Four Shields Build Snow Caves in the Sunshine at Mt. Baker Ski Area

The Four Shielders arrived at Cascades Montessori energetic and alert for they finally had the weather window they needed to run a safe and fun snow cave outing. As the old adage goes, the third time’s the charm! Hopping aboard our bus Moose we headed out Highway 542 in search of snow. Cruising along the North Fork of the Nooksack River the Explorers marveled at the frost that blanketed the farmland.

We arrived at the upper parking lot of the Mt. Baker Ski Area, which was still icy from the cold clear night, but the current weather felt unusually warm and comfortable. The mentors made sure the group was outfitted with two very important items for our exploration, sunglasses and a large dollop of sunscreen for their faces!

Circling up at the backcountry gate the mentors asked the group to focus for a safety discussion and reminded everyone that venturing out into the backcountry during winter required careful tracking of weather and a heightened awareness of the hazards that can be present.

Together the group was challenged to remember what safety terminologies and guidelines we had discussed on our previous snow cave outings. We reviewed: backcountry travel and etiquette, avalanche prone slopes and their degree of angle, terrain traps and cornices, wind loading, storm slab, loose wet snow avalanches, tree well hazards, dehydration, the curse of high ego and low skill, and sticking together as a group.

Building upon this knowledge the mentors gave a talk regarding the previous two weeks weather and snowfall in relation to: the daily temperature, amount of rain/snowfall, precipitation in relation to snowpack stability, wind direction and speed, direction of wind loading on slopes due to transportation of snow, NWAC’s detailed avalanche forecast and current level of danger rating, and recent observations skiers had made in the backcountry. By far our biggest hazards of the day were solar affected slopes, the deep persistent layers within the snowpack, sunburns, and tree wells.  

The boys were anxious to get digging, but the mentors needed to mention one other important point. We are very clear with the Explorers that just because they are learning information relating to avalanche awareness and backcountry winter travel that does not give them license to duck the ropes while at the ski area or venture out into the winter wilderness without supervision or an experienced adult.

Leading the charge the Explorers headed out on a path that offered a safe and efficient travel route to their identified snow cave building location. It’s powerful to see the Shielders developing a familiarity and affinity for this landscape. We took in the crystal clear views of the snow-covered North Cascades peaks while we relaxed into the comfort of the day, drank some water, and snacked on our lunches.

Scoping out a twenty-five to thirty degree slope with a deep wind deposited snow bank the group walked out a perimeter around the snow cave site, as to not compress the snow, and used a probe to determine that the depth was well over the length of the ten foot probe.

Digging out a platform the boys excavated seven feet vertically, throwing the snow downslope and watching out for snowshoe travelers on their way up to artist point passing below.

Initially the work went quickly. Outlining the entrance of their cave the boys used a snow-saw to cut blocks out of the wall until a shoulder-wide entrance to the cave went roughly a body’s length back. From this point the work of digging got difficult because the consolidation of the layers deep in the snow pack and the expansiveness of the sunny day leading the group need to roughhouse, lounge, and dig their own snow tunnels.

Stopping for a snack the group cut out a small kitchen space to make hot chocolate. Our conversation wandered as our snow melted and came to a boil. The mentors often have a listening ear for the Shielders side conversations because it brings up many quality conversations and teach points as they process culture and the world around them. On a few occasions during this outing the group’s language got a bit derogatory and offensive. In these moments the mentors were quick to nip these conversations in the bud. They explained to the group that whether one individual is serious or not when poking fun of another person, thing, or group words have the power to change the way we think over time based off of how we use them. It is our intentional use of kind, considerate, and socially just language that builds character and supports a health community.

Conversations that may not be offensive to the speaker and/or the listener might be offensive and disparaging to the groups or people that they directly affect. In these cases the context of the statements and the intention behind them don’t matter, it is how they effect and are perceived by whom they exploit that matters. This type of language also supports others who might genuinely believe in oppressing these groups, giving normalcy to behaviors and mindsets and at the very least emboldened and affirm these attitudes. As mentors this is our job to continually remind these arriving adults of the power they hold and the way in which their actions affect others and themselves.

After some difficult digging and sawing we ended up making a snow cave big enough for one person to sleep in. Demolishing our cave was seemingly more fun than building it! After making a sweep around our camp we gave thanks and made our way back to the wilderness rope line.

Being in the presence of the mountains has the power to humble both mentor and Shielders alike as it provides a window into forces much greater than us. This shift in perspective calls us to be present and engaged, increases our discernment, encourages forethought and reflection, and is restorative in nature.

One take-away our mentors have had time and time again with the Four Shielders is that they love being together in the mountains. Whether it watching the water come to a boil, the sunlight traveling on the peaks, engaging in the skill of snow caving, or body sliding down the hill and throwing snowballs at each other, they can’t get enough!

After two cancelled snow cave outings The Four Shielders were thankful for the opportunity to be in the mountains. They expressed gratitude for their knowledge gained through the experience, for the creative medium of snow, for deep spring snowpack that provides us drinking water, for quality gear that enriches our experience, for the warm of the sun, for the opportunity to participate, and for the expansiveness of the terrain. Our mentors are thankful to have spent another day in the mountains with this fine crew of arriving adults.

For more pictures from our outing please visit the Four Shields’ photo album from the day.