Coping with the Cold and Growing as a Group at Lookout Mountain

Getting excited to explore the mountain!

Arriving at Lookout Mountain on a chilly winter morning, the Storm Wolves were excited to be back out exploring the forest. Our last outing consisted of a more focused, stationary, skill in coal blowing spoons at Larrabee State Park and it was clear these Explorers were ready to romp in the woods and play some games. Gathering up we took a look at the map and picked out a destination for our base camp. Hiking along the trail we cruised quickly up to the waterfall lookout where we paused for a snack and some water before continuing on. Our final destination was just a ways about the waterfall where we found a nice flat area to set up shop.

Keen on seeing what we could find, we dropped our packs and spread out to investigate the nearby creek and follow it to the top of the waterfall where we were able to peer down at our snack spot and get a new perspective of the landscape. Although playing near a creek poses some challenges on a chilly day, we managed to get away with only a couple wet boots and some lessons learned in “slow is fast and fast is slow.” The rest of the outing those of us that rushed the stream crossing were reminded of this lesson as we had to figure out how to manage our body temperature and suffer a little bit to learn our lesson. 

Hiking down to check out the waterfall

Enjoying the view

After exploring for a bit it was time for a game of Spider’s Web. Although not everyone played, those that did found the thick Salmon Berry and uneven terrain an favorable area for Flies to sneak up on the food source. That being said, the Spider was on top of his game today and managed to make life very difficult for the Flies. While most of us were playing the game, those of us who were feeling the cold a bit more than others campaigned for a fire. Recalling back to our past outings the boys spread out in search of Western Hemlock, Western Red Cedar bark, and we even found some “fat wood” or chunks of food that can be found in rotting stumps that is saturated with resinous sap. There was plenty of downed limbs that were dry and off the ground for us to harvest and saw into manageable sizes, and soon we had all the pieces to the puzzle to start a fire.

Processing fuel for the fire

Fat-wood shavings, Cedar bark nest, and Western Hemlock kindling bundle ready to go!

Sitting back and trying to let the Storm Wolves take the charge on starting the fire, the mentors noticed that these guys were still having difficulty stepping up and taking the lead. Out sympathy, and a bit of boredom, the mentors helped the group prepare the materials and with a strike of a ferro rod from that one of the Explorers had brought we had our first flames. Still, there wasn’t much initiative taken by the Storm Wolves to tend the fire and we soon were back to square one. Reprocessing our tinder and kindling we tried for round two and were a bit more successful this time. With some assistance from the mentors we finally got a reasonable little fire going, elevated on a platform of logs and only large enough to warm our hands, to help ward off the cold. 

Using a ferro rod to create a hot spark to ignite the fire

As our outing wound to a close, some of us found time to try and make a quick atl-atl, an ancient spear throwing device that functions much like a “chuck-it” tennis ball flinger used for playing fetch with dogs. With only a little time left and only a few smoldering embers left to our fire we finished with closing circle. After sharing some gratitude and apple slices we made sure to properly care for our fire and cover up our tracks to ensure we left no trace. Douse the embers with water until everything was cool to the touch, digging a pit and burying any of the charred material, scattering any leftover scraps from processing the wood, and sprinkling a fresh layer of duff on top of the disturbed area we effectively covered our tracks and left the area as close to the way we found it as we could. 

Getting the fire bundle going, transitioning to adding fuel to the fire

Although we had some fantastic moments of exploration, play, and skills work, the mentors were left a little unsatisfied in how this group handled themselves today. There was a need for the mentors to really reign in the interruptions during circle, a need for the mentors to significantly assist in the process of fire making and tending, and a bit too much complaining about the cold without taking any initiative to try and improve the situation by the Explorers who were unhappy with the chilly winter weather. This by no means is to say this wasn’t a very fun and memorable outing, but after many years in Explorers Club and a couple really strong seasons under their belts, this group is held to a higher standard than most and there were multiple opportunities this outing for them to step up when they didn’t. Although some of this is likely due to new group members settling in and old group members learning how to step up as leaders, the mentors will make sure we hold ourselves to a higher standard on future outings. With only a few seasons left before graduation, it is our hope that this group can get it together and have a strong, productive, and fruitful finish to their Explorers Club experience. They are more than capable of it, but only time will tell.

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

Storm Wolves Head to the Beach

For their first dedicated winter outing the Storm Wolves beat all odds and denied fate, meeting up at the Lost Lake trailhead under the burgeoning sun of a clear winter day. As always, we opened the day with a circle to discuss the direction of the day and what we would like to accomplish. We are usually graced with a diversity of ideas, but perhaps because of the warm sun, all minds were focused in a single direction: the beach. We all agreed to head down the trail to Clayton Beach to explore, track, and once there, to discuss the Storm Wolves skill focus, the Art of Fire.

Hiding amongst the rocks

Heading out, we climbed up and onto the ‘dragon’s spine’, a classic explorer’s route above the primary trail and out of sight. Remarkably, even with a group of 9 boys making little effort to be quiet, we passed by and above several other groups withouth being seen. The hill was profuse with the signs of Douglas’ squirrels enjoying their winter larders, so we might not have been alone in this observation. Other signs of wildlife were prolific as well and when we dropped down off the dragon’s spine we were even accompanied by a deer mouse, uncharacteristically visible during the day, for the span of about 100 ft. Approaching the beach the boys were faced with the prospective railroad tracks. As mundane as it seems to simply walk over the tracks, the boys unanimously elected to go under the tracks, slipping through the culvert and emerging on the other side. Breaking through the trees at the beach we were greeted by a receding tide. We scrambled over rocks and waded through shallow water looking for a place to set up base camp, finally settling on an outcropping of sandstone overlooking the bay.

Sand hills are irresistible

As many (or possibly most) of the Storm Wolves outings have been accompanied by harsh weather it felt good for everyone to bask in the sun and relax a bit as we clambered over the the sandstone and along the beach. As some of the boys set up driftwood hideouts amongst the rocks some of the others noticed that where our approach had been blocked by water there was now open beach, and that a lone crab had been left high and dry. We returned the crab to the water and went about setting up sticks, marking the sand, and taking measurements to record the progress of the tide.

Figuring this fire thing out

After lunch we decided to head down the beach and see what it took to get a fire going. Each of the boys was given a single match and challenged to work together to create a small self sustaining fire. They broke up into several small groups which each put a small fire structure together. The first few matches fizzled out quickly. As less and less boys had their own matches more and more discussion went into how each match should be used. They discovered that although the matches could easily conjure fire, it was difficult to maintain it. Fire structures were improved as more refined materials were collected and matches were carefully placed rather than tossed in without forethought. As the last few matches were used the boys all came together as a single group. Flames caught in shredded cedar bark and valiantly attempted to ignite a pile of small twigs, but, just as things seemed to be going well, they died out. We all came together and discussed how vital fire could be and how the times when you need it most are also the times when it can be most difficult to create and maintain. We talked about some of the physics of fire and techniques for making ignition easier as well as agreeing that the fire wasn’t really lit until it could keep burning without help. After this everyone was issued another match. The fire was rebuilt and this time greater care was taken. After a few more attempts, a small self-sustaining fire came to life. As usual, the magnetic nature of fire drew everyone together and we all agreed it would be great to have something to cook over the fire. We made due with what we had and roasted some orange slices. After extinguishing the fire and cleaning up we circled up to talk about the day and give thanks. Chief among the many expressions of gratitude was that, in stark contrast with history, we enjoyed a full day of peaceful weather. For our next outing we will be returning to Lookout Mountain to more fully explore the forest we first visited this fall.

Success!

Be sure to check out the rest of the photos from this outing here.

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!