Salish Wayfinders

Welcome to the Salish Wayfinders group! The Salish Wayfinders focus for the year will be to hone our naturalist and outdoor skills while exploring what it means to honor ourselves and work as a team as we make the transition from adolescents into young adults.

In addition to the above mentioned outings, Salish Wayfinders have the opportunity to be an Explorers Mentoring Apprentice (EMA) if you feel the call. Being an EMA is a fantastic opportunity to deepen your own skills, connections, give back to your community, log volunteer hours for school requirements, and have fun along the way! Check out the EMA webpage and email your mentor(s) for more information or if you are interested.

Please look over the schedule upon registration and give us as much advance notice as possible if there are any conflicts for your attendance. For more information, please visit our Missed Days and Make Up Policies. Please know that these dates and locations are subject to change due to inevitable circumstances. We will update you if any dates/locations do change!

Be sure to use the Be Prepared Checklist when getting ready for each Wayfinder outing. Wild Whatcom Mottos guide much of our program so make sure to check them out too.

See you on the trail!

Mentor Contact Info:

• Adam Yost (he/him/his) | (360) 319-7387 | adam@wildwhatcom.org
• Lauren Ridder (she/her/hers) | (615) 545-6801 | lauren@wildwhatcom.org

Salish Wayfinders 2019-2020 Schedule

All outings for the Wayfinder Season 2019-20 season after March 14th 2020 have been cancelled due to COVID-19.

OUTING #1: Saturday, September 28, 2019: 11:00AM - Sunday, September 29, 2019: 1:00PM

COMBINED CAMPOUT: Excelsior Group Campground & Heather Meadows Hike

For our first adventure of the season, the newly formed Wayfinder groups will come together for an overnight in the old-growth forests along the Nooksack River, under the shadow of our ‘white sentinel’, Koma Kulshan. After we arrive at Heather Meadows, we will collaborate on a day hike location and explore the area around us -- following our wandering feet and stretching our legs on one of the gorgeous trails in the area. Once done and back at Excelsior Group Campground, we will eat dinner, spend the evening playing games, exploring along the river, practicing earth skills, and getting to know our new groups. We'll coordinate the meals, so let us know if your child has any food sensitivities or allergies.

Directions: Pick up and Drop off will be at Cascades Montessori Middle School, 2710 McKenzie Ave., Bellingham, WA 98225. Map.

OUTING #2: Saturday, October 26, 2019: 9:00-4:00PM

EXPLORATION/SKILLS: Hike Edfro Creek

Exploring as Wayfinders means uncovering new places and seldom-explored spots. As our Wayfinder season discovers the story of the Nooksack watershed, we will explore the "Thousand Puddles Trail" (see description here), which is nestled below Koma Kulshan and the Twin Sisters, and along the South Fork of the mighty Nooksack River. We will ramble below magnificent moss-covered trees-- taking in the fall foliage and mushrooms that dot the forest floor, and discover cascading creeks as we hike along the river's edge. We will brush up on our naturalist skills by meeting native plants along the trail, play games, and stop to witness the magic of salmon returning upstream to spawn. And as we wander along our path, we will have time to ask ourselves the age-old question, “Does it get any better than this?!”

Note: It is very likely that we will get our feet muddy on this outing, so appropriate footwear and extra socks are important today!

Directions: Pick up and Drop off will be at Cascades Montessori Middle School, 2710 McKenzie Ave., Bellingham, WA 98225. Map.

OUTING #3: Saturday, January 25, 2020: 9:00-4:00PM

EXPLORATION/SKILLS: Tracking at South Fork Park

Continuing our explorations of the Nooksack watershed, on this outing we will be taking the bus to explore a new park along the banks of the South Fork Nooksack River. The South Fork is called Nuxw7íyem ("always-clear water") in the language of the Nooksack people, referencing a critical habitat element for salmon that this river has historically been able to provide. We will take time to attune our senses with the land-- looking for signs of wildlife on the riverbank and in the trees above, and practice the Art of Tracking and Bird Language, play games, and explore this new place. We may even have the opportunity to see signs of the Nooksack Elk Herd!

Directions: Pick up and Drop off will be at Cascades Montessori Middle School, 2710 McKenzie Ave., Bellingham, WA 98225. Map.

OUTING #4: Saturday, February 29, 2020: 9:00-3:00PM

SERVICE: Chuckanuts Trail Maintenance with Washington Trails Association

For many years, Wild Whatcom has partnered with Washington Trails Association to help keep up on improvements and maintenance on some of Bellingham's most popular trails and natural areas. We will be focusing on trail maintenance, pruning overgrown vegetation, and digging new paths for water to flow off the trail. All Salish Wayfinders should come prepared on these days with a pair of work gloves, hiking boots and lots of snacks! Additionally, Washington Trails Association also requires all minors to come with a signed Parental Release Form. Mentors will send this in the outing reminder email, please print, sign, and bring it with you upon drop off.

Directions: Drop-off and pick-up are at the Lost Lake Parking Area (formerly the Clayton Beach Parking Area): From I-5, take Old Fairhaven Parkway (exit 250) west and go L onto 12th/ Chuckanut Drive. Go south on Chuckanut Drive from Fairhaven, for 5.5 miles. The Lost Lake parking lot is a short distance past the main Larrabee State Park entrance on the left hand side. Click here for the Google map location.

OUTING #5 Saturday, April 25, 2020: 11:00AM - Sunday, April 26, 2020: 1:00PM

COMBINED CAMPOUT: Deception Pass State Park-- Bowman Bay

As our Wayfinder season shifts into spring, we will transition into exploration of the Salish Sea-- this time with another campout! We will travel to Deception Pass State Park, choosing which trails to explore together and spending time discovering our marine environment. We will spend our final night together practicing the art of storytelling, as we reminisce under the stars, talk about our goals, and have fun.

Directions: Pick up and Drop off will be at Cascades Montessori Middle School, 2710 McKenzie Ave., Bellingham, WA 98225. Map.

OUTING #6: Sunday, May 31, 2020: TIME TBD

EXPLORATION/SKILLS: Paddle Bellingham Bay with Bellingham Bay Outrigger Paddlers

As we adjourn our Wayfinder season, we are excited to announce that we will come together one final time to explore the Salish Sea as a team. Partnering with stellar local guides from Bellingham Bay Outrigger Paddlers (BBOP), we will learn the basics of outrigger canoe navigation and paddling techniques in Bellingham Bay and spend our outing taking in our local shorelines, working together as a team to see our area from a new perspective.

Directions: Drop off and pick up at the Community Boating Center, 555 Harris Ave., Bellingham, WA 98225. Map