Up and up the Salamander Efts went along the twisting, pot
hole infested road on their way to the Rock Trail. If the bumps and bounces
didn’t wake them up, the army of gnats atop the mountain certainly caught their
attention. We could only admire the gorgeous view out onto Chuckanut Bay and
the San Juans for a few seconds at time before needing to swat at the swarm of
bugs. Finally everyone had arrived and it was time to hit the trail.
Getting out of the parking lot, we moved down the trail
keeping an eye out for a good location for an opening meeting. While admiring
the transitioning forest, we discovered numerous signs of spring in fresh
growth, flowers, and a variety of birds that have returned north after
vacationing south for the winter. With a nice clearing in sight we hopped off
trail and circled up. Despite our relatively small group, the boys were rather
chatty in circle were finding it much more amusing to goof off and try and get
some laughs than to focus on making a plan for how to spend our day. The
mentors took moment to discuss what truly listening to someone means, how you
listen with not only your ears, but with your body, your eyes, and most
importantly your heart. The Salamander Efts took to this advice and soon
realized that focusing on one another and collaborating on our plan for the day
meant more time playing in the woods and less time sitting in circle with a
couple of grumpy mentors.
With a game plan figured out, we hit the trail and were soon
making our way down an impressive series of staircases that the Washington
Trails Association (WTA) had spent many laborious hours putting in. Little did
we know we would be able to thank them for all their hard work just a little
further up the trail where they were working on finishing up a section of
trail. But before that we were stopped by the first major rock formation along
the Rock Trail. A large sandstone cliff left us trying to answer a variety of
mysteries. Some of us took the time to analyze the layers of sediment that had
accumulated to create the Chuckanut Sandstone. Others got out our native plants
field guide and took some time identifying a variety of fern species growing on
and at the base of the sandstone. Finally it was time to continue on.
Stopping along the trail to check in with the WTA personnel
we made sure it was clear to hike past and as we continued along our way
thanked everyone for all of their hard work. Dropping into a valley we
discovered half a dozen or so gigantic boulders amongst the forest floor. We
had to stop and check them out so we trekked around a few and just beyond one
of the boulders was a perfect place to set up a base camp. Hanging out for a
bit to eat lunch we re-evaluated our day and decided to play some games to get
to know this incredible landscape a little better and then have some free time
to carve and explore. The game for the day was Eagle Eye where one Explorer is
“it” and others must hide in a radius around him. Every round they must move
closer and closer without being spotted. The kicker is that the time to move
closer while the Eagle has his eyes shut diminishes each time until the final
round where you must jump out of hiding, tag the Eagle, and get back into
hiding. This is always a great game and forces one to read the landscape, planning
movement from one hiding spot to another. The plentiful Sword Fern and young
Western Hemlock provided excellent cover and the rocky terrain made this a
fantastic game of Eagle Eye.
After some free time for carving, crafting, and exploring
our surroundings, it was time for a Sit Spot. It had been awhile since the
Salamander Efts had the opportunity to partake in a Sit Spot, so this seemed
like the perfect occasion. The sun had come out and was illuminating the
freshly grown Big Leaf Maple leaves so they popped a brilliant bright green.
Along the forest floor were oases of sunshine where gaps in the canopy let the
warm light through. Everyone spread out and found a comfy spot to hunker down
for about twenty minutes or so. As we calmed our voices and bodies the birds
and other creatures of the forest began to come out. Woodpeckers, Winter Wrens,
and even a few mystery birds began calling out to one another while foraging
for food. It truly felt like spring was finally here. With a quick closing
circle and some apple slices in our bellies we packed up and trekked back up
the trail. Even though we didn’t hike the entire trail, we found that the
mysteries and simple pleasures of exploration that lay just off the trail can
sometimes be the true treasures of the day.Make sure to check out the rest of the photos from the days outing here.
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