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 Build A Shelter While Building Work Ethic

On a gorgeous spring day the Salamander Efts met up for their final outing of the spring season. After gathering together and catching up we hit the trail and trekked up into the horse trails behind Lake Padden. Stepping off the trail in a clearing we had our opening meeting and discussed our skills focus, where we’ve gone so far this season, and what we wanted to spend our time doing on our outing. With some time spent this season on Tracking and Bird Language, we began shifting to our skills focus for the fall; The Art of Surviving. 

Reviewing “The Rule of Threes” we discussed how someone can live three minutes without air, three hours in inclement weather, three days without water, and three weeks without food. The first pertinent skill we felt like focusing on was building a shelter. Although our clothes are our first line of defense against bad weather, our ability to construct a shelter to keep ourselves warm and dry could be the difference between life and death.

Trekking straight up the hill we got far enough off trail to find a location that could handle the impact of constructing a shelter. First we spent some time scouting the area to see where would be best for building a shelter. Taking into account hazards, resources, and convenience we picked a spot and got to work. Well, we tried to get to work. Tossing a few big sticks up on a couple of logs, the boys thought they could just stack up a shelter and be done. Not so. The Salamander Efts seemed to really struggle with coming up with a legitimate structural plan for their shelter beyond building a “fort” in the woods. After letting the boys struggle for a while, and seeing a pretty low level of motivation to get things rolling, the mentors stepped in. 

Re-assessing our situation we started from square one. First we got a structural plan in place, next we took inventory of our resources and began sawing out Y-Sticks and ribs out of fallen branches and downed trees. Despite more structure and planning, the work ethic and motivation was just not there. It became clear that these Salamander Efts will need a more realistic survival scenario to spark a sense of urgency to fuel them to exercise a quality work ethic. This was unfortunate after a strong service outing of quality work ethic and leadership with the younger group.

With the mentors stepping in, things started coming together. Utilizing cedar roots as cordage, the shelter grew into a solid structure that could support a strong roof with sufficient debris for waterproofing and insulation. Running out of time it was clear if this was a survival situation we would be in trouble. The shelter did not get completed and the boys didn’t seem to really care. As they grow older they will begin to understand that practice is what will make or break application of these skills in a real situation. 

Finishing up we debriefed our shelter building, ate some food, and hiked back down the hill away from the swarming mosquitoes and down to the lake. Along the way we found a variety of edible berries that we munched on. Red Huckleberry, Salmonberry, and Indian Plum were all on the menu. Finally we got to the water for a quick swim before returning to the dog park for pick up. All in all this was an outing that was challenging for the mentors and a wake-up call for the boys that we have a ways to go before they could comfortably survive an emergency in the woods. This will be a great outing for us to revisit in the fall as we begin our true journey into the Art of Survival. 

Not only will these Salamander Efts be trying to learn the primal skill of survival, but the Salamander Efts will be one of the eldest groups in Boys Explorers Club this fall. They will be embarking on the journey of becoming Explorer Mentor Apprentices where they will have the opportunity to come out and volunteer with younger groups, learn from the mentors, and get a chance to practice what they learned about mentoring with the younger group. This opportunity will further emphasize the importance of the Salamander Efts growing, maturing, and not only having a strong work ethic for themselves, but to lead by example and demonstrate to the younger groups what a work ethic looks like and why it is important. Perhaps this incentive will help provide the push to get the Salamander Efts focused on what it means to buckle down and learn a skill, do some service, or just take advantage of the five hours, once a month, four times a season, where they get together and explore the land and learn from the mentors. Only time will tell, but the future holds a bounty of opportunity for these boys and we all hope the Salamander Efts take full advantage.

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

Salamander Efts Explore The Rock Trail

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.

Salamander Efts ford Deming Homestead Eagle Park to track along the banks of the Nooksack's North Fork

Our exploration began in the belly of Explorers Club’s new bus Moose, which saw us safely to Eagle Rock Park in Deming. There we circled up in the grass beside an eddy of the North Fork which, swelled by rain had submerged our crossing on the alluvial flood plain which stretched before us to the banks of the Nooksack’s North Fork, the sight of which was occluded by young alders scattered amidst tall bracken and shrubbery.

After catching up with each other’s different winter season’s goings on, the boys set to dividing jobs, discussing logistics and this season’s skill focus – Tracking and bird language – with alacrity. We were all excited at the prospect of tracking on the alluvium of the flood plain, and seeing what animals had been about since the rain from the night before had washed a fresh layer of sediment over the ground – perfect for tracking!

The winds were calm, and we waded across onto the flood plain, where we set off through the slightly stirring scrub in search of tracks and a path to the river. We found the substrate remarkably undisturbed by the passing of other animals, yet how much do we miss the tracks of robins and mice?

Once we broke through the underbrush to the sand and stones of the riverbed, we broke for snacks and water. Heading south along the riverbank, the boys broke up into bands, always within eyesight and crow-call, to explore for tracks, dig into the sand, build forts, and establish a base camp for fire and shelter along the breach. Tracks of deer and dog from before the rains could still be made out, though mostly obscured from weathering, and a few deer and what may have been a fox or young coyote could be seen by their trail signs left behind that morning.

The weather was generous to us, with the clouds staying light gray and refusing to drop more than the occasional sprinkle of precipitation, and the winds stayed bedded down, offering us only soft breezes as gusts. The boys wanted to start a fire, and along with the mentors used their camping and art of fire-making skills to start a fire with a spark starter and a nest of damp grass, dried with friction, while others built a windbreak to shield the ember while it caught. We were working with the driest of damp materials available, and all felt pretty proud of the group’s accomplishment once we were fanning the flame of our fire!

After lunch eaten around the fire on in a wooden fort, the winds and rain began to pick up just enough that we were worried for our fire. The boys then conceived a tarp shelter over the fire, and cut four dead limbs for posts, digging holes deep in the ground to anchor them; securing these finally with rocks and sand before securing the tarp to the posts. The Salamander Efts had a vision for this outing, and executed it with passion and confidence! It was a shelter entirely isolated from natural windbreaks of driftwood stacks, yet it was a warm place to weather the brunt of wind and rain that came our way towards the end of the outing, and a source of gratitude during our closing circle around the embers left to die from our fire.

The weather once again blessed us with calm and dry as we broke camp and scattered all sign it was ever there, packed our bags and headed back to the park – the richer for the experience and for a few plaster castings of tracks. Crossing back to the bus, the water that has been so painfully cold at our journey’s beginning now was a joy that our explorers splashed back into with abandon. An auspicious end to our first out of spring.