Four Shields Explore Alternate Incline and Lizard Lake!

The Four Shielder’s arrived at Cascades Montessori still rousing from their slumber and struggling to orient as to why they were awake early in the morning on a day off from school. After scraping the ice off the bus we headed out towards Blanchard Mountain and Lizard Lake.

Circling up at the trailhead we brought our minds towards the focus of the day, a walking natural history lesson on the way up the trail and then a test of the Shielder’s skills with a one match fire at the Department of Natural Resources campground at Lizard Lake. Before heading out we asked the group if they had any inspirations and went over our three commitments for our time together: don’t waste anyone’s time, encourage the heart, and be here now.

Loggers at loading site with donkey engine and railroad tracks, Mumby
Lumber and Shingle Company, possibly in Grays Harbor County, ca. 1930

Walking up the logging road we came across a pile of bones. The group puzzled over them for a little while and after quite a few guesses as to what they might be, Tim let the group know that it was most likely cow bones that had either been discarded or butchered on the road. Coming to the quarry the boys played on the gravel piles and took in the crystal clear views of Mount Baker and the Twin Sisters range. It’s nice to see that our outings are still satisfying their playfulness and childlike wonder as they engaged in the simple pursuits of “digging in the sandbox”.

Reaching the Alternate Incline Trail the Leader of the Day checked in with the group as we peeled layers, snacked, and hydrated before starting up the climb. Alternate Incline was the location of an old logging grade in the early 20th century where a steam-powered winch more commonly referred to as a “Steam Donkey” was used to raise and lower logging equipment and drag felled logs out of the woods. If a donkey needed to be moved it was then attached to a strong anchor point like a log or a tree and the machine would drag itself overland to the next location.

    English Camp 5 Donkey crew near Little Mountain and Mount Vernon,
Circa 1917. Clark Kinsey photo

As we sweated our way up the trail our conversation ambled from Pokémon to Middle and High School happenings and finished with a politics. As wonderful as it is to mentor younger Explorers, this dialogue nourishes our BEC staff because it gives us a window into the Shielder’s minds, opinions, and life experience allowing us to unpack societal and cultural nuances in a safe space.

Almost to the lake we came across a Washington Trails Association crew that were in the process of felling a few trees. Although we did not get to see them toppling the trees as the crew said we needed to be a safe distance way before felling them, they did show a woodworking tool called a drawknife. They explained that a drawknife was used to shape and remove large sections of bark from trees so they could place them along the trail in order divert water runoff that was eroding sections of the trail.

Making one last stop before Lizard Lake each boy gathered a bundle of dried Western Hemlock branches for their one match fire challenge. Just as it was important to unpack the subtle nuances of our culture is was important to recognize the slight difference between Western Hemlock and Western Yew needles and bark in our harvesting. Western Hemlock provides a strong ignition when put to flame while Western Yew puts out poisonous gas when burned.

Arriving at frozen Lizard Lake the boys bonded by skipping rocks across the ice and listening to the unusual sounds. Mentors let the group engage in the activity until their play deteriorated into the gathering of bigger and bigger rocks and the risk of someone falling into the lake was inevitable.

Circling back up around the fire ring the boys took out their tinder bundles and Tim handed them a single match. One-by-one the Shielders struck their match and ignited their tinder bundle. As the Western Hemlock started to catch they quickly turned their bundle 180 degrees, channeling the flames upward, which caught the rest of the bundle and allowed enough time to ignite the kindling. As mentors we feel confident that if this group were in an emergency situation they would be able to make fire.

After eating some lunch the Leader of the Day facilitated a decision to spend the rest of our time exploring the caves under the North Butte of Blanchard Mountain. He set the stopping point that would give us just enough time to hold a closing circle and make the trek back to the bus. The boys did a great job of collaborating and compromising in this moment and showed real maturity. Please ask your Four Shielder about their steep scramble and exploration of the North Butte’s caves.

Tired and content the group shared their thanks and we ate our apples while overlooking the lake. Many of the Shielders echoed that they enjoyed being together out in this wild space. Through just the right amount of adventure, skill focus, natural history, and play the group felt cohesive and supportive of one another. This was a concern for the Mentors as we planned this 2017-18 year and strategized on how to incorporate two new groups into the Four Shields. We are thankful for this and for time spent with your sons in the natural world. Thank you families for your support and encouragement for the work that we are privileged to engage in. We wish you all a wonderful holiday season and we’ll see your sons again this January for a snow cave outing at Mt. Baker!

From more pictures please visit the Four Shield’s photo album from the outing.

Four Shields’ Shoulder Season Overnight

Camping in the fall season requires some extra attention and care.  The weather is often fickle and may change at any given moment. Darkness comes early and wilderness travelers need to be mindful of the diminishing window to accomplish the tasks of wilderness living-shelter, food preparation, gathering firewood, and keeping your personal gear accounted for and stowed against any incoming weather.  These pressures and tasks are a perfect level of challenge for the Four Shielders.

Our camping destination was a dispersed camping area near the White Salmon Snow Park just below the Mt. Baker Ski Area on Highway 542.  The boys socialized during the drive out catching up again and getting to know each other.  Upon our arrival, we were dismayed to see that the previous visitors left a tremendous amount of trash scattered about.  We cleaned up as much as we could, but the campsites proximity to an active yellow jacket nest made it totally undesirable and we found an ideal location nearby.

Setting up camp, making sure to properly stake out the rain flys!

The boys were tasked with setting up their tents with their sleeping groups.  After taking some time remembering how the tents worked we eventually had our camp constructed, with some focus on making sure the tents were rigged for rain and wind should it arrive.

Our afternoon was focused on making sure our group had a chance to practice some of the essential skills they have been working on over the course of the time in the program Tim and Greg gave instruction on basic knife safety and technique.  This group in general has a good start in their knife skills and we will be having more carving instruction and knife maintenance in future outings.  The boys each made a tent peg out of a piece of willow.  They pointed one end, made a notch to secure a guy line, and chamfered the top edge to prevent splintering when pounding in the ground.      

An early attempt at fire lighting proved more difficult than expected

 After some time working with knives we turned our attention to fire lighting.  Tim challenged the boys to gather materials to make a bundle of kindling that would ignite with one match in 10 minutes.  The surrounding forest was saturated from rain and dew and the recent leaf drop from the alders and maples made it a good challenge!  In the end the winning materials were dead hemlock boughs broken into a large bundle.  Tim demonstrated storing the gathered materials under a coat or sweater to protect them from any precipitation.  This also helps to warm the materials and aids in drying them out.  The wet conditions helped to emphasize that proper technique is just as important as the correct materials in lighting fires.  It was also a great reminder that in the Pacific Northwest when we want a fire due to inclement weather it is often the most difficult to make one!

With proper preparation and care, fire starting is a good reminder that slow is fast and fast is slow.

After the skills afternoon, we enjoyed some unstructured time before dinner.  We gathered firewood, and lit a large warming fire down on the gravel bar where winter floods would scour away our ashes.  Dinner was a delicious burrito feed.  The boys gathered near the river to enjoy their meal.  After eating we prepared for our first council of the season.

Council is tool we use in the Four Shields to hold space for important conversations.  Council begins by gathering, sometimes around a fire, other times simply in a circle.  The rules are to be a deep listener and to honor what everyone says.  It is a time to hold onto any commentary while people are sharing.  The things that are shared in council are typically shared in confidence so that the space feels safe and free.  To begin council, we typically “smudge in”. This smudge is a symbolic cleansing that helps prepare you for your time in council.  WE place a small quantity of sage into a shell and light it so that it smoulders.  The rich smell of the sage is an olfactory cue to those who have participated in council before that they are again creating a safe and important place to share thoughts and ideas.

Our task in council was to share formally with one another why we were in the Four Shields program. This way we were all able to hear each other’s reasons for being in the circle.  Our first council was excellent and the boys shared their thoughts to each other with courage and respect.  Some of the strongest themes that emerged were:

·      Connection with nature

·      Learning outdoor skills

·      Spending time with friends

·      A break from the academic and social pressures of school

·      Exploring new places

It was an honor to hold the space for this conversation.  As our council concluded a steady drizzle began to fall and all the boys retired to their tents.

Warming up next to the fire on a chilly morning

Morning came slowly for those that were cold in the night.  The air temperature was probably in the high 30’s or low 40’s.  Greg started the fire early and boiled many pots of water for hot chocolate and tea.  Some boys slept warm and other slept cold.  A warm night’s sleep in the fall or winter is not exclusively dependent on how thick your sleeping bag is.  Sleeping in a warm hat with an empty bladder and full stomach is also an important part of the equation.

Once the sun crested the trees we enjoyed a bowl of explorer’s oats and another round of hot beverages.  The sun on our faces warmed us considerably, and made the task of breaking camp much easier.  The boys packed up their gear and tents efficiently which let us have a chance for one last wander before we headed back to town.

Stirring hot chocolate with the closest available, yet lengthy, stirring stick

With blue skies, we parked the bus near the highway and walked up a road that boarders a huge wetland near the Silver Fir Campground.   Tim and Greg asked the group to focus their attention the tracks and sign left behind on the road.  We encountered deer, and coyote sign and found lots of small gilled mushrooms.  However, the most exciting part was descending a steep hillside off the road covered in deep lush moss to the edge of huge wetland created by beavers.  For decades’ beavers, have drowned this valley creating a massive habitat for birds, amphibians, reptiles, insects and mammals alike!

Checking out the beaver pond (more like lake!)

With the sun beginning its drop towards the horizon we headed back to the bus.  After a quick meal of bagels and cream cheese, we had our closing meeting and discussed with the boys what skills they would like to focus on for upcoming outings.  They shared a range of ideas and locations that they would like to explore, which the mentors will weave into the outings for the rest of the season. Our bus ride home was quiet and uneventful-a perfect ending to a rich weekend.

The mentors would like to offer our sincere thanks for supporting your sons to be a part of this group.  We deeply enjoy learning about who they are, what their passions are, and sharing our knowledge of the outside world with them.  We look forward to seeing you soon for our third outing!

The Four Shielders in all their glory! These guys are really starting to gel as a group.

Make sure to check out the rest of the photos from our outing here!

Four Shields' First Outing of the 2017-18 year at Hannegan Pass Trail

Both new and returning Four Shielders arrived at Cascades Montessori for their first outing of the 2017-18 year. Looking around at the faces in the circle it was evident to the mentors that the group was a little outside their comfort zone.

After some introductions Greg asked the group to think about a question on our two-hour drive to Hannegan Pass, “Why are you here”? This question is important for the Four Shielders to ponder because their journey in the Four Shields requires engagement from both the mentor and the mentee in order to be rich and rewarding. This intention was also important for each member to state in front of the group because it would allow its members to support others in their personal journeys and inspire shared vision and ownership.

Driving out Highway 542 the bus was quiet, but this is not untypical for a group of 14 to 16 year olds at 8:00am on a weekend morning. Arriving at the trailhead the air was cool and crisp and there were only two other cars in the parking lot. The mentors asked the group to circle up and bring their minds towards our exploration. The day’s primary focus was two-fold, first a reorientation towards topographic maps and secondly to begin to build cohesion as a group and integrate into the Four Shields program.

The mentors asked for three commitments from each group member before beginning our outing: don’t waste your fellow Four Shielders’ time, encourage the heart, and deep listening. Mentors further elaborated that if the group could do their best to hold to these three commitments throughout our 2017-18 year then the mentors felt they could hold the container and provide quality experiences for the group.

This mentor ask was a great segway to presenting a simple but effective leadership model that the group could refer to and hold each other accountable for. Parents please take a look at: The Leadership Challenge® Model (copyright © 2009 Kouzes & Posner). Using this model throughout our year the boys can begin to find common language to draw from as they wrestle with decision-making and interpersonal dynamics. The five simple phrases hold deep meaning and allows user to begin to analysis their leadership by ask themselves questions like, “is my leadership encouraging the heart of my fellow group members” and “does our groups’ decision-making process inspire a shared vision”?

Turing our minds towards maps the group worked to orient the map to the surrounding landscape and compass readings. They were encouraged to spend some time predicting what the terrain might look like, how far they could make it with the given time, and what type of hazards they might encounter.

With a strong intention set the group took off on the trail like a lighting bolt, hiking with focus and drive. It was powerful to see the boys engage physically with the challenging terrain. The weather was perfectly fall in the mountains and offered just the right amount of challenge for the group.

There were moments of wetting downpours, chilling winds and cool mist blowing down the valley, ands bursts of warming sunshine followed glimpses of snow dusted peaks. The weather changed every fifteen minutes and just when we thought we had our layering system down we would have to switch it up and readjust.

The Four Shielders were thoroughly impressed with the area and took time to appreciate and connect with: the peak-a-boo views of the knife-edge Nooksack Range, snowy Ruth Peak, and shear vertical walls and mass of Granite Mountain, the looming avalanche gullies and steep creek drainages, the fiery fall colors in the Vine Maple and Sitka Alder leaves, and the myriad fungus and sub-alpine flora.

Reaching our halfway point well up the valley the group lunched and laughed together. What a day to be in the mountains! On the way back our front-runners got parking lot fever and ended up reaching the bus well a head of the mentors.

Our closing circle was a great time to debrief this experience and for each of the group members to check their ego and think about our motto we vs. me and the principles of Expeditionary Behavior. Wrapping up the Shielders shared their thanks and why they decided to continue on with the Four Shields.

Parents please take a moment to ask your son why they decided to continue on with the Four Shields and what they thought of their first FS campout last week.

For more photos from the outing please visit the FS’s photo album from the day.

Four Sheilders Finish Spring with a Camp Out at Racehorse Falls

Meeting at the bus is always the first sign that we are due for an adventure. The Four Shields arrived at Cascades Montessori looking forward to an overnight to wrap up the spring season. With this being the first year of ever implementing the Four Shields, it was great to see a solid crew roll up to the bus with packs loaded and ready for an adventure.

We cruised out Mt Baker Hwy to Racehorse Falls where the seasoned group unloaded the bus and lugged the gear to our campsite. First things first was to set up camp.

Setting up tents is always a good idea to do first!

After taking care of our camp chores we finally had some time to explore Racehorse Creek poking around for fossils and everything else this amazing place has to offer. Eventually the mentors rallied the group for a demo on safe and proper saw use. With a variety of saws, and a downed maple over the trail we had everything we needed for the lesson plus the incentive of clearing the trail to “leave this place better than we found it.”

Demonstration

Implementation

After clearing the trail, eating some lunch, and feeling settled in we decided to take a trip up to Racehorse Falls in search of materials for a carving project: a coat hanger. It was great to stretch our legs, carve our knives into some green wood, and have some fun joking around with one another at the same time.

Checking out the falls

As evening approached the group was getting hungry, especially after our trek to the falls. Setting up our kitchen we got a crew to help us make our dinner; pasta and red sauce. The mentors appreciated the skill and care taken while preparing dinner with camp stoves and we all enjoyed a belly full of warm food to get us through the night.

Gourmet backcountry chef in the making

With dusk upon us we got everything packed up, did one last sweep for smellables and loaded it all into the bus. With all our tasks for the evening done we put our focus towards starting a fire and processing fire wood. Good thing we had so much left over from learning how to use our saws earlier that day!

Gathering around the fire we held council where everyone has the opportunity to check in with the rest of the group. This can range from sharing how you’re feeling in the moment, thoughts about the trip, how school is going, sharing recent life events, or electing to pass since we always stick to our motto “challenge by choice”. After our check in the mentors prompted the Four Shielders to share a little bit about what they liked about their first year in the Four Shields, what they wanted for next year, and if they thought they would be signing up for another year.

Hanging out around the fire

It was great to hear that the Four Shields offered an escape from the hustle and bustle of school, sports, clubs, and everything else that fills our daily lives to the brim. Everyone said they appreciated a chance to get away from the city and spend some time in the forest where things slow down, responsibilities dilute to eating, drinking, establishing shelter, staying safe and having fun. The simplicity of the outdoors and the presence of mind the natural world pushes upon a person seems to be the antidote these young men crave from the pressures of day to day life in the city. The mentors innately know these benefits, but to hear the group resoundingly voice that they feel such a strong sense of comfort and nourishment on these outings and campouts brought a sense of solace and confidence this program is headed in the right direction.

After a powerful evening of reflection on our year and looking forward to what the future of this program can offer this group we woke up to an incredibly gorgeous, sunny, and hot day. The sun was unrelenting as it crested over the tree line and baked Racehorse Creek. Everyone found a way to cope with the heat from playing cards in the woods to taking a nap like a leopard in a tree.

Cards was easy to decide on, but which game proved more challenging

Hiding from the sun as only a Washingtonian knows how

Packing up camp we loaded up the bus and headed out to get in a hike to focus a bit on track and sign interpretation. This little jaunt in the woods proved fruitful as we found a variety of animal sign from old deer tracks to fresh weasel tracks to browsing by a rodent along the trailside. The heat proved too much and our focus soon drifted to cracking jokes and appreciating the warm weather through playfulness.

Bone fragments from a large animal

One last closing circle and we all gave some thanks before loading back into the bus. The group was glad to return to Racehorse Falls despite the original plan to go to Cascade River Road. The majority of the group had been here before and appreciated the opportunity to witness how things have changed since they had last explored this area. Though it likely wasn’t apparent to them, the mentors new that as much as the landscape had changed from their previous excursions, so had this group of arriving adults who have been taking strides towards maturing into a group of young men. Though they still have a long way to go, they demonstrated a level of responsibility, initiative, comradery, thoughtfulness, skill, and community that would be hard to find in a similar group of males their age. We are so thrilled to see this group of Vespula Veterans, Daredevils, and even members who never had the opportunity to do Explorers Club, begin to grow closer and meld into their own group; The Four Shields. 

 

Living in the present is always easier with a fire going

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