| British Columbia log (2004-06-20 -> 2004-07-10)
Leaders: Mitch Davis, Sarah Wrenn
Students: Meredith Byrd, Emily Carter, Kathleen Carter, I.S. Dunklin, Day Griffin, Bobby Hottensen, Fielding Kidd, Ellen Macadam, Steven Miller, Hayes Mott, Kristen Riggs, Jack Spencer
Anxious smiles and new enthusiasm awaits these Moondancers as they prepare to cross the border into beautiful British Columbia.
Greetings from north of the border! Moondance Adventures’ British Columbia has completed two of our four major activities including backpacking and whitewater rafting. We began our journey in Seattle and then moved on to Manning Provincial Park for a six night, seven day backpacking trip that was a blast. We hiked under sunny skies and warm temperatures and although we hiked on much snow we usually hiked in shorts and capilene t-shirts. At night the temps dropped and we huddled inside our sleeping bags and tents. The group quickly came together as friends and became both great hikers and backcountry chefs! On a short day hike from our backcountry campsite, Mitch, Day, Jack and I.S saw two black bears in a high alpine field. The two bears looked our way and took off through the woods. What a treat to see these bears in their natural habitat! On a "layover day" while backpacking the group summitted First Brother Mountain, 7593 feet! It was a great day and we spent a few minutes on the pointed summit taking photos. First Brother is the highest peak in the area and afforded us 360 degree views of Manning Provincial Park. It was the highlight of the backpacking section for the group!
Fraser River Rafting Expeditions have been wonderful hosts and provided an awesome river experience on two of BC's most scenic rivers-the Nahatlatch and Thompson Rivers. Due to high water levels the two day trip on the Thompson could be done in one day and then they had us run another river high up in the mountains the next day. It provided the kids with two entirely different types of rivers. The Nahatlatch is fairly small, fast and cold, the Thompson is big and powerful with up to ten foot waves! We had some amazing meals including baked salmon with mango and barbecue chicken with blueberry tarts and brownies for desserts. We ate apple walnut pancakes, sausage and hashbrowns for breakfast and delicious deli lunches with fruit and cookies while on the river. Overall the group is getting along great and have all become quite skilled with the card game Kemps, which keeps them busy once the sun goes down at night.
Here is the scoop on everyone in no particular order;
Bobby mastered the backcountry pizza sauce-probably due to his New York roots, but has actually started talking with a southern accent! We have heard Bobby say "ya'll" more than once. He usually has a huge smile on his face and keeps us laughing with his "one-liners". He decided that rafting was like a roller coaster but "natural".
Emily commented that she has never seen snow covered mountains like those we saw in Manning Park. Although Emily developed a blister while hiking, she never complains and is always at the front of the group. She really enjoyed rafting and even volunteered to ride in the front during the biggest rapids.
Jack is a bundle of backcountry information-a master hiker! He is inquisitive about everything involving the outdoors and has become Mitch and Sarah's "right hand man." When a leadership decision is needed we usually turn to Sarah, Mitch and Jack to decide what needs to be done.
Kristin has been a shining star in the backcountry kitchen as well as the Leader of the Day (LOD) position. She led the group during our longest day and kept a good pace. Kristin has taken to the role of group cheerleader and keeps our spirits up when the day is getting long!
I.S. had a blast rafting as he took one of the front seats and remained there for the whole rafting trip. I.S. is always willing to help any member of the group and has an amazing work ethic. He carried a lot of the "group" gear and never seemed to tire! It is obvious I.S. has spent some time in the weight room!
Hayes might just have the most outgoing personality of the group and seems to be best friends with everyone! She has mastered our backcountry stoves and gets them up and running quickly-which is important with 14 hungry mouths to feed! Hayes took one of the front spots in a raft also and really seemed to enjoy the cold water splashing on her!
Meredith took the Leader of the Day job on our last day of backpacking and helped navigate our group back to the trailhead. The other days on the trail Meredith helped Mitch run "sweep" by not letting anyone fall behind or get passed up. She and Mitch had some great talks in the back of the group and Mitch now knows the names of every pet she has ever had. From fish, ferrets and overweight cats to a dog with several names including Duke, brother, AND "shirt"! Meredith has been quite informative with the group about the stars and moon due to her space camp experience.
Day is full of good ideas due to his previous two Moondance experiences. Day is the most mature guy in the group and is another "right hand man" when Mitch and Sarah need help with important decisions. Day will be an excellent Moondance leader in the near future.
Kathleen is always positive and her previous Moondance trip has given her the experience to help the other group members get things done in the backcountry. She has helped with some great topics for our nightly Moonup session and is the only person who doesn't need to be asked several times to wake up in the morning. Kathleen is a great person to have in the group and her experience shows daily on the trail and in our backcountry kitchen.
Steven has a lot of charisma and can cook breakfast like no one else. Mitch and Steven spent their time while hiking quoting lines from their favorite comedies and along with Bobby keep the group laughing. Steven has quite the quiver of imitations which also help keep the mood playful around camp.
Ellen is always cheerful and neither Mitch nor Sarah has ever heard one negative thing from her. Her politeness is infectious and the group really looks to her for a positive influence. Ellen has a "motherly" attitude about her and is the shoulder to lean on for all of us if we are homesick or tired. Ellen, Steven, and Fielding made the "best meal yet" and have earned the golden pot gripper award.
Fielding took to the role of Leader of the Day and did a great job. Her "shift" was on a very long and tiring day and she took the job seriously and made sure everyone was drinking enough water and taking the necessary rest breaks. Fielding is quite the athlete and carried a heavy pack full of group gear. Fielding is not the first to rise in the morning, but makes sure camp is "bomber" before going to bed at night.
We’re having a blast and will check back in after our climbing sections.
NEW LOG
BC TRIP LOG
7-6-04
Our group just got done doing the most amazing challenge we have ever faced! The Chief is the area for Big Wall climbing at Squamish (indeed, in Canada, Baffin Island not withstanding), and contains some of the best granite walls in North America, second only to Yosemite. In fact, the Squamish Chief has (erroneously) been called "the second-largest monolith in the British Commonwealth!” The routes here range from 5.13d bouldering in the Kacodemon Caves and on Psyche Ledge, to pleasantly laid-back slab climbing on the Apron, to multi-day-multi-pitch aid routes on the Grand Wall, with everything in between. About ten years ago a Squamish company was very nearly granted permission to turn the Apron and boulders at the base of the Chief into a granite quarry! It took a lot of work by the local climbing community to convince the Squamish town council to deny the application. After all, rock climbers are generally a pretty cheap lot, and the quarry would have brought the town a lot of money and needed jobs. In 1995 the Chief was finally granted status as a Provincial Park; hopefully that will provide some much-needed protection for this important historical and cultural landmark. Everyone did extremely well. Here are some great quotes about the trip thus far:
“Just when I think today is the best day ever…the next day surprises me by being even better!”-Meredith
“My time in BC has been awesome. Being from New York City has made me even more enthralled by the gorgeous sights we are seeing.”-Bob
“Although I do a lot of outdoor stuff on the east coast…I’ve always wanted to go to the west coast and it is even cooler than I thought it would be.”-Jack
“Memorable people and experiences make Moondance unforgettable.”-Hayes
“I loved the backcountry, I loved the rafting, and I loved the climbing. It makes me wonder how much ill love sea kayaking.”-I.S.
“I love how much fun the group has together and how we’ve bonded in such a short period of time, everything is a blast.”-Ellen
“It’s incredible to see how 12 teenagers from all over the U.S. become so close in such a short period of time.”-Kathleen
“Sharing a new experience with unfamiliar faces brings about laughter and good times!”-Steven
“Its absolutely incredible how 12 teenagers can progress from strangers to best buds in such a short amount of time, I have all new best friends!”-Kristen
“This has been one of the best experiences that I have ever had and I don’t want it to end!”-Fielding
“Moondance is an experience of a lifetime. It allows you to live another way you didn’t think possible.”-Emily
“This is the best group of Moondancers ever! I’m having a blast!”-Day (3rd trip)
Today we launch our sea kayaks for a 3 day trip around Nootka Sound on BC’s Vancouver Island. Bob caught 3 fish at camp yesterday. Fielding, Kathleen, and Sarah whipped up a delicious dinner with Oreo pie for dessert. I.S. is looking forward to pulling on a Kayak paddle as is Kathleen who is feeling better! Meredith is quite the talker at moonups, always expressing positively how she feels about the day. Jack is still curious about every aspect of our activities.
Kristen is feeling alot better and is looking forward to seeing the Pacific Ocean. Hayes is going to keep a keen eye out for whales and sea otters. Ellen never seems to get tried or run-down, always a trooper. The group decided at moonup one night that Fielding has the best laugh and the most contagious one at that. Emily continues to show her experience by being a great role model. Steven is quite the comedian still and keeps all of our spirits up, even in the rain. Day has been a great help to everyone, with his experience he is sometimes looked at as a 3rd guide. Everything is great and we will talk to you soon!
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