Daredevils Club Thrive at North Galbraith

Daredevils Club - N. Galbraith Mountain Trailhead -  03/11/16

Arriving at North Galbraith Mountain Trailhead, the Daredevils Club met up with the mentors. A second younger group, the Short Tailed Weasels, was also meeting at this location which provided a great perspective check for mentors and the DDC members alike. As the Short Tailed Weasels scurried all over the place with emphatic energy the elder boys chatted with one another, talked about a game plan for our outing, and hit the trail. Of course it helps to have such a small group, but the dedication and commitment to one another that the DDC established in the fall was just as apparent today.

Hiking along the trail, past the swooping dirt jumps and steep hillside, we arrived at the old logging road trail that previously took us to our old stomping grounds from a season ago. However, something was much, much different. Immediately the boys noticed the massive gravel road that had been put in to replace the small trail. Swaths of trees were felled to clear the way and provide access for heavy machinery. It was a challenge in itself just to get our bearings and figure out which direction to head out to try and track down our debris shelter that we constructed last fall. Climbing atop a heaping mound of gravel we got a lay of the land and determined the most likely direction to our old base camp.

Navigating through the familiar valleys of Sword Fern and Western Red Cedar, Big Leaf Maple and Doug Fir, we dropped down into the final ravine and were relieved to see our debris hut and its surroundings were untouched by the recent development. It was easy to fall back into familiar ways as the DDC settled in and set up base camp. We had a quick opening circle, revisited our earth skills focus for the season; Art of Surviving/Thriving, and decided what we wanted to work on today. First and foremost the boys wanted to explore their landscape and trekked off to check out a large cave in the sandstone face of a bluff nearby while the mentors relaxed near the packs and began working away on their own personal earth skills projects.

When the boys returned we talked about surviving and thriving in the wilderness. One of the topics of conversation that came up was making one of the earliest tools; spears. Whether to use as a walking stick, for self-defense from dangerous wildlife, or to hunt larger game, the spear played a big role in allowing early humans to fend off predators and procure substantial food sources in dried and smoked meat. Greater security and reliable food supply opened the doors to exploration, invention, and cultural development. Of course there were many other attributing factors to the development of early humans, but the spear is one that is perhaps overlooked as nothing more than a pointy stick. Well that may be, but there’s nothing quite like making your own pointy stick, hardening the point in a fire, and practice throwing your pointy stick at a rotten stump. So that is what we did.

Carving away we made some spears, while others in the group took some time to continue adding to our debris shelter. Using young cedar boughs to make springy bedding among the sword fern mat and adding debris to the roof of the shelter things were really coming together. Next was to get a fire going. What better opportunity than this for a BEC pop-quiz! The mentors decided to have a fire challenge with the boys. The DDC had fifteen minutes to gather materials and start a fire with a lighter while the mentors would compete as well but were handicapped without a lighter and only a ferrocerium rod. The mentors hustled to gather cedar bark and Western Hemlock branches. Breaking down the cedar bark into a fibrous ball called a tinder bundle they took a few attempts to get a spark to ignite the cedar fibers, but once the flame caught and grew they stacked on bunches of the small, spindly Western Hemlock that lit immediately and bridged the gap between tinder and kindling. With a fire going the mentors gazed over at the boys and saw they could use a bit of help. With fifteen minutes up, the mentors focused on helping the DDC re-familiarize themselves with the abundance of resources that the forest has to offer us when it comes to making fire. We revisited the importance of Western Hemlock in the early stages of a fire, the placement of fuel given the direction flame burns, and the fundamental fire triangle of Fuel-Heat-Oxygen. With a few tips and pointers the boys had a fire going. One last reminder on the importance of gathering a good stockpile of fire wood and we settled in to warm up beside the fire as it began to sprinkle.

Fire-hardening the points of our spears they were ready for the final test. Lining up the spear, extending the opposite arm toward the target and hefting the spear forward it sank deeply into the soft rotting bark of the stump. What a satisfying feeling. We had just enough time for some more exploration, practice throwing our spears, and chatting around the fire before closing circle. Sitting in the small group of explorers and mentors we talked about the state of our group and our hope to keep these explorers involved in the program as they graduate after this season. Signing up for the Hoh River Wilderness Exploration this summer was strongly recommended for these boys as was coming out as an Explorers Mentor Apprentice (EMA) with one of the younger groups. We also talked about our hope to further develop our EMA program into a more involved program that these boys can continue on into after graduating from Boys Explorers Club after this spring season. It is our hope as mentors to be there for each and every one of these boys as they begin transitioning into adolescence and their long journey toward becoming young men. Today was a great start in building confidence and capability mastering primitive skills like spear throwing and the art of starting fire in the wilderness. With the ever familiar circle of gratitude and consumption of apple slices we drew our first outing of the spring season to a close. All that was left was to hike out to the trailhead. 

Quietly emerging from the forest smelling of campfire smoke and wielding fire-hardened spears the parents of the Short Tailed Weasels were perplexed to not see their young, squirrelly sons who were running late, still bumbling noisily down the trail a half mile behind the Daredevils Club. It was interesting to think that the members of the DDC were once restless, impatient, and unfocused like the Short Tailed Weasels. As the heat of the fire hardened their spear points, the countless hours of immersion in the forest, weathering inclement conditions, and honing of primitive skills has hardened these boys into adolescent adventurers who can not only survive, but thrive through whatever is thrown their way.

Make sure to check out the rest of our photos from this outing in the photo album!

Daredevil's Club delves into the fire!

Daredevil’s Club met under clear blue skies at Galbraith Mountain to feel what it is like to start fire with only two pieces of wood. With volunteer Sam, and EMA Jordan in tow, Dave and Tim led the crew into the forest; there was important, focused work to do.

As these boys are truly making the transition into adolescence, it seems essential to empower them with the skill of fire. They are testing boundaries, looking for their place in a bigger world. No longer are they the small boys who joined Explorers Club as it was starting. No. These guys are stretching their elbows for space in the adolescent world.

As mentors, we recognize that transferring to them the skill of fire is one of the many ways to show them the incredible power, and attached responsibility, that is becoming more integrated into their lives. Fire has the ability to destroy and it also can keep us nourished and warm. We are giving the tools and skills to these boys so they can be the destroyers or nourishers of our society. Scary indeed and it requires a lot of trust in them! We mentors toil to imbue them with the skill of how to be discerning and responsible.

Boys were keen to get started with their bow drill kits. Dave asked them to recall the story of how Coyote stole fire from Firekeeper sisters and brought it to the people. They remembered how fire resides inside of wood and that rubbing wood together can bring us the heat and light of fire. Dave showed them the entire bow drill setup, with all of its pieces and processes. Using cottonwood spindle, red alder hearth, a vine maple bow, some nylon cordage, and an elk antler for a top piece, he showed the technique that all of the boys later practiced. Under the curious eyes of a browsing deer and the group, he created smoke, a coal, and flame.

Explorers took turns practicing the bow drill techniques on Tim’s and Dave’s kits while others carved their bows and spindles. We safely used edged tools as we created our kits. This mentor is very impressed by the intention with which these Explorers worked to fashion their materials.

Of course, after some focused work, boys needed a break so their curiosity sent them into the forest after birds and their calls. Though supervised, Explorers were basically on their own and had the freedom to wander. When those of us at basecamp made the crow call, it didn’t take but five seconds for the crow call to come back to us from way off in the distance. We called and again there was a response as the bird chasers were rapidly coming back.

This situation is exactly the kind of trust/responsibility cycle that is crucial for these boys. They knew the boundaries (staying within sound distance); they had the freedom to go where they wanted (the trust), and they adhered to coming back right away (which is the rule). Younge groups are incapable of this level of trust but the DDC was successful at proving themselves.

Though a tiny “test” and perhaps indistinguishable for the Explorers, I realized that this group needs us to give them the tools and rules and boundaries, and then to let them go. The TRUST that they will do right and follow the safety rules is something that we must give them. They proved to me in that moment that they are ready for fire-making skills; they are adolescents knocking on the door for adult skills. Of course we must be attentive to anything that undermines this trust and constantly work on building it, but we need to give them the wiggle room. Scary indeed! Maybe some of you parents are already experiencing this at home :)

To end our day we trudged quickly up to the ridge and along the edge. We held closing meeting overlooking Bellingham and the extent of the Bay, well into the San Juan Islands and Vancouver Island. What a great way to celebrate thankfulness and our focused fire intention together. We were graced by a dozen raptors— possibly Red-Tailed Hawks perhaps Bald Eagles— “kettling up” to our south, riding the thermals as boys thanked the many birds they found during the outing.

Thanks for a great day Explorers! See you all on Sunday. Photos can be foundhere.