The Branch Hoppers explore Stewart Mountain & the Art of Shelter-Building II

This being their fourth year in Boys Explorers Club, exploring and connecting with the Branch Hoppers is as familiar as coming home. Being the seasoned Explorers that they are, the boys arrived on Sunday adorned in rain gear with high spirits. The Mentors were thankful to hear that no one from the group was seriously impacted by the storm. Circling up it was great to be in the presence of a familiar cohort and hear about summer adventures. Brian informed the group that instead of spending the day by the lake we would be climbing the lower flanks of Stewart Mountain in search of a good place to build shelters and to be sheltered from any hazards leftover from the storm.

On their last outing of the spring 2015 season the Branch Hoppers made a few outing location requests for their upcoming fall season. The group has spoken fondly of a previous excursion to North Lake Whatcom, in early September. Looking out the window Saturday morning with its ominous rain clouds and occasional gusts it was hard to believe this was the same time of year. The previous year’s outing had been sunny and warm as we spent hours swimming on Whatcom’s shore.

As outdoor guides our mentors are continually impressed by the power of the dynamic landscape in which we live. The Saturday before the Branch Hoppers’ outing now marks the strongest pacific summer storm on record for the Whatcom County area. This storm brought wind gusts up to 56 mph and took down large deciduous branches throughout the county. With much of the foliage still on tree limbs, coupled with brittle branches from the seasonal drought, it was indeed the “perfect storm” causing the Explorers Club to cancel all outings. The Boys EC mentoring team would like to thank the Girls Explorers Club and Wild Whatcom team for their quick response and attentiveness to the change in weather patterns and overall commitment to the safety of our Explorers and mentors.

The mentors told the group that the Alevin Explorers, who are only two years older, were scheduled to climb the west side of Mt. Baker on the Ridley Creek Trail. This difficult terrain required multiple creek crossings and unconsolidated riverbanks. Using this scenario as our frame, the group envisioned that they were the Alevin and had decided to go on the outing anyway, crossing the Ridley Creek in the morning only to find that with the heavy rain and debris flow during the day they were now unable to cross it in the evening. This is one of many scenarios in which a day hike can become an overnight survival situation in the blink of an eye. The boys’ task was to search out an ideal shelter location to weather the storm and take shelter until the creek flow decreased.  

As we hiked the boys looked for a safe shelter location. They were searching for a well-drained, mature stand of Cedar and Douglas Fir with relatively abundant amount of debris and downed branches close by. Scanning the landscape our senses attuned the sweet aroma of morning rain that brought a freshness about the landscape. The Sword Ferns had sprung back up with liveliness and Robins called out in song for the abundance of life giving water and the relief of the southerly wind.

Ten minutes into hiking the group came to a junction in the trail. We realized that no one had handed out jobs and there was no Tribal Elder to facilitate a group decision on which way to go. The boys took a vote and those that were the minority graciously offered to follow the rest of the group on the trail to the right. The Branch Hoppers are becoming skilled at considering transition times when there is a need to flex to each other’s needs and ideas in circle. Brain and I are inspired by their growth and maturity in this arena.

Climbing onwards we passed through second growth stands of Cedar and Maple that eventually gave way to a massive power line clearing. Steeping out of the cover of the forest the sky opened up with rain and we retreated under the dense canopy of Cedars. Pulling out some lunch we nestled ourselves under the umbrella like branches of a Western Hemlock. The temperature was warm and all the boys looked refreshed by the rain.

We then turned our attention to our skill for the season, the Art of Shelter-Building II. The group decided that they would first try to build their own shelters in teams without any guidance and then the group would build the frame and base layers of a freestanding shelter together. All the Explorer teams decided to use existing structures as the base of their shelters. The mentors later cautioned that although finding a lean-to under a tree or shrub can be effective time saver in an emergency, trees often drip water down the trunk and finding just the right shelter materials to fit the shape of the tree can be time consuming.

As the boys worked on their shelters half the group really engaged in the process while others attention dwindled. The mentors attributed the groups’ lack of cohesion and focus to the boys’ excitement to see each other and catch up about their hobbies. On one side of the coin, this behavior is exactly what we want for the boys. They have become so comfortable and relaxed in the natural world and amongst their peers that they carry on as though they were hanging out in their living room. Showing a deep sense of connection with place. On the other side of the coin, their cohesion presents issue when mentors are trying to have the Explorers hone in a specific skill and they are interest in following their own agenda.

Recognizing the need for cohesion and change the mentors stopped the shelter construction to play a few rounds of Hungry Hungry Martin to help break up the task. Once our focus had returned the group revisited and constructed the frame and inner workings of a simple, but sturdy freestanding shelter. The group started off with a strong push, but again half the group broke off in side conversations. In the end those that did participate learned a lot about setting up a shelters frame, matting, and insulation.

Our third outing of the season will provide the perfect opportunity and abundance of resource for the boys to learn the about the second step (insulation) and Final step (3 feet of debris!) of the shelter building process. In our closing meeting the mentors shared with the group that we have been tracking their maturity and see it as vital that they as seasoned Explorers deeply know the skills required for wilderness living. This will not only benefit them on day outings and in emergency situations, but on our backing trips that they will all be eligible for come Summer 2016.

Passing apples around it was clear to see that our core routine of giving thanks holds meaning for these boys. Before our circle closed an Explorer, who shall remain anonymous, gave thanks for the vastness of the wild spaces that is so close to Bellingham. He gave thanks for the vibrant wildland and mentioned that he did not think it would be there when he was old. After further questions and some elaboration he expressed that with all the change in weather patterns, population growth, development, and forest fires he feared this patch of land would most likely not be there when he was old. It was a great time for mentors to encourage the Explorer and group that the future of these and our front country wildlands relies on our ability to know these places deeply while advocating and serving them as a community. It was truly a powerful moment for the boys and a lot for them to hold. This is a conversation that we will continue to revisit over the course of the season.

Finishing our thanks the boys expressed gratitude for: the rain, exploring a new part of a familiar location, storms creating abundance of resource, a powerful start to the fall season, and for the sunshine that broke through the clouds halfway through the outing. Thank you Branch Hoppers for a strong start to the fall 2015 season.

For more pictures from the outing please visit the Branch Hoppers’ photo gallery.