Salamander Efts Camp Out at Lizard Lake

The Salamander Efts kicked off their fall season with a cam pout up at Lizard Lake. Ever since our first trip to Lizard Lake as a group, the Explorers have persistently asked; “Can we do an overnight here!?” and alas their wishes came true.  Loading up the bus at Samish Woods Montessori, we cruised out along the shores of Lake Samish towards Blanchard Mountain. Reaching the trailhead we unloaded our gear and for the first time the Salamander Efts were able to enjoy the timelessness of a camp out. With no deadline to get back to parents for the rest of the day, we took our time divvying out group gear, getting our packs loaded up, and taking a moment to discuss expeditionary behavior and what we all need to bring with us physically, mentally, and emotionally in order to be safe and efficient wilderness travelers. Preparing for this camp out as though it were a backpack enabled us to get an idea of what it will take if anyone ever wants to participate in a summer backpacking trip with Wild Whatcom.

With our packs loaded up and on our backs we hit the trail. Passing by the quarry, we took some time to investigate the changes since our last time out here. There was a massive amount of stone missing from the hillside and clearly we had found where the logging companies had supplied themselves with the gravel to lay down fresh logging roads on Blanchard. Pushing on, we continued up the old logging road until we hit the trailhead for the Alternate Incline Trail that would take us up to Lizard Lake. Some of the boys wanted to play a game of HIDE, but we realized our new mentor, Jedidiah, didn’t know how to play! We taught him and played a few rounds before trekking up the trail. Along the way we stopped for a few rest breaks and took time to investigate that natural history mysteries that were all around us; an old moldy wasp nest, funky fungus, Western Yew Trees galore, and tons of old metal relics lying beside the trail as reminders of all the logging that took place over a century ago on this landscape. Pushing on we soon arrived at Lizard Lake.

Upon our arrival, we made sure to jump right into setting up camp before we got too relaxed and lackadaisical. First we pitched our tents, though one of the tents was more challenging than the other due to the fact it had the wrong rain fly! We turned problems into possibilities and made it work with a little creativity. Next we got a bear hang up that would keep our food safe while we were camping out. Although the odds of running into a bear where we were at was slim, it’s always good to practice proper wilderness travel principles, not to mention bear hangs work pretty well to keep mice out of your gear too! Finally we got our water filter set up, refilled our water bottles, and were ready to hang out and enjoy the rest of the day.

Hanging out in camp, we kept ourselves busy practicing survival skills like starting a fire with a ferro rod, carving, creating make shift fishing hooks out of a twig and some old fishing line salvaged from the dirt near camp, and even brewing up some tea out of various edible plants and berries we found around camp. With night approaching we decided to get started on our Thanksgiving Dinner of instant mashed potatoes, stuffing, gravy, turkey jerky, and dried cranberries. We had plenty to go around and stuffed ourselves full of food before hanging out around the fire for the rest of the night. It was great to get some time for the Salamander Efts to bond with one another around the glow of the fire the way boys their age have for thousands of years. One by one we all got tired and felt the call of our cozy sleeping bags so we headed to bed for the night for a well-deserved rest after a long day.

Waking up the following day, we discussed our plans for the day while munching down some Explorers Club Oatmeal. Since we spent most of the previous day in camp, we decided to trek up to the North Butte for lunch and to play some games in the woods just to the south of the butte. Packing up our gear we put together some day packs and stashed the rest of our gear in a tent before heading out. The hike up to the North Butte was a pleasant meander with light packs and feeling fresh after a good night’s sleep. At the top of the North Butte we were greeted with gorgeous views out to the San Juan Islands. On the eastern face of the butte we could just make out the foothills of a socked in Mt Baker. Finally, resting upon the northern face of the butte we gazed northward at the rolling Chuckanuts and beyond to Bellingham and into Canada. Breaking out our lunches and water bottles we re-fueled before trekking back down off the butte and into the tree line atop Blanchard Mountain. Here we had just enough time for an epic game of Spider’s Web in a matchstick forest of young Doug Fir and Western Hemlock. Finally, running out of time we scurried back down to camp to pack up and hike out.

After losing track of time up on the butte, we hurried to break down camp and get our gear together. Doing one final sweep of our campsite to ensure we weren’t leaving anything behind and to pick up any bits of trash we could find (always leave a place better than the way you found it!) we got back on the trail. The hike down was much easier than the hike up so we all were able to enjoy plenty of conversation amongst one another that made the hike fly by. Before we knew it we were back down on the logging road and headed for the bus. Loading up the bus with all our gear we cruised on back to Samish Woods Montessori just in time to be reunited with parents. Smelling of campfire, a bit dirty, and with a few bumps and bruises, everyone was full of smiles and ready to head home for a shower and home cooked meal. There’s nothing like roughing it for a night in the woods to make one appreciate the simple things like fresh potable water out of the tap, a hot shower, or all the yummy food we get to eat every day. Without a doubt the Salamander Efts first camp out was a success and we all can’t wait for the next one!

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

Salamander Efts Return to Lizard Lake

On a beautiful blue, crisp November morning the Salamander Efts met up at Samish Woods Montessori to load up into “Stubbs” our Wild Whatcom bus. From the moment the mentors met up before the outing it was clear this was going to be a great day. Not only were there no clouds to be seen, but we had the fortune of an extended eight-hour outing that would allow us to maximize our time up at Lizard Lake near the summit of Blanchard Mountain. With the bus full of Explorers and eager energy we hit the road and drove along the back roads to the trailhead. Twisting and turning through the forested highway and skirting alongside the eastern shore of Lake Samish was a perfect segue to the beginning of our outing.
At the trailhead the eager energy made coming together for an opening circle a bit of a chore, however, the eager energy would be a persistent theme throughout the outing create some great opportunities to grow as individuals and a group. As much as the boys wanted to hit the trail the mentors made sure to take the time to hand out jobs for the day and set a strong intention for what was to be accomplished this outing. Despite a jittery focus, we managed to lay out a game plan to hike up to the lake, practice some skills, then spend the rest of our time exploring and interacting with the land.

The hike up to Lizard Lake takes a logging road for a little over a mile, past an old quarry, and up the Alternate Incline Trail all the way to the lake. While passing the quarry the boys took a moment to admire the snowy peaks of Mt. Baker and peruse the rocks for what they believed to be petrified wood. It was difficult to pull these eager beavers away from the rocks to get back on the trail and headed toward our destination, but once we did we made good time. Hiking up the Alternate Incline trail we paused from time to time to re-group, adjust our layers, and drink some water. Each break we made sure to discuss the importance of setting a good pace for the entire group and making sure we stick together even if that means hiking a bit slower or faster than usual while maintaining a constant awareness of where everyone in the group was.

Finally, we arrived at our destination of Lizard Lake. A few other groups of hikers were relaxing beside the lake and the mentors made sure to have a quick chat about respecting others ability to enjoy the peacefulness of the icy lake as it glimmered in the sunshine by giving them space and keeping our voices down. Soon the hikers continued along their way and allowed us the opportunity to get some skills work in. Revisiting our first outing of the season, the Salamander Efts were left with the task of setting up a sturdy tarp shelter. The mentors made sure to provide a time to revisit some of the knots, but for some reason only one explorer seemed interested in a refresher on how to tie which knot. This was a missed opportunity because once the Explorers started putting up the tarp they quickly realized they did not remember the knots nearly as well as they thought they did.

Giving the Explorers half an hour to set up the tarp seemed like ample time. The mentors stepped back and focused on a project of their own in starting a fire. As time passed by it became apparent that only a handful of the boys were actually setting up the tarp and the rest of the group was much more intent on throwing rocks and sticks into the lake in an attempt to break the ice. After some time the
mentors realized the tarp was far from satisfactory and stepped in to harness the group’s focus for another attempt. This time, however, the handful of boys that were doing all the work were not allowed to tie the knots thus requiring those who were more focused on breaking ice to be the ones to do more of the work. Yet again, the eager energy that persisted from the beginning of the outing to the end, compromised the group’s ability to focus on a simple task. What should have taken fifteen minutes took well over an hour and left no time for further skills practice in some of the other camping skills like pumping water, using a camp stove, and setting up a bear hang. Somewhat disappointed the mentors made sure the boys were at least going to learn a lesson from this debacle. Gathering up, the group discussed the importance of taking the time to do the job right the first time. The BEC motto of “Slow is fast, and fast is slow” came to mind and was exemplified in the tarp challenge. If the boys had come together as a group, taken the time to find properly distanced trees and tie the knots right the first time, they would have had nearly an hour more of exploration time at the lake.

Despite the rough go at setting up the tarp, the boys all learned a valuable lesson of what it means to work together as a team to accomplish a task and how to harness their focus to take a bit more time to do the job right the first time. After debriefing our experience and lessons learned we gathered around a toasty fire to warm up on a chilly day. The boys had a great time chatting and joking around the fire before a nice sit spot along the shores of Lizard Lake. Although the Salamander Efts struggled with their focus on this outing, their eager energy demonstrated a passion and excitement for exploration and adventure that is great to see. As they grow older they will continue to learn how to harness their focus and accomplish the tasks at hand. This outing was a great learning experience for all and an opportunity for growth as individuals and as a group. On the bus ride home the laughter and smiles made it clear that everyone had a wonderful time. It was great to see the Salamander Efts wrap up their Fall 2015 season with an extended outing full of powers and challenges that demonstrated room for growth while maintaining an undying eagerness and energy that embodies what it means to be an Explorer.

Make sure to check out the rest of our photos from this outing in the Salamander Efts Photo Gallery!

Salamander Efts Explore Lizard Lake

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.

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.