Hiking Skills Day at Mount Baker 9-11-16

The Banana Slugs started their season off with a bang! We met under a gorgeous sunny sky, eyes wide and smiles bright and eager for the day ahead. The group welcomed our newest Slug, Ava, and hopped on the bus. We shared stories, and re-connected after a summer apart. We as mentors could sense the excitement that the girls were together again!

As we wound through the deciduous forest into the thick groves of old growth trees, our bus, Moose, finally found her way to the end of Highway 542. There, we bundled up and scarfed down some lunch. While eating, we re-visited our intended hike on the map. Chain Lakes was our route-- hoping to accomplish the whole 8 mile loop! 

But, as fate would have it, we faced different challenges. We had a large group, too large, in fact, and our plans for hiking in the wilderness area were kindly shut down by a friendly ranger. We returned to this question of rules throughout the day. Can rules feel and be arbitrary? How do we keep to our integrity while simultaneously doing what we would like to vs. what someone else (e.g. the US Forest Service) would like us to? What rules are okay to break? The girls seemed interested in engaging in these questions. It seemed clear that we are all just trying to Walk Our Talk and enjoy a day that suited our wishes, and simultaneously, others as well.

In the hopes of Turning Problems Into Possibilities, we decided to find another majestic hike. The girls took this in stride, and off we went on an equally-long loop into the Mount Baker Ski area!

Though we'll never know what the hike in the Chain Lakes would have been like, we were greeted with empty trails, infinite ripe blueberries, plenty of sunshine, and a route-finding adventure! We wound our way up amongst chair lifts and ski runs, stopping to pause and take in the immensity of the beauty at such a high altitude and munch SO. MANY. BERRIES. (I wish we had photos of everyone's purple lips...). The girls spent plenty of time soaking it all in. I think I can speak for everyone in saying that we felt pretty lucky to be spending a day together in such a gorgeous place.

We used some intuition and a couple of maps to find our way back to the bottom of our loop, stopping for a quick dip in a tarn (Please notice in the photos how most girls are wearing sweaters and others were in their swimsuits!? Love the enthusiasm celebrated by all.) Pausing in a mountain meadow, we sat to enjoy a blissful Peaceful Place, surrounded by tall Hellibore and purple-red Heather. The brook babbled, the clouds flew by, and we all practiced our important motto: Be Here Now. 

Time slipped away, as it always does in the alpine, and we high-tailed it up the hill. Laurel and a couple of girls trekked the final leg of the loop to grab our bus, while the others enjoyed time by the water, playing games and connecting. 

In our bus ride home, we could sense the tiredness... I'm sure every Slug slept very well that night :) Another special day with special people in a special, special place. 

To see a slideshow, please click here.