Townsend's Chipmunks practice Navigation

With our first outing of the season being cancelled due to high winds the Townsend’s Chipmunks had jumped right into their Fall with a service outing at Connelly Creek. With this work under their belts it was time for an outing full of exploration, play, and adventure. The sun shone through the trees, but there was an unmistakable fall chill in the air as we moved deeper into the forest.

At the top of the first hill the boys found an excellent spot for an opening circle and got themselves organized to discuss our outing. Since many of the boys were new to explorers club we had a longer opening circle; going over some safety, talking about hazards, introducing ourselves, and finally talking about what it means to explore. All the boys were patient as we went over this information and helped keep each other focused. With the talking behind us we all needed to move and played a few rounds of Hide!. 

This season the Townsend’s Chipmunks are practicing their Navigation skills in order to become comfortable and proficient wilderness travelers. Once back on the trail we pulled out a map and took some time talking about the basics of using a map. What the map key was, how to orient a map, how to read topographic lines, and how to visualize what you are seeing on the map in real life. Many of the boys really took advantage of this time to ask questions and focus on the skill of map reading. After going over some basics we identified a spot at the far end of the 100 aker woods and challenged the boys to navigate us there.

Once hiking a couple boys really too initiative with the map; pulling it out at every junction, identifying our current location, making decisions based on the map, and sharing the information with the group. As we went we played games, explored, and found fresh mushrooms along the trail. The Townsend’s Chipmunks did an excellent job navigating the winding and often confusing paths of the 100 aker wood. After a while we reached our destination and decided it was time to take a break and eat lunch.

After lunch we realized we were in the perfect location to play a group favorite, Eagle Eye. Eagle Eye is half sneaking half hiding and the perfect bridge between playing Hideand Spiders Web. A lush patch of sword fern and salmonberry provided the perfect location and plenty of creative hiding spots. After playing a multiple rounds it was time to pack up and navigate our way back toward the pickup location.

In our closing circle we talked about the importance of navigation. Many of the boys had great insights into what it means to navigate and the opportunities it opens up to feel comfortable navigating through the woods. Beyond their focus and interest in navigation i was even more impressed by how the Townsend’s chipmunks have embraced the change in the group with about a third of the group being new this season. Our new members are fitting in great and our older participants are behaving in an open and accepting way. I am excited for future explorations with the Townsend’s Chipmunks and to watch them grow as a group. Please take a look at our photo gallery for more pictures from our outing!

Townsend's Chipmunks Explore 100 Aker Woods

Small winter wrens and song sparrows chatter from the shrubs at the edge of fairhaven park as the Townsend Chipmunks begin to arrive. The first few boys duck into hiding spots in these bushes to await the rest of the group. A few scramble up into a tree catching the attention of a douglas squirrel who had been spending his morning in the same tree. The boys hide for a while but eventually come out as the rest of the boys show up.

They mill around pointing out strange seed pods to each other and discussing whatever soccer games or hikes they had been on that morning. I remember the first outing; the boys mostly quiet, shyly talking to one another, a group that hardly knew each other. Now after only Three outings together these Explorers are becoming quite the group.

Once everyone has gathered we make our way across the open field and up into the forest of 100 Aker wood. This place has a long history with Explorers club and is an exciting and diverse forest to spend time in. Our first task of the day is to have a short sit spot. A sit spot is a really important part of being in the forest and is a great tool to observe the baseline of the forest, to hear the birds, plants, and other animals at their natural rhythm. As everyone spreads out to find their spots small birds from the underbrush chirp short alarm calls and Explorers voices drift up through the canopy. I am surprised when almost immediately the voices of the explorers disappear and after a few minutes the birds come back with song. The boys spend about fifteen minutes at their sit spots in almost perfect silence. When we called them back in they exclaimed at the number of birds they had heard, animals they had seen, and new plants they had observed. The boys excitement was so overwhelming that we all followed each Explorer around for a tour of their sit spot.

 Hiking out from here we began exploring the land with the intention of finding a good location for some games that would challenge our ability to hide and be stealthy. Winding trails led us through mud deeper than our boots, across hillsides, up and down valleys, through forests of Sword Fern, piles of Big Leaf Maple leaves, and finally to one of the most perfect areas for hiding! We set our backpacks aside and prepared to play.

We Played a game called Eagle Eye Which is a great combination of hiding ability and ability to quickly move from hiding spot to hiding spot silently. (Parents ask your Explorers about the details, it is a great game to play while out hiking with the family, but watch out they are all really good!)

I played as the Eagle the first round and by the time I had finished counting the boys had silently become part of the landscape. As they moved in closer to me with each round I began to see a leg sticking out from behind a fern, and arm draped across a fallen Red Alder, or the top of a head just visible from behind a log. We played many rounds of this; taking turns being the eagle and hiding. As with all games issues of fairness and honesty came up. The Townsend's Chipmunks showed a lot of good problem solving and patients when working through these points of friction with one another.

The day flew by and soon enough it was time to start heading back toward the park entrance. We hiked back through the oncoming rain and found a small Western Red Cedar to tuck underneath for our closing meeting.

As we began our closing meeting runners in costume began to run by on the adjacent trail. For a moment we were all distracted by the costume clad runners; once we began our circle of thanks our focus was held despite the zombies, cowboys, and other strange characters running by us. All the boys were very thoughtful and sincere in the closing meeting. They were really respectful of whomever was talking at the moment and would have kept focusing in this circle if our time had not run out.

As we made our way back we played more games of Hide! and rolled down some grassy slopes. It was really exciting to see these boys mature so much as a group after only three outings together. I am excited to continue working with these boys and go on more great adventures with them in outings to come. Thanks to Login and Jordan our two EMAs for the day. Parents thanks for sending your sons out with us and Explorers thankyou for putting such a big smile on my face. For more pictures of our outing check out the photo gallery!