Spotting Frogs and Salamanders at Squires Lake

Please don’t blow our cover,

Trying to complicate the process, as mentors might do at times in an effort to impart and inspire, is a fool’s errand. Rather, the mentor’s “secret sauce” is to let the land reach out and capture the young boy’s soul, then play off the magic that can follow to capitalize on the connection with nature that simply happens. So, feel free to tell your friends and family about the Herculean feats of the Boys Explorers Club mentors; we both know the reality is that this work is a joyful privilege that, done well, requires simply guiding and encouraging while the boy’s talents and the land’s gifts do the heavy lifting. 

That was never more true than the middle of our Squires Lake outing on Feb. 8. Unlike our fall and spring outings in which we focus on skills, winter outings offer the serendipity and improvisation of more unstructured activity.  We had established our “base camp” on the shore of Beaver Pond and had some lunch. Tim, Brian, and EMA (Explorers club Mentors Apprentice) Logan then set the 10 boys to the terribly arduous task of “free time”. The boys self-selected into mostly three types of activities: looking for creatures (mostly amphibians and beavers), carving, and exploring the steam that connects Beaver Pond and Squires Lake.

A few of the boys who were very interested in carving hadn’t had the instruction we provide in the safe use of knives, so mentor Tim sat with a circle of 4 or 5 boys to instruct on proper technique. “Safety first” is a principle Explorers Club motto; Tim spent a lot of time patiently explaining the relative advantages and disadvantages of folding, locking and fixed-blade knives and the safe handling of a knife while carving. Click here to learn more about choosing a knife. The beavers have nothing on the wood working that followed.

Speaking of the beavers, we were unfortunate in that we weren’t lucky enough to see any, but we saw many downed trees that reflected the work of these industrious creatures. Beavers are a great example of the interplay of various players in nature. Their dams create habitat for many other animals and plants of the region. In winter, deer and elk frequent beaver ponds to forage on shrubby plants that grow where beavers cut down trees for food or use to make their dams and lodges. Weasels, raccoons, and herons hunt frogs and other prey along the marshy edges of beaver ponds. Migratory waterbirds use beaver ponds as nesting areas and resting stops during migration. Ducks and geese often nest on top of beaver lodges since they offer warmth and protection, especially when lodges are formed in the middle of a pond. The trees that die as a result of rising water levels attract insects, which in turn feed woodpeckers, whose holes later provide homes for other wildlife. Click here for more on beavers. Vestiges of their efforts formed a porous dam that regulated the flow of water from the pond into the stream leading to Squires Lake.

It was that stream that was the focus of attention for several boys who explored the riparian environment along the stream. While the mentors wouldn’t have objected to a careful study of the flora and fauna of this rich natural environment, my conscience requires that I report that the focus was the enjoyment of building or “discovering” islands, bushwhacking through the underbrush, and searching for hidden treasure. Guess those other lessons will have to wait.

Getting to the base camp did involve a lesson. We began at a map at the trailhead by planning our route to the beaver pond. Several boys sketched the map from the display and used their drawings to help us decide which direction to choose at various intersections. One created his map as we walked along, making it reflect our actual experience. Creating their own version of the map prompted them to internalize the features of the land and gave them a personal reference as we moved through the landscape. Frequent map checks and the need for instruction in the Boys Explorers Club culture for the wait-list boys (about half the group) meant we spent a few hours navigating to our camp.

Following the free exploration described above, we slowed the pace by stringing along the Beaver Pond for a sit spot. These times of quiet observation and reflection can be quite profound. 13 males silently blending with the natural environment for 15 minutes is an experience we can all use more of. The immediate payoff of this sit spot was the soundtrack of frogs croaking into the afternoon air.

We returned to the trailhead by hiking around the other (East) side of Squires Lake. Along the way, we stopped to give thanks during our closing meeting. Like sit spots, this E.C. tradition comes naturally to the boys who have yet to find a spot in a regular group, facilitating their quick integration with the more experienced explorers.

Great weather, excited explorers, and beautiful land made for a memorable outing!

Click here for more pictures from our exploration.