What to Expect
Teen adventure travel can be a life changing experience. Every Moondance trip is an exploration into the heart of wild country. You'll find that you've made some of your best friends within days of knowing them and that friendship will carry you up to the summit of a mountain or through a tough paddle in the Pacific. Whether you are returning for your fourth summer, or crawling into a sleeping bag for the very first time, you'll be a part of an expedition that shares similarities with all of our wilderness adventures.
The Group
Who goes on these trips? The bottom line is that the groups are comprised of great kids from all over the country. Moondance students are bright, motivated, ambitious and adventurous. They want to be there to share in the experience with other like minded kids. Our groups are never larger than 13 students and always at least two adult leaders. Keeping our groups small allows us to do more, see more all while allowing individual attention and ensuring the best supervision.Accommodations
Learning proper expedition and camping skills form the core of every Moondance adventure. You will learn how to pick a campsite, set up a tent, stay warm and dry in any type of weather, and how to tie the right knot in any situation. You will be assigned single gender tents, though we really encourage everyone to sleep beneath the starts. On our community service programs, you may be staying in a hostel or lodge as you travel through different countries. Perhaps you will spend several days at a local family's home as their guest.You will become skilled in using maps and reading the terrain. In short, you will find you can be just as comfortable and at home in the wilderness as you can in your living room. Moreover, every Moondance expedition practices the ethics of Leave No Trace in order to leave the wilderness in which we travel better than when we first encountered it.
Expedition Behavior (EB)
For some students, their trip will be the first time they have spent an extended period of time away from the comforts of home. For many, it will be the first time they have worked together in a group, with people from all over the country, 24 hours a day for weeks at a time. Therefore, teamwork, good communication and a positive attitude become very important. Good "EB" is acting with the good of the group in mind, looking out for other group members and being a good team member yourself. It may mean helping someone set up their tent, filling their water bottle, or simply encouraging them on a tough climb. It doesn’t take much to have good EB, but it certainly makes a difference in everyone around them.Leader of the Day
Adventure travel allows many opportunities for the development of leadership qualities. We encourage everyone to assume various leadership roles throughout the trip and will designate two "leaders of the day". At night, the LODs meet with instructors to discuss plans for the upcoming day. They are responsible for helping everyone break camp in a timely manner, deciding when and where to stop for snacks, water, and lunch, and most of all, for keeping a positive attitude, particularly during challenging situations. The LODs make decisions only after thorough group discussions and are responsible for writing in the group journal for that day.Moon-up
Every evening, groups will gather to discuss the day. These "moon-ups" provide a great opportunity to talk about daily adventures, to revel in each other’s accomplishments, to mentally prepare for upcoming challenges, to sort through differences, or to have another opportunity to get to know everyone a bit better. We think it is the perfect way to end the day.Backcountry Cooking
Enjoying a variety of good food is essential for every backcountry experience. Moondance strives to provide students with food that is wholesome, simple and, since we often carry it on our backs, lightweight. Though food generally tastes better when you are in the wilderness, we aim for variety and good taste in order to teach students how to properly cook and bake in the backcountry.Fresh fruit and vegetables are provided to ensure a well-balanced and delicious menu, and with an extensive spice kit and cookbook, you’ll be amazed at your backcountry creations.
Everyone takes part in the planning and preparation of the meals (as well as the cleanup!) and each participant gets to practice backcountry-cooking skills. Your creativity and cooking talents may even follow you home as well!
Small Groups
Learning to meet new people and live together is a great life lesson. Most students joining Moondance come on their own, although friends may come together. The bonds that form over a short period of time cannot easily be duplicated. For this reason, our policy is that no more than two friends are able to be in the same group. We strongly believe that students in similar grades should be grouped together, and we try to keep everyone within a grade level of each other.On trip start dates, there will be multiple groups starting at the same time to ensure you are with other individuals similar in age. Each expedition group is co-ed and never larger than twelve students. There are always at least two qualified leaders (one male, one female) with each group.
The Spirit of the Moondance
Describing a Moondance experience is hard to put into words. It’s like trying to explain a rainbow to someone who has never seen one. You can’t.When new friends, radiant sunrises, shared accomplishments, and thrilling activities combine and intermingle, the result is indescribable. We call it the "Spirit of the Moondance."
Like the sun and rain to a rainbow, the "Spirit of the Moondance" needs a unique combination of positive attitude and thirst for adventure. If you heed the call and bring a selfless spirit and a desire to push your limits, we promise you one of the most rewarding experiences of your life.
