A Blast While Backpacking!
July 9, 2026
The long-awaited backpacking section… Our journey began on July 3rd with a packing lesson from none other than Will Dohrmann. We said goodbye to our duffel bags, and we all impressively shrunk our closets into 60-liter backpacking bags, saying goodbye to our cotton clothes and deodorant. This was the first of many big steps for our crew and truly started to push us outside of our comfort zone. We made our way to the trailhead at Beehive Meadows, Eloise briefed us on our route for the day, and began our trek along the Hetch Hetchy Reservoir. The crisp blue sky complemented the deep blue of the water as we made our first strides across the dam and up switchbacks that we quickly got familiar with. Izzy and Patrick led the way with Will setting a solid pace, and the rest of our group following suit. Ralph got to work on creating a Yosemite wildflower bouquet that became an essential accessory for his backpack. As we trekked onward and upward, we continued to pass through fields of wild flowers, ranging from pink to purple to yellow, to blue- truly every color imaginable. Our eight miles of uphill hiking concluded at Laural Lake, and we were able to catch the sunset along the banks of the lake. Luke and Patrick wasted no time in jumping into the water and making themselves at home at our first campsite. Our cook crew then got to work being the brave first chefs to have their try at backcountry cooking. Ralph, Mary Alice, Patrick, and Lulah utilized the fire, combined with their expertise in cooking skills, to create the grand meal of chicken pesto pasta, a well-deserved celebratory meal after a hard day’s work. Despite the pesto not being the desired thickness, we scarfed down the dinner with ease and made our way to sleep. The entirety of our crew (minus Will and Sofie) decided based on the weather that there was no need to bring tents and that they would just cause extra and unnecessary weight and space in our backpacks. We ended the night with a lovely moonup as the moon was, in fact, coming up, and hit the hay.
“American girls and American guys, we’ll always stand up and salute. We’ll always recognize when we see Old Glory flying. There’s a lot of men dead, so we can sleep in peace at night when we lay down our head”…. Echoed through our campsite as our very fitting and patriotic wake-up for the fourth of July!!! The spirits for the day were extremely high as we suited up for another day of hiking. We assembled our packs, played a round of water chugging ratlin bog, and got on trail. The trail was buzzing with amazing and vibrant trail convo. We traveled with much ease compared to the day prior, made great time, and arrived at Lake Vernon with hours of daylight to explore and soak in the gorgeous scenes. Everyone partook in Dr Broner’s lake shower, and Eloise, Izzy, Mary Alice, Grace, Lulah, and Caroline all took naps and photosynthesized on the warm granite. Meanwhile, Pearce, Patrick, and Luke tried their luck at fishing the roaring rivers flowing out of Lake Vernon. They were pleased to find that they stumbled upon the easiest fishing in all of Yosemite. With video proof thanks to Pearce, the gentlemen caught upwards of 20 fish in the span of an hour- sometimes with the rod and other times solely with their bare hands. This glorious patriotic day concluded with a top-ranking backcountry dinner of burrito bowls, cheffed up by none other than Izzy, Jonah, and Luke. We licked our bowls clean and packed up our gear for the night. There was word of a previous bear sighting at Lake Vernon, so we double and triple-checked the bear precautions and went to sleep. Luckily, we didn’t find any additional visitors to our campsite that night.
We now reach day three of our backpacking stint, where the group had 10 miles ahead of them. It started at sunrise when the group rose to see the light appearing over the valley where Lake Vernon resides. Quickly, however, things began to take a turn as rain came in. Bags were getting wet, fires extinguished, and oatmeal’s dampened….but not our SPIRITS! We ascended up switchbacks and conquered over 700 feet of elevation. Descending into Tiltill valley was a challenge; fallen logs and loose rock made it very technical. Grace and Lulah, pushing the group in the front, fought through scratches and heavy packs to finally lead us to lunch at a beautiful meadow. There, the group enjoyed a game of Hackeysack, where Izzy reached a prime performance, leading the group in eliminations. Hiking leaders were rearranged as Grace led our final steep descent into Rancheria Falls. The group cooked jambalaya and mooned up under the clear night sky. Jonah and Patrick even caught a few shooting stars. While our bodies were sore… stoke was high, and the group was happy to be fed and resting.
Day 4 of backpacking…possibly the best of the trip!! A ZERO DAY. A well-deserved late wake-up occurred, and the group got things going with pancakes. Luke led the charge, crushing an impressive amount of Nutella and Biscoff pancakes to help fuel our big day of swimming. To the swimming hole, the group went as they arrived upon what may be the greatest cliff jumping spot of all time. The views of Hetch reservoir lit up the background as white water gushed through the rock, forming multiple jump-off points. Ralph really got things going with a Viking trick off the top fall that Pearce beautifully photographed. The air was quite hot, but the cold water and vibes were unbeatable. Comfort zones were played with as Caroline, Eloise, and many others found themselves taking off from the highest point into the pool. Tanning then occurred, and Luke and Patrick fished for Brook trout. A hearty mashed potato meal, helped chefed by Izzy (arguably the boldest cliff jumper) was eaten as the group prepared for their final hike out. Beautiful stars lit up the sky as the group went to sleep.
Day five FINAL DAY. A relatively easier hike out, but not a gimme by any means. Oatmeal once again got the day going at Rancheria Falls as the group geared up. Seven miles today, not too bad, but certainly some rolling hills of elevation. Feet were sore and tired, but the group pushed on, led by Jonah, to our big destination of Wapama Falls. A well-deserved snack break took place, but the psych was high to get off the trail. A full circle moment happened as we arrived at the tunnel at the O’Shawnessy dam, and the group screamed and yelled in celebration. Day hikers probably were shocked by the sweaty, half-crazed group of teenagers Hackey sacking and cheering, but we did not care; it was now time to go to In-N-Out. Feasts were DEVOURED, and the group headed to camp for the night. Also, HQ member Lucy joined the group to join for this final rafting portion, and everyone is absolutely STOKED. A good night’s sleep now will happen- more updates coming soon as we embark back into the backcountry of the American River.
SHOUT OUTS!!!
Eloise – Hey Mommy Daddy Annie Zandy Barley Scarlett but mostly Squeaky, I am having a great time in Yosemite! We just finished our crazy backpacking trip and have started rafting which is even more fun. thank yall for sending me out here. I will see you guys soon! Love Eloise
Mary Alice – Hi mom and dad and Carmella! I love you all so much and I’ve had the best time in Yosemite! I’ve met some of he most amazing people and seen some of the most amazing things ever. Can’t wait to tell you guys all about it! Thank you so much for letting me go on this trip.
Lulah – hi everyone! And hi arden lovelace Ava Charlotte Ruth Charlie!!!!! I’m having a very fun time in Yosemite! We went white water rafting today which was so much fun! And we tried in and out yesterday which i ate SO MUCH at but it was sooo good!! We are finally done backpacking in the woods after 5 days which was crazy but opened my eyes to so much and made me very grateful for many things! i can’t wait to see everyone so soon!! Lytm love yall xoxo
Izzy – Hi mama, dad, grandma Joan and all the animals! I have had such a blast here, and I really wanted to thank you for sending me on this trip, but also raising me to appreciate experiences like this. Without you teaching me to appreciate the outdoors and laugh as much as I can, I don’t think I would be having as good a time. I love you guys so so much and I can’t wait to be home and hug you guys. Please make sure to have some great food waiting for me when I get home!! PS rafting is so amazing!!
Grace – Hi mom, dad, and griffin!!! I am so thankful for getting to be on this trip,i have made the best of friends and am making so many memories!!!! I miss you guys sooooo much and I am counting down the days til i get to see yall!!! I am so grateful for this trip and these people. LOVE YOU!!!!!
Patrick – Dear familial units, I am having a lot of fun. I have never had an experience such as this one and I am so happy y’all have given me this opportunity. With that being said I still miss you guys and can’t wait to get back. Love y’all.
Caroline- Hi mom and dad and bubby and Hill! We just finished the five days of back packing and it was one of the hardest things I’ve ever done. I really need to shower but i am having so much fun with my group! Everyone is so awesome and we have a really good rapport! See you guys soon! Love Caroline.
Jonah – Dear mother and father. Thank you so much for giving me the opportunity to come on this trip and have this experience. I am having a great time but am excited to come home. I can’t wait to see you guys in a few days. Ps I have met a guy named Luke and he is so cool, life long friend
Luke – my friend Jonah is still one of my greatest acquaintances. I love you guys so much and miss you lots I have caught 42 fish and it is fun but I am really pumped to be heading back to you guys!
Pearce – Hey Mom and Dad, I’m having a great time, the bears are a lot smaller than the thought they would be. Tell Wills i caught a 14 inch rainbow trout. Also you have a great quote from Ralph, that we followed during hiking- “Tents are just extra weight”
Ralph – Salutations parental units, lots has changed since my last letter and I am really enjoying myself. I’ve made more friends and it just keeps getting more beautiful!
Backpacking here we come!!!
July 3, 2026
Hey Moondance Families!
Big things happening in Yosemite! Our whole crew has been settling in extremely well these past few days, and we’re really starting to find our stride!! We are super stoked for our backpacking section over the next five days. That being said, we’ve truly been enjoying our time in the front country and access to potable water and our Coleman. Let’s take a look back over our past few days together!
Airport day could not have gone smoother. Everyone arrived in a timely manner, and we even got a guest appearance from Leo—Grace and Eloise say thanks again for the Starbucks. After collecting our crew, we made our way towards June Lake to set up camp! As we rolled into Oh Ridge campsite, we were hit with some unexpected California rain. Shortly after picking up our pizza, we must’ve sent some amazing vibes to the weather gods because the rain immediately cleared and we enjoyed our pizza under a clear sky. Special shoutout to Patrick for stepping out of his comfort zone and trying New York-style pizza with ricotta. We congregated for our first Moonup, passed out gifts, and shared our first of many group laughs. We bundled up for the night and got well rested for our next day of being tourists.
Mary Alice was our spritely alarm clock for our first morning together, as we were all shocked (and slightly shivering) to see that there was a layer of frost waiting for us outside of our tents. Izzy, Luke, and Jonah started off the morning strong as our guinea pig cook group, cheffing up eggs, bagels, and chicken sausage. The crowd was pleasantly surprised by their skills and applauded their first attempt as group chefs. We piled into our cars and made our way into Yosemite Valley to adventure throughout the big-ticket landscapes of the park. When we arrived, we made our way to El Cap!! The stoke was extremely high and the views were incredible. Pearce in particular had great wisdom to share with the group about the intricacies of the different routes and the history that exists behind this monumental landmark. Luke wasted no time in getting the fly fishing rod to work and had his first casts with it. Patrick also helped scout fishing beta and provided Sofie with great insight on the dos and don’ts of fly fishing. The group danced our way to our next adventure—a hike! The hike was so iconic we couldn’t miss it. The falls on the hike were truly roaring when we made it to the top. The views were outstanding and unforgettable. Of course, we had to finish out our day with a trip to the gift shop where we all struck gold in souvenirs and snacks. We made our way back to camp where we discovered Eloise’s special talent for chopping vegetables, which combined extremely well with Caroline and Grace’s ability to season and cook said vegetables. Pearce also made massive strides in learning the deeply kept secrets of creating perfectly seared and sauced orange chicken. Cook group 2’s stir-fry was a huge hit. After a lovely Moonup run by our first set of LODs—Grace and Ralph—the group got super cozy and hit the hay.
Our first activity…..rock climbing! Day three was an absolute banger full of challenges and some great hacky sack. We started things off with breakfast Ralph, Mary Alice, Lulah, and Patrick cheffed up to fuel us for some climbing. We arrived in the park to gear up and head to our climbing crag, Puppy Dome 🐶. The views were beautiful as we had a perfect view of Cathedral Peak. The elevation was around 10,000 feet, and the air was cool and crisp to start our morning. Things kicked off with Grace first ascending the hardest route on the face. The ball was now rolling with Izzy, Pearce, and Luke also sending all four top rope routes. The climbing was wrapping up, but Sofie and Will had a surge of spontaneity and led the group to quickly check out a swimming hole. Will, Pearce, and Jonah went to look at surrounding boulders, and Luke even caught a fish. It was now time to return to June Lake so the group could swim. The water was cold, but it did not phase us! The LODs Luke and Mary Alice led the group in some hacky sack at sunset, and the day came to an end…but not before Patrick showed off his incredible marshmallow chubby bunny skills.
Back into Tuolumne we go as we start our second day of rock climbing. A busy morning as we packed our things during a beautiful sunrise and headed back into the park. The hike to the crag was grindy but worth it as we ascended into the gorgeous granite cracks of the Dome. Things were kicked off by Luke and Pearce on some incredible crack routes. Ralph topped a 5.7 route and posed for some amazing pics at the top…he was mogging. Izzy and Will swapped belays on a difficult slab to the right of the cracks but both managed to send. The group finished up and made their way over near Puppy Dome again to explore the river and chill. Caroline, Grace, and Lulah caught a quick tanning session, and Luke and the boys went fishing again. The squad then departed for a new campsite and some Mexican food. Shoutout Jonah for housing some birria tacos! Moonup was under the stars and led by Patrick.
The group will now start its backpacking in Hetch Hetchy—into the woods we go…
Shoutouts!!
Eloise – Hi Mom and Dad and Annie, miss you guys a lot but I’m having fun. We have been camping and rock climbing and doing a lot of hiking and seeing cool views and animals. I will see yall soon! Love, Eloise
Izzy – Hey Mom and Dad, I hope you guys are surviving without me. I’m having a great time so far. It’s the most beautiful place ever. I miss being able to chat with you guys. I love you guys to the moon and back, see you in a bit! 💘💘💘💘
Pearce – Had a great time rock climbing, best views ever. Can’t wait to tell you about it – Pearce
Patrick – It’s been fun. Miss you guys! Be home soon. Love, Patrick
Jonah – Hello mother and father. I’m having a good time on Moondacne. Can’t wait to see you guys in two weeks. See you soon, Jonah
Luke -Hello parentals, truly the most beautiful place I’ve ever been. I caught a fish! I love and miss you guys. I met some really cool people and feel like i’ve made lifelong friends. Hope you’re having fun and miss you guys. Tell Daisy Jonah and I say hi.
Lulah – Hi Mom and Dad, I’m being very adventurous! I tried out rock climbing, it wasn’t for me. It’s really awesome and the lake we swam in today was really cool. I’m not being a very picky eater. I’m kind of nervous to go backpacking for 5 days, I’m excited to go to In and Out though. I miss y’all so much and hope you have an amazing 4th of July. Arden, Charlie, Ruth, Charlotte, Ava, and Lovelace!!!! Party for me on the 4th!!
Caroline – Hi Mom and Dad, I am happy and having fun. A chipmunk ate my sandwich and I met cool friends. There’s a boy who is just like Hill on the trip, he fishes. Yosemite is beautiful and the camping vibe reminds me of Camp Mystic. The leaders are fun. I am excited for backpacking for 5 days straight. I think I’ve been snoring, but I don’t know if it’s me. Love you guys. Love, Caroline
Mary Alice – Hi Mom and Dad, I love you and miss you and I’m having a lot of fun. Carmella, if you’re reading this I miss you. Say hi to Fifi.
Grace – Hi Mom, Dad, and Griffin if you’re back. I miss you guys so much and I’m having a great time over here with all of my new friends. I met some pretty great people and have been having a lot of fun during our activities like rock climbing, hiking, swimming, and cooking. Caroline and I made some really good vegatables like broccoli and peppers. I miss you guys so much and I hope you guys are having so much fun at the lake and Amarillo. I hope Griffin is having a bunch of fun meeting new people on his first Moondance. I love you guys so much.
Ralph – Dear parents, out west is just as I expected it to be and more. I’m having fun but I can’t wait to see yall soon
Safe Arrival!
June 29, 2026
Hello Yosemite Families!
We heard from our leaders today that the group has landed safely in Sacramento! 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
