Cataloging our time in the wild places we visit is often
challenging. Our days are both
packed with activity and also seemingly idle as we navigate the edge of where
wilderness and humanity butt up against one another. On our overnight adventures with the Vespula Veterans we
mentors are grateful to have more time to allow the boys to settle into nature
and slowly leave some of the pressures of town behind us, so that we can help
the land do it’s magic on our minds and bodies. The longer
outings match the deeper capacity of these boys and we treasure them.
Despite having a smaller group for our trip, our overnight
journey began as it always does-cramming gear into the back of a stubby
bus. We shoved packs, gear bins, 5-gallon
water jugs, firewood, and food packs into the cargo area of Moose. Once the gear was safely secured we
said our goodbyes and departed Bellingham. The noise level was incredible considering our low numbers
but Steve carefully navigated our yellow bus down through Whatcom County, up
the Skagit River, and finally alongside the shore of Baker Lake where we found
a perfect place to camp near the trail head of the Baker River trail.
Our camp had sweeping views of the steep valley walls that
wound their way up towards the glaciers of Mt Baker and Mt. Shuksen. Below the fire ring and picnic table
lay an empty channel of the baker river intermittently broken up by young
cottonwood and alder trees. The
shade of the canopy along the high river bank provided relief from the growing
temperatures. We unloaded Moose,
drank some water, ate our lunch and set up our camp. The growing heat and the allure of the cool river water
prompted us to gather up sunscreen and water and head up the river bank in
search of a place to swim.
So often when we explore the wild places around us we find
evidence of human impact marring the land and leaving it dirty or desecrated,
but every great once in a while we find the work of humans and feel a kindred
connection. On the edge of the
Baker River just upstream from the parking lot is an enormous boulder on the
very edge of the river. The cold
water trickles around the edge of the boulder and fills a deep pool, which is
the most incredible swimming hole ever.
True there are probably only a few day a year where you would want to
swim in the icy water, but you couldn’t ask for a better spot to swim. The smooth top of the boulder is the
prefect place to warm up after a frigid dip. A close inspection reveals that at some point industrious
humans stacked hundreds of rocks to make a small dam below the boulder so the
pool would be slightly deeper and larger.
Everybody enjoyed the spot, for not only was it wonderful for swimming
it was also exceptionally beautiful!
After our refreshing swim we explored the Baker Lake Trail, eventually
returning when our water and energy was low.
The remainder of our afternoon was an open space for skill
work. Several members of our group
expressed an interest in gathering the materials for a complete bow drill fire
by friction kit. Others were
interested in working on their carving skills. The mentors took two groups on a short harvesting walk
around our campsite and down on the expansive river bank below to collect Black
cottonwood root for fireboards, Western-red Cedar for spindles, rocks for
bearing blocks, and Vine maple for bows.
Back at camp we processed the material while our dinner crew prepared
our dinner of Mac n’ Cheese, ham and a side of instant mashed potatoes. Once dishes were cleared we shifted our
energy to creating a fire and holding an evening council to discuss the season
and the upcoming shifts of the Vespula Veterans group.
Our upcoming fall season will mark the beginning of a new
chapter in Wild Whatcom for the members of this group. In the fall we will say farewell to the
Vespula Veterans name and fully shoulder the four shields program. With this shift forward we will open
our circle up to members of the Daredevils Club group who wish to continue on
their Wild Whatcom journey. We
will see some shifts in our outing structure to allow for longer explorations
and deeper time for our skills journey.
The group was quiet considering this information, but seemed at ease
with the proposed direction.
After council some boys retired to their bags for a well
earned rest and a few stayed up for another hour playing a rousing game of fire
stalker. Hiding on an empty sandy
beach behind a pebble will certainly make you better at adapting to your
surroundings! Finally we retired
to our bags, some in tents in the forest, others on tarps under the starry sky.
Morning arrived early and warm. Our breakfast crew prepared our meal while we struck camp
and prepared for a morning exploring up the Baker River trail in search of more
swimming holes. After all had been
fed, we finished packing up our gear and loaded up our bus. With lunch packed and water bottles in
hand we headed up the trail in the building heat.
Along the way we stopped to explore a series of caves
created by huge boulders stacked on top of one another. The cool air flowing out was inviting
and we climbed up over and through the cave system for quite some time. We returned to the trail in
search of a place to make our lunch and swim. After a modest amount of hiking we left the trail following
a creek until it met with a shallow flowing side channel of the river. We searched out some shade and started
making our lunch. While Lunch was
being prepared we found a fantastic swimming hole where the side channel made a
large deep pool before flowing up and over a shallow bar and into an eddy of
the main channel of the Baker River.
It was breathlessly cold even in the heat.
After lunch we took another quick dip in the water, packed
up our gear and headed back down the trail towards Moose. Baker Lake and the mountains, trails,
rivers, and rocks were very generous to the Vespula Veterans and we were all a
little sad to be on the way back home.
The bus ride back went quickly as the boys napped and chatted back to
Bellingham. It was the perfect end
to a wonderful Spring. Please check out the rest of the photos from this outing!
We mentors wish to send an enormous thank you to the Vespula
Veterans who show up season after season to explore and learn in the wild
places around us. It is an honor
to share these experiences with you.
We see and hear about the many things competing for your time and energy
and we are pleased that you choose to come adventuring with us. Also we send our thanks to your
families who support you to have these experiences and allow us to continue
this important work. Thanks to all
of you!
