Boys were jubilant during their last outing of the season and met at North Galbraith Mountain trailhead to celebrate the end of school and the beginnings of summer. Our first orders of business were to “Ki-ai” the tent caterpillars, harvest Salmonberries (Rubus spectabilis), and listen to the upward, spiraling call of the Swainson’s Thrushes (Catharus ustulatus).
Thank you to both of the Explorers Mentoring Apprentices who volunteered their afternoon with us. Both James and Kyler, as members of the Firestalkers group in our Four Shields program, mentored younger boys throughout the day. And Alevin explorers certainly garnered a lot from your being with us!
We hiked into the forest and recognized the broad-leafed spiky plant that challenged us two outings ago. It was the Devil’s Club (Oplopanax horridus) and it dwarfed us as it grew tall and strong in the understory on the slope up-trail of us. It was a great chance to compare and contrast the leaves and branches with that of the Bigleaf Maple (Acer macrophyllum) growing directly above it.
During opening meeting we ate lunch together and Drew explained about hazards in the area from bikes to dogs. We learned how to be friendly to dogs and understood how to act if approached. Dave forgot utensils and had to carve chopsticks in order to eat lunch and many boys joined in the carving culture during meeting. We recognized the Pacific Wren (Troglodytes pacificus) who alarmed at our entrance to its territory and then watched us cautiously for the duration of our stay.
We were on our way further into the forest when Eric called out the famous “four-letter word” that makes Explorers drop their packs and go crashing into the bushes… H-i-d-e! We trekked toward an open area for another game, but Logan exclaimed that he had a salamander. Sure enough,Plethadon cinereus, the Red-backed Salamanders were living in burrows beneath our very feet. Rhys jumped to attention also and dug around to find a couple also. As this group considers finding its own name (as opposed to the mentor-assigned “Alevin") one thought that comes to mind is something to do with salamanders.
Boys took the chance to explore our new base area. Cole and Kiefer were interested in a nearby electric fence but didn’t engage it in a battle :) Andrew seized an opportunity to listen to James’ knowledge of harvesting Stinging Nettle (Urtica dioica) and began harvesting it on his own. Gavin, Miles, and Jonah found Douglas Fir cones and a perfect bat and had a makeshift baseball game- “Forest Style.”
Many Explorers learned about how toxins and cures live side-by-side in the forest. After getting stung by nettles, they looked to the neighboring Western Sword Fern (Polystichum munitum) and its spores for a relief from them pain. They learned the basics of asking permission and respectfully harvesting the medicine and then making their own spit poultice to cover the skin irritations. Boys were pleasantly surprised by the assuaging sword fern remedy and soon forgot about their stings.
We played Spider’s Web where Jasper proved to be a formidable Spider in the first round. Then Kyler and James humbled us all by being the Spiders for the following round. Alevin have a lot to learn about camouflage, hiding, and patience from their elders!
During the subsequent sit spot, we had fifteen minutes to listen to the sounds of forest. Boys mentioned hearing various bird calls, wind in the trees, sounds of friends carving, and two different streams. This is a good reminder for this season’s Earth Skill, “Water.” One way we can find a place to start is if we sit quietly and listen carefully; we may be able to find the water sources by hearing their gentle murmurs.
Riis is in good health, but reminded Explorers of the importance of focusing all of our attention when using a knife. Though blood was shed, he remained focused during the first aid process and went through an important rite of passage for us knife users. Everyone is bound to accidentally cut him or herself at least once. Welcome to the club!
And this serves as a notice to the Alevin that you should practice using your knife with adults or mentors nearby so we can help if you get hurt. Remember the mottos: Safety First, A Tool is an Extension of the Body, and The Difference Between a Tool and a Weapon is You. Also, keeping a sharp blade is important so that you cut properly. Explorers and parents, please get in touch with us if you have any questions about knife safety.
We closed our day with a Circle of Thanks practicing our motto, Attitude of Gratitude. This Outing Report closes the same way:
Thank you Explorers for a great season together. Your curiosity in the forest led to many learning opportunities and fun games. We did great work together at Connelly Creek too! Parents, thank you for the support and encouragement this season. Your willingness to get Explorers to the outings truly makes your boys, and this program, flourish and shine.
If your son wants to explore with us this summer, we still have room. Please click here to see our offerings. We also have a Summer Solstice Gathering on Thursday, June 20th. Please come out to Hovander Park if you want to connect with other Explorers and their families. You can see more pictures from the outing in the photo gallery too. We look forward to seeing you around town, at camps this summer, and for the fall season too!
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