” and watched the sunset reflect on the lake as the group shared reflections on the people who mattered most to them. The evening ended with part three of Beau’s scary story saga, followed by a story from Ward so funny that the entire group was in tears.
Tomorrow, we head deeper into the mountains and begin our hiking and rock climbing segment! We are so excited for the next week and are soaking up every second together.
Talk to you all soon!
Ella, Katherine, and Charlie
Here are some “Thank yous:”
Ella Rose: Hi, Mom and Dad! I am on the way to hike at Yosemite and it’s very pretty. Yesterday we went paddle boarding , and the water was so clear and pretty! Thank y’all again for letting me come to Moondance! I am having so much fun and am making so many memories. I love you guys!!
McRae: Hey mom and dad how are you guys, I am having so much fun today and I hope you guys have a wonderful time in Cali. We have gone rafting, hiking, surfing, kayaking, and paddle boarding, and they were all so fun! See you guys soon!
Beau: Hey mom and dad! I am writing this in the car. Please tell Uncle Travis that I read the climbing books, so he feels accomplished. We are actually going climbing in like two days because we are going hiking today. I miss Moose and Steve. Tell Arie I said hi if you can (I’m sure Justin has already taken him though). Thank you guys for sending me and I am having the best time!!
Ward: Hi thank you mom and dad for sending me on Moondance. Right now, we are in the car on the way to a hike. I think the Canes won the Stanley Cup!! I am having a great time and excited to see you at the beach. I love you 😘
Lillian: Hi mom and dad I love you guys so much and I am having such a fun time in California! Thank you so much for sending me to this amazing camp I have made so many awesome memories with great people that I am so glad I got to meet! Tell Benji I love him and of course the dogs! I love you guys so much and I am so excited to see yall soon! Currently we are in a car on the way to hike. I am very excited about this! Rafting was one of the most fun things I have done in my life it was so scary but fun at the same time and I loved it! I love you guys so much thank you so much for sending me!!
Rhett: Hi guys I’m having so much fun and making new friends! I hope y’all are doing good, and I’m so thankful for y’all sending me to tell Bean and Remi I said hi and tell Slaton I miss her just as much as I miss y’all. I’m excited to see who won the Knicks and Spurs game. I’m so grateful y’all sent me here to have a great time I love y’all so so so much, bye. 👋
Anna: Hi mom and dad I must you guys but I’m having the best time of my life! It’s so fun and there’s so many fun people. I am so grateful that you guys sent me here. My group is so funny everyone is kind and caring. It’s so easy to make friends here! California is so beautiful, the lakes and beach were very fun and pretty. Thank you guys bye!!!!
Carr: Hi mom and dad I have had so much fun here in California. We have done a lot of fun things I really liked paddle boarding at Lake Tahoe it was so much fun to swim in the clear blue water. Today we went on a hike, and it was so cool to see all of the rock mountains. I am having a great time thank you so much for sending me!
Henry: Hi mother and father thank you for letting me come to Moondance is so much fun. White water rafting was my favorite activity. Bye.
Compton: Hi mom and dad love you. Thank you for sending me here. I’m having so much fun. My favorite activity so far was kayaking and whitewater rafting. See you soon bye.
Lizzie: Hi mom and dad! Thank you so much for sending me to Cali. So far we’ve surfed, rafted, paddle boarded, kayaked, and hiked. I love all the friends I have made and miss y’all so much. I can’t wait to see you in a couple days. Tell AC I want to see her as soon as I get back. Tell Annie and Brooks I said Hi! We’re been to so many pretty places and can’t wait to tell you about them. Love You!
Ellie: Hi mom and dad, Thank you so so so much for sending me here! I having such a great time and am making LOTS of friends. We have already been to so many pretty places! Today I saw the same bike place we rented our bikes from on our trip! We have also been to Lake Tahoe and my goggles were a great thing to have! We paddle boarded, I was one of the fasted ones at it! We also white water rafted! It was super fun but nobody fell out. Anyway, I have a lot more to tell you about and can’t wait to do it when I get home!! Byeeeeee I love you.
Surf's Up On The Pacific Coast!
June 10, 2026
Hey Moondance Families!
After a quick airport day, we loaded into our cars and headed to our first campsite! While we were all getting to know each other and listening to some of our favorite music, we quickly formed connections, including a shared love of Noah Kahan, especially by Ward. We had an amazing first Moonup and introduced the Nug Jug where we share fun stories and things we were grateful for that day. Which included: Snacks in the airport, an amazing campsite on the beach, and some of the best pizza we had all had!
Our first full day got off to a relaxing start; we slept in and enjoyed breakfast burritos and Ellie was a huge help in organizing the cleanup. After that, we went on another beach walk and watched the campsite’s junior lifeguards doing their morning practices and Beau made sure to take lots of pictures and videos on his GoPro of the scenery and capture the silliness of the group.
After our slow morning, we headed to our first day of surfing! Although the water was still chilly, everyone got their wetsuits on and dove into the Pacific Ocean. Carr especially loved the waves! While some kept shredding the waves, once everyone had caught at least one, some decided to sit in the sand a take in the amazing views. Ella Rose and our outfitter talked about overcoming fears!
After surfing, we headed back to camp and played many games with Beau, Ward, and Lillian all acting as narrators and creating fun stories to go along with the games. Everyone got very into it, especially Anna and Henry! Rhett was enthusiastically involved in the game, and Maria Compton suggested they play some card games after! Others threw a frisbee or took a break and watched the waves and fog roll in.
Lizzie and McRae have both been huge helps around camp and are always the first to lend a hand when needed. To end the day, we had another great Moonup led by our LODs, Carr and Ellie, and again opened the Nug Jug when everyone shared how grateful they were for surfing and some hot chocolate to warm them up.Our second day of surfing started with an early morning cereal and parfait bar, and an amazing quote from our LOD’s, Beau and Lillian, about humility and being a good friend to others.
We headed back over to meet up with our surfing guides, who said that today was some of the best weather and waves they had seen in the past week. Almost everyone caught a wave, and Henry managed to ride one all the way to shore. After surfing, we had an amazing lunch of tacos and chips, and we then loaded up the cars for a surprise trip to the Golden Gate Bridge. We headed to an overlook and ate lots of snacks and took in the spectacular view. While here, Compton talked about his adventures surfing and how much he loved the cutie oranges we brought with us.
On the way back to camp, we stopped at a museum along the water and took in some beautiful Roman architecture. Once we got back to camp, the kids played more games, which then turned into an impromptu Shake and Pop (acappella version) while our LODs cooked a dinner of pasta, chicken, and caesar salads!We (the leaders) want to thank all of the parents for raising such amazing and respectful children, and for trusting us to give them such amazing experiences. We are eternally grateful for you.
Shoutouts:
Hi Mom and Dad! I love you so much, see you soon! -McRae
Hi y’all! Today was chill, and I surfed! Love y’all so much. -Rhett
Hi Mom and Dad! It has been so much fun so far and surfing was great! Thank y’all for everything, and I love y’all so much!! – Ella Rose
Hi Mom and Dad! I love you guys so much, and I am having so much fun! Thank you for letting me come here. I love you guys. Tell Benji I love him too! -Lillian
Hey Mom and Dad! I love you so much. Tell my brothers and Pacer I love them. See you soon. – Compton
Hi Mom and Dad! I miss you guys, but thank you so much for sending me here! We surfed today and it was super fun. -Ellie
Mom and Dad today was “Fire Emoji”; I love you both so much! -Ward
Hi Mom + Dad! I miss you guys a little, but I am having so much fun! I’ll see you guys soon and love y’all. -Anna
Hi Mom and Dad! Moondance has been awesome! The surfing was so much fun ,and my group is great. -Carr
Hey Mom and Dad! Moondance has been so fun. I’m having a great time with my new friends and miss y’all so much. Tell Annie and Brooks I said hi! -Lizzie
Hey Mom and Dad! I love y’all so much! Say hi to Dublin for me 🙂 -Henry
Hi Guys! Today I went surfing, and I’ve made lots of friends! I love y’all! Bye! -Beau
Off To A Great Start!
June 7, 2026
Hello California Families!
We heard from our leaders that the group has landed safely in San Francisco! 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
