Quaking Aspens - Magnificent Mosses 2023-2024

Please note that the Quaking Aspens and Magnificent Mosses have combined for 2023-24, so dates and outing locations will have changed from the two groups’ original schedules.

Welcome to Explorers Club Season 5! Mentors are excited for a season filled with nature exploration and group connection. This season, we will continue to deepen our skills of carving and wilderness travel that we began last year. Otherwise, our main technical skills focus will be on fire safety and fire by friction. Our socio-emotional skill focus will be storytelling, place-based history, and team building.

All outings, including dates, times, locations, and staffing are subject to change due to unforeseen circumstances and without notice. We will notify you of any changes as soon as possible.

Resources

Explorers Club Pack List

Mentor Contact Info

Shelby Kita (she/her) | shelby@wildwhatcom.org

Lydia Houston (she/they) | lydia@wildwhatcom.org

OUTING 8 | Saturday, May 11 | 10:00-4:00PM

EXPLORATION | Campfire Creation | Lily-Lizard Lakes

For our final outing of the year, we’ll have a hike and campfire! The group will get a chance to test their skills that they’ve practiced over the year. Will they make a coal using a bow drill, or choose to light tinder with a ferro rod? Will they skip tinder altogether and light kindling with a magnifying glass? What shape and style will they choose to build their fire in, and will they be able to maintain it? How will they make these decisions all together? How much mentor help do they want? All this and more is up to the Explorers on this culminating day of the season.

Directions: Blanchard Mountain Trail Upper parking Lot. Take I-5 South to the Alger exit (240). Turn right onto Lake Samish Rd. Turn left onto Barrel Springs Rd. In another 0.7 mile, turn R on 5 Mi Blanchard Hilltrail, a good gravel logging road. Pass the Lower Blanchard Mountain parking lot. At the T in the road, continue straight for the Upper Blanchard Mountain Trail parking lot. Map.

Reminder: A Discover Pass is required for all parking at State Parks. If you do not have a pass, please stay with your vehicle and plan to make drop-off and pick-up quick.

2024-2025

OUTING 1 | September | 10:00 - 3:00 PM

SKILLS | Nature Journaling | Clayton Beach

To begin our penultimate year together, we will head to an old favorite EC location. Nestled along the rugged coastline, Clayton Beach offers the perfect backdrop for an exploration after a summer apart. As we gather once again, our focus will be on honing our naturalist observation skills through a deep dive into nature journals. There will be plenty of time for catching up with old friends, dipping our toes in the ocean (weather permitting), and embarking on free exploration along the shoreline. Please bring closed toed water shoes, a bathing suit, towel, and any pencils, pens, etc that you’d like.

Directions: 100-104 WA-11. From I-5, take exit 250 (Old Fairhaven Parkway/Chuckanut Dr). Head west on Old Fairhaven Parkway. Turn left at 12th St, then left again at next light onto Chuckanut Dr. for approx. 5.5 miles. The parking lot is a short distance past the main Larrabee State Park entrance. It will be on your left and is signed Lost Lake Parking Lot. Map.

OUTING 2 | October | 10:00 - 4:00 PM

SKILLS | Chuckanut Ridge Traverse

This journey along Chuckanut Ridge is a fantastic hike through the heart of the Chuckanuts Mountains. Along the way, we’ll practice our hiking skills, review trail etiquette and navigation, witness fantastic views, and revel in the abundance of a healthy forest. There is nothing quite like traipsing through a natural setting with a group of close friends to revitalize the soul. We should cover four miles or so, so eat a big breakfast, pack a hearty lunch, and wear good footwear.

Drop-Off Directions: 224 Cleator Rd. From I-5, take exit 250 (Old Fairhaven Parkway/Chuckanut Dr.). Head west on Old Fairhaven Parkway to 12th St. Turn south on 12th St, cross the bridge and veer left onto Chuckanut Dr. for 3.8 miles. Turn east onto Hiline Rd., cross Interurban trail and continue up Cleator Rd. (dirt road) for 1.7 miles. Map.

Reminder: A Discover Pass is required for all parking at State Parks. If you do not have a pass, please stay with your vehicle and plan to make drop-off and pick-up quick.

Pick-up Directions: North Chuckanut Trailhead. From I-5, take exit 250 (Old Fairhaven Parkway/Chuckanut Dr.). Head west on Old Fairhaven Parkway. Turn left onto 30th St. for approx. 1 mile. Turn right at Old Samish Rd. to Chuckanut Dr. then turn left onto Chuckanut Dr. and the North Chuckanut Mountain Trailhead parking lot will be on your left. Map.

OUTING 3 | November | 10:00 - 4:00 PM

EXPLORATION | Butter Knives | Bowman Bay

Today, we'll be working on our backcountry cutlery sets by starting to carve butter knives and spoons! We'll travel to Bowman Bay, where we'll make camp under a big pavilion with an indoor fire pit. The group will use their fire by friction skills to make us a roaring campfire that will keep us warm and help with our spoon carving. Please bring warm layers, a blanket or sleeping bag, a hearty lunch, and an empty mug for tea.

Directions: 3424 Meridian St., Bellingham. From I-5, take exit 256A (Meridian St). Head south on Meridian St. for three blocks and turn north at the Squalicum Parkway intersection entrance. Map.

OUTING 4 | January | 10:00 - 3:00 PM

SKILLS | Fire x Friction Practicum | Larrabee State Park

Building on our foundational skills of fire creation, kindling bundles, tinder sourcing, and ferro rods + bow drills, we'll spend the day reviewing and refining our techniques. With a mix of perseverance, skill, and luck, we’ll get a substantial fire going! As winter settles in, fire will provide warmth and shelter, allowing us to enjoy over-the-fire cooking, games, and relaxed time together.

Directions: 245 Chuckanut Dr, Bellingham. From I-5, take exit 250 (Old Fairhaven Parkway/Chuckanut Dr.). Head west on Old Fairhaven Parkway to 12th St. Turn left at 12th St and then veer left onto Chuckanut Dr. for approx. 5.0 miles. Turn right into the main park entrance and park in the first lot on the left. Map.

Reminder: A Discover Pass is required for all parking at State Parks. If you do not have a pass, please stay with your vehicle and plan to make drop-off and pick-up quick.

OUTING 5 | February | 10:00 - 3:00 PM

EXPLORATION | Coal Blown Spoons | Birch Bay State Park

Birch Bay is the northwest edge of Whatcom County and the United States. This coastal state park is a beautiful place to observe eagles, heron, and seals. We'll spend the day practicing our fire-building and carving skills and exploring this site that has seen human habitation for thousands of years. The goal of this day will be to start (and maybe finish?) carving spoons. We’ll use a method that involves coal blowing to create the spoon's basin. The motto Slow is Fast will be very important on this day, as spoons are a difficult tool to carve and will often split if the coal is blown too hot.

Directions: 5105 Helweg Rd. From I-5, take exit 266 for WA-548 N/Grandview Rd. Turn west onto WA-548 N/Grandview Rd. After approx. 6 miles, continue on Grandview Rd at the traffic circle for 1 mile. Turn right onto Jackson Rd. for 1 more mile. Turn left onto Helweg Rd. and the main entrance to Birch Bay State Park. Drive through the campground and arrive at the main campsite parking lot. If you’ve driven out to the beach, you’ve gone too far. Map.

Reminder: A Discover Pass is required for all parking at State Parks. If you do not have a pass, please stay with your vehicle and plan to make drop-off and pick-up quick.

OUTING 6 | March | Time TBD

SERVICE | Connelly Creek Restoration Sites

Explorers Club has two official restoration sites that we work on every year in partnership with the Bellingham Parks Department. In the decade-plus that EC has worked at Connelly Creek trailhead and Happy Valley park, the landscape of each site has changed dramatically. Explorers of all ages have helped to remove Himalayan blackberries and dig out their persistent roots. We’ve planted over 100 native plants, shrubs, and trees. Existing plant life has been freed of ivy, reed canary grass has been covered in mulch, and morning glory has been dug out by the root. Explorers have removed hundreds of pounds of trash and hauled almost 100 yards of mulch.

With the help of Bellingham City Parks and Nooksack Salmon Enhancement Association (NSEA), we are contributing to the very important work of salmon habitat restoration. Salmon are keystone species of the Northwest, playing important roles in every ecosystem and community they interact with. They are economically, culturally, and spiritually significant to Indigenous peoples, including our Lummi and Nooksack neighbors. Our restoration work creates a positive ripple effect that is felt in communities beyond just salmon and gives us an incredible opportunity to be part of a legacy of stewardship and protection.

Please remember to print, sign, & bring the Park and Recreation’s Risk and Liability form to drop off.

Directions: South Bellingham Park and Ride (West). From I-5, take exit 250 (Old Fairhaven Parkway/Chuckanut Dr). Head west on Old Fairhaven Parkway for 0.1 mile. Turn north onto 30th St for 0.3 mile. Turn east on Donovan Ave. and drive for 0.1 mile. Turn south onto 32nd Ave. and drive for 0.2 of a mile. Turn east into Bellingham Park & Ride (WSDOT) westside lot. Map.

OUTING 7 | April | 10:00 - 3:00 PM

EXPLORATION | Edible Plants | 100 Acre Woods

Today, we’ll revisit an old favorite location - the 100 acre woods. We’ll employ our well-honed naturalist skills and review the tenets of the Honorable Harvest, all with the hopes of harvesting wild edibles! After gathering big leaf maple blossoms, nettles, dandelions, and lots of other wild foods, we will use backcountry cooking stoves to prepare these wild foods in a sweet way - fritters! Please send your Explorer with an empty mug for forest tea!

Directions: 107 N. Chuckanut Dr, Bellingham. From I-5, take exit 250 (Old Fairhaven Parkway/Chuckanut Dr). Head west on Old Fairhaven Parkway. Turn south at 12th St, then veer east again at next light onto Chuckanut Drive. Turn east into the Fairhaven Park entrance. Turn right into the second parking lot at the end of the road. Map.

OUTING 8 | May | 10:00 - 3:00 PM

Exploration | Racehorse Falls

As our group approaches the end of another year together, we're gearing up for our final outing to Racehorse Falls. We'll board the trusty buses and head towards the mountains, ready for a day of exploration. Along the river, we'll search for fossils, edible plants, and animal tracks, with the destination of a beautiful waterfall in mind. This is a great spot for a fire or a big game of spidersweb. It's sure to be a memorable day as we bid farewell to another season of adventure and look towards our graduation year. Please pack closed-toed H2O shoes, swim attire, a towel, and sunscreen, weather permitting.

Questions

Please contact your group’s mentor(s) listed above or explorersclub@wildwhatcom.org.