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!