Gauging interest- Rifle Gap overnight camping

July 13-15, 2026

Dear MTN School family,

Quick read: Does your child plan to attend? Are you okay with a higher trip cost to facilitate longer pay days for Teachers? We are moving towards more overnight trip plans as our Team gets better and better each year. Nationwide, norms for costs on overnight trips are high due to oversight hours, risks, and overall cost of food, supplies and care. Please write me at bencanady7@gmail.com to express your opinions on the benefits, risks, and goals of overnight camping trips. I know they have been excellent this year, but I weigh them carefully because they are exposed, expensive, and risky.

More to consider: Another elated message here, and with a bit of radical transparency and another request for your feedback. Know you are busy! Hope your kids are happy, and ready for early sleep after these full, adventurous days!

Several of you have asked about Rifle Gap, where we will set up on our favorite Cedar Loop cove and host 20 students. Past year memories: all day paddleboarding, tons of pike and walleye caught, fried, eaten... cool, clear dives at the boat ramp, a competitive triathlon, nature mandalas. We covered some great history lessons in the shade because kids at that point in the later Summer were bonded and part of a "community of learners." That mission is going very well this year, and the big investment in early overnight trips will serve us well during July and August. My old mentors, Rebecca Ruland, and Adrianna Ayala-Hire, who started Two Rivers Community School always pushed for early camping trips built out with curriculum and teambuilding activities for just these reasons. We get to know each other so much better like this.

Some of you have pointed out how great our Teacher team is this year, and I couldn't agree more. Mary's experience and stoke are a huge factor. I heard she was going to start an outdoor cooking channel :). She is our cornerstone and emerging Leader. Haley added so much to the Flaming Gorge/Dinosaur NP trip, and all of the campers have pointed out how playful, and creative she is, but also that she is working hard to hold them to a standard. She keeps it lively sharing ideas and perspectives that are helping me consider a new point of view. When Teachers like Haley are fun and earn trust, they can also push kids harder to participate, engage, and learn. Tisha has added so much stature and experience. She is adept and clear while she gives succinct instructions and moves her groups around with authority. She was an awesome co-Pilot for Yellowstone/Teton where we kept up a pace and did so much with a great group of kids. Sasha can do it all, and she is anchoring us with experience and a love of the outdoors that continues as she backpacks with her family on weekends. She sees the big picture and is in the right place at the right time all the time. I really love working with Sasha and all of these great people. Best picture of last Summer: Mary, Sasha, Finn, and myself at the fry station :)

Randi is becoming more and more a factor, and I am coaching and trying to help her develop. "Teaching is a long learning curve." It's tough to deliver interesting content and manage big groups simultaneously. I am getting the impression that Randi goes about the relationship-building, higher-order thinking skills, and shares of her extensive background knowledge a bit more quietly than some of us. I worked hard to show her again how I manage groups this past Friday. More and more kids are telling me how much they like her and want to be in her classes. So exciting to see this all coming together.

I would send my kids out with these great Teachers in a heartbeat. In fact, I haven't seen James that much this Summer. Kinda miss him while he's out catching fish with Finn and jumping cliffs with the Flaming Dinos :) But when he's back he has more confidence, more substantive stories to tell, and more of the good stuff all of these Teachers are sharing. I'm really proud of what we are accomplishing together. Blogging a bit too much... getting gushy.. ready for a big 4th and a bigger July with MTN School!