Exploring Whatcom Falls Park with the Roosevelt Elk Calves

The Roosevelt Elk Calves assembled at Whatcom Falls Park wearing their rain gear and ready for the day. As we circled the group basked in the warmth of the sun. The Explorers were anxious to get going but Mentors encouraged them to take one more moment in the sun. As we draw closer to the winter, we never know if it’s going to be the last sunshine we will see until spring. Being true Washingtonians the Explorers started to get too hot with all their layers on and made the decision to retreat to the shade of the forest. The group headed into the woods to have an opening meeting and to play a game calledHungry Hungry Martin.

Hungry Hungry Martin is played by one Explorer taking on the role of a martin while the rest of the group are squirrels. The squirrels try to escape the martin’s teeth by touching a specific tree. As we searched for the perfect tree to play the group came across a large Douglas Fir tree that had scattered the ground with cones. We picked a few of them up and explained to the boys how much we can learn by looking at the different cones of trees. In this cone the Mentors could tell what type of tree it was from and who was living in it. As we examined the cone I told them the story of the mouse escaping the forest fire by hiding in the Douglas Fir bark. As a group we can get to know the diverse forest ecology by using stories to help us make sense of and identify our surroundings.

            After playing a few rounds we had got a little of our squirreliness out and it was time for an opening meeting. Mentors handed out jobs while the group ate lunch and introduced our focus for the day, exploration. On our explorations the Mentors follow the interests of the boys and through circular leadership they guide the group. Greg and I then revisited the important jobs of the Front Scout and Back Scout; these Scouts keep the group together and scan for hazards while tracking where we have been and where we are headed. Since the boys seemed to be quite familiar with Whatcom Falls, the Scouts had a lot of work to do.

            Heading into the woods we crossed the bridge just west of the parking lot. We marveled at the water as it cascaded over the falls. While the Explorers enjoyed the falls Mentors shared the importance of recognizing and protecting our watershed.  The health of Whatcom Creek and its surrounding ecosystem is a direct representation of our health. One of the Explorers mentioned that if someone were to pollute the water in Lake Whatcom it would run right to his house. When we start to examine the land close to our homes we realizes thatWe Are All Connected.

            Mentors decided to challenge the group to see if we could get close enough to the falls to feel the mist on our face. We climbed down the steep embankment using the roots as hand holds and stopped about ten feet away from the falls. Normally Mentors would have each Explorer crawl one by one under the overhang so they could look behind the falls, but the flow of the waterfall was much higher than usual. Although we did not get to see behind the waterfall the boys learned a very valuable lesson about risk management. If the risk out weighs the benefits of an activity or action than it is not worth pushing forward. We examined the next ten feet and found a few major hazards. The rocks were very slippery and wet, part of the under hang was covered in water, and water was moving swiftly underneath the rocks adjacent to the falls. The group made a calculated decision not to proceed and scurried back up the embankment to the trail.

            As we debriefed on what had happened the Explorers started to look at the Mentors as though we were going to direct them to the next activity. Mentors responded by stepping out of the circle and saying, “What direction are we going?”.   Some of the group members started to shout out different directions and it was clear that we needed to make yet another group decision. Forming a tight circle the Tribal Elder led the group in a process of decision-making that will quickly become a culture for these boys. The Tribal Elder led the group in a few simple steps that can solve many issues. He first asked the group for their suggestions then identified the options and asked for a show of hands for the two choices. Once he tallied the vote he gave everyone a chance to speak their truth to better understand the two sides. Finally he presented the solution based off of the majority. What an excellent way to facilitate a group decision. After the Tribal Elder was done Mentors gave him one last leadership tool, always ask if anyone is not okay with the decision.  

            The path that the Explorers decided on happened to also be in the same direction as the Mentors favorite place to play a popular game. On our way there we played a few rounds of Hide and filled both of ourEarth Keeper’s bags with cans and trash.  The Explorers modeled being responsible for not only the trash they created, but all the trash that they came across using our motto, You see it You own it, as a reminder.  On our outings we cultivate an ethic of environmental stewardship and are constantly reminded of the work we are called to do.

            Once we arrived Mentors discussed the rules to the highly anticipated game called Spider’s Web. In Spider’s Web there is one spider and the rest of the group are flies.  The spider’s goal is to capture all the flies by using his awareness and stealth to send them back to his web. The spider in this game is very keen because he needs to balance keeping the flies on his web and catching the others who are trying to make it to their food source. The flies used their best forms of stealth and camouflage to evade the spider.  Mentors watched as the flies climbed, crawled and fox walked through a thicket of Oregon Grape, Sword Fern, and Red Huckleberry to obtain their food source only to fall victim to the fangs of the spider. The group played for an hour and a half straight until it was time to transition, what fun!

            We packed up and headed back towards the parking lot, however the outing was not quite over. As we passed the Mallard Duck pond the Mentors decided to introduce the Explorers to a practice that many of us engage in daily. The Explorers spread out on the land to do a Sit Spot.  When we spend time quieting our bodies and minds while connecting with the land we can begin to slow down and open our awareness. A Sit Spot helps us slow down enough to process everything that goes on within our lives.

            Once we heard the Crow Call we circled back up for our closing meeting. The group went around the circle and shared one thing they had seen or discovered while at their sit spot and something that they were thankful for. As we practiced our Attitude of Gratitude we shared a snack together, soaking in the moment and the sun. What an excellent day of adventure and exploration at Whatcom Falls Park.

You can check out more pictures from the outing in the Roosevelt Elk Calves photo gallery.

Roosevelt Elk Calves, Art of Camouflage, Fairhaven Park

The Roosevelt Elk Calves arrived at the 100 Aker Wood ready for a day of exploration and connection. As the group gathered, mentors could already tell that there was a strong cohesion amongst many of the Explorers.  This outing was not only the first for the Roosevelt Elk Calves; it was a first for fellow mentor Grey Schayes and me to lead together. Being a bit of an unseasoned duo and with a little breakdown in communication we forgot the camera. On the fly Greg used his phone to capture some photos. Unfortunately, many of these photos did not turn out due to the rainy day and we only ended up with a few. I would like to personally apologize to all the parents for this mistake. We as mentors understand these blog reports are a window into the world of Explorer’s Club. The images from the day help to paint the story of the day and capture the candid moments.

            It seemed that right about the time that we said goodbye to our parents dark clouds creeped over our heads and soon we started to feel a little sprinkle. We quickly circled up in the grass field to play an opening game. Circling up in Explorer’s Club is a very important culture we try to build right off the bat. A circle brings us together and is how we begin and end our day. In our circles we give thanks, tell our stories, speak our truths, and reflect on our experiences. A circle models our equality, inclusion, and common ground. The circle is also the model for how we lead in Explorer’s Club. In a circle everyone has a voice and no one holds more decision making power over another. Explorers are able to remind each other of this through our motto, we are all leaders.

            After explaining our circle culture mentors went directly into a game of Name Tag. This memory game proved to be quite a challenge because the Roosevelt Elk Calves have two sets of identical twins. After some playful rounds out in the open the rain started to soak us. The Explorer’s body language went from open and animated to huddled and lethargic. Mentors took this opportunity to explain to the group the importance of being preventative on outings in order to stay warm and dry. We learned the Three W’s of clothing layering: Wicking the base layer, Warmth the insulating layer and Wind the outer layer for rain and wind; with this system we can explorer in any type of weather. Realizing we need to move Greg asked the group to grab their packs and bolt across the field with him to the shelter of the 100 Aker Wood.

            Taking shelter under a Cedar on the edge of the 100 Aker Wood we held our first opening meeting. We started off our meeting asking the same question mentors ask each new group, where are we right now?  The 100 Aker Wood has been a Boys Explorer’s Club stomping grounds for over five years. After taking some time to recognize and appreciate our surroundings, mentors checked in with each Explorer about their summer and handed out a job to each.  Our jobs in the outings create an interdependency within our group and with the land that we explorer in. They also allow for the deepening of our leadership and Earth skills. These jobs range from a Medicine Man who carries the Ouch Pouch full of Band-Aids to our Tribal Elder who helps the group make decisions.  At this point the group made a unanimous decision to give our bodies some caloric fuel in order to make it through the rest of the meeting. Meetings on the first day always run a little longer than others. The Explorers started fidget and squirm and were ready to get into the woods, however the mentors held the circle for a little longer to discuss one more major topic, safety. In our outings the mentors give the boys quite a bit of freedom but we always ask that the boys stay within sound distance. In order to stay within sound distance we must always be listening for the Crow Call; this is the Explorer’s Club personalized call for assembly. Crow Call is one example of the systems of trust we create within the group in order to stay safe. This trust blossoms as we grow and eventually allows us to deepen our skills to multiday backpacking trips.  

            After what felt like forever the Explorers had made it through their first meeting and it was time to get out in those woods. We past through a maze of Hawthorne as the rain poured down on us, so we took shelter under the canopy of old growth Western Red Cedar.  There, mentors introduced the Art of Camouflage. The Art to Camouflage starts with one of the most quintessential Explorer’s Club games, Hide! Through many rounds of hiding from our fellow Explorers we learned how to blend into our surrounding utilizing: shape, size, color, light and shadow, movement, and sound. We also learned how to break up our image using intersecting lines, literally disappear into the landscape.

            After a few rounds one mentor told of a famous tracker named Tom Brown Jr, who was also very skilled in the Art of Camouflage. Tom Brown has been instrumental in teaching and writing tracker and survival skill books from knowledge handed down to him. Tom runs a tracking school near the Pine Barrens of New Jersey and is occasionally hired to track for for the police. One day Tom was tasked with the challenge of catching a fugitive who had escaped into the Pine Barren wildlands. Tom slowly stole the man’s clothing and gear throughout the course of five days as he followed in the footsteps of the fugitive. The fugitive eventually surrendered on his own, only in his underwear, without any of his gear. The fugitive never saw Tom once; he was truly a master of camouflage and stealth. 

            After this story we all felt inspired to deepen our awareness skills with some challenges. Earlier in the day mentors had set up activity called the Camouflage Gauntlet. We hiked over the starting line as explained the rules to the group. Mentors carefully placed pipe cleaners throughout the side of a trail to model the different forms of camouflage we experimented with during the games of hide. The Explorers had to use their awareness and Owl Eyes to spot as many pipe cleaners as they could, while they Fox Walked down the trail. If you would like to know how to use your Owl Eyes or your Fox Walk please ask your explorer.

This outing truly proved to be a test of our endurance and attitudes. The Roosevelt Elk Calves really started to bond and grow as a group, adding three new mottos to their group culture; grasp the nettle, we are all leaders andattitude of gratitude.  Once again the 100 Aker Wood tested, challenged and welcomed in a new group of boys and they emerged with more character and a deepened connection to this place.  We ended our day with a closing meeting and a circle of thanks. We practiced the attitude of gratitude in our circle and each person shared one thing they are thankful for. As a mentor I can tell you honestly that a genuine thanks in these circles fills me with humility, joy, and appreciation. The boys gave thanks for: the weather, 100 Aker Wood, shelter, warmth, food, friends, family, the Autumnal Equinox, challenges and comradery.

Mentors would like to thank all you all for the opportunity to explore with these individuals as all we learn and grow. Please visit our photo gallery to view the few pictures that turned out from our outing.