GW – Lizard Lake – 9/9/17
The Gray Wolves (formerly known as the Gray Wolf Pups)
kicked off the 2017/18 BEC year with an extended bus outing to Lizard Lake.
Meeting at Samish Woods Montessori we took a moment to gather up as a group for
the first time since summer and catch up a bit. First and foremost we wanted to
acknowledge a few Gray Wolves who had moved on, and a few Gray Wolves who were
coming over from different groups. With our “state of the Gray Wolves” address
out of the way it was time to hit the road.
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| Checking out the info board to glean map and safety information |
Driving out along the east bank of Lake Samish we were able
to look up to the southwest and see our destination; Blanchard Mountain.
Winding our way up a logging road we arrived at the trailhead, unloaded, passed
out jobs, and headed over to the info board to look at the map and glean any
information that may help us on our way. Immediately, we noticed that there was
a vehicle whose rear window had been broken in what appeared to be a break in.
This caught some of the group members by surprise and there was a strong desire
to know what happened and a desire for some semblance of justice.
Unfortunately, sometimes there are things we just can’t undo. Despite our
strong desire for wrongs to be corrected, we had no way of knowing who had done
this, let alone an effective way to bring them to justice. We took a moment to
discuss our predicament before transitioning our focus to the hike that was on
our horizon.
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| Pausing to chat as we hike along the logging road |
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| Turning up the Alternate Incline Trail to Lizard lake |
Cruising up the logging road, hitting the Alternate Incline
Trail, and gaining elevation throw a secondary growth forest littered with
massive stumps and other scattered remains of logging equipment, we were able
to start discussing our skill for the day; Wilderness Travel. First and
foremost we went over basics of traveling as a group. We discussed the need to
monitor the groups pace, need for breaks, and how to manage these two variables
in an efficient way.
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| Along the way we found a Rough Skinned Newt on the trail. Must be a sign we were headed to Lizard Lake (even though newts aren't lizards!) |
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| Taking some time to eat lunch on our hike |
Arriving at Lizard Lake we took some time to explore while
the mentors set up a demonstration of how to set up a tarp utilizing a ridgeline
technique. The rain started picking up and dampening our ability to focus on
the medley of skills we were hoping to get to. Dialing back our game plan we
focused solely on tarps for the day which seemed fitting as the cold and wet
began to permeate throughout the group. Despite the dampening of morale, the
group rallied and began playing a big game of “Where’s My Egg” while pairs of
Gray Wolves joined the mentors to learn how to tie a Trucker’s Hitch, a simple
yet effective knot that is ideal for setting up a taught ridgeline. Cold hands
made this difficult, but the mentors were quick to point out that when you need
a tarp most is likely to be when you are cold and wet so it is important to
practice these skills under these challenging circumstances.
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| Helping to carve tent pegs for our tarp |
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| Setting up our tarp in a ridgeline |
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| Taking shelter from the rain |
With our time to head home quickly approaching we gathered
together for a closing circle to share some thanks and some apple slices. The
hike down the Alternate Incline Trail was a quick one, arriving back at the
logging road in no time. The mentors took a moment to lag back while the Gray
Wolves pushed on. Although this moment seemed simple at first, having a little
space from the group, some peace and quiet, and a view of the group plodding
along through inclement weather in high spirits, it became clear that the group
formerly known as the Gray Wolf Pups had truly made the transition to being a
pack of Gray Wolves. This outing they demonstrated a toughness to put up with
the weather, an ability to welcome new members with open arms, and a depth of
comradery and engagement throughout the group that was demonstrably deeper than
when we last saw them in the spring. We are looking forward to a new year and
taking new strides to hone our skills in the Art of Wilderness Travel, begin
learning the Art of Fire, and continue to fortify the comradery of the Gray
Wolves that has truly begun to permeate throughout every member of the group in
ways we have yet to see in years prior.
Check out the rest of the photos from our outing
here!
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| Happy to be back at the bus after a rainy outing |
