Peppered Moons 2023-2024

Welcome to Explorers Club Season 3! Mentors are excited for a season filled with nature exploration and group connection. The technical skills that we will be focusing on this year are navigation II, traversing, and bird language. Our socio-emotional skill focus will be storytelling, team building, collaborative decision-making, and challenge by choice.

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 Brayton (he/him) | adamb@wildwhatcom.org

Natalie Schmidt (she/they) | natalie@wildwhatcom.org

OUTING 1  |  Saturday, September 16  |  10:00-3:00PM

EXPLORATION  |  North Lake Whatcom

North Lake Whatcom Park is truly a Whatcom County treasure and it will be a magical place for our first outing of the season. Prepare yourself for epic views of the foggy lake, colorful autumn forests, and roaming pebbled beaches. We’ll spend the day reconnecting, welcoming new friends, and exploring the natural beauty that surrounds us. What will we find as we traverse the water's edge - a felled beaver tree, owl pellets, mushroom blooms? There is more wildlife here than there are humans and if we move quietly through nature, hopefully, we’ll see more than just tracks! If you have a squid for a kid, please remind them to pack closed-toed water shoes, a towel, and a swimsuit. 

Directions: 3220 N Shore Rd. From I-5, take exit 253 for Lakeway Dr. Drive east on Lakeway Dr for ~1.5 miles. Turn L on Electric Ave and follow for ~1 mile. Continue onto Northshore Dr. and follow for ~1.8 miles. Northshore Dr becomes N Shore Rd. Follow N Shore Rd for 5.3 miles. At the sign for N. Lake Whatcom Park, turn L to stay on N Shore Rd. Drive .5 miles. The trailhead will be the first access to North Lake Whatcom Park on your left. Map.

OUTING 2  |  Saturday, October 7  |  10:00-3:00PM

SKILLS  |  Navigation II  |  Chuckanut Falls

Navigation is an essential skill to master when exploring. Whether you are out for a day or a week, on or off the trail, far away or close to home, knowing where you are and where you are going is essential. But what happens when your map gets wet? Or if your compass breaks? The skill of navigating without these aids is a practice in tracking the land and learning to use other tools. As the group winds its way to the Chuckanut Falls, the Art of Navigation will help us see the trail with fresh eyes and will lead us safely back again.

Directions: 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  |  Sunday, November 5  |  10:00-3:00PM

EXPLORATION  |  Salmon Journey  |  Waypoint Park

As salmon swim upstream, so too will we travel upstream on this urban exploration, following Whatcom Creek through downtown. We'll begin near the creek's mouth at Waypoint Park and follow it up into the city, discussing the history of both creek and human habitation, 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. 

Directions: From I-5, take Exit 253 for Lakeway Dr. Head west on Lakeway Dr. until it turns into Holly St. Drive for .6 miles, then Turn L onto Bay St. At the light Turn R onto W Chestnut St. At the light, Turn L onto Granary Ave. Please park in the lot on the L. Map. 

OUTING 4  |  Saturday, January 6  |  2:00-7:00PM

EXPLORATION  |  Stars & Stories  |  Sehome Arboretum

On this very special night outing, we will get to know the forest from dusk to dark and focus our attention on the transition from light to dark. Weather permitting, we will observe constellations, reflect on how people have related to the night sky throughout time, and hear stories from the group about their lives and lineages. Important: Please send your Explorer to this outing with dinner, a sleeping bag, and a sleeping/sit pad. The forest at night is much colder than in the day, so dress and pack as if it were a snow day. We also ask that you touch base with your Explorer about what story they’d like to share, whether it be a myth or legend from their ancestry, a story of their ancestors, or an important chapter of their own lives.

Directions:  Pick up and drop off at the student parking lots below the WWU Wade King Rec Center. From I-5, take exit 252 (Samish Way). Follow signs to Western Washington University (WWU) heading south west on Bill McDonald Parkway. Follow Bill McDonald Parkway for ~1 mile. Turn R into S College Dr and after passing the soccer fields, Turn L into the WWU C-Lot parking lot. Free parking on weekends. Map.

OUTING 5  |  Sunday, February 4  |  10:00-3:00PM

EXPLORATION  |  Team Building  |  Cornwall Park

In Explorers Club, we learn and practice many different types of skills. On this day, the group will work to deepen their socio-emotional skills, in particular. We’ll do this by engaging in activities designed to enhance communication and teamwork, and by playing games that build connections to each other and ourselves. Above all else, this day is meant to be filled with laughter, questions, and reflection. Hopefully, Explorers will leave this outing knowing a little more about their friends and themselves. Make sure to pack warm layers and your nature journal.

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 6  |  Sunday, March 10  |  10:00-2:00PM

SERVICE  |  International Coastal Cleanup | locust beach

On this day of service, we’ll join with many thousands of other volunteers around the globe to clean up the world’s beaches. During last year’s cleanup, over 400,000 people around the world removed nearly seven million pounds of debris from more than 17,000 miles of coasts, shorelines, and underwater sites - the total weight of the garbage collected matches the weight of 18 blue whales! Explorers will be a part of this global effort and contribute in our own small, yet meaningful way. Please send your Explorer to this outing with gloves and waterproof shoes.

Directions: 3199 Locust Ave. From I-5, take the Lakeway Drive exit (253). Head west on Lakeway toward downtown.  Follow the aterial, and take Holly through downtown. Follow the arterial (Holly becomes Eldridge at the intersection of Broadway) for 1.2 miles.  Continue onto Marine Dr (Eldridge becomes Marine Dr at the intersection of W Illinois) for 0.8 mile. Turn left onto Locust Ave and pull into the parking lot on the right. Map.

OUTING 7  |  Sunday, April 21  |  10:00-3:00PM

BIRDING TRAVERSE  |  FAIRHAVEN PARK - MARINE PARK

For our first birding outing, we’ll have our own migration from Fairhaven Park to Marine Park. Along the way, we’ll practice listening for birds, learning their calls, and using specific features to identify them in bird books. From the forest, we’ll walk past the heronry and talk all about nesting great blue herons. If we’re lucky, we may even spot some heron chicks at feeding time! We’ll end at Marine Park, where we’ll see plenty of waterfowl and other marine wildlife. Please pack your nature journal and if you have them, a pair of binoculars.

Drop off 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 east again at the next light onto Chuckanut Drive. Turn north into the Fairhaven Park entrance. Turn right into the first parking lot. Map. 

Pick Up Directions: 100 Harris Ave, Bellingham. From I-5, take exit 250 (Old Fairhaven Parkway/Chuckanut Dr.).  Head west on Old Fairhaven Parkway. At intersection with 12th St, continue through light onto Donovan Ave. and veer right onto 10th St. Turn left at Harris Ave. and proceed to the end of Harris Ave. and park entrance on your left. Map.

OUTING 8  |  Saturday, May 18  |  10:00-3:00PM

SKILLS  |  Larrabee State Park-Clayton Beach Connector

We'll put our motto, "It's About the Journey, not the Destination" into practice as we wander from Larrabee State Park to Clayton Beach on a little-known connector trail. For our last outing of the season, we’ll get great views of the Salish Sea, discover hidden waterfalls, and identify many different tidal creatures. We’ll travel with fox feet and owl eyes and perhaps we’ll even wander across a Dragon’s Spine. Either way, this last outing will provide us with plenty of opportunities for free exploration, games, and seaside adventuring. Please remind your Explorer to pack closed-toe watershoes and a bathing suit.

Drop-off 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 follow the road around to the left to the day use/amphitheater parking lot. Map.

Pick-up 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. 

Reminder: A Discover Pass is required for all parking at Larrabee State Park. 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.