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.  

The Larrabee Traverse with the Red-Tailed Eyas

The fog rolled in over the Salish Sea as a Red-Tailed Eyas gathered for the infamous Larrabee Traverse exploration. It was only thirty minutes away from the high low tide, the sea at nearly four feet, and only a narrow isthmus of land connecting the boat launch area to the Larrabee State Park beach. Right off the bat, this exploration was about focus, working together, rising to the challenges, and working with the landscape. As we circled up, we recognized this, and made a snap decision to get to Larrabee State Park beach right away to have a longer opening meeting there. So Explorers jumped onto logs, trotted across the stone beach, navigated the thin isthmus of land, hopped from rock to rock, and rounded the corner. We chose a good spot to circle up, and we all prepared for what lay ahead.

This outing is not for the faint of heart. Especially when the tide is perpetually coming in. We had a projected high tide at 5:30 PM, which was fairly close to our closing time, and which meant a consistently elevated tide throughout the entire outing. We considered what this meant for the landscape and what kind of obstacles we might face. Safety was a big part of this opening meeting, and so we made sure to recognize how each one of our jobs had an aspect of safety. We would inevitably be doing some rock climbing, some log and rock balancing acts, and we would constantly be in a situation where we would need to stay close together. Everyone on this journey played an essential role.

And then we were off. It wasn't long until we came across the first major obstacle. The water had pushed up against the sandstone and the only way to continue along the coastline was to negotiate a small rock climb and scramble right next to the ocean water. We assessed the situation, set up spotters, established a good route, and went one by one. Each person stretched his edge in his own way, and it was apparent that this outing was that once about unifying the group and about personal growth. Amazing to see how each Explorer problem solved in a slightly different way. We all became very thankful for a dry day when depending on these wonderful sandstone formations.

More obstacles presented themselves throughout the day. There were approximately five major elements that demanded the group attention as we proceeded through them one by one. At one point we even found the need to set up a backpack train. So often, these situations where right over waist or chest deep ocean water.

But the day was not entirely obstacles. There was plenty of discovery and exploration to be had. Sunstars, seastars, hooded nudibranchs, a seal carcass, sea snails, anemones, otter scat, shorebirds, sandstone caves, giant coastal trees, and more peppered our adventure. We did manage to fit in a few games of Hide along the way. We stopped for lunch and Matt told a story that illustrated the necessity of sticking together. At times we took a moment to just enjoy the amazing landscape nearly in our backyards.

The last challenge of the day came as the tide was quickly closed in. We had a final scramble up a waterfall! The Red Tailed Eyas lined up and made their final push toward higher ground. Success!  We ended up on a beautiful Rocky outcropping at the end of a trail that led directly to the Clayton Beach parking lot. We gave a big cheer to recognize everyone's individual accomplishments and our accomplishment as a group. Then we trudged on. The timing could not have been more perfect. We had just enough time to have a final circle meeting at the base of the stairs by the Clayton Beach parking lot. We shared apples, gave thanks, and shared one challenge that we rose to.  A great final offering. Excellent work, Red Tailed Eyas. It is an honor to explore with you. Thank you so much parents for all your enduring support.

Don't forget to check out pics from the outing in our photo gallery.