An Exploration into Human Impact and Fire at North Galbraith Mountain Trailhead

It had been two years since the Branch Hoppers explored North Galbraith Mountain Trailhead. In the spring of 2015 the Branch Hopper’s began their carving journey in a valley tucked just southwest of the Birch Street entrance. The boys stood at the trailhead greeting passing mountain bikers, excited to reconnect with the place and delve into the skill of fire making.

The group hiked back into the forest for about ten minutes until they found a desirable place for an opening meeting. With only seven Explorers present handing out jobs was a breeze and the boys worked well together to come up with a plan for the day. The mentors were anxious to teach the group the advanced skill of fire by friction and had purposefully picked the outing location due to the semi recent logging that occurred and the opportunity to harvest off of its timber piles.

Hiking down a fresh mountain biking trail the group came to the edge of the logging clearing only to find a Black-Tailed Deer. The group was quiet and still as they watched the deer grazing on the grass and saplings that had sprung up in the clearing. It was a great chance to talk with the Explorers about the animals that lived on the fringes of the forest. Deer, porcupines, squirrels, raccoons, and crows are just a few of the animals that have learned to thrive and adapt in landscapes where broken sections of the forest canopy exist.

Walking through the logging land the boys said they felt like they were in Mordor from Lord of the Rings and marveled at the massive piles of cedar, maple, alder, and Douglas fir. The mentors told the boys to be on the lookout for a piece of seasoned cedar and Red Alder that was small enough to cut with a pack saw. This was also a great time for the boys to learn how to harvest Cedar bark from downed trees and stumps. The mentors

cautioned the group that this was not something we wanted to take from any living Cedar trees. It was challenging for the boys to identify the Alder from the Maple in piles with the similarity of their bark patterns. It was also fascinating for them to look at the ring patterns in the clean chain saw cuts of large Cedar stumps.

We carful navigated the log piles which were slippery due the misty precipitation falling from the sky; it seemed to saturate and permeate everything including us! We soggily carried the resources to the forest edge while tracking this problematic landscape. The group found a wealth of invasive species which seemed to cover the entire landscape, not to mention the ground water run off that flowed brown with the mixture of mud and topsoil.

It was at that moment the group realized that the valley which they had learned to carve and played Spider’s Web in underneath the shade of Vine Maples and Sword Ferns was also in fact one and the same as the valley they were currently in. Although they didn’t express it in so many words the heaviness and uncertainty was palpable. This was a great time to talk with a few of the Explorers about turning problems into possibilities and recognize that just like the deer we were using the altered landscape to harvest in its temporary larder.

What could we learn from this? First to recognize that our society needs to harvest some wood to build infrastructure, but in applying our mottos slow is fast and fast slow and all things are connected understand that we need to do so much differently and with much more thought and consideration. Turning the problem of logging into a sustainable possibility lies with our future generations ability to help influence and change these practices as a caring and aware community.

Arriving at the clearing’s edge we lunched and began to process the wood in preparation for our fire making kits. Splitting the wood was arduous and the group, including the mentors, seemed to lack awareness for the saturating mist that engulfed the forest. Taking stock, we realized that everyone’s layers were soaked and the boys were beginning to look cold. It seemed as if we were starting to lose our focus. A few boys worked on a shelter with the branches of a toppled Douglas fir while others took shelter under the umbrella-like branches of a mature Cedar tree while working on making a tinder bundle.

It was at this moment that the mentor had a revelation! Rather than persuading the boys to all work on fire by friction kits, allowing them to follow their own method in fire making would give them the focus and motivation to learn. Just like the BEC staff has preferred methods for making fire, so do the boys. It is our role to support and nourish those passions as mentors.

Our goal over the course of the next few outings will be to get the Explorers set up with their personalized fire making kits so that they can become proficient with them. It is far less important that the boys know every technique to making fire than it is that they internalize one method which could end up saving their lives in a survival scenario.

Holding to our commitment to have a sit spot we walked up the trail to the location where we held our opening meeting and spread out. Circling up after our solo time we went around the circle and shared our thanks and stated our intention to pursue a preferred method of making fire.

The Branch Hoppers have really been performing these last few outings. After five year in the program they have hit their stride as a group. They are working collaboratively and making an effort to including one another. Furthermore, they are vocalizing an internalized ethic for the natural environment that seems to contrast with their understanding and accepting of our impact and resource needs as humans. Our hope for the Branch Hopper is that this internal struggle will empower them to become stewards of the natural environmental and community members that will be better equipped to examine our current resource needs and the challenges that lie ahead with the tools awareness, balance, humility, knowledge of place and connection, and environmental and social justice.

For more pictures from our outing please visit the Branch Hoppers’ photo album from the day. Thanks!

Art of Snow Cave Building with the Branch Hoppers

The Branch Hoppers Explorers arrived at Cascades Montessori full of energy and excitement about the extended outing in the Mt. Baker Wilderness. Driving out the 542 the boys spotted Bald Eagles along the North fork of the Nooksack River and marveled at snow walls that started in Deming and grew ever deeper as we slowly gained elevation. The mentors pointed out the significance and importance of the low elevation snow pack for our glaciers, salmon, fire season, and drinking water.

Arriving at the upper parking lot of the boys geared up and we headed towards the backcountry gate. In our opening meeting the mentors let the group know that backcountry travel in the winter is a lot different than an outing in the front country, and although we wouldn’t be venturing out too far from the parking lot it doesn’t take long to be out in the deep winter wilderness.

The mentors went on to explain that knowing the snow pack was of the upmost importance, and that it was another form of tracking. Last weekend it had snowed three to five feet, but on the following Thursday it had rained over four inches, consolidating the layers in the snow pack. However, on Friday it snowed fourteen inches with thirty-five mph winds which added storm slab and wind loading on North to South aspects with subpar bonding to the previous layer.

One mentor passed around a special compass rose that modeled the three different elevation levels and the danger each directional aspect presented. Together we discussed: winter backcountry travel and etiquette, avalanche prone slopes and terrain traps, defined wind loading and storm slab, and located and identified tree wells.

Feeling oriented we headed out in search of the ideal location to build a snow cave. Trudging along the mentors pointed of some of the prominent peaks and backcountry ski runs in the area. Those who were not wearing snowshoes post-holed up to their waists in the snow. This was a challenge for both the Explorers and the mentors!

Arriving at a Northwestern-facing slope we pulled out an avalanche probe and found snow depth at roughly 240cm or 7.8 feet.  This was as far as our probed reached, but from the NWAC meter data at 5,100 feet elevation the snow depth was most likely 16 to 20 feet! Being careful not to compact the snow the group excavated a four by four foot section down five feet before making an entrance to their cave.

The shoveling was difficult with the recent consolidation and the going was slow, but the group persisted. Our goal was to dig into the bottom of the well about three feet then dig slightly upward before we started to excavate out the sleeping area. Having a stair like entry inside the start of the snow cave traps heat within in the structure’s insulating walls. One of the mentors gave an example to the group of sleeping in a snow cave and lighting one emergency candle which brought the temperature up to sixty-five degrees!

Our mentors would like to commend the Explorers for working well together and for their engagement with the place and skill. The boys traded off with the limited amount of shovels and collaborated on each step in the snow cave process. If they were not working on the snow cave they were digging tunnels, side shelters, or creating a sledding track. Over the last few outing the group has really been harmonizing and collaborating, treating each other with respect and care, and listening and being present in the explorations.

The group spent the last part of the day learning the art of shovel sledding, making snow cones with red Power Aid, soaking up Vitamin D and spectacular mountain views, and rejoicing with their peers in the moment. It was truly a pleasure to spend a day in the mountains with the Branch Hoppers. We live in an amazing place and this day was a great way to reinforce this truth. Before heading out we gave some thanks and each Explorer shared about what he had learned and what had challenged him about the process.

For more photos of our winter exploration please visit the Branch Hoppers’ photo album from the day.

Branch Hoppers Explore and Create at Point Whitehorn Marine Reserve

The Branch Hoppers were visibly excited as we headed out to Point Whitehorn to have an opportunity to explore along the coast. Pulling up at the marine reserve we piled out of the bus and circled up. The mentors let the group know that we had observed a trend over our last few outings that if we left the plan up to the group we would generally squirrel out instead of actively engaging in something productive. Our aim for the day was to explore to the beach at high tide, possibly do some carving, and have a nice long sit spot to listen to the migratory shore birds that frequented the area in the winter months.

Turning the meeting over to the group they decided to get out of the steady 15 mph wind and head into the forest to find a sheltered place. Nestling under a predominately Sitka Spruce forest the boys looked around and observed that the ecology was slightly different than we were used to in the lowlands around the Chuckanuts.

The boys did an excellent job of holding their focus and making a plan. We would first head to the beach and spend some down time following our interests, then try and build some sort of driftwood structure while some of the group carved, leaving enough time to hike the mile long preserve to the end of the point for a sit spot and a closing meeting.

Traveling a quarter mile through a dense coastal wetland of Salmonberries, Rose, and Salal the group arrived at an overlook. Although the weather forecast called for heavy rain we were in the perfect micro climate for mild weather. The light cast amazing shadows over the northern Salish Sea and we could see the Canadian Gulf Islands shrouded in shades of gray. What the mentors did not anticipate was the wind blowing due West, creating four to five-foot wind generated swell that crashed on the beach’s high tide line.

The Explorers were immediately captivated and spread out on the cobbled beach playing games of chance as the waves crashed at their feet. It was clear to the mentors that at this moment the land was speaking to the group and the boys were deeply present with it. Following inspiration they gathered beach logs and began to create a giant wind block. The immense power of the wave energy

brought in all sorts of wonders from the intertidal zone onto the cobbles: Decorator and Dungeness crab shells, massive clumps of Bull Kelp and Turkish Towel seaweed, bones from shorebirds and Sculpins, and straight grained Cedar perfect for splitting and carving.

Gathering flat smooth stones one Explorer made a perfect circular fire ring and began to split Cedar for kindling. The mentors brought the group together and asked if anyone noticed the sign at the beginning of the trail. One boy responded “yes” and informed the group that there were no fires allowed at the preserve. The group did a great job of holding to that rule even though they knew they could have a sustainable fire and cover it up without anyone knowing.

Following the Explorers’ inspiration one of the mentors cut a length of Bull Kelp and remembered a story he had read about the Makah Nation sewing together the mouth of a Humpback Whale after the hunt with Bull Kelp so it wouldn’t sink as they paddled it back in. Enlisting a few boys to help, the

mentor lashed three straight poles together at the top with a Bull Kelp and raised a teepee like structure. The Explorers searched the beach for plank like shapes of driftwood and lashed them to one side of a teepee, creating Salish style back rest.

With some wild success at their first creation the group strategized together and wondered if we could make a giant teepee like structure. The boys asked the mentor how many times he had built a teepee. The mentor replied “never”. It was a great learning moment for the group that sometimes trial by fire and experimentation are the best methods for learning a given skill. We tried three times to raise the teepee and found that straight ridgepoles of medium weight gave us the best structure. The teepee must have been 12 feet tall when it came together!

The boys sprang into action wrapping at least one hundred lengths of Bull Kelp horizontally around the ridgepoles. Then something miraculous happened! The group figured out that they could split shingles out of Cedar and weave them throughout the kelp to create a cedar shake style siding. The group worked for an hour with each Explorer entirely focused on the task. Three-fourths of the way through they finished with their creation; the mentors looked at the clock and realized if we wanted to head to the point we would need to leave immediately. This was a tough leadership decision for the mentors. We wanted the group to connect deeply with the place through a sit spot, but we also recognized that they were already connecting with the location through their Earth skills.

Making a triangular decision to head down to the beach the boys seemed frustrated and confused. As they packed up the mentors called the group back together and revisited the decision, recognizing that even we make errors in judgement occasionally. The group unanimously decided to stay and work on the shelter with the mentor’s caveat that we need to hold to a sit spot at the end of the outing.

Through some focused effort and perseverance the group completed their shelter and reveled in their accomplishment. Calling the group back in we packed up and spread out on the beach for a sit spot. As the boys settled in a sun beam broke through the cloud ceiling and illuminated the thriving Eelgrass beds, revealing their aquamarine blues and emerald greens. Common Mergansers, Surf Scoters, Grebes, Loons, and Buffleheads foraged through the beds and rode the wind swell with grace and ease.

The Explorers were present and calm in that moment and did not want to leave, but leave we must. Circling up one last time the group reflected on the season and shared their highlights. We passed around apples after sanitizing our hands and transitioned into the sacred portion of the meeting. The mentors reminded the boys that life is a dance between the sacred and the profane. That a balance of both are important and that our circle of thanks was sacred moment. Reverence for this practice has become deeply engrained in the BH’s culture over our last five years together.

The Branch Hoppers’ thanks gravitated towards heartfelt connection with their peers, the power of the land to inspire, and the sense of craftspersonship that comes with hand work completed in the natural environment. What a pleasure it is to explore and grow with the Branch Hoppers. If there is such a thing as hitting the mark on outings, I would say this was one.

Parents thank you for your support and dedication to the program and for raising your boys with the ideals of love, truth, health, and connection. It is an honor to walk alongside them as they step into Middle School. For more photos from the outing please visit the Branch Hoppers’ photo album and if you have not already checkout the second half of the BH’s 2016-17 schedule posted on their group’s page.

Backcountry Cookin' and an Epic Game of Spider's Web at Lookout Mountain

The Branch Hoppers arrived at Lookout Mountain Forest Preserve to find the Storm Wolves group in the same parking lot. Circling up we introduced ourselves with a silly game and the mentors drew attention to the fact that the majority of both groups had participants who entered Middle School in the start of the fall. Cross-pollinating BEC groups and building strong and supporting relationships is critical as the Branch Hoppers begin their journey into adolescence.

Circling up for an opening meeting the mentors explained that both groups were going to find a location to play a huge game of Spider’s Web before we delved into our focus for the outing, backcountry cooking. Thinking back to their experiences backpacking this summer the group worked to divvy up the cooking gear and jobs before heading down the trail.

It was our intention for both groups to mingle as we hiked, but suddenly we saw a fire crew and the ambulance driving up the logging road. Letting them pass we wondered what was happening. Hiking further we caught up with a few paramedics who informed us someone had been stung by a hornet in the area and was having an allergic reaction. One of the paramedics stepped forward and asked Brian to lend his pack so he could carry gear up the trail. Brian quickly dumped out his pack and it was a great opportunity for the boys to see the power of community members answering the call to service and why it is so important to Be Prepared for emergencies out in the woods.

Hiking further the group passed through a thicket of Salmonberries and young Alder, which was not an ideal landscape for Spider’s Web. Eventually we found an interesting hillside location to set up the game. The course was a great challenge for the boys and we crawled and crept our way through the forest following deer trails and hiding amongst the ferns. After more than an hour the mentors called the game and the group shared highlights and parted ways. 

Brian and a few Branch Hoppers scouted down the trail to a dried creek bed with abundant Vine Maple. Gathering the group we to set up a backcountry kitchen and reviewed kitchen safety. The boys gathered up the gear they had divvied out and set up the stoves. The mentors brought three different types of backpacking stoves to showcase the different options and powers and challenges of each.

One crew of Explorers worked on chopping peppers and carrots, while another got our water boiling for Ramen and tea. One challenge in teaching these wilderness skills is that there are usually not enough tasks for everyone to participate. This challenge turned out to be a power in our day because the other boys followed their interests by learning how to sustainably and ethically harvest Vine Maple and Red Alder for tent pegs, bow drills, and utensils that they spent some time carving on. Once the veggies were sautéed and the hard-boiled eggs were peeled we circled up for what shaped up to be an amazing Ramen feast. Passing around the Siracha the boys slurped their noodles, shared some thanks, and with a little prompting shared a little glimpse of what it was like to transition into middle school.

Reflecting at the end of the day Brian and I believe the group cohesion in conjunction with the meal created the climate for the boys to feel comfortable enough to share about their experiences at school. They talked about their expanding interests and yearn for more autonomy, about growing self-identity and awareness of others and societal norms, and witnessing their classmates making both wise and risky decisions.

Brain and I aim to continue to help the Branch Hoppers learn to recognize the internal tools and compass they have cultivated that they can call upon which will help them navigate and thrive in this culture wilderness that is middle school. To remind them that they can be the voice of leadership, peace building, and genuineness and a strong ally amongst their peers. It was great to spend some time out on the land with the guys getting back to the root of what it means to be Explorers.

For more pictures from our outings please visit the Branch Hoppers photo album

Branch Hoppers ascend to Lizard Lake, August 28, 2016

The Branch Hoppers are a veteran Explorers Club group whose appreciation for each other was apparent at the trailhead as they reconnected for the new year. It's nice to see friends so happy to get back together.

Just as great was the Branch Hoppers' acceptance of a new group member and a visiting boy from another group.  Collective and individual strength was evident: a person unfamiliar with the group would not have been able to pick out the new and one-time members. Credit the Branch Hoppers for demonstrating an Explorers Club motto - Widen the Circle.

The boys were to enact other mottos as the day progressed. The collaborated and compromised; they chose to engage with planned activities - or not (motto - Challenge by Choice); they immersed themselves in skills work, play and exploration (motto - Be Here Now).

At times lost in play and exploration and sometimes focused, these boys are at or near a transitional age in which they vacillate between childhood and adolescence. Behaviors associated with both were apparent on a mixed weather Sunday on Blanchard Mountain.

 The Alternate Incline trail can challenge younger hikers, but the Branch Hoppers are strong enough to take on a hill with gusto. It was nice to "air it out" with an energetic hike up to the lake.

Not much of a swimming lake, Lizard Lake offers an excellent habitat for beavers, frogs, fish and more. Upon arriving at the adjoining campground, the boys took a little time to explore.

We then gathered to plan the day. Our tribal elder led a discussion that addressed skills-focused work, organized play and free exploration. A year ago, the mentors would likely have stepped in to guide the conversation; not so this day. The group exhibited behaviors necessary for effective group decision making, including soliciting and valuing input from all interested group members, discussion of the pros and cons of the suggested approaches and group consensus on the final plan, all with no input from Brian or Steve. I wonder if your Explorer can explain our consensus process to you. Hint: the critical last question asked by the tribal elder: Is anyone not ok with this decision?

Our skill for the fall is the Art of Backpacking. Shelters are a foundation element of time in the backcountry: Mentor Steve demonstrated two knots critical to constructing a tarp shelter. Ask your Explorer to demonstrate the Bowline and Tarp (or taut line) knots. Refer to The Hiking Life (under skills; knots) for more information.

While Steve was working his magic, some of the boys lost focus. Fortunately, we have a few more outings to work on shelter building.

No problem with focus here!

We moved from skills work to free exploration. Lizard Lake is a place rich in nature to explore. Interestingly, while a few chose to work on an earth shelter, the majority decided to play a game of Hungry, Hungry Marten. It's fair to say the mentors were surprised none seemed interested in the beaver lodge...or the log crossing...or....

Several boys worked on their carving. Fortunately, no cuts!

A chief attraction of this outing is the boulder field up the hill from the lake. When the boulders crashed down, they created a series of caves that are great to explore. The mentors cautioned that extra care is required as the hazards are real and medical care beyond our first aid kit is a few hours distant. With that admonition in mind, the Branch Hoppers clamored over, under, around and through the caves for a while.

They checked out the site with the "Lizard Lake Legend" was discovered (true to form it was nowhere to be seen).

Verdant forest, large boulders, curious Explorers...so much for which to be thankful.

 

Welcome rain arrived late in our long outing, a reminder that fall is near. We quieted ourselves for a sit spot near the boulder field, then headed down the mountain to our waiting rides. 

As the Branch Hoppers take their rightful place as leaders among Explorers Club groups, it's a process of two steps forward, one step back. On this first gathering of the 2016/17 year, the boys showed outstanding maturity during our counsel and displayed care and concern for their peers. Several also "squirreled out" during Steve's tarp shelter lesson, however, backsliding a bit. On balance, they are a close group that treasures its shared nature connection journey.

Next up - Lookout Mountain Forest Preserve on October 1. Outing details here. And we have more photos from Sunday’s exploration. Here’s to a strong start to the year!