On a spring day that felt more like summer the Salamander Efts met at the Samish Woods Montessori, home of the Wild Whatcom bus “Stubbs,” for their final outing for the Spring 2015 season. The big banana slug bus is always a hit with the boys and soon they were scrambling around on it and in it, playing with the ever fascinating accordion style bus door and trying to finagle the radio to work so they can say silly things to their friends over the bus speakers. But alas, all the boys had arrived and it was time to hit the road.
The drive to the Alternate Incline Trail took us along the back roads of Whatcom County. Meandering around the east side of Lake Samish the boys got a chance to gaze out across the lake and up at Blanchard Mountain, home of Lizard Lake and our destination for the day. Twisting and turning up the bumpy gravel road we reached the upper parking lot and disembarked from the bus. The Salamander Efts were immediately faced with their first challenge of the day: group decision making.
Collaborating, compromising, and coming to a consensus are some of the most fundamental skills we practice in Boys EC. With the Salamander Efts growing older and more experienced with each season the mentors decided it was time for them to try and come up with a plan for our outing on their own. After some spotty work by these boys not holding a strong circle, losing focus, and hitting a wall, it was clear to the mentors that they needed a little more guidance. As the mentors stepped back in to help they made it clear that as the Salamander Efts continue to grow and get ever closer to adolescence they were going to be held to higher standards in Boys Explorers Club. With that being said, the mentors walked them through the steps one more time of collaboration, compromise, and coming to a consensus knowing full well that these boys would need these skills later on during the outing.
The drive to the Alternate Incline Trail took us along the back roads of Whatcom County. Meandering around the east side of Lake Samish the boys got a chance to gaze out across the lake and up at Blanchard Mountain, home of Lizard Lake and our destination for the day. Twisting and turning up the bumpy gravel road we reached the upper parking lot and disembarked from the bus. The Salamander Efts were immediately faced with their first challenge of the day: group decision making.
Collaborating, compromising, and coming to a consensus are some of the most fundamental skills we practice in Boys EC. With the Salamander Efts growing older and more experienced with each season the mentors decided it was time for them to try and come up with a plan for our outing on their own. After some spotty work by these boys not holding a strong circle, losing focus, and hitting a wall, it was clear to the mentors that they needed a little more guidance. As the mentors stepped back in to help they made it clear that as the Salamander Efts continue to grow and get ever closer to adolescence they were going to be held to higher standards in Boys Explorers Club. With that being said, the mentors walked them through the steps one more time of collaboration, compromise, and coming to a consensus knowing full well that these boys would need these skills later on during the outing.
With our game plan figured out for how to approach our outing, we began our trek up the logging road that would take us to the trailhead. Along the way we stopped to snack on Salmonberries and reviewed some plant identification and sustainable harvest practices. It was wonderful to have the deliciously juicy berries to snack on keeping us refreshed and nourished for our trek up the eastern side of Blanchard Mountain. Soon enough we hit the trail head and after taking a moment to hydrate and adjust our layers for more strenuous hiking we set off up the trail.
As we climbed and climbed, the boys quickly realized that this wasn’t going to be another walk in the park like some of their previous outings. This was a legitimate hike with vertical elevation gain, rocks and roots to navigate, and plenty of challenge to go around. About halfway up we stopped to catch our breath, eat some food, and explore the surrounding forest. This was part of our initial plan, and it was time for us to decide if we wanted to continue trekking up to Lizard Lake, or if we wanted to go off trail and find a good place for a game or two of Spider’s Web. Again we circled up and prepared to go through the group decision making process once more. Initially the boys seemed to want to just stop, play some games, and head back down, but with a little encouragement from the mentors they were reminded that you can play Spider’s Web at any of our outing locations, however, there is only one Lizard Lake and we were almost there. Each boy took the challenge to stretch their edge and make one last push to make it up to the lake. They made sure to check in with each individual and see if there was anything they could do to help each other make it to the top without jeopardizing morale of the group or the individual. Boys let their truths be known, and boys found ways to offer support to one another. They truly collaborated, compromised, and came to a consensus.
Upon reaching Lizard Lake there was no doubt in the boys’ minds that they had made the right decision. The shore of the lake was ripe for exploration and the Salamander Efts transitioned seamlessly into an hour of free play by the lake. Whether it was building bridges out to the mysterious tree stumps in the lake, watching the fish jump and snatch bugs out of the air, or just chatting away with a friend, the boys were having a blast. The mentors almost decided not to do a sit spot, but at the mere mention of the words “sit spot” the Salamander Efts scattered off around the shoreline with an unusually zealous enthusiasm. Fifteen minutes of silence, well, silence from the boys and not the birds, fish, and light breeze rustling the trees. It was almost painful for the mentors to call the boys back in for closing circle, and the boys felt similarly. Each Salamander Eft had one of their best sit spots ever and one boy even mentioned the “serenity” of such a beautiful location.
With our hearts and minds in a place of gratitude for the land, each other, and our fantastic outing, we came together for our closing circle. Before giving gratitude we chatted about our season and what we have in store for next fall when the Salamander Efts begin learning the technical skills of overnight backpacking that enable us to feel the same comforts we do at home in the wilderness. Much gratitude was shared for our adventures to Lizard Lake and many of the boys look forward to returning in to such a beautiful place in the future, perhaps even for our Fall 2015 season. As we trekked back down to the bus, the mentors observed a group vastly different from the beginning of the outing. The group running down the trail together, laughing and joking and getting lost in games fueled by imagination, showed a strength and resiliency that was not there at the beginning of the outing. The strength and resiliency that a group can only find through companionship, overcoming adversity through mutual support, and a shared love for exploration and deep connection with the natural world.
With our hearts and minds in a place of gratitude for the land, each other, and our fantastic outing, we came together for our closing circle. Before giving gratitude we chatted about our season and what we have in store for next fall when the Salamander Efts begin learning the technical skills of overnight backpacking that enable us to feel the same comforts we do at home in the wilderness. Much gratitude was shared for our adventures to Lizard Lake and many of the boys look forward to returning in to such a beautiful place in the future, perhaps even for our Fall 2015 season. As we trekked back down to the bus, the mentors observed a group vastly different from the beginning of the outing. The group running down the trail together, laughing and joking and getting lost in games fueled by imagination, showed a strength and resiliency that was not there at the beginning of the outing. The strength and resiliency that a group can only find through companionship, overcoming adversity through mutual support, and a shared love for exploration and deep connection with the natural world.
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