Roosevelt Elk Calves Navigate Chuckanut Ridge

The Roosevelt Elk Calves braved the drive up Cleator Road to meet the mentors at the Lower Chuckanut Ridge Trail Head. Although we were originally planning on traversing from Chuckanut Ridge down into Arroyo Park a couple of weeks ago, we had to reschedule due to strong winds. Driving up the road it was clear we had made the right decision as tree limbs scattered the side of the road, and once getting further into our hike the carnage in the forest was rather impressive to witness. However, before we could get going we needed to have an opening circle.

Gathering for opening circle

Although there were a handful of Roosevelt Elk Calves present for our outing, we were missing a good portion of our group as the newly opened ski area and fresh snow was too much to resist, and understandably so. That being said, when there is a vacuum created that space is inevitably filled and the mentors were happy to see those who were present fill the void with their voices and energy. It just so happened that the majority of our more boisterous Elk Calves were absent and the opportunity was not passed by for the remaining Elk Calves to speak up, engage in our lessons, and get a little goofy.

Inspecting a tiny mushroom

Our focus for the day was the Art of Navigation. We began with a discussion on navigation, what it means to use your “internal compass”, and heard an incredible story of a thirteen year old girl who was charged with navigating her families camel caravan hundreds of miles through the desert in search of a well that was merely one-meter in diameter. Thinking about all the ways we can navigate, especially when without map and compass, the group pointed out that we could use the landscape, the sun, and other natural phenomena paired with local knowledge to find our way around. Talking about it is one thing, but doing it is another.

Gazing to the West and the San Juan Islands

Hitting the trail we meandered a mile up to the Chuckanut Ridge Trail stopping from time to time to investigate natural history mysteries, let the mentors elaborate on teachable moments (Western Hemlock for kindling bundles, tracking widow makers in the canopy), and even peer out across the San Juan Islands at a view point. Things were pretty easy until we hit our first trail junction and had to figure out which way to go. It took a little bit of guidance from the mentors but this group quickly caught on, looking at the signage, orienting to the landscape, and determining the position of the sun we determined which way was North and headed out.

Trying to figure out which way to go on Chuckanut Ridge

 Cruising along the ridgeline we were met with multiple viewpoints East to the Cascades and North into Bellingham. Although the views were incredible, the wind really picked up and the heat loss from convection forced us to carry on. Dropping down onto Lost Lake Trail, there was a checkpoint with a map for us to utilize in making our next decision. While perusing the map and orienting ourselves, we were interrupted by the clomping hooves of two horses and their owners who stopped to say hello. After petting the horses and feeding them a few treats provided by their owners we said our goodbyes, took on last chance to internalize the information on the map, and got back on the trail.

Looking out to the East and the Cascades

Descending down towards Arroyo Park the Roosevelt Elk Calves demonstrated a keen memory and ability to overlay their knowledge gleaned from the map onto the landscape. Remembering distances, number of junctions, and proper direction to take, we quickly navigated multiple intersections and were down near Arroyo in no time. With our outing nearing its end we had to decide whether to explore Padden Creek or try and squeeze in a game or two. Circling up the group collaborated, compromised, and arrived at a consensus just like they’ve been taught to over the years. It was great to see some quieter voices step into leadership roles and help us decide to head back early and try and play a couple games along the way.

Checking out the trail map and orienting ourselves

Getting to our final destination of N. Chuckanut Mountain Trail Head was a big accomplishment. With little to no direction from mentors or use of a compass, this small group of Roosevelt Elk Calves navigated nearly four miles of twisting, turning trails through the Chuckanuts. Not only did we exercise our ability to navigate, but learned about various tree species, discovered a multitude of unique fungi, and met a variety of friendly, human and non-human, passersby along the way. The unique circumstances of the day; a traverse outing with a small group, allowed for an environment that fostered a strong level of group cohesion, plentiful focus for natural history lessons, and an energy of positivity that made the miles fly by. This was a really fun outing for Explorers and mentors alike and although we look forward to seeing the rest of the group on our next outing, this was a great day that won’t be forgotten anytime soon.

Check out the rest of our photos from the outing here!

Roosevelt Elk Calves Explore Intertidal life at Clayton Beach

The Roosevelt Elk Calves gathered in the parking lot above Clayton Beach for their final outing of the Spring season. The weather was warm and our energy was high as we made our way from the parking lot and into the woods for an opening circle. The shade offered by the towering red cedars and douglas firs was welcomed after the heat of the open parking lot. The boys led us down a deer trail to a small opening above a creek, here we dropped our packs and formed our circle.

This season the Roosevelt Elk Calves earth skills focus has been the skill of navigation. We had already spent sometime practicing more primitive forms of navigation, mainly songlines. (Which the boys still remembered word for word from our first outing!) This time we pulled out a map of the Chuckanuts and a compass. The boys crowded around the map and began to orient it in the right direction using the compass. Most of the boys showed a lot of interest in using the map and pinpointing our location on it. After a while of focused map work the boys were ready to explore the landforms we had been staring at on a map.

Jumping in the creek, finding fossils, throwing rocks, steep hillsides, slippery rocks, little caves, moss, dappled sunlight, laughter, mud, and adventure filled our exploration of the creek. After a while the boys began making their way up to the packs and we began to circle up to decide what to do next.

Making decisions in a big group can be a long process without the focus to listen to others and come to a collaborative decision. The Roosevelt Elk Calves could not hold a circle to make a plan for the rest of the day. It took a long time for them to finally bring their focus and energy to a place where they could work as a group and come up with a plan. As a mentor we are there to guide the boys, gently nudging them to come to these decisions rather than step in to make the choices for them. The Roosevelt elk calves eventually decided, in true Explorers Club fashion, that we would follow deer trails and bushwhack down to the beach instead of following the main trail.

Once moving we had a great time navigating the winding deer trails that traversed along the hillside parallel to the ocean. We soon made it down to the beach to find a low tide with plenty of room to explore the exposed eel grass. Packs off we began poking around in tide pools, lifting rocks, and finding all sorts of intertidal life. Aggregating Anemones hung from slimy rocks, lion's mane jellyfish lay cooking on the beach, sharp barnacles clustered on rocks, and crabs scurried away as we lifted rocks. A few of the boys came up the beach with a hooded nudibranch caught in an old geoduck shell. Looking out at the ocean we caught a brief glimpse of a dark head pop out of the water. We all stared out at the ocean waiting for it to resurface. Some people though a seal while others guessed otter. We soon saw the animal emerge again this time starring right at us as it chomped its teeth. It turned out to be a river otter and we watched as it happily swaim just off shore. Our next wildlife encounter was with a giant Geoduck pulled out of the mud. We all gathered around to look at the strange Mollusk that we had unearthed. After seeing this all the boys began digging along the tide line in search for more.

We spent the rest of our afternoon on the beach enjoying the sunshine and amazing wildlife encounters. Soon it was time to pack up our things and have a closing circle. We all expressed our thanks for the day as the tide crept in began lapping at the seaward side of the circle. With that cue we packed up and worked our way back along our diminishing beach. Thank you Roosevelt Elk Calves for an amazing season together! Parents thank you for your support throughout the season and for sending your boys out to explore with us. Your sons our well on their way to become proficient backcountry navigators! for more pictures please visit our photo gallery.  

Roosevelt Elk Calves navigate Whatcom Falls Park

 Under drizzly skies Tim and I found shelter under the immense branches of a spruce tree in whatcom falls park. We didn’t have to wait long for the excited explorers to show up. It is always such a pleasure to see the boys excited no matter the weather, and their excitement is contagious enough to make me forget the weather as well. Happily we waited in the rain talking and sharing stories from our Winter season. Soon we had all the Explorers and headed into the woods.

Without fail the huge stone bridge that crosses Whatcom creek stops every group that goes over it. We hung our heads over watching the mesmerizing splash of water hitting rocks. We spied several birds flitting along the fringe of water and air. We made our way toward the slope that ran down toward the creek. Before making our way out onto the rocks that skirted the creek we stopped the boys to have a quick conversation about the hazards of going close to the creek on a wet day such as this. The boys raised each others awareness to the fact that the rocks were slippery from the rain and that we should not get too close to the edge or move too quickly while on the rocks. Sometimes all it takes in these moments is to slow the boys down enough to make good risk management decisions based on their own observations.

 We scrambled up a steep hillside and moved off trail and into the thick undergrowth where the Roosevelt Elk Calves are most at home. At the top of this hill the boys were immediately drawn to the giant root ball of an upturned Douglas Fir. The tree had left a deep depression in the grown with the roots reaching a good ten feet above this hole. Quickly the Roosevelt Elk Calves began laying sticks on the roots to create a fort. Though not quite a fully insulated and waterproof earth shelter like we had made in our fall season it was cool to see the boys using the same basic skills we had learned with shelter building to turn this root ball into a fort.

The boys continued to work on the fort; laying bark shingles over it, creating doors and other features, and using their creativity to turn this upturned root into a very cool fort. Afternoon like this where the whole group is collaborating on one project and using their creativity and imagination are truly magical to witness.

The Fort construction reached it’s peak so the group shifted gears. The Earth skills focus for our season is Navigation and particularly navigating without the aid of maps or compasses. This skill is an empowering one and can allow us to travel deeper into the woods we love to explore. The boys gathered as Tim and I began to explain Songlines (an old navigation technique) to the boys. We split into two groups intending to each make up our own songline then share ours with the other group in hopes of retracing eachothers steps.

After about twenty minutes we met back up ready to take navigate each others songlines. It was a great activity full of laughter and fun. Some of the Songlines the boys made up were very poetic with rimes and clever word choice to describe the landscape. Parents, next time you are out hiking with your Explorers ask them to teach you how to do a songline you will be both impressed by their navigation skills as well as their ability to rhyme and creatively explain their environment.

After the Songlines we gathered to have our closing circle and share our thanks and apples. The Roosevelt Elk Calves did a great job collaborating and making group decisions it has been really great to see this group grow together even in the course of just a few seasons. As always thank you explorers for your continual energy and curiosity and thank you parents for your support every season. Make sure to check out our photo galleryfor more pictures!