Storm Wolves Explore Racehorse Falls

Fearful of going against a long standing history, the Storm Wolves showed up Sunday morning to a blustery day of windy weather. Lucky for us, however, we got to use the bus for an extended outing to Racehorse Falls. Gathering at Cascade Montessori, we took a moment to have an opening circle before jumping into a bus maintenance check. With the Explorer’s help we popped the hood, check fluid levels, tire pressure, brake lights, etc., before loading up into the bus, buckling in, and hitting the road. 

Salmon carcass we found on the gravel bar

Plenty of canid tracks to investigate

Squishing around in the "quick sand"

Cruising out Mt Baker Highway we noticed the wind subside as we pushed east. Turning down Mosquito Lake Road, we decided to make a quick stop at the bridge to explore the gravel bars and get a gauge on the weather. Spreading out on the landscape, being mindful to respect the handful of folks fishing nearby, we soon were overwhelmed with the intoxicating curiosity of exploration. Finding everything from cool rocks to salmon carcasses to canid tracks, we were already getting lost in the timelessness of an extended outing. With plenty of fun to be had, we took a bit more time on the gravel bars then returned to the bus for lunch before heading out again on our trek to Racehorse Falls.

Exploring the colors of rocks by the river

Deer carcasses we found near the parking lot

Mushrooms growing on a branch

Bumping our way along the gravel road, we soon arrived at our destination. Before we could even get out of the bus we were faced with a morbid mystery; a variety of bones strewn about in the bushes including four rig cages and a jaw bone! Upon further investigation we began to put the pieces of the puzzle together, noticing the elongated jaw bone with the worn molars of an herbivorous ungulate. Feeling better about the bones and their backstory, we pushed on down the trail and over an obstacle course of slippery logs, to arrive at Racehorse Creek. Immediately the Storm Wolves immersed themselves in their surroundings, picking through the rocks in search of fossils, noticing the substantial lichen in certain trees, and enjoying one another’s company as a make shift fossil trade center sprouted beside the creek.

Searching for fossils

Success!

An ancient palm perhaps?

Racehorse Falls!

Realizing the Explorers could spend an eternity searching for fossils and not get bored, the mentors felt the call to rally everyone together on an expedition to find the waterfall. Gathering up we had a snack and some re-hydrated before trekking upstream over rock, under log, and through water to get to our destination. Scampering ahead, the Storm Wolves were in their element. As the mentors brought up the rear, they were afforded the opportunity of witnessing the group clamoring up towards Racehorse Falls, over a hundred feet of cascading waterfall cutting through the forest as a backdrop, the water carving out the ancient mysteries of the past exposing fossils and inspiring dreams of what once was. There is nothing quite like getting a bunch of Explorers out on a wild landscape. They display a level of fortitude and vigor that can only be inspired by such a wild place. It was a treat to get to join the Storm Wolves for the day, and like always, we finished with a circle of gratitude. There was so much to be thankful for on a day like this; salmon, fossils, mysteries, waterfalls, friends, and so much more. We can only wait eagerly for our next outing that will undoubtedly be the source of many more fond memories and things to be thankful for. 

Make sure to check out the rest of the photos from this outing here!

The Storm Wolves Play in the Wind at Lookout Mountain

Yet again, the Storm Wolves live up to their name as they ventured out onto Lookout Mountain for their second outing of the year. The incoming weather system brought with it blustery conditions and a drizzle of rain. Luckily, the Storm Wolves weren’t the only group at Lookout Mountain today; the Branch Hoppers were also meeting at this location. The mentors thought it would be great fun to bring the groups together for a gigantic game of Spider’s Web to start off the outing before splitting off for the rest of our outings. 

The Storm Wolves and Branch Hoppers combined opening circle/name game

Making a big two-group circle, we played a name game to get a little more familiar with one another and had opening circles before hitting the trail. But before we could get more than a few steps an ambulance pulled up to the gate and paramedics hopped out. This was odd, but we made sure to get off the side of the trail and out of the way as best we could. The paramedics opened up the gate, hopped back into the ambulance and cruised up the trail past us. We found out from the other group, who spoke to one of the paramedics, that someone had called in a possible allergic reaction to a bee sting and there was potentially a hiker up the trail going into anaphylaxis shock! This was a wake up call that sometimes things don’t go as planned in the forest, and we hoped for the best for all involved in the incident. Further along the trail we had a second ambulance arrive on the scene and as they parked and unloaded at the trail junction they asked if they could commandeer a backpack to haul their gear up the trail. Of course we obliged and one of the mentors unloaded his gear into an extra dry bag and handed off his pack for the paramedics to use. We were just glad we could help in whatever way possible! (FYI we got the pack back at the end of the outing at the fire station)

The ambulance driving up the trail!

Everyone hunkered down in the forest for snacks before our big game of Spider's Web

Carrying on with the rest of our outing we trekked down a trail to find a good location for our game of Spider’s Web. Satisfied with what we had found, we hunkered down for snack and some water while a few of us set up the course. A few minutes later we were lost in play, sneaking through the forest, scampering down hillsides, hiding in hollows, and just having a blast getting lost in the moment. The game was fairly challenging and stretched some edges, but in the end we were all just glad to get out in the forest exploring through play. While the game carried on the wind picked up a bit and the alder stand behind us swayed in the breeze. For a few of us this was a bit unnerving given the history of the group, but after the game was over we parted ways with the Branch Hoppers and trekked back into the more established forest near the waterfall for lunch.

Storm Wolves hiking down the trail

Playing "Where's My Egg?" at the waterfall after lunch

 Hanging out this group always finds a way to have fun. Jokes and horsing around were in abundance. After lunch the Storm Wolves decided to play one of their all-time favorite games: Where’s My Egg? For such a simple game, these boys have so much fun, and learn so much at the same time! They organize themselves, work through disagreements, goof off, and eventually end up in a gigantic dog pile trying to steal the “egg” from the nest. Everyone ends up having a blast and the group shows so much cohesion and comradery during this game that it is difficult to call an end to it. But alas, it was time for closing circle. Giving some gratitude and hiking out, it was great to see how this group has grown and how they were able to overcome some unsettled nerves during the blustery moments by the alder grove to have a fantastic outing of playfulness and goofing off in the forest. Next up is our service outing where this group will be called upon to be role models for the younger group and help guide our stewardship outing at the Connelly Creek Service Site. For some reason I think this group will be up for the challenge!

Make sure the check out all the rest of the photos from our outing here!

A pack of Storm Wolves eager to get started playing "Wheres My Egg"

Storm Wolves Navigate Cuckanut Ridge

Kicking off the fall season, the Storm Wolves reunited at the Lower Chuckanut Ridge Trailhead. With a few familiar faces not present, but a few new ones popping up during drop off, it was time to have an opening circle and get to some introductions. With a few members of the infamous Storm Wolves deciding not to return this season, or switching to a new group, we had the opportunity to bring in a few new members to the group. It was great getting to inject this old group with some new personalities that made this outing a fun time to re-establish the identity of the Storm Wolves. With many of the returning members making up the majority of the group there wasn’t much change, but there was definitely a lot of energy and excitement on our outing that was likely due to just seeing old friends and getting out in the woods, but it also made focusing a bit challenging.

Hitting the trail we hiked up towards the top of Chuckanut Ridge. Taking a few moments to appreciate the views from a lookout, we pressed on and eventually hit a juncture in the trail. But before we could get out our map and compass it was time for a game of HIDE! With that out of our systems we ate some food and got out the map to figure out where we were, where we came from, and where we wanted to go. Orienting the map with our compass, we tuned into the surrounding landscape taking clues from the terrain, trail signs, topography on the map, trail directions, and how the angle of the trails met at the juncture. There was plenty of evidence to allow us to find our location on the map. The mentors made the comparison to using the scientific method when using a map. You create a hypothesis for where you are on the map, then use a variety of clues and information you can gather from the map, your surroundings, and your compass, to support your hypothesis. With our location pinpointed on the map, we looked ahead along the trail to see what noticeable landmarks we would be keeping an eye out for to support our hypothesis of which trail we were on and which direction we were going. With a straight section of elevation loss leading to a 180 degree right hand turn in the trail that would drop us down onto a four trail junction, we had our landmarks to keep an eye out for.

Continuing down the trail along the ridgeline, we had numerous peek-a-boo views out to the east of the towards Raptor Ridge and the vast terrain of the Chuckanuts. Looking further north at one of the viewpoints we got a great view of south side Bellingham allowing us to calibrate our internal compasses. The boys were reminded to constantly take the opportunity to check your surroundings at these view points and notice changes in terrain and the ebb and flow of the landscape to keep our internal compasses on point. Pressing on down the descending ridgeline we soon hit the wide 180 degree turn and arrived at the trail junction. With even more evidence to support our trailside hypothesis, we felt good about our navigation thus far. Looking at a nice, new trail map, we were able to pick a route to follow out to Arroyo Park and eventually North Chuckanut Trailhead for  pickup.

Pressing on down the trail the boys were faced with a pop-quiz on plant ID. Not only is navigation about map and compass, but a lot can be determined by tracking the plants that are growing all around us. Additionally many of these plants can aid us in our travels; food, medicine, tools, even toilet paper, they can all be found in the forest if we know where to look. We identified Western Red Cedar, Sword Fern, Cottonwood, Big Leaf Maple, Salmon Berry, Thimble Berry, Vine Maple, and a variety of other plant species as we traveled down the trail. At each one we discussed identification properties and what uses each plant provides us. This was a great way to pass the time and revitalize our natural history knowledge as we get back into the groove of exploration and adventure.

Following our route we crossed through a few more junctions and finally made our way to Arroyo Park. Here we found a nice little place to dip off the side of the trail, set up camp under a lovely Western Red Cedar that sheltered us from the light sprinkle of rain that started up, and jump right into a game of Spider’s Web. This was something the Storm Wolves needed no help doing and were soon off sneaking through the Sword Fern in pursuit of the food source. After some trial and error, the Flies found a weakness in the Spider’s defenses and secured the food source. Flies win! This was a quick yet exciting game that got us back into the mindset of maneuvering off trail.

With just enough time for a closing circle, we gathered up and passed around the apple slices to share. One of the mentors reminded the Explorers of why it is important to give thanks, and why we need to respect one another especially while opening up and sharing gratitude. Our cups truly overflow with all that we have in our lives, our friends, family, clothing, food, homes, woods to explore, time to play games, and a community that supports us. There is so much to be thankful for that we often forget about it all and there is nothing like listening to others share what they are grateful for to remind us of those little things we sometimes forget about. With apples in our bellies and gratitude in our hearts we loaded up and hit the trail for a quick hike out to the trailhead. Dropping down to the parking lot we successfully navigated along Chuckanut Ridge, down to Arroyo Park and out to the North Chuckanut Trailhead. Quite an accomplishment for a pack of wild boys who despite appearing a bit unfocused, were able to utilize map and compass to navigate, and identify over a dozen plant species and discuss their various traits and uses. What a great way to kick off our fall season and welcome in a new chapter of exploration and adventure in the Pacific Northwest.

Make sure to check out the rest of the photos from our outing here!