Catching Snakes, Playing Games, and Everything Not Hiking to Fragrance Lake

For the Mountain Goats second to last outing of the season we met up at Lost Lake Trailhead along Chuckanut Drive. We weren’t going to Lost Lake, or Clayton Beach, but to Fragrance Lake. Although our intention was to make it to Fragrance Lake, rarely does an Explorers Club group make it all the way up before getting side tracked with games, skills, or exploration of the many mysteries along the way. 

Starting things off we were immediately side tracked by a rustling in the Salal bushes beside our opening circle. Having tuned in to that specific rustle, one of the mentors paused everything to investigate. Reaffirming what was heard, returning out of the brush the mentor had a squirming Garter snake in his hand. Taking a moment to examine the animal and talk a bit about the anatomy of why a snake has a forked tongue (ask your Explorer to see if they remember!) we were soon distracted by yet another rustle in the brush. To our surprise there was another snake! Not only was there one more, but half a dozen other Garter snakes hiding in and amongst the brush. The Mountain Goats proceeded to spend the next half hour poking around through the bushes and trying to catch the newest snake to try and sneak away from us. 

Checking out the first snake

Catching Big Bertha!

Searching for more!

Foretelling how the rest of the outing would go, we finally got on the trail and within a few minutes paused to play some rounds of HIDE while tending to a minor injury to one of the Explorers who knocked his toe on a rock. Finally, we pushed further down the trail but yet again got distracted by a cool ledge to explore. Then we barely made it past the entrance to the trailhead before the group decided to scout through the thick Sword Fern for a good place to play Spider’s Web. Whatever glimmer of hope we had to make it even to the lookout, let along the lake was lost when we set up base camp only a couple hundred yards away from the trailhead.

Spreading out we discovered a well-used deer trail with old hoof prints, deer scat, and a log with moss knocked off from deer repeatedly knocking their hooves into it while stepping over. Additionally we discovered a queen Bald Faced Hornet still hibernating in a rotten log who was luckily rather lethargic and unable to do much than cling onto a stick for relocation. With a better understanding of the landscape and a hazard removed it was time to play Spider’s Web. The game we always get excited for was quickly set up by the Mountain Goats with limited assistance from the mentors. While playing the game one of the mentors prepped some materials for skills work while the other tried to help navigate a few challenges with our game.

Setting up base camp and eating some lunch

Re-locating the queen Bald Faced Hornet!

  

Finally wrapping up Spider’s Web the group naturally transitioned into some skills work. Despite being their first year, the Mountain Goats are a few years older than the usual “first year” groups. Because of this they not only have worked on the Art of Camouflage but also thoroughly took on the Art of Shelter and are hungry for a new skill. Given their growth and development as a group, demonstrated maturity and focus, and a year of safely using sticks around one another the mentors decided to see if the group is ready for the Art of Carving. 

Learning the basics of carving

Practicing the Bow Drill

Technique and form are key in being successful!

 Not wanting to jump right in, the mentors split the group up into two groups. One was working on some basic carving safety and techniques while the other group practiced with a Bow Drill (or primitive means of starting fire with friction). Both skills require immense focus, patience, and dedication to learn and become proficient. Despite the challenge, the Mountain Goats stepped up and proved they are ready to take on more responsibility and delve into the Art of Carving. Despite hiking roughly 200 yards down the Fragrance Lake trail, the Mountain Goats proved that all they need is a small patch of woods, good friends, some snacks and water, and a little bit of inspiration to stay occupied for hours and hours. We caught snacks and hornets, explored a deer trail, played a number of games, began learning the Art of Carving, and even had some left over energy to practice using a Bow Drill. All in all I would call that a pretty good day.

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

Shelter and Spider's Web on Stewart Mountain

Arriving at Stewart Mountain after a day of school, the Mountain Goats were ready to cut loose and romp in the woods. After taking some time to check in with the group in opening circle, the mentors had a pop quiz for the group; in the next five minutes find a natural shelter that would keep you (relatively) warm and dry if a rain was coming and night was falling. The group spread out throughout the forest and nestled up under ferns, in the nooks of trees and under the thick canopy of a young Western Hemlock. We took tours of everyone’s locations and had time to refresh our minds about what to look for when searching for shelter.

Option 1: Under a rotten log

Option 2: Sword Ferns + Tree Stump

Option 3: Sword Ferns + Rain Jacket Roof

Transitioning to the rest of our outing we hiked up the Chanterelle Trail to find a place to continue developing our shelter building skills. Along the way we passed by a structure constructed by one of our group members while they were on a family outing with some friends. After taking some time to appreciate the fort we pushed on further and found an area full of natural materials cleared away during the trail work. Finding an abundance of building resources nearby your shelter location is a must, so we settled in, split up into two groups and got to work.

Always fun to find a shelter to share with friends!

Re-calling the basics of a debris shelter the groups quickly identified (2) Y-Sticks, (1) Backbone, a number of Ribs, and sources to gather plenty of insulating Debris. Each group put their own personal twist on their shelters and after spending a good amount of time we decided to pause to share our structures with one another. After debriefing the strengths and weaknesses of each design we had just enough time for a game or two of Spider’s Web. 

 

Finishing up the ribs on Shelter 1

Finishing the debris layer on Shelter 2

Getting ready for closing circle

Showing off their growth as a group, the Mountain Goats set up the playing course and picked out a Spider with minimal help from the mentors. Everyone enjoyed a time to get lost in play and before we knew it the daylight was fading and it was time for closing circle. One of the mentors had takin some time to create a Bow Drill Kit out of gathered materials while the groups were building their shelters. After talking to the group about the need for strong focus and quiet concentration from everyone in order to get an ember we attempted to create fire with friction. After a few moments the group began to lose focus, get squirrelly and let their energy get out of control. Without a group effort focusing on creating the coal the mentors got plenty of smoke but after stopping to examine their product, the elusive coal wasn’t there. Failing to get a coal was the perfect medicine for this group. Without everyone calm and focused it is difficult for the person attempting to get the coal to put their entire focus into the process. Having to scrap our friction fire attempt we debriefed how we will have another opportunity in the future to get a coal and reminded the group it will take everyone’s combine focus to be successful. Finishing our circle we shared some thanks and ate some apple slices before packing up and trucking down the hill back to the parents waiting at the parking lot. With so much progress made in the Mountain Goats ability to build shelters, and the failure of getting a coal we had a perfect balance of success to hang our hats on and failure to keep us hungry to improve on our next outing. This group continues to grow closer and demonstrate a higher level of performance each outing. The mentors continue to greatly enjoy witnessing the growth of this group and can’t wait to see what is in store on our next outing.

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

Mountain Goats Build Character While Building Shelters

Galbraith Mountain is a medley of lush forest, diverse trail systems, and interspersed areas of clear cut. Unlike most of our outing locations, this is one spot that has experienced an extreme amount of impact. With our focus on learning the Art of Shelter, we were primed to be able to cut loose and utilize the abundant resources left over from logging to construct our very own “debris huts.” A Debris Hut is a form of primitive shelter that utilizes a modified tri-pod structure combined with a thick layer of vegetation debris to create a mini microclimate. The primary purpose of this shelter is to keep you warm and dry which is a very important thing when it comes to living in the Pacific Northwest. Once all of the Mountain Goats had arrived we trekked out looking for our basecamp.

Hiking through the lush forest of Galbraith

Our first stop was at the dirt bike jumps to let everyone get some wiggles out. Unlike most Explorers Club groups, the Mountain Goats explore after a day of school so it is extra important we get to cut loose before trying to focus on learning a new skill. Cruising along the dirt jumps we transitioned into a few rounds of HIDE before gathering for opening circle. Talking about the day the group was introduced to the basics of constructing a Debris Hut and setting some intentions to play a game of Spiders Web before gathering our things back up and relocating.

Taking in the impacts of clear cutting

Passing through a large clear cut was a great opportunity for the Mountain Goats to learn what an extreme amount of impact can have on a forest landscape. The former forest we passed through used to be an old stomping ground for Explorers Club groups, but due to the constant pressure for development this landscape now looks like a warzone. Understanding the impact this area has gone through helps develop perspective for our Explorers and build one end of our spectrum when thinking about our impact on a landscape. With this in mind we found a section of forest beside a stream to call our new basecamp. We explored the area to get to know it a bit before jumping into our shelter building session.

Exploring beside the stream before shelter building

The group was split up into two teams that would “compete” in a shelter building contest. Focusing on the primary components each group found: Two ‘Y-Sticks” and a longer Backbone to form the elongated tri-pod that would be the base of our shelters. Next each team scoured the landscape for ‘ribs’ that would be laid along the backbone to round out the structure. Finally the groups transitioned to adding debris. This can be the most demanding step as a completed debris shelter should have up to a full arms-length of debris on top of it to create sufficient insulation to keep you warm throughout the night. Additionally, it is important to pile up debris inside the shelter, specifically creating a nice bed of insulation to prevent body heat conducting away into the cold ground. Although there was a bit of discouragement during the shelter building, the groups rallied and after discovering a downed Western Hemlock tree that they harvested bows from for debris.

Making the initial framework using two Y-Sticks and a Backbone

Beginning to add on the Ribs

Adding Debris

Checking for gaps in the shelter

With our outing coming to a close we stopped to reflect on our work. Each group shared their shelters with each other and the mentors discussed a couple of key characteristics of survival that each group showed. The first group got off to a quick start diving head first into the shelter building. They displayed a “sense of urgency” to complete their debris hut that is a key trait in any survival situation. Without an ever present pressure urging you to push yourself it is easy to become complacent and compromise your ability to overcome challenges you are faced with. The second group encountered quite a different experience. Getting off to a slow start and faced with some low morale, it felt like the shelter was taking forever. Becoming demoralized is like getting stuck in a whirlpool; the further you get sucked down the harder it is to get yourself out. With a little encouragement and support from the mentors the second group got things turned around. Seemingly moving faster and with more purpose as each minute passed they second group epitomized a “strong finish.” Demonstrating the characteristic of resiliency to rally when losing hope is one of the greatest tools for anyone in a survival situation. Despite their slow start this group got things turned around and learned a bit about themselves in the process.

Group One's Shelter

Group Two's Shelter

Running late, the Mountain Goats shared some gratitude in our closing circle before loading up our packs and hustling back to the trailhead. Once again this group proved themselves worthy of the title of ‘Mountain Goat’ as their quick pace and ability to push up hills and down the trail allowed the group to get back just in time. The mentors reflected after the outing that this group always seems to surprise us. We got off to a slow start on our outing. There was a lack of focus in opening circle and some difficulty getting started on our shelters. That being said, the Mountain Goats turned things around, like they always do, and left the mentors impressed at their performance. This group demonstrated a sense of urgency, an ability to rally when down, and of course an ever present playfulness. We made a strong start on learning the Art of Shelter and can’t wait to get back to it on our next outing!

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