The Alevin's First Exploration of the Rock Trail

Driving up Cleator Road to the Cyprus Gate Overlook the mentors discussed the possibility of a road closure due to downed trees. Sure enough, pulling up to the upper Fragrance Lake Trailhead there was a gate across the road where we could see a large Douglas Fir blocking any vehicle from passing.

As the Alevin arrived we gathered and explained that our hike to the Rock Trail was going to be extended by a mile or so. The mentors asked the group to track back to Wednesday night and think about the powerful windstorm that had battered the Pacific Northwest. The boys talked about the sound of the wind and a few trees that had fallen near their houses.

Our plan for the day was to have some free exploration on the Rock Trial, being that it was the group’s first ever exploration here, and to find Lost Lake with the intention of having a sit spot and some tea on it’s shore. Revisiting our skill for the season, a continuation of fire by friction, the mentors asked the group if they still had their fire kits from last season. We were pleasantly surprised when most of the boys answered that they still had their materials. Alevin, nice work hanging on to these materials over the winter; they are not that easy to harvest! Next outing we will be headed to Lizard Lake where we will be able to build a proper fire, so make sure you bring your fire kits!

As we hiked up the logging road towards the trailhead Brian let the group know that there were two ways to navigate there. One was to follow the road all the way to the top and the other was to take what he coined “Brian’s Shortcut”. After a little group decision-making the boys decided to try out “Brian’s Shortcut”, which involved leaving the logging road and hiking off-trail directly up the mountain.

The boys sweated and strained as they battled their way up the mountain. Upon reaching the top they decided to never again take “Brian’s Shortcut”. They acknowledged that the cold and chill they were feeling in the parking lot had all but absolved by our route.

Looking to our left we found a healthy Stinging Nettle patch and filled our pot with leaves with the hope of tea by the lake. As we made a final push to the trailhead the group marveled at the sights and smells of spring: the bright colors and rich aroma of Salmonberry and Indian Plum flowers, Big Leaf Maples buds, new leaflets on the Huckleberries and Ocean Spray, and the saucer like fruiting bodies of the Usnea Lichens.

The view of the bay from the Cyprus Gate Overlook was awe-inspiring. As a group we worked on identifying landmarks: Clarks Point, Mud Bay, Lummi Spit, and Locus Beach. The wind over the water made uniform swell lines across the bay. As the clouds sailed by over our heads sun breaks would hit the bay, lighting up the shallow water like a tropical reef.

Proceeding down the Rock Trail signs of Wednesday’s storm were everywhere. Broken Douglas fir branches blanketed almost every part of the forest floor. Arriving at the first staircase the group marveled at the steepness of the wooden steps as we descended down next to a sheer wall of Sandstone that was over forty feet high.

Passing through the seemingly endless sandstone cliffs and ridges we couldn’t help but immerse ourselves in the topography. Stopping to eat some lunch, we found a series of small caves on a cliff-side. A few were big enough to climb in. The group spent some free time climbing around exploring the location. Once we had had our fill we headed down switchback after switchback, eventually arriving at the lake.

Passing through a maze of young Doug Fir and Salal the group navigated to the Eastern outpour of the lake. Following the drainage the group found a thirty-foot waterfall that was really flowing! Feeling the call the boys spread out over the land and settled back into the moss for a sit spot next to the falls. The sounds of cascading water filled the valley as the boys sat still and quiet.

Meanwhile one of the mentors harvested some water and got a pot of nettle-peppermint tea boiling. Calling the group back in from their sit spots we shared apples and thanks as we watch a few Eagles soar over Lost Lake.

Gathering our strength the boys made a huge push back up the rock trail. As we crested the top of Chuckanut Mountain the cool breeze acted like air conditioning, refreshing us all. The boys laughed and joked as we hiked down the logging road towards the gate. The mentors trailed in the back discussing one challenge we’ve faced with the group that we’d like to work on this season. The Alevin’s challenge comes in their ability to recognize transition times between silliness and play and times where we need to bring our focus together. Throughout the season Brian and I will aim to offer the boys more leadership opportunities to experiment with these transitions and model them amongst their group.

The mentors are thankful for a powerful start to our fall season and for the spirit of exploration these Explorers bring to our outings. We look forward to every opportunity to get outside with the Alevin!

For more photos of the Alevin’s Rock Trail outing please visit the photo album from the day.

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!

Alevin Learn the Art of Fire by Friction at Clayton Beach

The Alevin arrived at Clayton Beach to find the mentors mulling over a pile of Alder, Cedar, and Vine Maple. Once everyone was present the mentors called a circle and informed the Explorers that they would spend a good portion of the day delving into the skill of fire by friction. Needless to say the boys were excited! The group agreed to put their full attention towards the task, recognizing that this was our first and last chance to practice our seasonal skill.

Fire by Friction is a culmination of many of the previous skills these boys have been working on. It requires local knowledge of the flora and fauna, an eye for harvestable materials that are just the right shape and size, advanced carving techniques, knot tying skills, and above all patience and focus.

In an effort to try and align the flow of the outing with the boys natural energy cycle the mentors have switched to focusing on skills at the start of the outing and then delving into more free time and exploration as the day goes on. We find 10:00 o’clock to be the prefect time; the boys are not distracted by hunger or sleepiness and are not in the post-lunch food coma or ready to take a siesta. Our aim is to provide the best opportunity possible with our limited time together to help the boys learn these crafts.

Gathering our supplies the group motored down the trail to Clayton Beach where we found a secluded cove to practice our skill. The boys turned their attention to a mentor who had pulled out a bow drill kit, passing it around the circle. He explained that a bow drill kit is made up of five components: a top rock, spindle, bow, fireboard, and tinder nest. Making fire is a hard skill to wrap your mind around until you see it in action. Once the group was oriented to the components of a fire kit they gathered close as the mentor demonstrated the process. Slowly through friction of the whirling spindle against the fireboard, a small coal started to form and the smell of smoke rose into the air. Dropping the coal into a Cedar bundle the mentor gently blew the coal into flame. There was a resounding “awe” around the circle.

At this point the group couldn’t contain themselves any longer, anxiously awaiting the chance to start working on their own fire kit. Passing around pieces of seasoned Red Alder the Explorers started to carve away on spindles and top boards. It was inspiring to watch the Alevin work. They put in a solid effort of struggling their way through working with the Alder. Initially when the Alevin were learning to carve they started off with Red Cedar because of it’s softness, and although great for utensils it makes poor spindles and fireboards. A few hours and a whole lot of blisters later the boys had some excellent straight and circular spindles carved. Using their spindles they practiced with the mentors fire kits, finding the actual process quiet difficult.

It’s amazing how much our knowledge of and experimentation with Earth Skills can teach. While the mentors coached the boys they reiterated over and over again our motto, slow is fast and fast is slow. Although none of the boys started a fire a few saw smoke starting to rise off the fireboard.

Checking the clock it had been two and a half hours since we started our skill focus and it was time to pack up and head down the beach. As we traveled the rocky shoreline the boys scavenged for top rocks for their kits until we came to a beautiful spot for a sit. Sending the boys out to find a peaceful place they sat staring out at the ocean and listening to the land. Our sit spot was incredible, there was a Bald Eagle sitting in the tree next to us and a Yellow-Billed Loon calling out as he foraged the Eelgrass beds for food.

With the tide on its way out the mentors called the group back together and we spent the rest of the day investigating the intertidal region of the beach. Clayton Beach’s old pillars and rocky breakwater provide the prefect habitat for all sorts of gastropods, anemones, and crabs. As we explored one of the boys called the group over to try and identify a mysterious creature. Sure enough it was a Hooded Nudibranch and as we looked we saw more and more of them. It was fascinating to watch the Nudibranch dance and flutter through the eelgrass as it searched for zooplankton and jellyfish. 

Calling the group together we shared a circle of thanks on the beach. The boys gave thanks for the ability to work on fire by friction, for the weather holding out so we could have uninterrupted skill focus, for Clayton Beach and all the mystery that lived there, and for quiet time and sit spots. Before breaking our circle the mentors reminded the group that fire comes with a great responsibility and it is our job to pass down this ancient skill from generation to generation. Fire has allowed humans to make tools, cook, purify water, warm our shelters, regulate landscapes, and provided a hearth for us to gather around. It demands focus and attention, and if we let our guard down or allow ourselves to get careless we have the potential to do great harm.

Heading up the beach we were stopped for yet another nature moment, finding a decomposing Harbor Seal in the high tide line. Flipping it over we examined its bones structure before returning it to its originally resting position. What an amazing day for wildlife at the beach!

Parents, if your Explorers have any questions about the process of fire by friction or the materials and techniques involved please don’t hesitate to send an email or give us a call. This skill takes time and we will be working on it for multiple seasons to come. For more photos from our outing please visit the Alevin’s photo gallery.

A Wilderness Exploration with the Alevin at Ridley Creek Trail #686

Arriving at Samish Woods Montessori the Alevin Explorers had lightness about their step and a look of excitement in their eyes. After postponing their first exploration due to 50mph winds, the morning’s cloudless sky and gorgeous sunshine affirmed that the mentors had made the right call. Climbing aboard our new bus Moose, the boys were impressed with its quiet engine upon start up and ability to accelerate faster than Stubbs (aka the Banana Slug).

Heading out Mt. Baker Highway the boys reconnected by trying to convince each other of either the Seahawks or 49’ers superiority. Passing Deming we turned down Mosquito Lake Road crossing over the North Fork of the Nooksack and eventually veering off onto Forest Service Road #38.  Twisting, turning, and bumping down the road we had to make multiple stops to allow for some Explorers get some fresh air in an effort to retain their breakfast.

After the thirteen-mile journey, we arrived at the Ridley Creek Trailhead. It was quite brisk and the mentors were pleasantly surprised to see that every Explorer had brought warm layers. The group was anxious to get on the trail, but the mentors held the group as we still needed to pass out jobs and orient ourselves to where we were. 

Taking a look at the topo map is was clear that we were in a very dynamic location. Our trail was roughly four miles one way and started with a crossing of the drainage of the Deming Glacier, which is also the headwaters of the Middle Fork of the Nooksack River. After the creek crossing we would enter into the Mt. Baker Wilderness, climbing roughly 2,000 feet to the beautiful alpine meadows of Mazama Park.

Together we brainstormed precautions and risks that we needed to consider before embarking into the wilderness. We discussed that being farther away from definitive care means having a deepened awareness for oneself and the group while thinking through each decision with this in mind. We also agreed that we needed to pay close attention to what we were doing which extended to our impact on the land.  

Once we were oriented to the landscape and risk involved we talked a little about the trail. Ridley creek is considered a primitive trail, which means that occasionally it requires route finding, there are often downed logs that have to be maneuvered, and the trail is a mix of creek beds, root stairs cases, and loose rocks.

Arriving at the creek it was abundantly clear the sheer volume of water that had flooded its banks during spring. Thankfully the dryer year and the previous days of sunshine left the crossing manageable. Walking across the exposed riverbed we looked to our North for a spectacular view of the Deming Glacier glimmering in the sun, contrasted by the sheer cliffs of the Black Buttes. Looking to our South at Bell Pass we spotted a lone Mountain Goat foraging through the meadow.

Drawing near to the crossing we could hear the river’s roar. Spotting the log bridge we circled up for some risk assessment. The boys identified that the creek was swift but shallow, and the bridge had some frost making it quite slick. Unbuckling their hip belts and grasping the nettle the boys crossed the creek with focus. Our crossing marked a threshold where we left the front country and entered into a rugged wilderness.

Hiking along the sound of the creek started to fade in the distance and the trail began to get steeper and the trees taller. The mentors explained that this portion of the Mt. Baker Wilderness had never been logged and was considerably different than a classic lowland old growth forest. The forest is made up almost entirely of very large Western Hemlock, Mountain Hemlock, and Alaskan Yellow Cedar, and Pacific Silver Fir. We went on to explain that in virgin old growth stands Hemlock is actually the climax tree species while many of our second growth forests near to town are dominated by Doug Fir and Cedar because the Hemlocks have not yet established themselves.

Under shadow of the canopy the forest was damp and wet. Feeling a little hunger the boys pushed onward searching for a sunny spot to eat. Stopping next to a small creek they boys ate and lounged while they searched for Salamanders in the Sphagnum Moss.

After lunch we trekked through the dense forest, taking note of the distinct game trails, which led in all directions. Old growth snags stood like relics keeping watch over the forest.  Pulling over for a rest the group called for a game. Assessing how much time and impact it would have we agreed to play a quick game of Spider’s Web at the bottom of the switchbacks leading up into the meadow and then spend the rest of the time trying to hike high enough for a view. Setting up clear boundaries the boys played a slow and stealthy game is Spider’s Web. One Explorer said that it was “his favorite location he had ever played in”. Grabbing our packs the boys pushed up the switchbacks until we reached our turn-around point.

Disappointed that we would not get a view the group turned around to leave and we saw a shale field just above us. Safely we climbed up it one by one to find our place on the land with a sit spot. Looking across the Middle Fork Valley views of the Twin Sisters were breath taking. As we sat against the warm boulders the vibrant reds and yellows of the Vine Maples shimmered in the wind and a stillness came or the group. If there is one thing we can count on in a wilderness experience it is its ability to take us outside of ourselves and helps us realize that we are part of something that is so much more.

Hiking back down we arrived back at our creek crossing with ample time to explore its banks. While the Explorers basked in the sun, climbed on boulders, and hunted for glacially deposited rocks the mentors cut up some apples. Calling the group together we sat under the shadow of Mt. Baker for a circle of thanks. With all the Alevin’s usual squirreliness aside we held a power moment of thanks. These Explorers really enjoy being in wilderness. They are at home here and share deep connection and reverence for its pristine qualities and endless opportunities. What a wonderful way to begin our fall 2015 journey. Parent thanks you trusting with your boys. We cannot express enough how deeply fulfilling it is to share experiences in the wild spaces with yours sons.

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

Alevin Explorers Service Project - Connelly Creek

The Alevin gathered at the Connelly Creek service site excited to see how the land had transformed over the summer. The day was gorgeous. Not a cloud in the sky and the warmth of the morning sun was just starting to creep over the foothills. Giving the boys five minutes to scout the land the mentors asked the group to track what work had been done so far this season and what worked needed to get done today.

Circling back up the Alevin tracked that the Reed-Canary grass had grown through the six inches of mulch they laid last season and the Alders that had been planted were taken over by Morning Glory during the summer. Although there was much work to do they did track that someone had put in a lot of work to unwind the invasive weed from the Alder’s cages and reestablished the mulch rings around them. They also found that each shrub planted last fall had been weeded and staked out.

Checking the back of the site they found the previous weekends service party had made a large dent in the Blackberries by really putting in an effort to remove their roots. I think it is encouraging for the Alevin to witness the efforts of their fellow Explorers. Our service each season is condensed into four weekends in a row, where each group comes to the same site. In their spring 2015 season the Alevin were the first group out to the sight and spent a majority of their time just trying to maintain what was done in the previous fall 2014 season. This outing they would have a chance to make real headway on the site.

The mentors let the group know that the Red-Tailed Eyas and Gray Wolf Pups would both be joining them. It would be the first time three Boys EC groups would work together in one day and it was up the elder boys (the Alevin) to set the example for the younger ones. We needed to think back to our last wilderness outing and bring the same focus and intention to our service work that day. We let them know that although the other groups were only younger by a year or two they would be looking to them for guidance and mirroring their behavior.

Springing into action the group immediately moved to the back of the site to start loping and digging out the massive blackberry patch. Digging blackberry roots is hard work and the boys are becoming quite skilled with their techniques.  In the Boys EC if someone unearths a massive blackberry root ball it is tradition to hold it up proudly and let out a cheer. After a solid half an hour of work a majority of the group ran off to stalk the arriving Red-Tailed Eyas.

Calling the group back together the boys returned to their tools. It was then that some of the boys decided to turn their focus to cutting back the seemingly endless blackberry hedge while others kept up their work on the roots of the blackberries that were cut in the previous outing. As the other groups joined in the effort became less focused with a majority of the boys deciding to lop blackberries. As blackberry canes piled up the few boys that were digging roots and trimming the pile for bagging became overwhelmed.

As the situation developed a few of the boys, Alevin included, developed a technique for breaking through the dense thicket of dead blackberry canes by breaking them up with large sticks so they could be raked up. This proved too much for the boys who had a hard time keeping their awareness. With the group at critical mass the mentors called the everyone together. We first addressed the importance of having good intention with your tool. This is something that all the groups know well and should be aware of. We then addressed the larger issue of our lack of focus. Having the group take a look around it was clear that we would have to spend the majority of the rest of the outing cleaning up the blackberries we had just lopped. The teachable moment and take away for some of the Explorers in our discussion was their recognition of two important themes, We not Me and Slow is Fast and Fast is Slow. 

Our haste in lopping a large amount blackberry had left us with the slow work of trimming and bagging. The mentors explained to the group that with so many Explorers it was important that we work as a team and if we all follow our own interests we will work against each other. Being able to recognize the needs of the group over our own was vital to our ability to get our work done and give back to the land.

Refocusing our efforts we bagged blackberries until we ran out of bags and soon after it was time for a closing meeting. Circling up on the grass we revisited our wilderness excursion. We had used our group focus to venture deep in the wilderness safely and responsibly and it was important to recognize that the tools we cultivate in the wilderness translate directly to our lives in the front country.

After a lenghty conversation it is important to recognize the good work that the boys were doing. Although unfocused at times, we got a lot done and are doing the important work of giving back to the land that gives so much to us. We then shared some thanks: we were grateful for our time together, for the opportunity to work with our hands and have a relationship with this little patch of wilderness right in our backyards, and for the amazing weather the day provided. With 1,252 of service hours in the last year there is no telling what we can accomplish this year with our number at 169 strong. Parents thank you for your support and care for our work in the community. It is a pleasure to serve with your boys.

For the more picture from the day please visit the Alevin's photo gallery. 

Alevin Explorers Hike Blanchard Mountain to Lizard Lake

The Alevin arrived at the Upper Lily and Lizard Lakes Trailhead followed by a cloud of dust from the dry, bumpy logging road. Once the boys were grouped up and the dust had settled they handed out jobs and gathered round to look at the Chuckanut Recreation Topo map. Orienting the map to the cardinal directions the group determined that we had a 2.5-mile hike with roughly a 1000 feet of elevation gain.

Shouldering our packs we headed up the logging road toward the Alternate Incline connector. After a half mile the group stopped to take a quick break at a clear cut which over looked Alger Alp and Mt. Baker, what a view! A few of the boys commented that they had never see Mt. Baker from this side and had no idea how much lowland wilderness there was before it. Hiking on the boys feasted on the dense Salmonberry thicket that grew along the sides of the road. It’s wonderful to see these boys really know the land; their ability to identify edible plants and track their seasonality does so much more for these boys than just providing them with a delicious trail snack.

Veering off the logging road we began our ascent up Alternate Incline Trail.  The trail is not only beautiful and well engineered, but a wonderful piece of natural history. Tracking the land the Explorers found rusted logging ties, pieces of train tracks, pots and pans; all evidence of the Blanchard Mountains long history of logging and mining. The boys also tracked that every old growth stump in the forest seemed to have burn marks. In 1925 what was left of the old growth on Blanchard Mountain caught fire in a major burn. What an amazing restoration and growth this track of land has had.

After a long climb we reached the junction to Lizard Lake and the boys were thankful to give their legs a rest and eat some cupcakes baked by Terri Van der Vlugt for her son Rhys’s birthday. Thanks Terri! Sitting at the Lizard Lake campsites we made a plan for how we would best use the rest of our outing. The group decided that they’d explore around the lake for an hour and then head to the caves underneath Blanchard Mountain’s North Butte. Mentors told the boys that as long as they stayed near the shore of the lake they would be able to hear the crow call and were free to wander. The lake was a wonderful container for the boys to spend time wandering.

The group dispersed and investigated the mysteries of Lizard Lake: Pacific and Spotted Salamander egg clutches, deer bones, Bog Cranberry, and a fully functioning beaver lodge. Click here to read more about the symbiotic relationship between Spotted Salamanders and green algae. The boys found the beavers of Lizard Lake to be quite active, creating a jungle-gym like maze of fallen logs at the east end of the lake. The boys practiced their balancing techniques as they navigated around patches of Devil’s Club while trying not to fall into the lake. They also spent some time tracking which trees the beavers preferred felling, coming to the conclusion that they would really liked Alder, but would take about anything.

After the group had decompressed we climbed the steep drainage out of the lake basin and over a ridge into field filled with large boulder and caves. Naturally the group scattered like Mountains Goats, bounding and scampering from boulder to boulder. Looking up, Blanchard’s North Butte towered above, beckoning us to climb higher. It was at this time the mentors called the Explorers together to have a conversation about awareness. With some of the boulders as tall as 30 feet the boys needed to show more self-directed risk assessment and attentiveness towards the inherent safety risks of this location. For the Alevin, finding the balance between following their excitement and energy for what is happening in the moment and being able to think preventatively towards their own safety is an edge. As mentors we aim to cultivate this outdoor leadership tool in each one of the Alevin so that we can offer them more freedom and autonomy as we venture further into the wilderness.

Breaking our circle the boys climbed back up the boulder pile and stumbled across a large female porcupine. The porcupine immediately ran under a rock overhang. As the boys crowed around the mentors told them to only approach from one side. When animals feel cornered they will either attack or defend, neither of which is pleasant from a porcupine. Once the boys found a safe distance we sat and observed it. It was truly a magical moment as the boys marveled at such a large and mysterious creature.

Giving the Porcupine some space we put on our headlamps and crawled down into a cave. As we descended in the rocks and air got damp and cold. Finding some light shining through on the other side we emerged a good distance from where we started.  A few of the Explorers claimed to have seen a creature swimming in one of the cave pools. From their description the creature had a beaver like body and tail with porcupine legs and arms and head shaped like a Salamander. Some skeptics in the group thought it to be just a log, but never the less the story of the “Lizard Lake Legend” will live on each time the Boys EC visits Blanchard Mountain’s North Butte.

Packing up we headed back to the Lizard Lake Campsite for a closing meeting. Gathering creek water in a pot and a few armfuls of Western Hemlock twigs we made a fire in one of the designated pits and boiled some water for tea. Going around our circle the boys recounted their adventures of this season and shared apples and thanks. What a powerful closing outing for our spring season.

Neither the Alevin’s energy level throughout the outing nor their enthusiasm to explore over the next ridge waivered throughout the outing. These boys are hungry for adventure and ready for the challenges that Big Wilderness experiences demands. For the boys the rewards of these experiences will be a newfound sense of identity and self, both inner and outer fortitude, autonomy, self-affirmation, maturity, leadership, wisdom, decrement, and responsibility. Brian and I are excited to continue this journey with the Alevin in our summer WE: Wilderness Experiences and in fall with an extend exploration in the Mt. Baker alpine.

Parents, thank you for your continued support and care for the boys and the program, it is a pleasure the mentor your sons. For more pictures from the outing please visit the Alevin’s Explorers photo gallery.