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. 

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 and Alevin Showdown!

After a windy night and damp morning the Alevin and Salamander Efts gathered at the North Galbraith trailhead for a day of games and healthy competition. Each year we have a games showdown between two of the oldest Explorers clubs groups; These days are great opportunities to play games we usually don’t have enough people for and enjoy the energy that a large group of boys brings. As the Explorers gathered it was cool to see friendships that existed outside of specific groups and new friendships forming. As soon as everyone had arrived we headed into the forest to find Tim who was finishing the final touches on our game set up.

After hiking for about fifteen minutes we reached our destination and the site for our game. Our game of choice was Life and Death in the Forest. This game is a huge complicated game that involves herbivores, omnivores, carnivores, food sources, and many other factors. The basic premise of the game is a food chain game where each type of animal needs different resources to survive that mirror what this animal would need in the natural world (ask your Explorer to explain the rules sometime!). As soon as everyone had grabbed a snack and had a chance to visit we gathered into a large circle to introduce ourselves and explain the rules of the game.

The flip side of all the positive and excited energy that comes from having such a large group is that it is often hard to hold the group's attention for more than a short time. We worked our way through the rules pausing a couple times to call the boys attention back to the circle. When we finished the explanation of the rules we broke down into groups of herbivores, omnivores, and carnivores and geared up for the game. As soon as everyone was ready we started the game.

The game flew by in a blur of hiding behind sword ferns, chases through the forest, finding food sources, finding water sources, surprising each other, strategizing with one another, launching down ravines, running up slopes, crawling through the forest, herbivores hiding, and overall lots of laughter and fun. Part of the fun in playing a big game like this is the healthy competition that it promotes. The values that we can still respect each other even while playing hard in the woods. Numerous times I witnessed the game put on hold as one explorer helped another one up during a chase through the woods.

When the first round ended we came back together to talk about the game. Life and Death in the Forest is an interesting game to reflect on since it both puts the players in the mindset of whatever trophic level they were playing as and can show us how different food chains and ecosystem dynamics work. We had a great debrief on what it felt like to be herbivores, omnivores, or carnivores as well as what we can learn about real life ecosystems based on the parameters of this game. How many herbivores would survive in a real ecosystem? Does the amount of food the omnivore's had to eat seem reflective of how it might actually be? what adaptations would you really want if you were a carnivore? These and many other food chain related questions came up as the boys discussed the game.

For our second round we switched the roles and ratios of the animals slightly to reflect what we had discussed after the last game. Again we all disappeared into the forest to become herbivores, omnivores, and carnivores each finding enough food and water to survive.

The second round was just as successful as the first. Again we had a short debrief after the game to see how the changes we had made went. As the enthusiastic conversation died down we transitioned into ending the day with a sit spot. We asked the boys to spread out and find a comfortable place to sit quietly for the next fifteen to twenty minutes. The mentors spread out and began to clean up the various “food” and “water” sources from around the course. As we made our way back toward the backpacks we heard many voices and saw that many of the boys had all gathered together instead of finding a solo sit spot away from each other. We again reminded these boys to spread out and find their own spots. This temporarily spread them out, but soon enough they had come back together and began talking loudly again. We called everyone in from their sit spots and heard really insightful observations and profound realizations from the boys that had taken their sit spot seriously.

Our day ended with a the 20 minute walk a back to the parking lot. As we walked back we all chatted enthusiastically about the game and moments of defeat and success. Again the need for honest and healthy competitive play was highlighted. Weather you are an explorer or mentor a day spent playing in the woods leaves you with a smile on your face. Please take a look at the Alevin photo gallery andSalamander Efts photo gallery for more pictures from the outing!

Alevin and Salamander Efts Games Day Showdown

After a windy night and damp morning the Alevin and Salamander Efts gathered at the North Galbraith trailhead for a day of games and healthy competition. Each year we have a games showdown between two of the oldest Explorers clubs groups; These days are great opportunities to play games we usually don’t have enough people for and enjoy the energy that a large group of boys brings. As the Explorers gathered it was cool to see friendships that existed outside of specific groups and new friendships forming. As soon as everyone had arrived we headed into the forest to find Tim who was finishing the final touches on our game set up

After hiking for about fifteen minutes we reached our destination and the site for our game. Our game of choice was Life and Death in the Forest. This game is a huge complicated game that involves herbivores, omnivores, carnivores, food sources, and many other factors. The basic premise of the game is a food chain game where each type of animal needs different resources to survive that mirror what this animal would need in the natural world (ask your Explorer to explain the rules sometime!). As soon as everyone had grabbed a snack and had a chance to visit we gathered into a large circle to introduce ourselves and explain the rules of the game.

The flip side of all the positive and excited energy that comes from having such a large group is that it is often hard to hold the group's attention for more than a short time. We worked our way through the rules pausing a couple times to call the boys attention back to the circle. When we finished the explanation of the rules we broke down into groups of herbivores, omnivores, and carnivores and geared up for the game. As soon as everyone was ready we started the game.

The game flew by in a blur of hiding behind sword ferns, chases through the forest, finding food sources, finding water sources, surprising each other, strategizing with one another, launching down ravines, running up slopes, crawling through the forest, herbivores hiding, and overall lots of laughter and fun. Part of the fun in playing a big game like this is the healthy competition that it promotes. The values that we can still respect each other even while playing hard in the woods. Numerous times I witnessed the game put on hold as one explorer helped another one up during a chase through the woods.

When the first round ended we came back together to talk about the game. Life and Death in the Forest is an interesting game to reflect on since it both puts the players in the mindset of whatever trophic level they were playing as and can show us how different food chains and ecosystem dynamics work. We had a great debrief on what it felt like to be herbivores, omnivores, or carnivores as well as what we can learn about real life ecosystems based on the parameters of this game. How many herbivores would survive in a real ecosystem? Does the amount of food the omnivore's had to eat seem reflective of how it might actually be? what adaptations would you really want if you were a carnivore? These and many other food chain related questions came up as the boys discussed the game.

For our second round we switched the roles and ratios of the animals slightly to reflect what we had discussed after the last game. Again we all disappeared into the forest to become herbivores, omnivores, and carnivores each finding enough food and water to survive.

The second round was just as successful as the first. Again we had a short debrief after the game to see how the changes we had made went. As the enthusiastic conversation died down we transitioned into ending the day with a sit spot. We asked the boys to spread out and find a comfortable place to sit quietly for the next fifteen to twenty minutes. The mentors spread out and began to clean up the various “food” and “water” sources from around the course. As we made our way back toward the backpacks we heard many voices and saw that many of the boys had all gathered together instead of finding a solo sit spot away from each other. We again reminded these boys to spread out and find their own spots. This temporarily spread them out, but soon enough they had come back together and began talking loudly again. We called everyone in from their sit spots and heard really insightful observations and profound realizations from the boys that had taken their sit spot seriously.

Our day ended with a the 20 minute walk a back to the parking lot. As we walked back we all chatted enthusiastically about the game and moments of defeat and success. Again the need for honest and healthy competitive play was highlighted. Weather you are an explorer or mentor a day spent playing in the woods leaves you with a smile on your face. Please take a look at the Alevin photo gallery and Salamander Efts photo gallery for more pictures from the outing!

Service outing with the Salamander Efts and Black Tailed Deer

Exploring is what we do in BEC, and the majority of that exploration is off-trail. Exploring off-trail allows a deeper connection to our natural habitat as we share space with all kinds of forest dwellers.  Magical fungi, towering Douglas firs, loud Douglas squirrels and inconspicuous owls are just a few of the beings that we come to know through our romping. Even though we do our best to Leave No Trace, we undoubtedly have an impact on the forested areas that afford us fun, peacefulness, and learning opportunities. Our service outings allow us to give back to the Earth that gives us so much. 

This was a combined outing; the older Salamander Efts took a leadership role and oriented the first season Black Tailed Deer to our service site. In our opening circle, the Salamander Efts demonstrated how to safely use clippers, loppers, shovels, and rakes. We understood the risks that these tools had, but recognized that being intentional with them would allow us to get lots of work done at our service site.

The first of two tasks was clearing blackberries and removing their frustrating root wads. We became skilled at using loppers and clippers to remove the big vines and then used the shovels to dig up their roots. We had fun trying to see who could dig up the largest root.

The second task was to mulch the newly cleared areas so that no Reed Canary grass would sprout in the blackberries absence.  We learned that Reed Canary grass is an invasive species that grows especially well in streamside habitats. The fast growing grass chokes out slower growing native vegetation such as Nootka Rose and baby Western Red Cedar. The mulch we laid will stop the growth of this grass and allow our newly planted native plants to grow into maturity and shade out the invasive grass on their own. We discussed that we are helping this land heal itself; just get it started and the forest will begin to thrive again.

As we cleaned up our tools and took off our gloves, we recognized the need for play, so the Black Tailed Deer got to play a few rounds of Deer Oh Deer. Even after a day of manual labor, playing games allowed us to tap into unknown energy reserves as we raced around the field trying to avoid becoming a cougar snack.

Of course this is BEC, and the day wouldn’t have been complete without a lesson form the land. This lesson came in the form of an uninhabited paper wasps nest. We got to examine the papery structure of the outside and look at the perfect honeycomb pattern on the inside where the larvae hatch. In deciding whether or not to take this treasure home with us, we decided that since this nest came from this forest, we needed its nutrients to remain in this forest so that they could nurture the plants and animals that live in and near Connelly Creek. Together we separated the nest and spread it about the service site.

To see more photos from the day, click here.

Salamander Efts Take Cover at Clayton

What a way to welcome in the Fall season; wind, rain, dark clouds, and a damp, dreary forest. Perfect for a salamander, potentially challenging for a Salamander Eft. Good thing we are learning The Art of Camping this season and more importantly this outing, the various methods and uses of tarp shelters! Before we can explore, however, we took a moment to chat about our summers and welcome a new member to the group; Cedar. With everyone present, accounted for, and acquainted with one another it was time to get into the woods and the cover of the canopy. First things first, we decided it was important to jump right into our skills focus for the day. An ever increasing down pour gave us extra incentive to hone our tarp shelter skills.

With many experienced explorers in the Salamander Efts, and seasoned outdoorsman, the mentors decided to let the group work together to set up the first tarp shelter. This would shed valuable insight into where everyone was in terms of knowledge and experience, as well as offer a great opportunity to work on teamwork and inner group communications. Expectedly, the Salamander Efts were a bit stumped at where to start and quickly got side tracked as they explored for a shelter location. The mentors quickly reined them back in and discussed how to pick a site, accounting for widow makers, deciduous trees that drop limbs, slope of landscape, accessibility to usable trees, direction of wind, pre-existing canopy cover, etc. With a bit more focus in mind, the boys went back at it and quickly decided on a location and type of tarp shelter. Overcoming some difficulties with communication, the Salamander Efts rigged up a relatively decent tarp shelter, all be it with some unique rope work, but would definitely get the job done in a pinch. Taking a moment to debrief while eating lunch, there was a shared sense of inability to effectively communicate ideas amongst the group and upon further reflection everyone realized a more efficient process would incorporate a quick circle and group decision making process on location, strategy, tarp shelter design, and designation of tasks. This just goes to show that even a simple task like a tarp shelter can quickly turn into a wonderful mirror to reflect the strengths and weaknesses of a group. Luckily, this is exactly what Explorers Club is all about and we have many adventures in our future to continue our growth as a group.

With some strong focus, it was time to reward the Explorers with some free time. The mentors took this time to rig up their own example of a tarp shelter that incorporated a variety of different techniques that can be utilized from a couple of beneficial knots like a Truckers Hitch, or an example of how to stake a corner down if you’re lacking appropriate trees to tie off to. There truly is no limit to what you can do with a tarp and some cordage. Calling the boys back in with our good old crow call, everyone was taught a couple of knots, instructed on why the mentors set up the tarp the way they did, and  shown a few alternative options that could have been utilized in a similar situation.

As the mentors finished up their little tarp demo, they felt good about the progress that was made and decided to let the Explorers use their remaining time to explore the wonderful little ravine we were in and have some quality nature free play. Activities varied from trying to dam up the little creek, to roaming around the area in small groups letting their imaginations lead their journey, or even work on building a great little debris shelter as one of our Explorers decided to do. During this free play the mentors set up shop under the tarp shelter and boiled up some water for hot cocoa to keep everyone warm for closing circle. Finally it was time to end the day. Circling up under the tarp, sipping hot cocoa, munching on apple slices, we all shared our gratitude for the day and reflected on a solid day of skills work combined with adventurous free play sessions. All in all a good outing, and a great way to kick off the Fall season.

Make sure to check out all the other photos from our outing at the Salamander Efts Photo Gallery!