The Alevin Grapple with Teamwork and Fire Making at North Lake Samish

The Alevin gathered up for an opening meeting at North lake Samish Trailhead and expressed excitement to be venturing out into the Southeastern forests of Chuckanut Mountain. Our intention for the day was to ascend the trail until we were outside of Whatcom County Parks boundary so that we would be able to work on a myriad of fire skills until dusk. We would end our day with a sit spot before heading down the trail under the moonlight.

Before we left the mentors asked the group to take turns reading sections of a definition of “Expeditionary Behavior” coined by Paul Petzoldt. “Expeditionary Behavior” or “EB” for short is set of behavioral concepts that can help the group cooperate and obtain goals. The mentors asked the group to hold to these principles during our exploration revisiting some of the behavioral and interpersonal issues we had been experiencing throughout the season.

Expeditionary Behavior:

·       Serve the mission and goals of the group.

·       Be as concerned for others as you are for yourself.

·       Treat everyone with dignity and respect.

·       Support leadership and growth in everyone.

·       Respect cultures you contact.

·       Be kind and open-hearted.

·       Do you share and stay organized.

·       Help others, but don’t routinely do their work

·       Model integrity by being honest and accountable

·       Admit and correct your mistakes

The boys re-familiarized themselves with the steep topography of the trail as they zigzagged back and forth up the power line grid and through the second growth forest. Coming to a junction in the trail half the boys decided to go directly up the power line clearing while the others took the gradual trail. Those who took the clearing ascended quickly and rested for lunch at the ridge line, the Explorers who took the gradual path slowly “accordioned” out along the trail. The fast hikers in the front of the accordion let a mentor know that they were going to meet the second half of the group at the top of the trail and cruised up the hill. Arriving at an unexpected second junction, the slower group was unsure if the rest of the faster Explorers had gone the right way. Staying put at the junction the group sent one mentor out to unite with the group at the top clearing, do a head count, and report back. The mentor was pleasantly surprised to find the rest of the group exactly where they said they would be.

Sending scouts back down to let those at the junction know that they could proceed, everyone connected at the top of the hill. Although the group had made a critical navigation error everyone had stuck to the plan and we came out of the experience unscathed. It was powerful to witness this leadership in the Explorers and great to debrief the experience and share some stories of navigation challenges the leaders had undergone in the wilderness.

After some food and water the mentors helped the group as they struggled through a decision of where to set up base camp for our fire skills session. The boy’s inability to make a decision stemmed from the failure of anyone in the group to take a leadership role and from a few group members persistently distracting their peers.  Once the Explorers had identified the forest resources we would need to harvest in order to have a fire they scouted a target location and soon fell back into distraction. After a strong nudge from mentors the group settled on a location. Some key tasks needed to happen if the group was going to have a primitive fire: make a tinder bundle, harvest dead Western hemlock of varying sizes, and dig a safe fire ring down to mineral soil.

The mentors stood back and observed the group’s process and quickly noticed the same division in the group that they had tracked time and time again. Half the group was engaged with the process, really learning and experimenting with technique, while the rest of the boys avoided the process and goofed off. This behavior not only affects the participants who directly participate, it also creates energy within the group that pulls others away from experience.

Those who were engaged in the process did an excellent job of creating a safe fire space, harvesting and organizing their fuel, and putting together a tinder bundle. Although it took a few tries the boys got a small but hardy fire going. We made a pot to hang for tea and put together apples, brown sugar, and butter to cook over the fire.

Calling the entire group together the mentors took a moment to talk with the group about the interpersonal dynamics they had been witnessing and our division as a group. Circling back to our “EB” guidelines we discussed how sarcasm and the attitude of being above it all (too cool for school) did not serve the mission and goals of the group or support leadership and growth in everyone.

This was a great segway into a conversation about the Alevins’ transition this summer from Explorers Club to the Four Shields. Mentors cautioned the boys that this was not a decision to take lightly and that a commitment to continuing on in the program meant showing up each outing with focus and engagement. In the Four Shields you get what you put into it, and the last thing we would want for the participants is to force them into an experience they did not want to be there for. As the weight of the conversation set in for the group so did dusk. The mentors encouraged the group not to use their headlamps and let their eyes adjust to the fading light.

It was fascinating to assess the varying comfort levels of the group members in the forest at night and was a great time to chat about which animals were the most active in the crepuscular hours. Sharing a few stories of encounters with mountain lions to group started to get squirrely and anxious to make their way down the power line clearing. Holding the group to a strong closing circle we shared our thanks and had a great time trying to navigate the steep terrain down to the parking lot. This was a powerful edge stretcher for the group and helped us make a cohesive finish to the outing.

Parents, we encourage you to talk with your boys about their experience over the last few outings and try to collect some feedback for us about the interpersonal dynamics within the group. As a group the Alevin must figure out a way to overcome this sense of division within the group’s climate and curb their sarcastic and disengaged behavior in their last three outings of the BEC. Our aim as mentors is to bring a strong close to their experience in the program and for them to head out into the world as genuine, compassionate, connected, and caring arriving adults and men in the world.

For more photos from the outing please visit the Alevin’s photo gallery from the day.

The Alevin Explore North Lake Samish Trail

The Alevin met at North Lake Samish Trailhead geared up to weather a storm, the forecast called for high wind and rain. The mentors watched the wind in the early morning and had their doubts about our ability to explore anywhere but near the lakes edge. The Alevin however were not alarmed, over their years in the BEC they’ve learned how to be prepared and act preventatively. Circling up the boys handed out jobs and worked on orienting to the landmarks around in order to determine the four cardinal directions. The group was excited to explore this new location and their excitement only increased as the wind slowly died down and the rain subsided to a drizzle.

Gathering our strength we hiked for a half an hour straight up the power line clearing, climbing from what we determined topographically to be about 600ft in elevation. As we climbed up the group called attention to all the signs of spring alongside the clearing; the smell of fresh rain, the sounds of Robin songs and flowing creeks, the nettle and fiddlehead shoots, Salmonberry and Current flowers blossoms, and the beautiful and varied shades of green bringing life back to the landscape. At the top of the clearing the group looked a little overheated and paused to rest in thewonderful breeze. Peeling off layers the mentors stressed to the group the importance of regulating the moisture that builds both inside and outside of our rain layers in the Pacific Northwest’s humid climate. Many of the Alevin Explorers will be backpacking this summer and experience with the intricacies of staying warm and dry in sustained inclement weather is powerful knowledge. Taking the time to let your inlayers vent can be the difference between being cold or warm.

We ate lunch looking out over the vista at Alger Alp and Skagit Valley, what a view! After we were fueled, the boys circled up and the tribal elder helped to facilitate a great decision on how to best use our time and where to navigate next. To our west lied mixed logging land that climbed towards Pine and Cedar lake and to our east a another view point that required a challenging route of snaking trails. The group opted to head west and find a location to play Spider’s Web. Leaving the power line clearing we pushed our way through a crowded grove of Douglas Fir until the forest opened up. The boys looked at each other, confused, trying to decipher what kind of landscape they had just entered. The mysterious patch of forest had a thick canopy but its trees had dead limbs underneath. It was full of scorched trunks, massive stumps and hardly any ground cover or shrubs.

The group quickly decided that this would be a great location for Spider’s Web. The mentors would like to commend the Alevin for their sportsmanship and ability to play with honor. The course proved to be quite difficult and without underbrush to hide behind the boys were continuously caught by the spider. Giving it their best effort they used the challenge as an opportunity to grow. This group would not have had the same reaction two years ago. Throughout the outing it was clearly communicated to the mentors that these boys are willing to step into the leadership needed to meet the challenges of wilderness trips as well as the challenges of working in a community. The Alevin are able to: self regulate, hold each other accountable, focus their energy, think preventively, care for each other’s safety both physically and emotionally, and meet their challenges with acceptance and patience.

After our game the group circled up to delve into our Earth skill for the season, the Art of Backpacking. The mentors focused the day’s lesson on getting to know our MSR Wisperlight backpacking stoves. Together we learned to safely set-up a backcountry kitchen, cook efficiently, and how to conserve fuel. After going through each stove component the group learned how to pressurize the fuel tank and get the stove running with the correct temperature.

Throwing on a pot of tea water the group worked on carving projects while our peppermint tea brewed. As we sipped tea we cleaned up our project and about half the group decided to play another round of Spider’s Web while the rest continued to carve. Within a few minutes the Spider had all the flies on his web and our energy scattered, so the mentors called the group together for a sit spot.

Spreading out over the land the boys got quiet. As we sat the gentle breeze blew through the trees as it traveled across the mountains, created a rising and falling whirl as it passed through. It’s moments like these that remind us just how truly magical our home is. It’s the land where the sea and mountains meet, where wild spaces are just outside of our backyards, where adventure is at our fingertips, and the power of the wildland’s resilience and mass are apparent.

Calling the group back in the boys looked more settled. Sharing our sit spot stories the group really seemed to be fascinated with the mystery and history of this patch of woods. They brought up excellent tracking questions: how did fire that scorched the trees start? How long ago trees had been patch been logged? What wildlife lives in a mixed use for such as this one? What type of trees did the stand primarily consist of? How many hours it would take to traverse to Pine and Cedar? For the Explorers it is this type of questioning that opens their eyes, that takes them outside of themselves, that help them reflect and slow down, and begins to build in them that overall appreciation for everything in this life. Their engagement and fascination in the natural history of the local environment demonstrates their deep relationship and connection with the land.

We shared a powerful circle of thanks before heading back down the power line clearing. Needless to say the Alevin will be revisiting this location next fall season! The mentors would like to thank Logan for volunteering and continuing his journey this spring season in the Art of Mentoring as an Explorers Mentor Apprentice. Debriefing on our day with Logan we shared our excitement for the Alevin Explorer’s awaiting adventures. This group demonstrates the responsibility and leadership needed to begin to navigate both the physical and cultural wilderness that awaits them!

For more pictures from the outing please visit the Alevin’s photo gallery.