The Townsend Chipmunks Explore an Icy Arroyo Park

Ice!

Last Saturday, the Townsend Chipmunks met for their first ever winter outing together. We have seen how our favorite ecosystems and places look during fall, spring and summer, but this was our first chance to see what the Chuckanut Creek ecosystem looks, smells, sounds and feels like during the icy grip of a winter freeze.

Frozen Chuckanut Creek!

The most obvious (and most fun) part about exploring during winter is all of the ice! As explorers, we are usually itching to get onto the trail and into the woods as soon as possible but today none of us could resist the temptation of playing on the completely frozen pond at the edge of the parking lot. Thankfully, this pond was frozen solid all the way through so we were not worried about the ice breaking and getting our feet cold and wet for the rest of the day. We spent time here slipping, sliding and investigating the interesting patterns that the ice made when it froze.

Ice is way to much fun

After finally pulling our attention from the ice we were able to have an opening circle and set an intention to travel to a cool spot and have enough time to play spiders web and get back to the parking lot on time. However, as it often goes in BEC, the forest had a different day planned for us.

Only a short way up the trail, we came across a waterfall that was still flowing but was covered with all different kinds of ice. This scene immediately captured our imagination and we couldn't help but get close to touch, break, hold, and look through these beautiful and odd-looking ice formations. We discussed our theories as to how and why certain shapes and kinds of ice existed at different places in the stream. It was hard to pull ourselves away from this wonder but as the first shoe was dunked into the water, the mentors knew that we had had our fun here, and that staying any longer may have resulted in some cold and uncomfortable explorers.

Cool ice formations

We moved further along the trail and noticed even more types of ice. We saw ice that grew up and out of the soil in the form of columns that looked like mini skyscrapers. We noticed that areas on the trail that looked like wed mud were actually frozen and held the tracks of animals who had passed weeks before when temperatures were above freezing. In one frozen mud pit we identified the tracks of humans, domestic dogs, and deer!

A rare sight in Bellingham, ice in Chuckanut Creek!

We eventually found our way to the fallen tree bridge that we used to access the other side of Chuckanut Creek and get to our spiders web spot. A mentor scouted the condition of the log bridge and found it to be a little slick but safe for careful passage. We went one at a time across the bridge so that we could pay full attention to how and where we placed our feet on the way across and with this intentional focus we all made it safely across.

Crossing with care

We were close to our spot now and trekked up a huge hill that warmed our bodies and reminded us how hungry we really were. After a quick lunch and some hydration (some of us had hot chocolate!) we again set off to look for more winter wonders in these woods. We had fun building bridges across frozen creeks and making neat sounds with frozen sticks.

Making a bridge over a small stream

At this point, we realized that our day together was already coming to a close and that we would not have time to play spiders web. While this was disappointing, we were grateful at the end of the day for having gotten to come out in winter and see all of this special, seasonal phenomena. We ended our day, as always, with apples and gratitude in the forest. Afterward, we made quick time back to the parking lot where we met our parents who would take us home to warm up after a day of exploring out in the cold.

Playing Through the Cold at Lake Padden

Carrying momentum from a highly productive outing of shelter building the weekend prior, the Townsend’s Chipmunks met up at Lake Padden for a well-deserved games day. Despite chilly temperatures and a dampening drizzle, the Explorers brought just as much enthusiasm and energy as ever. Chatting about our day the mentors made sure everyone knew this day would not only focus on playing games, but more importantly providing the Townsend’s Chipmunks with the opportunity to prove their growth in group decision making. Coming to a consensus as a group of unique individuals is a difficult proposition on a sunny summer day, let alone a hand-numbing, nose-dripping, Pacific Northwest day of cold and wet.

Planning where to go for our outing

Our first task of the day was to figure out where to go, but before we did that the mentors had the group make an agreement that would help them work together in circle. The Explorers came up with three ways they agreed to help; listen closely to the Tribal Elder, be cooperative and not counter-productive, and focus on one variable at a time. With that taken care of we picked to hike to the Big Fallen Tree on the dog off leash trail. Not only is this a fun hike, but everyone had a great time meeting a number of playful pups that couldn’t pass up a posy of Explorers eager to pet them. Along the way we stopped to explore a pond of standing water that upon further investigation was frozen just below the water’s surface! Next we ate some food, drank our hot beverages, and headed off to find a place to play games.

Exploring the pond

Collecting sheets of ice

We even made an ice ornament with the help of  a cedar root

Arriving at the Big Fallen Tree, we circled up again to decide where to play our games. Sticking to our agreement we made sure to pick on variable, make a decision, then move on to the next variable. Additionally, despite a few reminders from mentors, everyone did a great job being extra cooperative and listening keenly to the Tribal Elder. Finally we came to a consensus on where to play our game, and that our game would be Spiders Web! This is a classic Explorers Club game and we even had the joy of introducing this game to two of our groupmates. Navigating off trail we set up the playing field, tuning into the terrain and hazards amongst the landscape. Hazards were a big theme of our day; from the cold and wet, to widow makers, to what to do when you get lost. We sometimes say that the natural world is the best teacher, and today the subject matter was quite pertinent. 

Holding focus in circle to come to a group consensus

Peaking around a tree in the midst of a game of Spider's Web

After a lengthy game of Spider’s Web, sneaking through sword ferns, traversing the terrain, but ultimately arriving at a stalemate, we all had a blast and took a moment to reflect on our game through a debrief of what went well and what we would have done differently if we were to play again. With just enough time for a quick hike out and closing circle, we set off to be reunited with parents. In our closing circle everyone shared something they were thankful for, a highlight of the season, and something they are looking forward to next season. Everyone had a great time thinking back to our shelter building outings at North Galbraith and Lookout Mountain and our service outing helping put of fencing and plant trees at Connelly Creek. A games day at Lake Padden was the perfect finish to our fall season. Looking ahead to the winter and spring, almost every Townsend’s Chipmunk said they wanted to learn how to carve. This was not the original plan for the spring, as the mentors wanted to really solidify our shelter building skills, but it is tough to fight a groups inspirations and we may just have to reconsider whether or not this group is ready to carve. The mentors told the Explorers that if they brought their A-Game to their winter outing; demonstrating safe tool use, strong focus, and treating one another with the utmost respect, then perhaps the skill focus for spring time could be shifted to The Art of Carving. The Townsend’s Chipmunks made a big step as a group this season demonstrating their shelter building abilities and developing group comradery. They answered the call this time, but will they prove ready to kick it up a notch and begin carving? I guess we will just have to wait and find out.

Check out the rest of the photos from our outing here!

Building Great Things with the Townsend Chipmunk's at Lookout Mountain

The Townsend’s Chipmunks met up at Lookout Mountain for their third outing of the fall. After doing good work at our service site, it was time to get back to exploring and our earth skills focus of the season; shelter building. Before we could even have our opening circle we were visited by a Red Breasted Sap Sucker who allowed us to get remarkably close while it searched an old nurse log for food. This was a sign of a good things to come! After our opening circle we hit the trail and were on the lookout for more glimpses into the life of animals on Lookout Mountain.

Tribal Elder passing out jobs in opening circle

At a junction in the trail we stopped for the whole group to catch up so we could decide which direction to go. But before we could make much of a decision, a dank and decaying smell overpowered our ability to focus. Investigating, we followed our noses to find a deer carcass just off the trail. Looking closer at the carcass, we found it fairly intact and left out in the open with a variety of game trails leading in and out of the surrounding forest. Clearly animals have been interested in this, but which ones? Judging from the lack of secrecy, and the fact it was not stashed in a brushy area and covered with debris, it was clear this was not a cougar kill. The next likely predator would be coyotes, but judging from the area and proximity to the Lake Louis Road, we deducted that this deer likely was struck by a car and then, fueled by adrenaline, managed to find its way back into the woods where it laid down and died from internal bleeding. This was a good reminder that where there is life there is death as well.

Deer carcass we found in the woods

Changing gears, we pushed further down the trail and found a nice location off the trail a ways to get to work on building shelters. Having just scratched the surface on our first outing, it was time to get our hands dirty and see how much information was retained. Splitting into groups, the boys found three separate locations to work on shelters and each took shape in its own unique way based on the unique thoughts and abilities of each group member. One group utilized a downed log as a backbone for their shelter, another propped a back bone up against a tree, while the third created a free standing lean-to shelter. We spent a good portion of the outing working away, refining our skills, testing new ideas, and further strengthening the bonds amongst the Explorers.

One shelter utilized a fallen tree as the backbone

One group created a self supporting structure

One group propped their backbone up against a tree

After we finished up our shelters, we took a tour and each group shared their shelter with the other groups. We pointed out what we liked about each shelter, and how each shelter could be augmented or improved upon as well. With that out of the way it was time to play. Earlier in the outing the group had done a great job working amongst themselves to arrive at a group decision regarding a plan for the day that everyone agreed upon. The final item on our agenda was a big game of Spiders Web! Everyone had a blast and after a strong closing circle we hiked back to meet parents full of energy, enthusiasm, knowledge, and a little extra mud for good measure. This group demonstrated a strong aptitude for not only building shelters but also working together as a group to collaborate, compromise, and come to a consensus. The sky is the limit for the Townsend’s Chipmunks and we can’t wait to see what our future outings have in store.

Check out the rest of the photos from our album here!

We even found a salamander!