Arrivederci DOL 1A!
June 27, 2026
After wrapping up our trekking section and awaiting our vans, we finally began the journey to Claut, a small Italian village between the Dolomites and Venice. With the city being quiet and empty, we took the opportunity to fill it with excitement as we soaked in the last few days of our trip. After checking in to our hotel and reuniting with our duffel bags, we stopped by the market for some snacks and set out to explore the town. While there wasn’t far to go, we wandered through the streets seeing some local residents and gaining an appreciation for the quiet nature of Claut. We settled in for a homemade dinner with tiramisu for dessert. After opening with an intense game of freeze tag, Bea and Bennett led an impactful Moonup focused on the lessons life has taught us and how we will continue to learn from everything we encounter.
We woke up on day 12 and suited up for canyoneering. We repelled down waterfalls and slid through the canyon. The entire group was laughing, with Rip clipping his harness to others to pull them into the pools, adding another element of surprise to the activity. We had lunch at a few picnic tables on the river where Charlie dealt out an intense game of Egyptian Rat Slap and the group queued up songs to bring the vibes up and get everyone ready for the rest of the day. We headed down a trail towards a creek to soak in the sun after lunch. The boys worked on building a pool out of rocks to stop the water flow and Mason built a cross from branches to put in the area before leaving. We went back to the hotel and changed before heading to a field for a soccer game. Ellerbee had first pick, building up her team and getting ready for the face off. Jack took goal for the other team, with Winifred as the first line of defense. Just as half time hit, rain began to fall, making the game even more exciting. With a goal right on the buzzer, we went into overtime, with Fred shooting the game winning goal from halfway down the field! Just as the game ended, the rain stopped in perfect timing for our walk back to the hotel. We sat around the table for dinner, listened to music on the guitar, and ended the night with Moonup.
Day 13 started off in Claut as we packed up our bags and hopped in the vans to head to Venice. After crossing onto the island, we piled all our bags onto a water taxi and rode over to our hostel. We quickly dropped our things and headed straight for a pizzeria, devouring every single bite of our lunch. We then split up to explore the city and do a little bit of shopping. Heidi found the charm bracelet she had been searching for, helping pick out charms for all of the girls to get to remember the trip. We all reconvened for our last dinner together overlooking the water. We soaked in the moments of banquet dinner, reminiscing on our time together and all that we had the privilege of experiencing. We then circled up for our very last Moonup. After sharing many stories, impressions, and nugs, Margaret closed it off with a meaningful quote to represent our time together.
It is truly incredible what can transpire in the short period of two weeks. It is a clear reminder of the power of intentional time together. While the Dolomites are an unforgettable destination, it is every member of our group that made this trip what it was, a time filled with new friendships and experiences that will be held close for a long time to come. We cannot thank you enough for letting us play a small role in your kids’ experience, and while we hope they may come home having learned something new, there is no doubt that we learned some immense lessons from each of them and who they are. DOL 1A will always hold a special place in our hearts. Arrivederci!
Making Memories in the Mountains!
June 24, 2026
As we wrap up the trekking portion of our trip, the past few days have been full of trail riddles, group games, new songs to old tunes, family run Refugio’s, homemade food, sore muscles, lots of steps, and more laughter than any trip update could possibly capture. While our days have been long, they have flown by. We can hardly believe we are already on the back end of our time together, but the time is not up yet and the next few days are sure to be full of meaningful experiences. After our trek up to Lagazuoi on Day 7, we all piled around one big table to share a meal together. The rain began to roll in, so we all sat in our shared bunk room for Moonup before getting some much needed rest.
Day 8 was off to a strong start with a steep descent down the mountain. We walked through a valley where we found the base of the mountain we would climb for our Via Ferratta! Winifred was first up, leading the entire group for the full length of our climb up. Our guide told us it was a record pace for Moondance groups, and Bennett even completed the “no silver” challenge, relying solely on the rocks to get up rather than any man made steps or wires. We pulled the Moondance flag out at the top of the mountain for a group picture and enjoyed lunch with a view. The day was far from over as we began our hike back up to Lagazuoi. We spent the afternoon playing card games before having dinner and walking over to a lookout point with a cross sitting at the summit. The sun began to set as we circled up at the peak for Moonup. On the walk back, Rip used his photography skills to capture an insane picture of the heat lightning striking between the mountains at a distance. We made back it back to our bunks and settled in for our last night at the top of the Dolomites.
After another sleep, with just a little bit of snoring, Bea woke up to catch the sunrise over the mountaintops before the rest of the group got up and ready for the day. We strapped on our harnesses, helmets, and headlamps before heading down into the tunnels stretching through the Dolomites from WWII. We learned about the history along the way, stopping in the center to turn off our lights and experience the pitch black darkness of being fully underground. After making it through the tunnels, we began our hike to our next Refugio. We stopped for lunch and the boys worked on their hacky skills before getting back on the trail. Our LODs, Charlie and Margaret, made good use of the walkie talkies, checking in from the front and back of the line to keep a steady pace. When we finally made it to Averau, our Refugio for the next two nights, we were able to see Cinque Torri, a huge set of rock pillars, known as the “Five Fingers,” that are one of the most well known climbing spots in the Dolomites! The Refugio is family run and has some of the best food we’ve had the entire trip, which was exactly what we needed after a long few days! The night was ended with a ceremonial passing of the walkies by our LODS! Day 9 was packed full of history and gave us a deeper appreciation for the areas we get to explore.
Day 10 was our climbing day, which we had all been looking forward to! We walked down into the valley of Cinque Torri where our guides set up some top rope climbing so we could get a feel for the rock. The group quickly flew up the routes and were ready for more of a challenge. Freddie and Jack were the first to attempt the multi-pitch climb, absolutely crushing it and making their way over the top of rock. Some of the boys explored some nearby caves in the area and we all had a well deserved lunch together in the shade. Since the group was crushing all of the routes, one of our guides set up a more challenging, technical, too rope route, which Mason climbed up with ease. After a few hours of climbing and enjoying our time in the valley of Cinque Torri, Heidi and Ellerbee decided it was their turn to attempt the multi-pitch. They completed the entire route and our whole group got to watch them repel down the backside before heading back up towards our Refugio for the night. After a big day on the rock, we were happy to spend the afternoon at the Refugio playing card games and having dinner and Moonup!
Day 11 marked the final day of our trekking section as we began the hike from our last Refugio back down towards Cortina. After a long week of hiking and building our stamina, the miles passed by easily as we crossed through grassy terrain and stopped by a few Refugio’s and water springs along the way. The boys threw the frisbee at a scenic lookout after one of our last uphill pushes, and when we finally reached the end of the trail, we patiently awaited our vans for our drive to our next destination!
The trekking section of this trip will be a part we truly won’t forget. While some of the days were tough, our group continually showed up for one another every day. All of the views and the shared experiences made it worth it and truly brought our group closer together. As we enter into the last portion of this trip, we hope to soak in all the little moments and enjoys the time we have left together. Thank you for sharing each of your kids with us, we are incredibly grateful for all this group has taught us so far, and we know this experience wouldn’t be nearly that same without a single one of them!
Dear mom and dad,
Thank you so so much for sending me on this trip. I really love doing these and I believe each trip is deeply transformative for me. Love you!!
-jack
Dear mom and dad,
Thank you so much for giving me the opportunity to go on moondance this year. It has been the best trip of my life and my group and counselors are amazing. Love yall and miss you! -Mason
Dad and Mom
Thank you so much for sending me on this trip. It has been super fun and one of the best experiences I have ever been through. I like everyone of the trip and love and miss you! – charlie
Dear mom and dad
Thank yall so much for giving me this opportunity. Moondance is better than any present yall could ever give me. This trip has been the most meaningful experience of my life and it has helped me form such amazing bonds. this group of people I’m with is so amazing and each of them have helped me in so many ways- pushing me mentally and physically. I will see yall in just a few days and I’m so excited and genuinely so grateful for this experience to be with these amazing kids and leaders, I will never forget it.
-Bea girl
Dear Mom and Dad,
Thank yall so much for giving the amazing opportunity to go on this trip. It has truly been one of the most fun, challenging, and unique experiences of my life. I have been having such a great time and I can’t wait to see yall when I get home! Love and miss you so much!
-Winifred
Dear mom and dad,
Hey guys!!!! Seriously, thank yall so much for letting me go on this trip, it’s been so amazing! This is the coolest opportunity I’ve ever gotten, literally I’m listening to a kid playing Bye and Bye by Caamp on the guitar. I’ve learned so much so far mentally and physically and I’m so glad I’m here! Love you guys so so much and can’t wait to see you guys in three days!
Hi mom and dad!!
Thank yall so much for the opportunity to go on this amazing trip, I am having the best time ever!! We just finished the trekking portion of our trip and it was so beautiful, I can’t wait to tell yall all about it! We are currently listening to the guitar outside of our hotel and it’s so amazing. Can’t wait to see yall soon!!
Love, Margaret
Hi Mom and Dad,
Thank you so much for this amazing and fun trip! I cannot wait to tell you about the trip! Thank you so much for this chance!!
Love you forever and always,
Heidi
Hey mom and dad,
I cannot thank you enough for sending me on this trip. The amount of deep connections and memories I have made here is incredible. There is no other place I would rather be than right here. Thank you so much.
Love,
Rip
Hey mama and papa,
Thank you so much for this amazing trip. We just finished our last day of trekking and are getting excited for Venice and Canyoneering. I have met the best people on this trip and am going to miss this area and this group. I can’t wait to see yall and thank you again.
Love,
Bennett
Thank you so much for giving me the opportunity to go on this awesome trip. We just finished trekking and will go Canyoneering tomorrow. I’ve had a fantastic time. Everyone in the group is amazing and make the trip so much better. Thank you again for giving the opportunity to experience this. Thank you again.
Love, Freddie
Down In The Dolomites!
June 20, 2026
Hey Moondance Families!
Ciao from the Dolomites!! We are currently at one of the highest Rifugios in the Dolomites, and our journey to get here over the past few days has been nothing short of joy filled. The moondance magic trickles through every trip differently, and there is something powerful that happens when the right group of kids end up in the right place at the right time. The start of this trip has been a clear testament of this, as we have watched different personalities blend together to form a strong dynamic, and we have no doubt it will continue to grow as our trip goes on.
After hearing that everyone made it on their flight to Venice, we patiently awaited their arrival to kick off Day 2 of our trip! We said some quick hellos before loading up in our van. We went up through the mountains until we reached our hotel nestled near the center of the town. The kids powered through their jet lag as we explored the village, played some hacky sack, and dined at a local pizzeria! The afternoon was filled with speed dating, new games, and lots of “get to know you” conversations, before we all sat under a gazebo for our first moonup, or as this group prefers to call it, “the jug!” We reflected on the start of our trip and the journey ahead before settling in for our first night.
Day 3 began with our first Italian breakfast followed by a ride up to a trail head. We met our guide for the trip, as well as another guide who was with us for the day. We had a short hike up to a mountain side where we strapped on our harnesses and helmets before clipping in. We traversed the side of the mountain and throughout the entire activity, Margaret made an intentional effort to get to know everyone and bring our group together. We went through a canyon and behind a waterfall before reaching the end of the course and hiking back down the mountain. We had a slow afternoon taking in the rest of Cortina before heading back to our local restaurant for dinner. On the way back from dinner, we had to get gelato before heading back to our hotel to prep for the trekking section of our trip. We loaded our packs, had moonup, and played a few games before the day came to a close.
Day 4 marked our first day of trekking as we drove up to the start of our trail. With our packs on our backs, we began the trek to our very first mountain Refugio! The group morale stayed strong, as we encountered our first steep ascent and began to see what the Dolomites are all about. We stopped for a long lunch on the trail with a scenic spot before continuing on. The Refugio is surrounded by mountains at every angle and feels like a remote getaway compared where we started in Cortina. We explored the quaint chapel sitting next to it, as well as two separate caves and a viewpoint area with a killer sunset. We befriended other hikers, as we spent the afternoon outside soaking in the views. The food was nothing short of incredible and was exactly what we all needed after our first big day of hiking. We circled up in front of the chapel for moonup, where we watched the sun set, closing another impactful day.
We woke up on day 5 ready to tackle our next day of trekking. With full packs on, we stepped back onto the trail. Ellerbee helped keep everyone distracted with her trail games and riddles as we headed deep into the mountains. We passed through different terrains, powered through some tough uphills, and even saw some cows along the way. While the hike was long and challenging, it was all worth it when we arrived! Sitting right next to a lake, the Refugio has a rustic, homey feel that we all loved. After having lunch by the lake, we dropped our bags before heading back over for a cold plunge. Even though the water was absolutely freezing, every single person jumped in. While most of us were nearly in shock from the temperature, Freddie was completely unfazed and barely batted an eye. We napped in the sun before heading back to settle in. We spent the rest of the day watching the marmots run around, listening to music, and exploring another quaint chapel. We had an incredible dinner where we got to try the pasta of the day alongside other dishes. Our two guides joined us for moonup, where we shared stories about impactful days that have brought us all to where we are now.
While we may have woken up with sore muscles on Day 6, the morale of the group remained strong with Mason and Winifred as our LODs to guide us through the day. As we made our way onto new terrain for a loop through District 5 of the Dolomites, we encountered bullet remains from WWII and got to learn about some of the history that took place where we were standing. Charlie’s history knowledge began to show, as he rattled off facts with our guides and delved into the deeper meaning of all that came before us. As we faced our most challenging uphill yet, everyone pushed through to see an incredible view of another mountain town far below. We sat at the top of the mountain for lunch where Jack befriended three Alpine Coughs, little black birds with yellow beaks, that ate right out of his hand. With the sun out, Rip led our shirtless crew of guys down the mountain and kept everyone entertained as he tried to memorize every single person’s phone number. When we got back, we were met with perfect weather to spend our afternoon outside resting up for our longest day of trekking. Bennett made friends with one of the workers who showed him how to play the Bouzouki, an Irish instrument with 8 strings! Having never played it before, he quickly learned. Dugger hopped in with a guitar and everyone in the Refugio quickly turned their attention towards the show. Everyone sang along as they played until we heard the cow bells begin to rings. The cows had been traveling from where we stayed our first night, and they finally arrived in the fields. We wandered out to the field and sat in a circle surrounded by them for moonup!
We kicked off Day 7 with a stretch circle to get ready to head all the way up towards the top of the Dolomites. After filling our waters at a natural spring next to a small farm house, we encountered our first big uphill push of the day. We were surrounded by towering mountains as we climbed up until we could finally see the decent to where we would eat lunch. Heidi faced her downhill fears and powered through the switchbacks all the way down, before we sat in the grass and enjoyed a few moments of rest. We dropped our packs after lunch to climb down a rocky path to a natural spring where we could fill our waters with fresh mountain spring water. We could see the uphill battle in front of us, and Bea’s determined nature and positive attitude kept the entire group motivated, as we slowly began our ascent. With music playing, we made it all the way, just beating the rain and clouds that rolled in around us. The picnic tables immediately filled with snacks and sweet treats before we started playing card games to round out the day. As we get ready for another amazing Italian dinner, we could not have more gratitude for the past few days we have spent together. Watching each member of our group start to come out of their shell, find their own sense of confidence and independence, and impact this trip in their own ways has been an absolute privilege. While the sights we have seen are sure to have a lasting impact on each of us, our trip has been shaped by the intentionality of relationships being built. It is so clear that everyone single person is here for a reason, and we cannot wait to continue getting to know them over the next few days.
Thank y’all so much For sending me on this amazing Trip. The Dolomites is so beautiful, and I have made so many amazing friends. We aew trekking right now, and it is so fun. Please Tell Hampten I say hi, and that I’m having the best time and can’t wait to tell her all about it. Tell claire I love her too, and Happy Father’s Day, Dad! I can’t wait to celebrate when I’m home! XOXO -BeaGirl
Hi Mom and Dad! Thank y’all so much for the opportunity to go on this amazing trip, the views are gorgeous! I’m having so much fun with my group, and the leaders are awesome! Happy Father’s Day, Dad, I love and miss y’all! Love, Margaret
Hey Mom and Dad! I have been having the best time in the Dolomites. We have spent the past few day trekking and have seen some beautiful views! Happy Father’s Day dad! Love and miss you! Love, Winifred
Dear Mom and Dad, thank y’all so much for giving me the opportunity to go on this trip. It has been so much fun so far, and the views are amazing, along with the food. Happy Father’s Day, Dad! Miss y’all, Love Mason.
Dear Mom and Dad, I’m having an incredible time in the Dolomites. All the moondance kids are really nice, and the leaders and guides are great! Happy Father’s Day. – Freddie
Hey Mom and Dad! I am having a lot of fun with my new friends. I can’t wait to tell and show you all the things I’ve done! Happy Father’s Day! – Rip
Dear Mom and Dad, I am having a great time on this amazing trip. We just finished our third day of trekking. Thank y’all so much for the opportunity of this trip and can’t wait to see y’all! Also, Happy Father’s Day! Love y’all. Bennett
Dear Mom and Dad, I am having the best time! Thank you so much for sending me on this trip. I befriended some birds on the top of a mountain. Happy Father’s Day, Dad, I love you! Love, Jack
Dear Mom and Dad, I am having a great time. Thank you for sending me on the trip! I am making friends with the locals. Hiking a lot and having fun. Happy Father’s Day, Dad! -Charlie Pachios
Hey Mom & Dad! I am having the best time, everything is perfect! I miss y’all so much, Happy Father’s Day, and hope you guys are having fun at St. Barths! Say hi to the twins, Lily, Shep, and Wait! -Ellerbee
Dear Mom and Dad and Hans, I miss you so much! I am having a fun time, and it is very pretty! I pray for all of you each day, and pray that you’re safe. Please tell/txt Lucy, Kate, and Ella that I miss them! Love you guys so much. Please be safe and careful on your way over here. -Heidi Hansen
Safe Arrival!
June 15, 2026
Hello Dolomites Families!
We heard from our leaders early this morning that the group has landed safely in Venice! 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
