Final Update from DOL 3A!
July 27, 2026
Ciao one final time from DOL 3A! Our morning has been full of nostalgia and sentiments as we said our goodbye and watched our kids head through security. The past two weeks have been nothing short of joy-filled, entertaining, and bonding to say the least. They have been a clear reminder of what a Moondance experience is meant to be and the impact we seek on these trips. Every member of DOL 3A was able to teach us something valuable, and for that we will always be grateful.
While we were sad to trek out of the Dolomites on Day 11, Catherine was sure to vlog our exit before we made our way to Claut where we were thrilled to finally reunite with our duffel bags. Claut is an incredibly small town nestled beneath the mountains with old cobblestone roads and a minuscule population. Upon our arrival, Cici went on a run around the town to explore all it has to offer and get a lay of the land. We settled in for dinner before we all headed over to a local soccer field for an intense game of World Cup. We paired up to create our countries, with Greyson and Carter embodying China and scoring a few impressive goals along the way. We ran barefoot in the grass, enjoying the view of the mountains while having some time to reflect on all our time trekking through the Dolomites getting to know one another. After wrapping up the game, our LODs, Leighton and Hollis, gathered everyone in a circle in the center of the field for Moonup under the stars. They set the tone for an incredibly impactful conversation about challenges we have overcome and created a space of love, trust, and encouragement. It was no doubt a night we will all remember and was exactly what we needed before heading into our last two full days.
We woke up on Day 12 ready for our very last activity of the trip. We suited up in wetsuits, harnesses, and helmets before hiking up to the canyon we would canyoneer through. Mary Lewis made an effort to keep the vibes up and make everyone laugh despite the cold water, and showed everyone the difference a positive attitude and a little bit of joy can make. We rappelled down a waterfall and slid through a few parts of the canyon, and Daniel even learned how to juggle rocks along the way. Then we headed back to our lunch spot where we sat in the sun and enjoyed the warmth while we ate our sandwiches and got ready for the rest of our adventure-filled day. After a much-needed meal, we wandered down a short trail to reach a river that runs through the town. McNairy helped build rock structures in the river to help increase the water flow while Ryan helped build a new pool. After maxing out our time at the river, we walked around the town, wandered through a local church, and stopped at a gelato spot before heading back to the soccer field. After starting off with a traditional soccer game, we transitioned back into another World Cup game to get the rest of our energy out before dinner. At the end of the game, Nathan was sure to take the boys back to their roots for one final game of “saccer”, the perfect ending that we needed. We shared another meal together before sitting outside to get some work done pre-moonup. We then gathered on the upstairs balcony and listened to some music before Mackie kicked off our final moonup in Claut. We shared many laughs, meaningful thoughts, and even a few tears as we listened to the guitar and sang to wrap up our official last night in the mountain.
Day 13 came far too quickly as we loaded up our duffels and got ready to head to Venice. We dropped our bags and immediately headed to lunch to finally have some pizza!! We made a game plan for the day before hitting up a few stores all together. We then split as the girls were ready to shop and the boys were ready to keep exploring. We found traditional Italian jewelry and shoes, had gelato and lemon sodas, and took lots of pictures as we made our way across all the canals. We all reunited for a walk to our last dinner together in the pouring rain. We were all dripping wet as we sat down at our table, but it gave us a good laugh to kick off banquet. We had delicious food and even better company, sharing jokes and cracking up the entire meal before running out towards the main canal to check out the view as the weather cleared up. We made it out in perfect timing to see the moon peek through the clouds and continue to rise as we took a picture with a 3A sign, had a wild encounter with a local, and walked through San Marco square one final time on the way to our favorite gelato spot. We all had an ice cream cone before finally heading back to our hostel, but of course we couldn’t make it back without the boys stopping for cheesy souvenirs in the streets along the way. Once getting back, we circled up for our final moonup. The nug jug flew up and was filled to the brim with every ounce of character and moments that have created the unique and intricate bond of this group. And just when we thought it was closed, we popped open a tiny personal nug jug for each member of our group, taking time to show our love for each individual before answering our last question. We shared all of our different takeaways from our time together and finally closed it all off with a quote and one last song. It was a bittersweet ending as we all wrote each other notes and soaked in our last night together.
Upon departing this morning, we are filled with an overwhelming sense of love for what we get to do and the prominent role these twelve kids have played in our lives. While we hope they learned a great deal in the last two weeks, we are confident that they were able to teach us a great deal as well. DOL 3A has an explosive energy, contagious positivity, deep love and loyalty, and intention for their relationships that not everyone has the great privilege of experiencing. While the Dolomites are utterly incredible and will be a place we treasure forever, getting to share it with this group made every moment far more impactful. There are many pieces of this trip that we will hold close to our hearts, and we cannot wait for your kids to share the impact it has had on them with you. Thank you for believing in us, the mission of Moondance, and the magic of our time in the Dolomites. Two weeks goes far too fast, but it is wild the way such a short period of time can leave such a lasting imprint.
“Your heart will never be completely alone again. That is the price you pay for the richness of loving and knowing people in more than one place.” – Miriam Adeney
Arrivederci!
Cass & Dugg
Crazy Climbs in Cinque Torri!
July 24, 2026
Ciao!! Or as Leighton likes to pronounce it, CHOOOWWW!
The past few days have been full of adventure as we trekked further into the Dolomites, stayed at new rifugios, went rock climbing, and continued to deepen our relationships with each other. We got some much needed sleep after our trek up to Lagazuoi and woke up on Day 8 ready to continue on to our next stop. We strapped on our harnesses, helmets, and headlamps as we began to descend through the mountains. But rather than following a traditional path, we entered into the WWI tunnels that originally belonged to Austria. We saw old barracks, an engine room, and went down what felt like hundreds of stairs before emerging back into daylight. We followed the trail down towards Passo Falzarego where we went into a store that had memorabilia from the war as well as different souvenirs representing areas in the Dolomites. We finally got back on the trail and headed towards our next rifugio, and while we tried to outrun the weather, a mountain storm rolled in. Everyone kept their heads high and had incredible attitudes, so we kept on trekking and braved the storm. The clouds moved out just as we made it to our next rifugio and settled in for the night. We had hot chocolates and candy to warm up and got a few intense rounds of Kemps in before sitting down for dinner together. As the sky cleared up and we all gathered outside on the porch after eating, McNairy was the first to find the moon, taking the win of our nightly game!! We wrapped up in our blankets for moonup and talked about the fears we face before admiring the stars and heading to sleep.
We had a bit of a change in pace on Day 9 for our first day of climbing! We hiked up a steep incline to reach Cinque Torri, the premier climbing spot of the Dolomites. Our guides tied up some top ropes as we prepped to begin climbing. We got comfortable with the routes and learned how to belay each other before taking a quick break for lunch. We came back to new routes on the far side of Cinque Torri, looking out on one of the coolest views we had seen. After a few more hours of climbing, we headed back up to Scoittoli for card games before dinner. To switch things up, we assigned seating at dinner and had conversation topics to continue getting to know every member of our group better than we did before. We had an incredible meal before heading out into a field to circle up for moonup. In one of the best moonup spots we’ve had, we sat surrounded by mountains in every direction and admired a picturesque sunset, reminding us of the beauty found in our life here on earth that is often sent from those above. After trekking with our guitar for the past few days, Dugger and Hollis found another one hanging in the rifugio and were able to play together for the group. They played a handful of songs as we all sang and sat in the utter bliss of the moment, not wanting it to end. Music has a special way of bringing people together and was exactly what we needed to end the night.
We woke up for our second day of climbing and went back into Cinque Torri, but this time we got to climb not only top rope routes, but also multi-pitch routes! Catherine and Mackie were the first to attempt it, climbing all the way up and over one of the five fingers to rappel down the back side. After everyone had completed a few of the easier top rope routes, our guides put up one more line that was particularly challenging. Nathan was the first to give it a shot, completing the entire thing in his first try! While cycling through the multi-pitches, we started playing around with the top ropes to jump over each other and hang upside down. Carter got back on the rope one last time to flip and do the Spider-Man pose. Before wrapping up our day of climbing, Ryan wanted to give our toughest climb a shot, making it to the top and sweeping the route by collecting the quickdraw for our guide. While most of the group was done climbing, Mary Lewis was not and decided she wanted to do the multi-pitch! She flew solo with one of the guides and completed the route in record time! All the girls waited and watched her rappel down, cheering her on! Then we all headed back up to our rifugio for a late lunch before going back outside for a leadership activity. We evaluated the group based on four different NOLS leadership styles: Driver, Architect-Analysts, Spontaneous Motivators, and Relationship Masters. While most of our group was split between the categories, we discovered that Cici is our only relationship master, playing a vital role in our group dynamic! Before making our way to dinner, we all took some time to write birthday and thank-you notes to our guide, Marco, whose birthday was the day before the trip! Since it was his last night with us, it only felt right to celebrate him and thank him for all he had done for us! After surprising him with a piece of cake and candles, we gave him all of our notes, which brought him to tears. It had all of us in a sentimental mood as we embraced our last night in a rifugio in the Dolomites. We sat on the porch and listened to the guitars and harmonica, soaking in the view and sunset one last time. We walked back out into the grass for moonup where one of our LODs, Daniel, shared a meaningful quote with a profound explanation about taking risks in life and being willing to learn from them. He perfectly set the tone for the night and we all shared in meaningful conversation before reading the Bon Vivant manifesto to cap it all off!
We woke up this morning and packed our trekking packs for one last trek out of the Dolomites. After having breakfast, we hopped on the trail and began descending towards Cortina. On all of our hikes, Greyson took to either the front or back, making an intentional effort to get to know both of our guides. We walked for a while before spreading out for a peaceful meditation walk to reflect on our time in the mountains, then hit our last big uphill push. We made it up and admired the view before continuing on to our lunch spot. Mary Lewis was the first to admire the view and was not ready to leave the place that we all love so much. The end of our hike was bittersweet as we said goodbye to our incredible guides and hopped in the vans to head towards our next adventure.
The past few days have been a reminder of how much this group has grown together over these 11 days. We watched them push through tough climbing routes, keep their spirits up through a storm, and take the time to write Marco meaningful notes before saying goodbye today. Somewhere along the way, this group created a meaningful bond that we hope will last far after this trip. Watching them get to know each other has been such a privilege, and we’re so grateful for the small part we get to play. Thank you for trusting us with them for these two weeks. We have no doubt they will come home with many stories to share, and our time is not up yet! As we settle into the quaint town of Claut, we are excited for what’s still to come in the next few days! Ciao for now!
Quick message from our crew!
Catherine: Hey mom and dad! Thank you so so much for letting me come on this trip. This has been the absolute coolest and such an incredible experience. I’ve made so many great memories with this group and I can’t believe it’s almost over. I can’t wait to show you the pictures of the insane views and tell you all about this trip!! Love and miss y’all!
Mackie: hey yall! Thank you mom and dad for letting me come on this trip! It’s one of the coolest things I’ve ever experienced and the views are so pretty. This group is so fun and funny I have so many stories for yall. I can’t wait to tell yall all about it. I love y’all 💘🏔️
Mary Lewis: Hey ya’ll!! Thank y’all SO much for letting me come on this trip. It’s one of the coolest things I’ve ever done. I’ve had so much good food and gotten some amazing photos. I’m so grateful and can’t wait to tell yall all about it! Love ya’ll so much!🇮🇹🍝♥️
Cici: Hey mama and dada! I’m having an amazing time and I’m beyond grateful and blessed to have this opportunity. Thank you both for everything you’ve done and have done in order to give me this opportunity. I have so many wonderful memories and amazing stories for y’all. Love you, miss you, mean it. 🤠❣️
Leighton: Mom and Dad, Thank you for giving me this opportunity to come here, I am having seriously the best time ever. They have so many cows and cute dogs here, the group is so fun, the food is SO good, and I don’t really want to come home. Thank you guys so much for letting me come and have the time of my life. I love y’all!😉😁❤️
Carter: Mom and Dad, thank you for this once in a lifetime experience of seeing Italy. I’ve had a lot of fun and have enjoyed my time with everyone here. The food is great and I’ve been doing a lot of fun activities over here and I’m down to my last picture on my camera. I can’t wait to tell you guys all about it. Love you times a 100, see you in a few days.
Ryan: Hey Mom and Dad, thank you for sending me on this amazing trip to the Dolomites. This experience has been great and I have made so many memories. I love both of you and can’t wait to see you in a few days.
Nathan: Hey y’all, thank you so much for letting me go on this trip. It has been so much fun getting to see this beautiful part of the world. The views here are the best I’ve ever seen. Trekking and climbing have been extremely fun. Food has also been very good. I love y’all and can’t wait to to see you soon.
Daniel: What up fellas. Thanks for letting me go on this trip. It’s been an awesome experience and the views are sick. Been enjoying it a lot but can’t wait to get back. I’ll see you soon. – Osprey
Hollis: Hi Mom and Dad. Thank y’all so much for everything y’all have done to get me here. I’m sorry for making mistakes but being here is the greatest thing ever and I love it. Thank y’all so much again. I love y’all.
McNairy: Hey Mom, Dad, and Frazier, I hope y’all are having fun at Old Edward’s and Milly and Lucy are doing well. The time here has been flying by and I’m really thankful I came. I really appreciate y’all sending me here. Love y’all
Greyson: Hello Mother and Father, I’ve acquired a phone again. I’m having a splendid time, I’m nearing the end of my pilgrimage but I’m ready to come home. The good news is the capital is in reach, me and my American comrades have taken a small town called Clout with a population of about 300 people, I’ll inform you when I’ve completed the mission and I’ll see you all soon. Love you guys. Godspeed.
Checking In From The Dolomites!
July 21, 2026
Buongiorno from the Dolomites for our last go round with DOL3A! After a bit of a delayed flight arrival, we were beyond antsy for all of the kids to finally arrive in Venice so we could get Day 2 started! The flight touched down and the kids, as well as all of their bags, made it safely, and we hit the road to Cortina. The kids counted down the seconds until lunch and had a quick turnaround as we dropped our bags at our hotel and walked into the city center. We tasted our first Italian pizzas before exploring the Olympic landmarks and heading back to the hotel to settle in and have a siesta. Post-nap, we gave out Moondance gifts before walking back into town for some shopping and dinner. Over by the Olympic rings, we filled our waters with fresh water from the fountain, and Leighton even took a bite out of the water. Our first night would not have been complete without a gelato stop and some hacky sack in the middle of the street. After making it back to the hotel, we circled up in a grass field nestled beneath the mountains. We looked up, feeling small among their grand gestures as we thought about all of the ground we would begin to cover through their trails. The conversation focused on why we are all here and what we hope to gain in our time together. Just in our first few hours together, we could feel the depth and intention trickling through every member of our group and couldn’t wait to dive deeper in the coming days.
We finally got to kick off Day 3 with our first Italian buffet breakfast before heading to a trailhead. We began our hike up, finally getting the feeling of being in the mountains, before reaching a lookout point where we strapped on our harnesses. We clipped into the cable and began our via ferrata climb across the mountain and down towards a waterfall. Cici faced her fear of heights as we climbed up and behind the second waterfall, peering through the water and admiring the valley we were in. We finished the course and sat down for lunch at the top before all circling up to work on our hacky sack skills. Daniel brought seven hacky sacks to make sure we could practice at all times and made an effort to include everyone in the circle. We made our way back down the mountain and into Cortina to begin the prep for trekking! We packed up our packs and went into town for some last-minute essentials: candy!!! After stocking up on all the goods, we went to dinner and then made another gelato stop before making our way back to our Moonup spot in the field. We talked about past achievements and pieces of our life we are proud of to kick off the journey of really getting to know one another.
With our packs ready for the day, we had breakfast and went straight to our starting point where we circled up before beginning our first trek. After yelling “3A” on three with our hands in the middle, we set out on the path with our heads high and our morale boosted. We passed by cows and wandered through fields and different terrains, and stopped for lunch on the trail before reaching our very first refugio of the trip, Fodara Vedla! The group sat down for an intense game of Kemps before Ryan broke out the soccer ball. After playing so much hacky sack our first few days, Nathan had the idea to create a mix between hacky sack and soccer, better known as “saccer!” All of the boys quickly caught on and spent the rest of the afternoon playing in the grass until dinner. After an incredible four-course meal, we wandered out past a tiny little chapel and circled up under the stars for Moonup.
We woke up for another day of trekking and hopped back on the trail towards our next refugio. After a while on fairly flat ground, we stopped by one refugio for a snack before continuing onto the uphill towards our refugio. As we reached Fanes, our home for the night, we had to make a pit stop at another refugio across the way, Lavarella. We ate some pasta and chocolates and laid in the sun admiring the view. We eventually made our way to where we would stay for the night and settled in, sharing our most meaningful pieces of advice during our indoor Moonup as some light rain rolled in.
On Day 6 we awoke, ready to trek with lighter packs as we prepped to do a loop around the area we were staying in. We enjoyed breakfast before filling our waters, putting sunscreen on, and hitting the trail. We told the kids the route we were following and let them lead the way. McNairy evaluated the map, making sure he knew where we were heading so he could help lead the group up towards the lookout. We finally made it up and had a quick lunch as we watched the clouds and rain roll in. We began the walk down, and Greyson, in his full rain gear, stopped to get a photo with the cows. We made the descent and stopped back by Lavarella for hot chocolates to warm us up before crossing the field to go back to Fanes. The sun finally came out, so we played some group saccer before having dinner and Moonup. Our LODs, Carter and Mackie, led one of the most powerful Moonups I’ve had the privilege of being a part of. We spent the rest of the night reflecting on our lives, the challenges that shape us, and how we will continue to grow from them. It was a clear reminder of how purposeful this experience can be when the right group of people are placed together.
We geared up with a big breakfast for Day 7, our longest trekking day yet, and set out on the Alta Via 1 towards Lagazuoi. As we crossed through different terrains, Catherine was sure to stop and capture the moment for everyone on her camera. The morale and overall attitude of the group was high, and everyone leaned into different trail talks and continued to get to know one another on a deeper level. We hiked up and over the saddle and descended down to a lake we stopped at for lunch. A few of us jumped in before we kept on the trail for our final big push. Hollis was the first to offer to help fill waters at the spring and made the hike down and up with a few of the other boys to make sure the group was well hydrated and ready for what was in front of us. We turned on the music and kept moving until we finally reached Lagazuoi, the second-tallest refugio in the Dolomites!! Feeling incredibly accomplished, we all sat on the deck and soaked in the views. Mary Lewis was ready to dominate in Solo at the dinner table before we hiked out towards a lookout point at a cross for Moonup. It was the perfect view to end the night and set the tone for all we still have left.
The past week has been one we feel so grateful to be a part of. This group has an unmatched energy and depth that has guided our trip and is building meaningful memories and relationships. Thank you for trusting us and giving us the chance to spend these two weeks with each of your kids. We have already learned so much from them, and I have a feeling there is still much more to come!
Hollis – Hi Mom and Dad. I’m really happy and thankful that y’all let me come on this trip. I’m having the time of my life. I’m also reflecting a lot and have a lot to tell y’all and talk about. Thank y’all so much again. I love y’all.
Ryan – Hey Mom and Dad, thank you both for letting me come on this trip. This has been one of the coolest and most fun moments of my life. I’m going to have so much to talk to you all about after I get back, and I love you guys and can’t thank you enough for letting me come on this trip.
McNairy – Hey Mom, Dad, and Frazier, hope y’all are doing well. I’m having a lot of fun and loving all the trekking we get to do through the mountains. I’m super glad I came and miss y’all. Give Milly and Lucy a bunch of attention for me!
Carter – Hey mom and dad. I’m doing well, the trip has been great and I feel like I fit in. I’m excited to tell you about it. Trekking has been really hard but I’ve been enjoying everything else. Can’t wait to see you.
Nathan – Hey fam, this trip has been great! I’m thankful that y’all allow me to meet new people in a beautiful place. We’ve been trekking through the Dolomites having a lot of fun. Miss y’all.
Cici – Hey y’all miss ya like crazy and softy of course. Everyone is so so so kind and I’m so great full for my group. We have been trekking for 5 days now but I’m not burnt. Love ya miss ya mean it.
Leighton – Ciao familia, no news! Shoes are great, group is great, we went to Cortina! The trekking isn’t that bad and veiws are amazing! I miss Cooper. See ya soon!
Mary Lewis – Hey mom and dad! I’m having such a great trip and loving all the trekking we get to do. This is such a cool experience and I’m so grateful! Love and miss y’all!!
Mackie – Hey mom dad Sophie harry and heath! I’m having so much fun this is the coolest experience and the views are amazing! The trekking is so fun and cool. Happy birthday dad have fun in the Bahamas! I miss and love all of y’all so much!
Daniel – Hey mom and dad! I’m currently trekking through the top of the Dolomites and I am enjoying it a lot. The views are crazy and I’m so grateful for this experience. Thank y’all for sending me on this trip and I’ll see y’all when I get back!
Catherine – Hey mom and dad! Thank you so so much for sending me on this trip! It has been absolutely awesome and our group is amazing. The Dolomites are so beautiful and we’ve been having so much fun trekking. I love y’all so much and can’t wait to see you soon!
Greyson – Hello Mother and Father, I’ve been granted very strict phone privileges to contact you. You are receiving this because I wanted to say thank you for allowing me to begin my pilgrimage into the Dolomites. I’ve collected gifts for both of you in return for trusting me in another country by myself, I’ve yet to take the capital but I’ve gained the trust of my fellow Americans and victory is near. I love you guys, if I don’t make it back just know I had a warriors death fighting for the freedom of the star spangled banner itself. See y’all soon. Godspeed.
Safe Arrival!
July 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
