Buffleheads 2024-2025
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
Adam Yost (he/him) | adam@wildwhatcom.org
Nick Parsons (he/him) | nickp@wildwhatcom.org
OUTING 1 | Saturday, September 21 | 10:00 - 3:00 PM
SKILLS | Nettle Harvest and Spiders Web | Northridge Park
To begin our year, we will head to a patch of urban wilderness on the north side of town. On this outing, we will have the opportunity to get to learn more about one of our most useful local plants, stinging nettle, and one of the most invasive, English ivy! We’ll begin our nettle cordage projects on this outing but will need to let them cure over the year. After harvesting + processing nettles, we’ll break to play a huge game of Spiders Web! On our last outing of the year, we will utilize the nettles that we harvest this outing to create our own cordage. Please wear long sleeves to prevent stings while running through the forest, and bring garden gloves if you have them.
Directions: 3773 E McLeod Rd. From I-5, take exit 255 and head east on Sunset Drive for 1.7 miles. Turn R onto E McLeod Rd. After .4 miles pass the first entrance to Squalicum High and turn left into the Squalicum High School student parking lot. You’ll see tennis courts on your left and mentors will be waiting in the top parking lot. Map.
OUTING 2 | Sunday, November 17 | 10:00 - 4:00 PM
EXPLORATION | Follow Whatcom Creek Traverse
As salmon swim upstream, so too will we be walking upstream on this urban exploration, following Whatcom Creek through downtown and into Whatcom Falls Park. We'll begin near the creek's mouth behind the Bellingham Public Library and follow it through the city, discussing the history of both, making observations and asking questions about what we encounter along the way. We’ll work together to navigate both physical and emotional landscapes as we traverse across space and time on this very special outing.
Drop-off directions: Lottie St and N Commercial St. Head West on Lakeway Drive and continue for ~.3 miles. Lakeway will become Holly St, continue for ~.5 miles. Turn R onto Commercial St and follow for ~.3 miles. Drop off will be on the corner of Lottie St and Commercial St, behind the Bellingham Public Library- Central Branch. Map.
Pick-up directions: 1700 Silver Beach Rd. From I-5, take exit 253 (Lakeway Dr.). Head east on Lakeway Dr. for approx. 1.4 miles. Turn left onto Silver Beach Rd. and drive for .4 miles until you reach the parking lot near the playground and fish hatchery. Map.
OUTING 3 | Saturday, December 7 | 10:00 - 3:00 PM
Carving & Fire | Larrabee State Park
*Rescheduled from a cancelled outing on 10/20 AND shortened due to inclement weather*
For our third outing, we’ll gather at Larrabee State Park for a day of games, fire, and carving. It’s gonna be a wet and cold day, so please pack appropriate rain gear and lots of warm layers.
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 Discover Pass, please stay with your vehicle and plan to make drop-off and pick-up quick.
OUTING 4 | Sunday, January 12 | 10:00 - 3:00 PM
SKILLS | Kindling Bundles | Lookout Mountain
The art of making and tending fires is a true ancient skill of survival. We will start the day by reviewing our knowledge of tree and plant identification, reconnecting very specifically with the Western Hemlock. As we hike into the woods, we will begin to gather materials and learn how to create kindling bundles. Lessons of 'Leave No Trace,' and fire safety will be intentionally woven throughout the day. Hopefully, the group will leave this outing with an appreciation of the intricate art of fire-making and a firm knowledge of fire safety.
Directions: Lake Louise Rd at Gate 9. From I-5, exit 253. Drive east onto Lakeway Dr for ~3.4 miles. Turn R right onto Austin Street and drive for ~.5 miles. Follow onto Lake Louise Rd and drive for ~2.5 miles. Lookout Mountain Preserve parking lot will be on the right. Map.
OUTING 5 | Saturday, FEBRUARY 8 | 10:00 - 3:00 PM
SKILLS | Tri-Sticks & Fire | Larrabee State Park
On this winter outing, the group will meet at Larrabee State Park for a day of skills practice and connection. We’ll continue our carving journey with some new knife techniques. We will need to remember that Slow is Fast if we hope to hone our whittling practice and bring some fire to our cold day Please send your Explorer with an empty mug for hot beverages and lots of warm, dry layers.
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 Discover Pass, please stay with your vehicle and plan to make drop-off and pick-up quick.
OUTING 6 | Sunday, March 9 | 9:30 - 3:00 PM
SERVICE | Skagit River maple - Via wild whatcom bus
On this (probably rainy) spring day, Explorers will be doing their annual service outing! Instead of heading to Happy Valley Park, we'll be venturing to a new location—Skagit River Maple Farm, an experimental tree farm focused on deciduous tree farming to promote diversity in local planned forests and forest management (which tend to be most coniferous). During this outing, Explorers will assist in preparing and planting Big Leaf Maple saplings. This is also the site where all Explorers hold their graduation weekends, so groups will get a chance to scout the location for their own graduations in two years. Please remember to pack rubber boots or a change of shoes, lunch, water, rain gear, and appropriate clothing for outdoor work.
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 7 | SUNday, May 4 | 10:00 - 4:00 PM
EXPLORATION | Place-Based Storytelling | St. Clair Park
*Please note this outing was originally scheduled for Saturday, May 3 and has been changed to Sunday, May 4.*
Time to put your imagination caps on, friends! This outing will be all about immersing ourselves in a woodland adventure that is meant to test our Explorers’ technical skills and deepen their communication as a group. The group will work together to solve various challenges, all with the goal of deciphering a coded message. Riddles, treasure maps, and fantastical thinking will abound on this day. Remember to bring your nature journal, a pencil, and an adventure item (cape, eye-patch, captain’s hat, staff/wand, etc) to this outing!
Directions: From I-5, take exit 254 (Iowa St.). Head east on Iowa St., to Woburn/Yew St intersection. Use the middle lane to turn slightly left onto Yew St. for .5 miles. Turn right on Texas St. then right onto St Clair St. Follow to the end of the street. Parking lot will be on the right side. Map.
OUTING 8 | Saturday, May 31 | 10:00 - 4:00 PM
SKILLS | Nettle Cordage and Campfire Creation | Lily and Lizard Lake
*Please note this outing was originally scheduled for Saturday, May 17 and has been changed to Saturday, May 31.*
Today Explorers will hike up to a beautiful mountain lake to build a fire, and weave together the moments of the past year. The fresh nettles we harvested and processed at the beginning of the year are now dried, cured, and ready to be twisted into strong and durable rope. We hope that this process of creating something from harvest to finished product will be a powerful experience of mindfulness, accomplishment, and tangible connection to nature.
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.
Questions
Please contact your group’s mentor(s) listed above or explorersclub@wildwhatcom.org.