The Branch Hoppers make Char Cloth at Stewart Mountain

When an Explorer spends time in a natural environment they begin to recognize and anticipate the cyclical events by which the natural process follows.  The Branch Hopper’s outing at Stewart Mountain marked the revisiting of two such events. First, exactly one year ago the group explored the exact same location on the cusp of the Vernal Equinox. Second, it would be the third year in a row that the group had shared an exploration together on their consistent mentor’s birthday.

Circling up at the trailhead the boys were squirrely but managed to pull their focus together enough to formulate a plan for the day. The boys were anxious to head up into Stewart Mountain’s watershed and play a round of Spider’s Web. In keeping with our theme for the season the mentors had brought the materials to create Char Cloth so that the boys could add yet another tool to their fire making kits. Fire skills, along with a long sit spot, were the only two activities that the mentors were adamant about holding to.

With that we were off and the boys choose to hike directly up the logging road instead of using the engineered trail. The road was steep and soon the group was peeling off layers and guzzling water. In the early spring the fringes of the logging roads are a great place to track the seasonal changes that occur. Hiking along the boys ate the fresh Indian Plum leaves, noticed the nettle shoots popping up, and marveled at all the kinds of different buds sprouting on the trees and shrubs.

Just outside of Whatcom County Parks land the boys plopped down in the power line clearing and ate some lunch. Calling for the Tribal Elder the group choose to spend some time exploring the woods on the opposite side of the clearing to look for the ideal place to play Spider’s Web.

Crossing under the power lines the group noticed how many invasive species were growing. The mentors explained that anywhere the forest canopy was cleared left an opportunity for invasive plants like blackberries and Scotch Broom to capitalize. Across the clearing the group entered into the wood and quickly found a viewpoint that looked east into a valley that seemed rarely explored. Tracking the groups curiosity and desire to venture into uncharted territory the mentors could infer that these Explorers have truly internalized a wonder and interest for the natural world.

Back at our basecamp the group got to work creating Char Cloth for their fire kits. They did an excellent job being present for the process and holding their focus. As we worked the sun broke through the clouds and the group laid back in the grass and absorbed some much-needed vitamin D. Check out the steps to making Char cloth below, and don’t forget to share these with your Explorer.

Making Char Cloth

What is it?

• “Char cloth (also called char paper) is a swatch of fabric made from vegetable fiber (such as linen, cotton or jute) that has been converted via pyrolysis into a slow-burning fuel of very low ignition temperature.” — Basically, char cloth is created by combusting an organic material in a way that releases its gasses without burning it up completely.
• The resulting substance has a low ignition temperature — just a single spark or point of heat can start it burning. Once the char cloth has been set off, it will ignite your tinder easier than had you employed the original spark/heat source directly to it. Char cloth smolders longer than a match,

What do I make it out of?

• Make sure the fabric is 100% cotton, linen, or hemp. It needs to be a plant fiber for the pyrolysis reaction to work. A man made fiber will melt and a protein fiber like wool or silk won’t have the same chemical reaction.

How do I do it?

• Step 1: To ensure complete, uniform charring, cut your cotton material into strips/pieces that can be placed into your can without their being rolled or folded up.
• Step 2: Make a small hole in the top of your can with a nail or other tool. The hole will allow the smoke/gasses out of the can. You don’t want the hole too big, as this will let oxygen into the can, causing the cloth to burn.
• Step 3: Seal the container and place it on a small fire or a bed of coals. Smoke should escape from the hole in the can. If flames appear around it, that’s okay. Watch the can, and once it has stopped smoking, turn it over. It will begin to smoke again. Once this smoke has stopped, remove the can from the fire.
• Step 4: Inspect your char cloth. It should have turned black but not become ash, and feel semi-rigid without being brittle.

·       Step 5: Separate the pieces to give them a little air, and then either store them in the charred can (wipe off the soot and peeling paint) or in something more compact, like an old film canister (do they make those anymore either?).

As we packed up from our skills session a few boys ventured out to set up a game of Spider’s Web at a location they had scouted earlier. The course for the game proved to be quite challenging because the spider and the food source were situated on a knoll that gave the spider the perfect advantage for catching flies. This did not detour the flies and they put in a valiant effort. Calling the game early the mentors sent the boys out on a sit spot to do an activity called a sound map.

To make a sound map one needs to sit with their eyes closed and listen to the sounds of the landscape for five minutes. Then taking a piece of paper they draw themselves in the middle of the page and make a drawing in the direction that they hear a different sound. Spring is a great time to do this activity because of the abundance of bird language that fills the forest.

Coming in from their sit spot the boys circled up and showed off their maps. It was fascinating to see the boy’s different approaches to the process. Our BEC mentors have identified the need to bring more intentional programming around journaling opportunities for our Explorers on sit spots. We feel that it will provide the space for the Explorers to process through writing prompts and interact with the landscape in new ways.

We shared our thanks together as we passed around Mint Chip Sugar Cookies that Steve’s wife Danielle had graciously baked for the boys on behalf of his birthday. A few of the Explorers liked the treat so much they asked for the recipe (which we have shared a link to above). Our mentors are grateful to share in the cyclical tradition of birthday celebrations and in welcoming the turning of winter into spring with these fine young men. What a pleasure it is to walk beside them as they grow and mature together. Each passing year our relationship as mentors/mentees grows deeper and more meaningful.

For more pictures from our outing please visit the Branch Hopper’s Photo Gallery from the day.

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.