A Well Rounded Adventure

I am a big supporter of bite-sized adventure.  Exploration does not need to be this grand undertaking to far off lands.  I can appreciate and cherish the opportunities and discoveries that we find close at hand and under our boots at any given moment.  On a beautiful Saturday in March, the Alligator Lizards proved this idea again and again and again.  On our most recent outing to North Lake Whatcom, the boys demonstrated that being in the here and now is the perfect way to experience all the magic of nature. 

Alligator Lizards gearing up for an adventure

North Lake Whatcom is a fantastic place to explore.  It offers a remote and wild wilderness feeling right in our own backward.  The group met at the trailhead.  In our opening circle we passed out jobs, and discussed our new skill “The Art of the Harvest.”  We talked about what things in our life are harvested, the rule of twenty (dealing with over harvesting and what that looks like and means to the ecosystem), and the importance and necessity of not consuming anything without the permission of a mentor.  For the safety of the participants we are very strict about this rule. 

It's wild out there

Upon completion of our opening circle we hiked up the Chanterelle Trail.  This is a really cool and steep trail that switchbacks up through some classic PNW terrain.  The boys worked really hard, and with a few breaks we made it to our basecamp. 

A nice base camp

When we reach our basecamp, the first thing we do is set up some boundaries for the explorers.  This area is on a little plateau and the sharply sloping edges made for easily defined limits while still leaving plenty of space to discover.  The Alligator Lizards are great at free exploration.  They are perfectly happy to build forts and play pretend and ask questions about all the interesting things that they come across.  We even found some old bear sign.  There was a broken branch with some bear hair caught in the break, and an old cedar with claw marks where it was marking its territory.  This discovery caused much excitement and a few nervous glances around.  The mentors explained to the group that the sign was at least a couple weeks old and that we were making far to much noise to worry about seeing one in person.  A previous Explorers Club group two weeks prior discovered these markings.  It was a great experience for the Alligator Lizards to have. 

It's pretty cool who we share this space with!

To cap off our camouflage skill, the mentors introduced a game called Spider’s Web to the Alligator Lizards.  It is a bit like Capture The Flag.  This is great game that the participants really get into.  It is a game that is played all throughout their time in Explorers Club, and the boys were really excited to finally get to play.  The sparse winter terrain made for a challenging playing field, but the Alligator Lizards rose to the challenge.  The mentors noticed that their hiding and sneaking skills improved greatly over the course of our games. 

Fort building

Learning earth skills is a fun and rewarding part of Explorers Club.  Even though we will be focusing on the Art of Harvest this season, the mentors like to give the explorers small glimpses into skills to come.  All of our lessons are a progression towards future skills or concepts that embody Explorers Club culture.  Down the road, we will introduce the Art of Fire.  This is always a huge hit, and we like to show the boys what’s to come if they are responsible with what they are learning in this moment.  On that note, the explorers were interested in fire, so the mentors taught them how to make a birds nest from cedar bark, and how to process a tinder bundle from western hemlock.  We then showed them what a ferrocerium rod is, and how to strike it to get sparks.  The Alligator Lizards curiosity really got going when the bird’s nest started smoking and finally ignited.  It was a great learning opportunity for the explorers, and I think that they are really excited for what’s to come. 

Ferro rod introduction

To close out a really fun and well-rounded adventure, we harvested some fresh cedar tips and set up the stove to make some cedar tip tea.  The boys enjoyed having a little taste of the forest while we had our closing circle.  There was much gratitude to go around.  The energy and curiosity and joy that the Alligator Lizards bring to each outing really makes this group fun to be a part of.  To view the rest of the photos from our outing click here.

Finding New Adventures at Lake Padden

As residents of the Bellingham area, we are lucky to have Lake Padden in our backyard.  I have hiked the trails there so many times, but there always seems to be new pockets left to explore.  It was my pleasure to share a winter adventure at this location with the Alligator Lizards.  They are a young group, but they are meshing together and internalizing Explores Club practices with each new outing.  These boys love to play in the woods, and that makes for rewarding day outside. 

 

Grabbing a quick snack

After opening circle we hiked back into the forest above the lake.  The mentors had a specific spot in mind, but along the way we came across an interesting area with huge and ancient fallen trees pushing up against the hillside.  The explorers decided that this would be a perfect place to deviate from the game plan.  They decided as a group to check out this area before heading onward to the next spot.  The group crossed a small muddy area where some chose to spend there time building a bridge to keep out of the mud.  The others spent the next 45 min. exploring and playing in the “Ewok Village.” 

 

Fun in the forest

Our next stop was a basecamp set in a little draw.  This spot provided much to explore while at the same time creating some very defined natural boundaries that kept the explorers within “crow call” distance.  Here the boys played countless rounds of hungry, hungry martin and hide, and there were some who focused intensely on building a fort between two fallen trees. 

 

Hungry, Hungry Martin

After a couple of hours of free exploration and games, the mentors felt it was good time to switch gears a little bit.  We hiked down the trail a little ways and found a good spot to have a “sit spot.”  Sit spot is an important part of Explorers Club.  The participants find a spot away from their fellow explorers and sit still and quiet for a set amount of time.  It is a good time for reflection, observation, and learning to be comfortable with your own thoughts.  The Alligator Lizards did a great job with this activity.  They were silent and respectful for the full 10 minutes!  When time was up we got in a circle and talked about some of the things we observed.  There were many incredibly insightful observations and thoughts shared. 

Finding great spots for reflection

As the outing was coming to a close, we found time for one last area to explore.  We played a couple more rounds of hide and drank some hot chocolate before we ended our adventure with a closing circle.  Thanks Alligator Lizards for bringing such enthusiasm, interest, and creativity to our day at Lake Padden.  Click here to view the rest of the photos.