One Final Farewell!
July 25, 2026
Hello again! It’s hard to believe that our trip has come to an end. There are so many emotions that come with this as this trip was filled with some of the most rewarding, genuine, and precious moments. Our final days were spent climbing in Oregon, paddle boarding on the Columbia river, and Canyoning in Washington and wow it was a blast!
We arrived at our campsite on Monday evening, set up our camp, and cooked some dinner. Everyone was so excited to get climbing tomorrow! We woke up early the next morning, had some breakfast, packed our lunches, and headed out for our first day of climbing. We met up with our incredible guides and hiked to our first location. We spent the morning learning how to belay each other and got to try a bunch of different climbing routes. It was so much fun to see everyone push themselves and try new things, they absolutely crushed it! Natalie was so eager to try all of the routes. Once we all got our climbing fix in we wrapped up and headed straight to ice cream. Then we loaded up the van and headed to Bend, Oregon! We got to explore downtown and stopped at thrift stores, an adorable coffee shop, and a bunch of shops on the downtown strip. On the way home we made a long awaited stop at Walmart. Will had been very excited for this stop. We drove back to our campsite and we all cooked burger bowls for dinner. One huge collaborative effort and it was seriously so good! We ended the night with moonup and got some rest.
We woke up early and had a little bit of a change of plans, but it was for the better! We made some breakfast, packed up camp and headed back into Bend to see Toy Story 5! After our movie we set off on a mini road trip back north driving back around Mount Hood which is always so spectacular and striking. We finally made it back to the Tipi camp where we were staying for the night! This is everyone’s favorite place to stay! Rob grilled steaks and chicken and we had the best taco bar spread ever for dinner. Allll the fixings! We made the absolute most of our change of plans today and spent the evening laughing and telling stories on the deck until it was time for bed excited for what new adventures were ahead!
We woke up to the sun shining over our camp and had some pancakes, sausage, and fresh berries for breakfast! It was inevitable that we were about to have the best day ever. We packed up camp and loaded up the van to head down to the river where we would be paddle boarding! The river was calm and we all set out on our adventure. Right off the bat Owen and JRob took a fall into the water one after the other and we were all dying laughing. We continued on and made it to a sandbar where we were able to get off our boards to hang out in the water. We played a fun game where two people would get onto one paddle board and without touching each other would try and knock the other person off the board. Jameson and JRob went first and they both started rocking the paddle board back and forth. JRob stood up and was keeping his balance while Jameson stayed low on the board continuing to rock it back and forth. JRob toppled off the board into the water and Jameson took the dub!! Woohooo!! Everyone took turns playing this game until it was time to head back. We made one last stop on our paddle on an island filled with the most delicious blackberries. The sweetest way to end this epic paddle adventure.
We began driving to our next campsite and grabbed some Chick-fil-A for lunch. Before arriving at our campsite we stopped at the grocery store and split up into two teams. Team 1 was Natalie, Dylan, Annan, Caroline, and Jameson and then we had Will, Owen, Hannah, JRob, and Sadie on Team 2. They had a budget and a time limit to gather dinner ingredients we would bring back to the campsite for a cook off. Team 1 prepared chicken alfredo and Team 2 made smash burgers. Rob and Katie had an extremely hard time deciding on a winner. Ultimately, Team 1’s chicken Alfredo won the competition, as their dining experience as a whole was off the charts. We had fun deserts and closed the night with moonup. Time is moving wayyyy too fast.
It was the morning of our last day!! WOW! There was a beautiful sunrise and we got up and ate some oatmeal for breakfast. It was time to head to the mountains for our final adventure… canyoning!!! This was so much fun and so high energy. We repelled and slid down a series of waterfalls in a canyon. This got our adrenaline pumping and was such a highlight of the trip. When this adventure came to an end we hiked out back to our cars and drove to our final campsite. From camp we headed to goodwill to pick out some fun outfits we could wear out to dinner. We all had the funniest outfits. We all could not stop laughing at each other’s outfits and got a huge kick out of wearing them to dinner. After dinner we got some frosty’s from Wendy’s and headed back to camp. We all hung out, told stories, and our LOD’s Sadie and Dylan led our last moonup. We all had the opportunity to reflect on our incredible trip and we are truly so grateful to know and love each other and to have had the experience of a lifetime. PNW 3A is a trip that will certainly not be forgotten! Sending so much love, our hearts are so full.
With gratitude,
Katie and Rob ♥️
San Juan Sunsets!
July 22, 2026
Hi there!! We have been having the best time! Looking back and reflecting on our past few days together brings so much joy to us. Not only seeing how close our group has grown but also seeing everyone’s personal growth. We have had the opportunity to go on some of the coolest adventures. We left sea kayaking and white water rafting with memories and stories that we will tell forever!
We arrived at one of the San Juan Islands after a quick ferry ride from the mainland. Excited for our next adventure, we headed to our campsite, made dinner, and showered after 4 days of backpacking. It was glorious. We ended our night with moonup and got some rest.
The next morning we met up with our kayaking outfitters, loaded up all of our gear into tandem kayaks, made some lunches, and set off to sea. Hannah was singing her way through our entire paddle. We paddled through some rain which then turned into a beautiful rainbow. Once we wrapped up kayaking, we loaded up into the vans and headed to camp. We had tacos for dinner and roasted smores over the campfire accompanied by some homemade chocolate chip cookies. We reflected on a day that challenged us and pushed us in new ways. We also left with some funny stories. We all slept soooo well on this night in our cozy tents.
The next morning we ate some beautiful yogurt and oatmeal bowls with fresh fruit and were ready to tackle our day. We packed some lunch wraps and hit the road. Exploring the west side of the island we saw the most beautiful stretches of beach with bald eagles, foxes, seals, seabirds, and a lighthouse at the top of the bluff. Natalie and Hannah walked all the way down to the water to get a closer look at the tide pools. We ate a picnic lunch and with a little bit of free time we explored the quaint downtown strip outside of the ferry terminal. This is where we learned that Sadie LOVES sushi. She picked up a to-go roll at a sushi restaurant and it was heavenly. It was finally time to board the ferry and head back to the mainland so we loaded up into the van. After another gorgeous ferry ride we drove to our campsite. We made pizzas for dinner, roasted s’mores by the fire, and then walked down to the beach for sunset and closed the night moonup.
Road trip time!! It was time to head south to get ready to white water raft. On our drive we also stopped and grabbed In N Out for lunch Dylan and Will had never been before and were excited to try. We finally arrived at our Tipi campsite with the coolest patio we spent all night hanging out on! Owen, Caroline, Katie, and Annan all played a round of Rummikub. Caroline, having never played before, took the dub!! Let’s go! Rob grilled brats and we had a massive cookout. It was so good. Jameson had us all dying laughing at the end of the night by sharing stories and his “wisdom”. None of us wanted this night to end as we stayed up late telling story after story.
It was time for our white water rafting trip. We all woke up and had pancakes, berries, and sausage for breakfast. Once we arrived at the river it was go time. Excitement was high and Owen and Dylan led one of our rafts through a class 4 rapid! This really got everyone’s adrenaline pumping. Our guides pulled our rafts off to the side of the river and let us out so we could cliff jump in the middle of our trip. This was so much fun and so refreshing. JRob took the first jump and got everyone else fired up. The raft journey continued and was filled with more rapids, a lunch picnic, beautiful scenery, views of Mount Hood, and crystal clear glacial runoff. This river is truly magical. We wrapped up and headed to our next campsite. Taking the scenic route we came so close to Mount Hood and were all completely blown away.
Our hearts are filled with gratitude for the people who have made this trip so special, our new friendships, new memories, breathtaking views, and all the experiences we’ve had the opportunity to share together. Sending love!
All the best,
Katie and Rob
THANK YOUS
Thank you Mom and Dad for sending me on this trip. I’ve made many new friends and I got to meet Dylan! Love you guys see you in Atlanta! -Owen
Thank you Mom and Dad for sending me on this trip I’m having so much fun. I’m getting to see new places and make new friends. I love you guys! -Hannah
Hey Mom and Dad thank you for letting me embark on this journey. I met a lot of new friends including my biggest rival Owen. I’ll see y’all soon. Say hello to Carter Frett for me. -Dylan
Thank you Mom and Dad for sending me on this trip it’s been a lot of fun. White water rafting was really fun. Love and miss you! -Annan
Hi Mom and Dad thank you so much for sending me on this trip it’s been a lot of fun. I really love rock climbing. Love you so much, thank you!! -Sadie
Hey guys thank you for sending me on this trip I’m having so much fun and making lots of new friends. I really liked white water rafting. Love and miss you guys. -Caroline
Thank you Mom and Dad for sending me on this trip. My group is really good and I hope you’re enjoying a quiet household. -Will
Hi fam!! I am having sooo much fun and am so sad this trip is ending. Thank you for sending me on this trip. I hope you’ve been taking good care of Clementinka. Love you and I’ll see you soon! -Natalie
Thank you very much for sending me on this trip. It’s lots of fun! The white water rafting has been my favorite part. See you soon! -JRob
Thank you Mom and Dad for sending me on this amazing trip. I’ve learned many life lessons on this trip from my awesome friends. I’m looking forward to seeing you guys in Connecticut! -Jameson
Polar Plunging!
July 16, 2026
Hello everyone!! What an incredible couple of days we’ve had together backpacking in the North Cascades. It’s hard for us all to believe we just met for the first time a couple days ago. Backpacking has bonded our group and we have shared some unforgettable memories.
The trip started with good vibes at the airport as everyone arrived one by one. Once we had our crew it was time to start heading to our first campsite. We stopped to get some pizza for dinner along the way! It was the most beautiful drive in. We drove up along a pristine river that looked like Gatorade from all of the glacial run off. We spent the evening setting up camp, learning how to set up tents, and other skills we would be using on our backpacking trip. Once we wrapped up lessons the Natalie, Hannah, Sadie, Caroline, and Annan went with Katie to take a polar plunge into the creek next to camp. We then spent the rest of the night playing card games and JRob, Dylan, Owen, Jameson, and Will tossed the football around camp. We held our first moonup before bed to set some trip expectations and get some good Moondance vibes going.
We woke up early and excited for our backpacking adventure! Yay!! Rob cheffed up some breakfast burritos for the group and we packed our backpacks and headed to the trailhead! We started with a quick ride on a water taxi on the lake with 360° views of mountains, waterfalls, glaciers, and pristine untouched forest. After being dropped off at our stop, we hiked to our campsite. We set up camp and went to explore some cliff jumping spots. After scouting out the conditions of the jumping rocks, JRob went first and took a big leap into the water. The rest of our group followed. The adrenaline was high and the water was so refreshing and beautiful. After working up an appetite we had pasta for dinner and then hung out on the dock until the sun went down. We also held moonup on this dock and it was a magical hike. Once it got dark we were left in complete awe of the brilliant stary night sky! There was no moon out tonight so we got to see a true dark sky. Then it was time to get some sleep before another big day of hiking!
We woke up with the sun and all started getting ready! On the breakfast menu we had some pancakes. Once camp was packed up It was time to start our journey. Our leaders of the day (LOD’s) Jameson and Sadie shared some words of encouragement before we started hiking. It was a very scenic hike up to our next campsites. We made some stops along the way for lunch, snacks, water, and we also found an old log cabin in the woods! When we finally made it to our campsite and set up camp we played more games, made taco bowls for dinner, and ended with Moonup. Wow this trip is flying by, and we’re all feeling super grateful to be a part of these experiences together as they have been so unique and special!
It was another beautiful morning and we got ourselves ready to head to our final backpacking campsite. Hannah led a group stretch before we started hiking. Our group had a collective sense of determination today as we flew through our 6 mile hike. When we arrived at the lake where we would be camping, we were in complete awe of the mountains that towered over this lake. The boys instantly jumped in the water and the girls quickly jumped on the bandwagon and got in shortly after. We were all completely stunned by the views and how small the mountains made us feel. So spectacular, magical, and special. We hung out alllll afternoon playing more games together, laughing, and we had jambalaya for dinner. Will and Caroline led a memorable moonup at the edge of the lake at the base of these dramatic and beautiful mountains at sunset. What a great day.
It was an early wake up call this morning and we ate breakfast and packed up camp, said bye to the most beautiful campsite, and hit the trail! We had a water taxi ride back to the trailhead we began at accompanied by some more gorgeous views. There wasn’t a cloud in the sky. Once we made it back to the van we celebrated completing 22 miles and headed straight into town to get burgers and milkshakes! This was the best reward.
We hit the road and headed to the coast to make it on the ferry to the San Juan Islands. Owen and Dylan were requesting the best songs on our mini road trip that kept up the vibes in the car. Once we got on the ferry we had the most scenic ride through the channel. We made it to camp and had time to unwind, eat some dinner, and SHOWER! We all reflected on what a challenging and rewarding experience backpacking was and we are also equally excited for what’s to come. Grateful is an understatement. Talk soon!
Much love,
Katie and Rob ♥️
SHOUTOUTS:
Hi Mom and Dad I’m having fun on the trip. I just finished backpacking and now I’m going kayaking! Miss you and love you! Tell Louie and Val I say hi -Sadie
What’s up peeps! I’m having so much fun. We backpacked for 4 days for a total of 20 miles. Sleeping outside in the woods has been interring but it’s chill. Don’t worry I have my AirTag with me. Love and miss y’all. Tell lee Sydney and Jane I say hi -Annan
Yooo wassup! I was homesick but I’m fine now backpacking was hard but rewarding. Take good care of Celementinka. I love and miss you guys see you soon! -Natalie
Hey everyone! I’m having so much fun, thank you for sending me on this trip. It’s really pretty you should come here soon! Miss you and love you and make sure Ron and Tricia see this! -Caroline
Hey Mom and Dad! I’m having so much fun on this trip it’s fun exploring the wilderness and hiking. Thanks for sending me on this trip. Y’all should come out here soon it’s beautiful! Love and miss you -Jameson
Hi Mom and Dad I’m having a great time and I’ve met a lot of great friends. I met this kid from Lovett and he’s super chill. Love you! -Owen
Hey Mom and Dad I’m having fun! See you soon. Thank you for sending me on this trip! -JRob
Hi Mom and Dad I’m having a lot of fun and I’ve met a lot of cool friends especially this one kid from Pace. -Dylan
Hi Mom and Dad I love and miss you guys. I’m having so much fun and I have a really good group! -Hannah
Hi Mom and Dad I’m having a lot of fun. Looking forward to seeing you all! -Will
Safe Arrival in Seattle!
July 11, 2026
Hello Pacific Northwest Families!
We heard from our leaders that the group has landed safely in Seattle! Please remember that our leaders and students will be unplugged during their trips, but we will post trip updates throughout the trip! This will allow you to follow along with their adventure. You can also follow us on Instagram, @moondanceadventures, to see more of what we are up to!
-Moondance HQ
