Gear up for Your 2012 Moondance Trip!

Moondance Adventure summer camp/trips offer young travelers unique ways to spend their vacations. Although no prior camping experience is required, people who are interested in adventure travel need to be prepared to spend a lot of time outdoors. In order to attend any Moondance trip, participants need to make sure that they have all of the necessary gear. At the minimum, wilderness travelers will need sturdy backpacks or duffel bags (sometimes both), but the required gear usually varies with each outdoor adventure. Although students are encouraged to sleep under the starry sky, tents are provided.

This year’s domestic destinations include Alaska, California, Wyoming, Washington, North Carolina, Utah and Hawaii to name a few. Adventure camps are also scheduled to be held in Europe, Costa Rica, Tanzania, Peru and Ecuador. On international trips, students typically stay in youth hostels or with host families, so they may not have to bring sleeping bags or bedding.

On most domestic trips, travelers need to bring their own sleeping bags and cutlery sets, although Moondance provides all necessary food and group gear. Also, good hiking and walking shoes are required for every excursion. Some trips involve rafting and swimming, so participants need to make sure that they have the recommended style of pants, jackets, gloves and swimsuits. Additionally, everyone needs to bring sleeping clothes and underwear. Most outdoor gear can be either rented or purchased through Moondance, so participants can choose the gear that best fits their needs. Because travelers will be busy the entire time, cell phones and other electronic devices are not permitted on any of the outdoor excursions.

Moondance provides far more than a typical summer camp experience—these adventures build character and memories that will last a lifetime. If you have yet to sign yourself or your teenager up for a Moondance trip, check out our Adventure Program Chart for details about upcoming adventures. You can also find gear for your trip at our online store.

Discover the Appalachians at 1,000 Feet

With summer fast approaching, many people are making vacation plans, some of which include the outdoors. Adventure travel is becoming a popular way to experience the world.

Asheville, N.C. is a popular tourist destination, and there are plenty of fun things for the entire family to experience. Over the years, thousands of children have attended summer camps in Asheville, and now there are summer adventure camps that also cater to adults. Visitors enjoy hiking and biking in the mountains, and some parents even schedule their own adventures while their children participate in activities with their own age group.

Anyone seeking a thrilling outdoor adventure will enjoy the splendor of a zip line canopy tour. Set among the wilderness near Asheville, the guided canopy tour includes multiple zip lines, sky bridges, rappelling and hiking. Visitors can glide among the trees and experience a bird’s-eye view of the Blue Ridge Mountains and the surrounding area. Some of the trees even have platforms where people can stand and slowly take in the incredible sights around them. The entire course is carefully constructed to blend in with the natural beauty of the area, and the guides are happy to point out the various types of flora and fauna along the way. There are many different kinds of trees, plants, animals and other creatures that live in the mountains, and the tour affords visitors the perfect way to understand the area’s biodiversity. Guides will also talk about the history of the Appalachian region.

The zip line canopy tour takes about three hours to complete. For a different type of outdoor adventure, a nighttime tour is also available.

Moondance Adventures is offering a ‘Mountains to Sea’ adventure for 12–14 year olds this June, July and August that will span various areas in South Carolina, North Carolina and Tennessee and will include an Appalachian canopy tour. Check out our Adventure Program Chart for details.

Backpacking Safety and Preparation Tips

Enjoying an outdoor adventure by going on a backpacking trip is fun and exciting, but a backpacker needs to be well prepared to stay safe. Adventure travel generally requires more materials and preparation than a typical trip.

Preparation

The first step in preparing for a backpacking trip is to prepare for the hike. Conditioning should be targeted to the specific trail that you will be hiking, and the chosen trail should not be above the backpacker's fitness level. Getting used to traveling by foot with the weight of a fully stocked backpack is also a key part of training. Breaking in hiking boots is also important in the success of a backpacking adventure.

Packing an adequate amount of supplies and food is a must for a successful backpacking trip. A general rule of thumb is that each person on the hike will need one to two pounds of food per day to provide enough calories for the hike. This food should be rich in nutrition and not require refrigeration. Nuts, dried fruits are all ideal.

Safety

It is particularly important for novice backpackers to stick to marked trails when embarking on an outdoor adventure. At least one person that is not going on the trip should be aware of where the backpacker is hiking in case of an emergency.

Water sources are often a safety issue due to bacteria. Water can be boiled or filtered to increase safety, but it should be noted that filtering does not take care of viruses that may be present. Outdoor shops sell water treatment solutions that can be added directly to water to kill viruses. We suggest using iodine tablets to treat water.

Always bring a first aid kit on a backpacking trip in case of an emergency.

For younger backpackers, summer adventure camps are a great idea. Moondance summer trips give the benefit of experiencing the outdoors while also providing the safety of having a knowledgeable and experienced staff nearby at all times. Moondance Adventures provides safety in numbers with at least two adult instructors and assists in building character as well as lasting friendships.

Yosemite National Park: Rock Climbing at its Finest

Rock climbing is an experience fit for anyone interested in outdoor adventure travel. Yosemite National Park has gained the distinction of being one of the best places in the world for rock climbers to visit, offering 3,000 foot rock walls and challenges for climbers of all fitness levels. The views alone make rock climbing at Yosemite National Park a cut above the rest.

Yosemite has climbs that range from day trips to multi-day climbs. More experienced climbers will enjoy the challenge of setting out on an overnight climb, while novice climbers can practice their technique on less challenging rocks. In addition to traditional climbing, Yosemite National Park has areas where bouldering is permitted.

Camping is a great way to fully enjoy the outdoors while climbing at Yosemite. Some areas do require a wilderness permit for climbers wishing to set up camp, but these permits are offered free of charge. Climbers should check with park officials regarding whether a wilderness permit is required for camping in the area in which they will be climbing.

Park officials have noticed that wear to rock surfaces has increased as more climbers visit Yosemite. Climbers are advised to follow the rules of the park so it can keep its reputation as a world class climbing destination.

Yosemite climbing is geared toward different skill levels, with some areas focusing primarily on beginners or advanced climbers. This lets beginners get hands-on advice without feeling that they are slowing down the group, while advanced climbers can enjoy their climb without having to worry about waiting for novice climbers to catch up. Adventure travel is at its best when an experienced professional is available to give guidance and help climbers improve their technique.

Want to experience the thrill of rock climbing at Yosemite National Park without the risk involved of going it alone? Moondance Adventures is offering a Yosemite Classic trip for teenagers that features Yosemite rock climbing on its itinerary as well as backpacking, whitewater rafting, mountaineering, and surfing on Half Moon Bay. Although Yosemite offers basic summer camps, the Moondance Adventures trip will feature multiple destinations and cover an entire region in California. 

Check out trip details on our Adventure Program Chart!

About Moondance Adventures
Founded by Hayes Hitchens in 1996, Moondance Adventures is a teen adventure travel program offering a wide variety of 13-23 day experiences including community service and wilderness-based leadership opportunities. Headquartered in Asheville, NC, Moondance offers 17 co-ed, non competitive teen summer adventure programs for teenagers ages 12-18. Moondance provides fun, education and character-building with each program’s curriculum. Moondance has been has been conducting unique adult and teen summer adventures in many of the finest teen adventure travel areas in the world with courses offered in Africa, Central America, Europe, North America and South America.

It's (ALMOST!) the Most Wonderful Time of the Year

Yes, the holidays have come and gone, but we at Moondance Central find ourselves pretty giddy with excitement these days. Obviously, our favorite time of the year is the summer, when we are running trips and doing what we do best - facilitating great adventures with great kids all over the world. But January and February are pretty special months for us because we find our trips starting to fill up and our groups starting to come to life! We have several trips that are full or are close to being full, and it brings us all great excitement to know that a new little Moondance family is being born before our very eyes as each group starts to form.


Northern Lights 1 "Family" - Summer 2011

As you can imagine, spending 24 hours a day with the same people for 2 to 3 weeks allows you to really get to know everyone in your group. You will have the opportunity to share experiences with these folks that you'll never be able to experience with your closest of friends or even your own family. That's one of the things that we think makes Moondance so special; we have the ability to bring so many amazing students from all over the country together to form such an unbelievably tight bond in less than a month. Our leaders have the power (and the privilege) of being a part of these families and changing lives in what is a considerably short amount of time. Like Hayes said in the short video Rich Addicks (photographer, videographer and Moondance parent!)put together for us about our leaders called "Why We Do What We Do", "How can you change someone's life in three weeks? It happens."


Two of our greatest and most veteran leaders, Willy Sebring and Michaelyn Koss

If you're a Moondance alum or leader, you know what we are talking about when we say Moondance is really like a family. And if you are interested in joining us for 2012, I hope you'll apply for what will not only be the best adventure of your life but the best group of friends/"family" you've ever come to know. Since trips are starting to fill up, we would definitely encourage you to apply as soon as you can. As we always say, "you won't know if you don't go!"

Where Are They Now? A Look at Past Moondance Leaders

If you've ever done a trip with Moondance, you know what an amazing impact your leader can have on you - not only affecting you during your trip but also possibly introducing you to a new band, a new book or maybe even encouraging you to attend their former alma mater for college - and sometimes even ultimately changing your life and your view of the world forever. We are fortunate enough to have had some great folks work for us over the years, many who spent several summers with us before pursuing their dreams of music and art. We'd like to feature some of those leaders who have made a name for themselves, and we'll continue to update the blog with more "Where Are They Now?" posts!

Chris Barnes

Chris Barnes spent five summers with Moondance leading several of our adventures including Pacific Northwest, Moondance Leadership, Grand Ascents and Chamonix Alps. Chris served as our "musical director" for several summers during staff training in Colorado and Asheville, and he is now composing original music for commercials and films with Human Worldwide in Los Angeles. Most recently, Chris composed the music for the short documentary "One Beach" - a film to highlight what is being to done to clean up beaches across the globe and how some creative activists are making art and jewelry out of trash washed upon shore. You can view the video's positive message (and Chris's music!) here.

Alex Cullen

Hailing from Atlanta, Alex Cullen led our Grand Ascents and Machu Picchu trips back in 2008 and 2009. From the moment we met Alex, we knew his creativity would leave a lasting impact on our staff and our students. Alex's talent behind the lens led him to start IriScape Productions, creating documentaries, music videos and marketing pieces for clients such as Emory Healthcare the band The Model Planes. According to Alex's Facebook page, he has lately been working on a documentary about persistence hunting in New Mexico - way to go Alex!

Kelly McFarling

When we first heard Kelly McFarling's unbeatable voice and banjo stylings at staff training in 2006, we knew we witnessing something extremely special. After leading three summers for Moondance on such trips as California's Lost Coast, Moondance Leadership and Northern Lights, Kelly went on to pursue her musical career on the West Coast. Since landing in San Francisco, Kelly has been making a huge impact on the music scene there and gaining loyal followers while on tour - you simply cannot resist her! Her songs of "original rhythm and bluegrass" have earned her positive reviews in various respected blogs and online magazines. You can find out more about Kelly and listen to some of her beautiful music on her Myspace page. Make sure you check out her tour dates to find out where you can catch her next!

Who should we pick next? Keep checking back for more leader profile updates!

Catalog Time!

After all the trips have returned home, and all the end-of-summer paperwork has been sent off and all our debriefs have been completed, we immediately start getting our heads into catalog mode. It's a time I look forward to every year as it gives us a chance to look through TONS of photographs taken by our leaders over the summer as well as hundreds of inspiring quotations from students and parents alike.

Here are just a few of my favorite photos from this past summer that just might make it into the catalog!


Something's up on Northern Lights!


Making shadows at the Great Sand Dunes on Colorado Trail


Seizing the moment in Peru


Cooling off on the Big Wild

We can't wait to share with you many more fantastic images from this summer in our 2012 catalog which will be revealed in October! I wonder what will be the cover shot?