Red Tailed Eyas traverse the Chuckanuts

When planning the Spring Season for the Red Tailed Eyas The culminating traverse from the two dollar trail up to fragrance lake and down to larrabee state park was a gamble. Mid November can provide us with nice sunny weather for outings, but it can also dish out a fare share of rainy windy and cold days. The Red Tailed Eyas lucked out on the weather as it happened to be a beautiful clear crisp fall day; perfect for a long traverse in the Chuckanuts.

With a cold day we all decided to hike the first part of the trail before sitting for our opening circle. The two dollar trail starts of by gaining a good chunk of elevation in a series of steep switchbacks; perfect for warming up our bodies. At the top of the switch back the boys in front found a wonderful spot for an opening circle just off the trail under a couple of large cedars and douglas firs. We settled into a circle to hand out jobs and talk about our traverse. A traverse is unique to Explorers in that it requires a certain amount of commitment since it demands ending up at a specific spot at the end of the day.

With a tribal elder now in place we left it up to The Red Tailed Eyas to decide where they wanted to take breaks and how they wanted to spend the time that we wouldn’t be hiking. The boys were reluctant to step up to make the decision and spent most of the first part of the circle talking amongst themselves about unrelated topics instead of working together to make the decision. As a mentor this is a tricky moment where you need to provide the boys enough time and space to make the decision on their own with the belief they have the skills to do so; but also give them enough guidance and tools to make the decision making process as smooth as possible. It took a while and more guidance than usual but eventually the Red Tailed Eyas came together and made some key decisions about the day. As we began hiking one of the boys said “wow that didn’t take much time once we all focused on what everyone was saying” I couldn’t have agreed more.

With our decision made we began the hike up the trail toward fragrance lake. The hike went quickly. A good pace and few stops got us up to the lake in time for lunch. We found a great spot around the edge of fragrance lake. An open sandstone rock provided enough space for everyone to spread out. As we sat we saw the ripples cast by small fish feeding at the surface of the lake, and saw several birds fly far above us. Even on this still cold day the forest was full of life.

The cold weather kept our lunch break short; before leaving we gathered the boys together to make a quick decision on whether we wanted to head straight down to larrabee state park and have extra time at the beach, or spend our extra time in the forest around the lake. Again the Red Tailed Eyas could not hold their focus in the group long enough to make this decision quickly. With everyone getting cold as we stood there a couple boys stepped up to be really strong leaders in the group and help the boys make a decision.

We decided to spend our time up by the lake playing Spiders Web.The boys found a great spot for a game and organized it with little help from the mentors. It was nice to see the Red Tailed Eyas take initiative and really throw themselves into making a group decision. We had a short, but really good game of Spiders Web before it was time to begin our hike down.

We had a quick and pleasant hike down from fragrance lake and made it to larrabee with plenty of time for a good closing circle. In our closing circle the boys all shared sincere gratitude from the day and talked excitedly about the upcoming Spring Season. Thank you Red Tailed Eyas for your persistence and growth with group decisions and your undying curiosity and enthusiasm about the forest. Please checkout our photo gallery from more pictures from our outing!    

Red-Tailed Eyas traverse from Pine and Cedar to Arroyo

Our first outing of the Fall season fell on a September day that felt much like a summer outing; clear blue skies and mild temperatures. The idea for this outing was born from numerous hikes I have been on in the Chuckanuts and a desire to connect two of the major trail systems that climb the North side of Chuckanut Mountain. The landscape between Pine and Cedar Lakes trail and Arroyo park is full of deeply furrowed ravines and steep ridgelines. Knowing the Red Tailed Eyas to be a capable and strong group, both physically and in their group cohesion it seemed the perfect first outing for these guys.

We began climbing the Pine and Cedar lakes trail in search of a good location for an opening meeting. At the opening meeting we handed out jobs, talked about our Summers, and took a look at the topographic map of the Chuckanuts. We spent a good chunk of time looking at the map and identifying the easiest route across the slope and deciding at what point we would leave the established trail to start our bushwhack. A handful of the boys took initiative with reading the map and selecting the ideal route for the group.

As we left the trail we circled up one more time to make sure that we were all clear on the plan and felt up to the adventure of traversing this much ground without the aid of a trail. All the boys felt confident and expressed their interest in continuing the traverse.

The first part of the traverse proved to be easy travel along an obvious flat bench that traversed the hillside. Sword ferns as tall as our chests, towering hemlock and douglas fir trees provided the perfect ecosystem to travel through. As we traversed further along the hillside the terrain steepened and we spent more and more time closely examining the map to find the best route. At this point in the traverse we talked about Acceptable risk (or risk we can mitigate) versus risk we were not willing to accept as a group. It was a fruitful discussion for those involved and provided clarity on what kind of terrain we were will to travel through. We all decided that the hillside we wanted to climb fell into the category of acceptable risk that we could handle safely as a group.  

After a steep climb up a hillside we found a nice flat spot to take a break and eat some lunch.  Looking at the map we could see that from here we had to descend into the main drainage that separated the two trail systems. The topographic lines on the map indicated both a steep descent into creek and a steep climb back up the other side. The Red Tailed Eyas looked down into the creek and planned out and excellent route that would lead us through this section. One by one we all scrambled down the hill toward the creek and began the trek up the other side.

At the top of the hill we all grouped up and congratulated each other on our effort. From here we trekked the short distance out to the hemlock trail. As soon as we hit the trail all the boys celebrated  our completed traverse and expressed their enthusiasm and sense of accomplishment.

Unlike many of our outings with more of an emphasis on wandering and and following our inspiration on where to go and how to spend our time there, this outing was a much more directed traverse. Both types of exploration are important and teach us different lessons about the places we go. I was really impressed by the boys that were committed to learning how to read the map and plan a route across unknown terrain. Beyond the lessons of reading maps and navigating terrain I think the group learned a lot about approaching challenging situations and the value of working together as a group in these situations.  

Red Tailed Eyas Traverse Chuckanut Creek to Mud Bay

Planning can only take you so far, In the end it is the land that dictates what direction our day will take and it is our job to listen and follow this inspiration. So it was on the Red Tailed Eyas outing at Arroyo park. Steve and I had planned a day with the intention of giving the boys time to work on creating their bow drill kits. This plan quickly evaporated as we bushwhacked down toward Chuckanut creek. We passed under the large hand shaped leaves of Devil's Club, avoiding their spiny stalks before we broke out onto  a sunny sandbar along the creek. Here the boys dropped their packs and began hopping along the edge of the creek.

Exploring a downstream we discovered where the creek passed through a giant tunnel under chuckanut drive. feeling the call to explore the unknown and the warmth of the sun many of us were excited to explore further down the creek even if it meant getting our feet wet for the day. This led us to our first group decision; walk down the creek and commit to wet feet? Or stay in the upland forest with dry feet? Unlike a decision of whether or not to play a game of spiders web where you can sit out if you don’t want to play this decision held a much higher level of commitment. We formed a circle on the sandbar at the mouth of the tunnel and tried to come to a consensus about what to do. The boys had strong opinions on both sides of the issues; some feeling strongly about exploring downstream, others opposed to having wet feet. The boys were slow in settling down to a point they could really listen to each other and come to a coherent decision. As mentors steve and I held the space for the Red Tailed Eyas to make this decision. Making a decision as a group is challenging, it takes focus and the ability to listen to others. The Red Tailed Eyas had a hard with this and took some guiding from steve and I along the way.

The group came to the decision to go down the creek and explore it as far as we could, committing to wet feet and a sense of adventure. We set off through the tunnel, Explorers laughing with excitement as we waded through the cool water. Emerging from the tunnel onto a beautiful stretch of creek with dappled sunlight overhung by salmon berry and devil's club we were all happy we had gone this way. It is a really amazing perspective to be right in the creek looking up at the banks as we walked by. We found small fish, explored huge clay banks, navigated waste deep sections and marveled that we had found a spot that not one of us had ever explored. For those that had not wanted to get their feet wet initially it was good to see them confront their edge and embrace the wet feet and the mobility we had as a group once we committed to this.

As we moved down the creek we began to realize that we must be getting close to the ocean. Sure enough a couple more bends in the river and we broke out onto the sunny shore of mud bay. The tide was out and as far as we could see a great expanse of mud lay in front of us. The Red Tailed Eyas dropped their packs and made their way out onto the mud flats. Before long we had all lost any attempt to stay clean, crawling, wading, getting stuck, rinsing off, crawling again, walking on all fours, any way to move through the mud. It was a great experience to all be in the same mindset of just wanting to play in the mud and explore the tidal flats.

As our time drew toward an end an Explorer cut his leg on some barnacles so we began moving back to shore to clean the wounds and get packed up to go. Despite the fact that these wounds were only superficial cuts to the first layer of skin and presented no risk if we cleaned and dressed them properly it is important in these moments to act as a group. Part of acting as a group is asking yourself “what can i be doing for the group right now?” Part of asking yourself this question is forgoing some of your personal needs in order to help the group. The Red Tailed Eyas struggled with this as Steve cleaned out Barnacle cuts and I tried to gather everyone on the beach. The boys had little awareness for what the group needed and how they could enable that. This was a valuable learning moment for the group and i believe it served as a good lesson for all the boys whether they realized it or not.

Dirty, tired, but immensely happy we finished our day with a closing meeting in the tall grass of Woodstock farm. The day was really powerful; full of exploration, new places, pure happiness, stretching our edges, and coming together as a group. The challenges of the day presented themselves as group work and thinking about “We” not only “Me”. I am excited for many of these boys to backpack with Wild Whatcom this summer to further hone their group abilities. It was a wonderful day and could not have been a higher not to end a great season on! Parents thank you for all your support throughout the season and Red Tailed Eyas thank you for your enthusiasm and joy throughout the season. Be sure to check out our photo gallery for more photos.  

Red Tailed Eyas at Clayton Beach

The Chuckanut mountains are one of my favorite places in bellingham; ocean to the West and fading away into the cascades to the East. These outing are always fun, but particularly when the are in a location that is so expansive and inspiring. The Red Tailed Eyas began to arrive and gather in the dappled sunlight that had found the grass and warmed us up for the time being. We had a quick opening meeting and headed into the forest.

 I really wanted to do some blindfold games with the boys and so we started with a drum stalk. Traditionally a drumstalk is done by one person standing a ways off in the woods and everyone else making their way blindfolded toward the sound of the drum. With no drum i substituted a crow call instead. It took a while to get everyone together and blindfolded, but soon enough the boys formed a line blindfolded and began to follow the sound of my crow call. At first there was a lot of joking and yelling, but the explorers quickly realized that it was impossible to hear while being this loud. After a few minutes of chaos everyone quieted down. We are all such visual people and rely so much on this one sense. To see all the boys settle into trusting their sense of touch and hearing was really cool. As they drew closer I saw them do an amazing job navigation fallen trees, branches, rocks, and other obstacles throughout the forest. We had a short debrief about the drum stalk. What was challenging? What was easier than you expected? What would you try differently. After about fifteen minutes of discussion all the boys asked if we could do it again.

 We finished our second drum stalk and made our way to our packs to load up. We chose to head toward the beach, but instead of heading back out to the main trail the Explorers decided we should follow deer trails down there. Excited to explore with the aid of our eyes we all headed off along small game trails. At the top of a small hill we stopped to regroup and take a water break. When we started moving again groups of explorers all began to move in three different directions. It took along time to do so, but finally we all managed to stand in a circle. I know it is a lot for these boys sometimes but a circle is our best tool for making these decisions. As the Explorers talked about which direction to head I could see the frustration of many of the boys growing as our time ticked by and people focus on the discussion waned. It is a fine line between holding these boys to making decisions as a group and not letting them get too frustrated by the decision making process. Just when i thought i would have to step in to guide the conversation the boys all agreed on a direction and we were off.  

 Following deer trails is a really fun way to move through the forest, Seeing how the animals choose to move, ending up places you never would otherwise, finding deer carcoses, taking breaks in unexpected meadows, but the pressure this kind of travel puts on moving as a group and constantly making decision to access What direction to travel or which small trail to take can sometimes be a lot for these boys.

 We made it down to the warm sunshine of clayton beach, such a welcome relief from the cold dark forest we had been moving through for the last couple hours. Sandstone cliffs, running down the beach, watching waves, looking at the islands, playing in the sand, Playing “the old blind cougar” game, blindfold time, sneaking up on each other, laughing, and so much fun on the beach. The Red Tailed Eyas still have some work to do on their ability to act as a group and make decisions together, but they are such a joy to explore with! The group is full of enthusiasm and they all have some very impressive skills when it comes to the forest. Thanks for a great season explorers and parents, please look at our photo gallery to see what these boys have been up to!  

Hiking Chuckanut Mountain with the Red-Tailed Eyas

The Red-Tailed Eyas arrived at Arroyo Park bouncing up and down with excitement. This was partially due to the fact that they had not seen each other very much over the winter season and partially because of the warm weather. A big thanks goes out to Brian Mulligan for stepping in as a Co-Mentor for the day. In the last year the Boys Explorers Club has been building a large volunteer Mentor community. Circling up I introduced Brian to the group and we talked a little about what it means to create community and how valuable it is to build social capital amongst your community members. After handing out jobs and sharing something fun that we did this winter the group was off.

Chuckanut Creek roared next to us as we hiked through the bottom of the valley. The Red-Tailed Eyas are really developing an eye for the natural world. One of the boys pointed to a Red Alder that had fallen over the creek. Investigating the hole that was made in the absence of the Alder roots one of the boys found a skeleton of a salmon embedded in the riverbank. Another Explorer asked if the group thought the salmon was fresh. Tracking that Chum and Coho Salmon usually run up Chuckanut Creek from October through December we knew that it must have been from the last salmon run. This was a great opportunity for Mentors to talk about the importance of salmon in our ecosystem. When the salmon die and decompose in streams the soil then becomes enriched with ocean minerals that are leached into the ground, creating a habitat that is able to support a richer diversity. Our question about the mystery behind this salmon carcass also led to the question of who might have eaten it. Was it a coyote or a Bald Eagle? Through our investigation we oriented to each connection that we make when we deepen our appreciation for the natural world and build a relationship with the landscape.

Looking at the forest it was plain to see that there had been turbulent changes throughout the winter storms. Downed Cedar and Alder littered the landscape. As a group we remembered back to the heavy snowfall we had received a few weeks earlier. The snow loading on the trees and the heavily saturated soil caused carnage. Starting up the steep switchbacks we came upon a piece of missing trail. An Alder had fallen, taking the section of trail down the hillside with it. Examining the Alders upturned roots it was easy to see how vital these root systems are to keeping the soil in place.

Just as we came up to our first trail junction someone shouted Hide! It turned out to be a very challenging game for the Explorers. With so many downed branches there was an abundance of great hiding spots. This was also a good time to talk with the Explorers about the importance of being aware of widow-makers and snags. Mentors explained that, “as much as we investigate on the forest floor we need to be aware of the potential hazards that lie above.” Sometimes trees and branches are weakened or only fall halfway. With this in mind we turned once again to our days exploration. As a group the boys worked together to Collaborate and Compromise on which trail they would take next. They chose to challenge themselves and take the high road. Learning how to flex with the groups needs while still listening to individual needs is a skill that is forming in the Red-Tailed Eyas. With each outing their leadership is tested and grows.

Starting back up the flanks of the Chuckanuts the group pushed themselves, mustering their energy. The Explorers were anxious to make it to a location that they had explored a few seasons prior, Cougar Rock. Cougar Rock sits on a shelf like ridge on the steep flanks of Chuckanut Mountain. This glacial erratic is not made of sandstone but of a much older rock that was carried by glaciers from the BC Coast Mountains. The Explorers climbed all over the rock; getting to practice the spotting techniques they learned last time they were here. While some of the boys climbed others stayed on the ridge shelf, carving with Brian. Providing the boys with the free time to explore and follow their inspirations is one gift we as Mentors can give them. I really see the creative side of the Explorers come out in these moments. As we were getting ready to move on one Explorer was struggling with the fear of jumping off Cougar Rock. It was wonderful to watch the boys support and encourage him in overcoming his fears.

Once we had our fill of climbing the group called for a game of Spider’s Web.The Mentors challenged the group to find a new location to play the game. This would mean hiking further than they had ever been before. They rose to the occasion and turned the hike into a trail game. Getting into our animal forms we played Cougar Stalks Deer. Halfway through the game the deer ran too far ahead leaving sound distance. This was an important time for the Mentors to talk about staying within sound distance even when were in the height of a game. This is the only way we can stay safe and be responsible for one another as a group.

Hiking further up the trail we came upon a cascading stream that flowed all the way down the valley to Chuckanut Creek. We listened to what Mentors and a few of the boys agreed to be one of the most soothing sounds, falling water. Just beyond the creek we came upon an old cabin sitting atop the ridgeline. This was the location that the Explorers had been looking for. The group scouted the land and came back to report on the best place to play. In the midst of deciding we heard multiple Barred Owl calls. Breaking our circle we crept over to the patch of trees we thought they were in. One of the Explorers spotted them and realized that there was a third. We heard a fledgling begging call and realized that it was most likely a pair and their fledgling. What a special moment to witness with the group. The Explorers decided that they should give the owls some space and this guided their decision on where to play.

After a challenging game of Spider’s Web it was time to start hiking down, but not before sharing a snack and having a closing meeting. Sitting in a circle we gave thanks for blooming Indian Plums and Nettles, for the owl fledglings and all the other signs of spring, for the chance to challenge ourselves as a group, for Cougar Rock, and for games and play. Brian and I encouraged the Explorers to continue challenging themselves in all aspects of their lives. Just as our challenge on this outing led to an animal sighting and new locations, challenges in our lives will lead us to finding our gifts and growing. The Mentors would like to thank all the parents and support staff that comes together to facilitate these wonderful outings. We look forward to our upcoming spring outings with the Red-Tailed Eyas. 

Be sure to checkout more pictures of the outing in our photo gallery.