| Big Wild log (2004-07-13 -> 2004-07-29)
Leaders: Peter Logan, Mary Daniels
Students: Parker Anderson,Stewart Bragg, Matt Brantley, Becca Caldwell, Law Chambers, Emily Clarke, Cam Coxe, Bo Hammond, Adam Novack, Liz Parsons, Haley Stoessl, Flora Theden
The trip is off and running and we are all currently climbing with Exum Mountain Guides in the Grand Tetons. This is the life! Will check back soon.
FIRST LOG
Section Completed: Rock Climbing
Well, the first section of this Big Wild adventure has been truly excellent, and what a way to get started. The twelve students and two leaders have been rock climbing in Grand Teton National Park, honing their skills and climbing (literally and figuratively) to new heights. The climbing has been a wonderful introduction to our journey, separating the group into smaller groups, teaching teamwork and trust. The lessons that they have learned for practical use have carried over well, adding to the group dynamic and making a stronger unit on the whole. With an enormous amount of positive attitude and determination, everyone is getting along well, making friends and helping
each other out. Enthusiasm is high and each one of us is excited for the adventures yet to come. After just a couple of days, the group is acting as though we have been together for weeks, sharing stories about one another,
abandoning shame, and assisting anyone in need. Even when the weather has been uncooperative with us, huge smiles have compensated for the lack of sun and everyone is clearly happy to be here-even if they are a little bit damp. We've seen a fair amount of wildlife, including various rodents, moose, deer, bison, and...MARMOTS!
I have seen these young men and women do amazing things for themselves and for others since the beginning of the trip. Here are just a few examples: Haley and Emily showed incredible determination going up a difficult climb. Law, a Moondance alum, keeps the group's energy high and has been great at getting people to sleep outside under the stars, some of them for the first time. Parker has been super helpful in the kitchen and elsewhere, and is usually the first one packed and ready to go. Bo was an awesome climber and has been getting everybody excited for the van rides ahead-he's all about van rides for some reason. Becca has also brought with her some Moondance experience
(and great music for the van), and is super excited for her second Moondance adventure. Stewart (or Stewpac) has been having a great time, laughing about marmots and such, and keeping energy high with his sense of humor. Liz, Adam, and Matt continuously challenge themselves with new tasks and are quick to lend a hand when one is needed. Cam has already had some wilderness experience and is stepping up as a leader, providing a good example of EB (Expedition
Behavior) and a positive attitude. Flora, totally new at this sort of thing, is adjusting very well and loves stepping into a leadership role, motivating other group members and keeping things moving.
As leaders, Mary and I are super psyched to travel and explore with this group of confident and competent individuals, as they are well-composed and stay on task. They are also wonderfully entertaining and have fun even when conditions are less than perfect. We're having an incredible time, and this is just the beginning!
The students have each taken the time to send a message to the folks at home:
I came on this trip wanting to push myself and that is exactly what I did during the two days of rock-climbing. I had no idea that I was capable of accomplishing the things that I did. Rock-climbing was an incredible experience and I can't wait until our next challenge.-Flora
This trip started out better than I could have hoped for. The first day, everyone in the group got along and had a good beginning. Rock-climbing was a good adventure to strengthen the bond between everyone and to show how much
fun Moondance is. Rock-climbing, for me, was a great rush of excitement and fun. -Cam
Moondance is so amazing! Our group and leaders are so fun. The Grand Tetons were so beautiful, and it was a great experience to climb them. We learned a lot from our guides and got to climb giant pitches! We're off to backpack.
(Happy Birthday Robert)-Emily
The trip is going well, the rock-climbing was challenging and the rappelling was an adrenaline rush. I'm looking forward to the rest of the trip. -Bo
The first part of the trip was great. We started out rock-climbing, which was hard but fun. I can't wait to go backpacking in the Big Wild. -Matt
Yesterday was great. The day started off with bad weather, but fortunately it got better. We went on some challenging climbs and did a couple of rappels throughout the day. -Parker
I've had an incredible time rock-climbing. I felt challenged and I made it to the top of a climb that I didn't think I could. Our group is great and I can't
wait to begin backpacking. -Becca
Yesterday was an incredible day. It started off with bad weather, but it turned out to be a nice day. The rock-climbing was challenging, but gave a great feeling of accomplishment. -Adam
The last two days have been absolutely fantastic! Yesterday's climbing was definitely challenging, but getting to the top was so exhilarating! The rappelling was awesome also! -Liz
I really loved laughing with new friends, especially Law! I saw some great sights, but most of all, I enjoyed the marmots! -Stew
I am having a blast. I love rappelling and climbing. It is beautiful out here. Stewart and I are having so much fun laughing. -Law
Even though it's only the fourth day, I’m already having a great time! The rock-climbing was amazing, and I learned so much. It's always a blast to hang out with everyone. I've made lots of new friends. I can't wait to go
backpacking!-Haley
NEW LOG
BACKPACKING
The Big Wild crew has done it once again. We are fresh off of our backpacking trip in the Wind River Range, and we couldn’t have had a better time. The weather was incredible, with only a little bit of rain on the first night, which is rare in a place where harsh weather hits nearly every day. The students did a great job hiking on the trail and entertaining one another (and their leaders) in camp. The third day was filled with a marvelous summit hike that tested everyone’s strength and brought us even closer together, sharing the experience of great accomplishment and staring in awe at the sights surrounding us from the summit ridge. On the fourth day, we spent the day out at Shadow Lake beneath the striking Cirque Towers, sunbathing and fishing in one of the most beautiful places this leader has had the pleasure of visiting. We returned to camp and sat watching a breathtaking sunset and reflected on an amazing day.
The rest of the trip was incredible as well, and the students all learned to push themselves beyond their comfort zones, testing their endurance, trying new types of food, and simply living in the backcountry. Our guide, Scott, was amazed at their capabilities and group dynamic, something Mary and I have witnessed from the first night. Adam, who has never hiked before, did a great job pushing himself, particularly on the last day when he led the pack at a quick pace out of the woods. Emily was always ready and willing to take on whatever challenge lay before her, whether it was making back country pizza or ascending up a steep slope. Bo has, once again, been super helpful and has entertained the group with his musings. Parker was consistently the first ready to go and the first to remark at what an “awesome” experience he was having. Becca has a smile on her face at all times, even with some gnarly blisters plaguing her feet. Matt was a great L.O.D (Leader of the Day) and fisherman out at Shadow Lake. Haley showed amazing perseverance on the long hikes with her heavy pack, something she was skeptical about at the start of the voyage. Cam had a great time fishing and summating Big Chief. Liz has continued to bring a calm presence to the group dynamic and has proved herself to be a superb leader with her keen observations of each of the other group members. Stu really stepped up as a leader, intent on getting the group where they needed to be, yet considerate of how each person was feeling, a difficult balance to maintain for any leader. Flora never thought she could do this, but she has come out facing fears and overcoming them. Law has constantly amused the group with his antics while maintaining himself as a helpful figure around camp.
Next, we are off to hit the rapids of the Salmon River, but before we go, here are a few words from our sponsors…(i.e.-our kids)!
“At first my backpack was very heavy, but eventually I got used to it, and enjoyed the scenic hikes. It was my first time camping in the backcountry, so I learned a lot about wilderness camping. The best part was definitely summating a high peak in the area.”
-Emily Clarke
“Backpacking was definitely challenging. I couldn’t even pick my bag up on its own at first. Being able to summit “Big Chief” at over 12,000 feet was incredibly exhilarating. I didn’t think I was going to be able to do the last steep part, but with the help and support of the rest of my group, I made it to the top to see some of the most beautiful sights in the world.”
-Liz Parsons
“The five-day hiking trip in the backcountry was very exciting and thrilling. Walking with the packs on our backs wasn’t as hard as I was told. While I was in the backcountry, I learned so many new ways to camp and how to not leave a trace. It was a great experience.”
-Cam Coxe
“The backpacking trip was an awesome experience. I learned much about camping, in addition to map-reading and other things. Summating the mountain was by far my favorite part, as well as spending a day at Shadow Lake.”
-Haley Stoessl
“The five-day backpacking trip in the backcountry of Wyoming was both fun and hard. On the trip, I experienced many different things, such as sumping, using the “trow”, and fishing. All these really gave me the feel of how things are done in the backcountry. Overall, the trip was awesome.”
-Matt Brantley
“The backpacking part was very challenging and exciting. I enjoyed learning how to fly fist and actually catching a couple of fish. This is one of my favorite parts of the trip.”
-Adam Novack
“Backpacking was such a great experience. Summating Big Chief was an incredible feeling and it feels good to know that I am trying new things.”
-Flora Theden
“Backpacking was great. We are in such a beautiful place. Summating a 12,000 foot mountain was awesome. The stars are great. I’m having a blast.”
-Law Chambers
“I had such an awesome time backpacking. I have never seen such amazing mountains and wildlife. Sleeping outside under the stars is really fun.”
-Stewart Bragg
“The wild is beautiful, especially at night under a dome of stars.”
-Bo Hammond
“Backpacking was a lot of fun. We summated an incredible mountain and had a lot more time to get to know each other. I’m having a really great time.”
-Becca Caldwell
“Backpacking in the wild was really exciting. I have never seen anything more beautiful than the view at the top of the mountain we summated. The whole backpacking portion of the trip was loads of fun, and I know it’s going to just get better.”
-Parker Anderson
NEW LOG/LAST LOG
Alas, the third and final section of the Big Wild has come to a close, and what a time it was. The fourteen of us braved the rapids of the Salmon River in Idaho (well worth the long drive from Wyoming) by day and camped on
secluded beaches by night. The sights on the river have been amazing, with gorgeous canyons surrounding us and clear night skies over our heads, and we all wish it could have lasted just a little bit longer. Our time was filled with paddling, sightseeing, storytelling, beach volleyball, and stuffing ourselves with delicious food courtesy of our wonderful guides. These few days have been remarkable in terms of how closely we have joined as a group. Our moon-ups have been great (for example, all-time
highs and lows) and we have all learned a great deal about each other. We've also gotten to see a fair amount of wildlife in the last few days. Though there have been no more marmots or pica, we have gotten close to scores of
bison, moose, elk, deer, herons, chuckers, bighorn sheep, and numerous hawks and osprey. Some of us even spotted a bald eagle perched only a couple hundred yards away. We would normally hit camp in the early afternoon with plenty of time for lounging and afternoon activities before dinner. Many of our students had had no previous whitewater experience, which made the trip a real adventure. When the water was calm, we had Viking battles to tip and take over the duckies (smaller inflatable kayaks) and some even worked on their tans. With a similar
schedule each day including loading and unloading the gear from the rafts, the students got very good at working together to get big tasks done quickly. Lester, the owner of Exodus, even mentioned that he was very impressed at how much the group improved between the start of the trip, when he saw us off, and when he welcomed us ashore.
Last night, after setting up camp, we played "Iron Chef" for dinner, dividing up into teams and having a cooking competition using the students' newfound skills and whatever was left to eat in the trailer. The meals were fantastic, and we leaders got pampered with the finest of service. Today, after the drive back to Wyoming, we loaded the van and trailer back up again and took a cruise through Yellowstone National Park, enjoying the
beautiful scenery and stopping at Old Faithful (though we didn't get to see it blow) in the Geyser Field, along with several other spots to take photos and embrace the mountain air.All in all this has been the perfect way to end a perfect trip. The kids all had a blast and so have we. Tonight we finish up here in Jackson and sit down
to a banquet together, dining on food that we don't have to cook or clean up after for ourselves. We are all sad at the thought of saying goodbye tomorrow, but that won't stop us from having a great time tonight. Before I sign off, though, here are some words from the students:
Rafting was a wonderful way to end our trip. The rapids were a lot of fun and riding in the duckies was awesome.-Becca
We had an awesome time rafting! There were great rapids, volleyball games, and great food. Our group learned to have a lot of fun together and I wish it could have lasted longer.-Flora
Rafting was so much fun. It was definitely an experience to remember. I felt we had great guides to lead us down our four-day adventure down the Salmon River. The food was a big change from what we're used to eating, and that's a
good thing.-Parker
Rafting was a wonderful experience and an amazing way to end our trip. I had a great time and the food was excellent. -Adam
It was the longest and most fun rafting trip that I have ever been on. The river was a blur of rapids, water fights, and great food. Rafting was the part of the Big Wild in which I bonded the most with a few people. I hope to keep in touch with them after the trip.-Bo
I had sooooo much fun! I loved rafting, but I loved being in the single ducky and double ducky with my friends even more. It was at times scary, but it was a great experience.-Stu
Rafting was the highlight of my trip. The food was great. I loved the duckies and the rapids were huge and tons of fun. Relaxing on the beach was awesome. It was a great experience.-Law
The rafting trip was one of the most fun things I have ever done. It was so much fun doing the rapids and playing on the beach. I'm so glad we did rafting last because it really spoiled me. We were fed great food all the time. It was a good way to end the trip and I'm really going to miss everyone, and I would like everyone to remember me in a good way after this trip.-Cam
The four-day rafting trip was awesome. I enjoyed it the most out of all the trips. The food was good and the guides were nice.-Matt
I have never had so much fun as I did on the rafting trip. The whitewater rafting was incredible, as was the camping. Our guides were amazing, and we were spoiled rotten. The rafting was my favorite part of the trip.-Haley
Rafting was definitely the most fun part of the trip. Sleeping on the rafts, getting wet on the duckies, and eating the fabulous food were all awesome. It was a great way to get to know everyone even more.-Liz
Rafting was so great. I loved the class III and IV rapids. I was really excited to get to hang out on the beach.-Emily
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