Timberwolf Trail - Week 10 - 2015-16 Edition

What a difference a week makes! From 45 degrees and drizzly to 70 degrees and sunny. . .in November. The forest kindergartners took advantage of what might be the most pleasant day out and about until springtime. Today, the students became teachers and we had an amazing time.

Given a mission, students broke into two groups. The first group found their sit spot and added to their nature journals. The second went on a nature hunt for five specific things before we switched groups.

Children were shown five pictures of items of nature before given the opportunity to go search for them. The items were moss, fungi, birds, squirrel/chipmunks, and insects. At the end, we did some brainstorming to figure out what all these items needed to thrive: trees.

They were also given tools to help them on their quest. They had long paper rolls used as telescopes, hand lenses for up close observation, and bug catching boxes for any creatures they caught on their journey.

Along the way, hints were provided to help the students, though it was evident they really didn't need too much support, They were natural outdoor investigators. We chatted about looking up into the trees, digging through the leaves, and picking up fallen sticks and logs to see what they noticed.

Both groups found all five things and so much more. Woolly bear caterpillars. Worms. Spiders. Seed pods. Fuzzy plants (possibly Lamb's Ear). A birds nest. Even a black cat. It probably was a local farm cat, but it certainly spooked my kids, especially this close to Halloween.

Spider time

Close investigation of a rotten log

Students were greatly interested in many things they hadn't really noticed before. When a child picked a pretty rotten log, it split right down the middle, exposing a colony of ants and other critters.

Checking out some missing bark

Children noticed some trees where the bark was rubbed off. They had some interesting ideas as to how that happened. We had guesses of angry birds, bears, deer, and my personal favorite, teenagers.

Yummy.

Lamb's ear?

 

While the morning lesson and investigation was wonderful, the rest of our time was probably the most worthwhile. As budding nature experts and forest kindergarten regulars, they had the responsibility of leading the other classes through the nature search they had just completed. I couldn't be more proud of their hard work. Seeing the smiles of all our other kindergarten friends was a very exciting and proud moment as I have hoped forest kindergarten would help instill a joy and fondness for the outdoors for my students.

Bird nest

Skinny Dip Falls via the Mountains to Sea Trail - Guest Blogger - Dr. Ryan Byrne

This blog is an homage to my good friend and college roommate, Peter Dargatz, who introduced us to the concept of Tyke Hikes on the Ice Age Trail in Wisconsin.  Carrying his spirit with us, my wife, Shawna, daughter, Ruby, and I decided to embark on a hike in the Blue Ridge Mountains during our move from Wisconsin to South Carolina.  The hike we decided on was a half mile portion of the North Carolina Mountains to Sea Trail, which led to a group of small waterfalls known as Skinny Dip Falls.  The Mountains to Sea Trail (www.ncmst.org) is a partially completed long-distance trail, with the long term goal of creating a continuous route from Clingman's Dome in Smoky Mountain National Park to Jockey's Ridge State Park in Nags Head, NC.  Of note, Jockey's Ridge has the highest elevation sand dunes on the East Coast.  The Mountains To Sea Trail is marked by three inch circle white blazes.  The portion we hiked was located off the Blue Ridge Parkway in the Pisgah National Forest.

The most exciting part of this hike may have been the drive there.  After winding along the Big East Fork of the Pigeon River, we headed up the face of the Pisgah Ridge to the Blue Ridge Parkway.  About halfway to the parkway, we encountered heavy fog.  We soon realized this was not fog, but clouds descending on the Blue Ridge Mountains.  Visibility seemed to be only about 10 yards as we wound our way up the ridge.  Meanwhile, my two backseat passengers were beginning to look a bit pale.  After briefly missing the turn for the parkway in the clouds, we finally made it to the top and drove on the parkway along the crest of the Pisgah Ridge.  We soon encountered the Glass Rock overlook, which was supposed to provide us with a great view of Glass Rock Mountain.  Luckily, there was a picture there to show us what the clouds would not let us see.  We found the trailhead for Skinny Dip Falls and headed out.

The name of the hike held our interest as much as the route itself.  As we were finishing the hike, we learned from a quirky local how the hike got its name.  The story goes that, during the Great Depression, development of recreational land adjacent to the building of the Blue Ridge Parkway was handled by the Civilian Conservation Corps.  The CCC built a trail to this lovely set of waterfalls.  However, upon reaching the falls, the locals asked what they were doing to their favorite skinny dipping spot.  The name stuck.  Skinny dipping is now discouraged in the falls, so we brought our swimsuits along.

The hike quickly took us onto the Mountains to Sea trail and its white blazes.  Ruby had some fun bopping blazes, as taught to her by Peter's daughter, Embry.  We soon came to one of the most amazing trees I have ever seen.  The trunk made an upside down U before shooting back up vertically with two straight branches.  Ruby and I had fun holding it up.  The hike was advertised as "moderate" difficulty on www.hikewnc.info, but it seemed a bit more than moderate in the wet conditions with a three year old on my back and a baby in Shawna's belly.  The trail eased down over stretches of wet boulders and roots, so it was a challenge.  As we went, the sound of rushing water grew to match the volume of chirping birds.  After a sharp bend in the trail, we came to the falls.  Despite the moniker, we did not go swimming, as the fog and wet conditions made the mountain water appear a bit too chilly.  (This was a first for the Byrne family, as we, especially Ruby, will usually take a plunge in any conditions).  Instead, we enjoyed the sights and sounds of nature while munching on some trail mix.  On the way back, we encountered the group of retiree hikers who told us the story of how Skinny Dip Falls got its name.  The trails always have a story to tell.

Pacific Crest Trail

Being a fan of hiking and the national trails scene, I knew I couldn't skip trekking some of the Pacific Crest Trail as we headed west. Luckily for me, the trail meandered through Mount Rainier National Park, just  a scenic hour-long drive from where we stayed.

Back in the Badger State, we are frequent visitors to the Ice Age Trail. With diversity in the landscapes offered and route difficulties, each trip offers up a new adventure. When we visited the Great Smokies, we made sure to hit up the Appalachian Trail. The segment we traveled was pretty rocky and treacherous, but quite memorable. Now that we knew we were within sixty minutes of the Pacific Crest Trail, there was no turning back, though our hike did not go as planned.

Trail signage is always an issue. I must admit that the area of trail near my hometown is well-taken care of by a group of volunteers known as the Blazin' Babes, so I am probably a bit of a signage snob. My wife and I like to compare the signage of different trails and parks we visit, and honestly, it can get frustrating at times. This was definitely one of those times. Luckily, just off the parking area, there was a small sign labeled PCNST, for Pacific Crest National Scenic Trail. From my research, we would start on the PCNST, embark off on a scenic loop trail known as Naches Peak, before returning to the PCNST to complete the journey. Through poor signage, inattentiveness, or a combination of both, it didn't take long before we found ourselves a bit lost. Not terribly lost, but lost nonetheless. The once wide trail had become quite narrow and unmarked. The path was most certainly trailblazed by previous adventurers as it was by no means the easy to moderate trek  promised by the trail information sheet a ranger and provided us.

Getting lost can bring out anger, annoyed feelings, and tension. However, the "Positive Peter" nickname once coined to me was able to squeeze some much needed lemonade out of a seemingly sour lemon. I kept a smile on my face, remembering that sometimes getting lost just provides an opportunity to find yourself.

We found a few other things as well, including another pair of mountain goats. We enjoyed watching them from afar and checking their progress throughout our unintended excursion. I also found a stunning yellow flower all alone in a field of rocks and roots.

Eventually, we decided to retrace our steps and see if we could find where we originally aimed to explore. It wasn't long before we found our initial error and regained the path to the promised land, or at least the PCNST.

I am sure glad we did. While the Naches Peak loop was very uphill and our already tiring legs had hiked a bit more than we had planned for, the sea of green and magnificent mountain views eased the aches and pains coursing through my legs.

Eventually, the endless climb came to a flattening out and we were greeted by a number of other hikers and a sign. We had made it back to the Pacific Crest Trail. Though connected to the previous trail, this trail felt different. The air was fresher. The rocks were prettier. And oddly enough, the terrain was ridiculously easier. It felt flat. It felt more open. It felt more comfortable.

We took in the sights, sounds, and smells of the area on this hazy and cloudy afternoon. Though the original route was altered by factors in and out of our control, the end result made all the missteps that much more worth it. I enjoyed my short stay on The PCNST. I'll be back again.

Mount Rainier - Paradise Inn

The road to Mount Rainier provided many spectacular views. The snow-capped peak of Mount Rainier reminded visitors of the chilly temperatures and snow-packed glaciers that go along with being in the high elevation. Even on a relatively pleasant autumn day, climbing up the side of a mountain increased the heart rate, but because of the physical exertion and the breathtaking beauty.

Winter is coming. The frosty mornings and constant haze were sure signs. So too were the actual signs reminding park visitors that tire chains were required once the calendar hit November 1st. Though we arrived before this time, we noticed that the park was gearing up as many roads and are restaurants and lodging options were closed for the season. The restaurant and lodging option known as Paradise Inn was already closed, but the interconnected trails adjacent to it were wide open.  It was time to hike!

Before we even hit the trailhead, we saw a number of beautiful birds, many of which didn't stay long enough to identify or photograph. We did get quite close to a grouse of some kind and snapped a Steller's Jay searching for a snack.

The trail system around Paradise Inn was labyrinth-like. With many trails combining at times, intersections rampant throughout, and crisscrossing a regularity, these trails all did have a few things in common. They were paved and they were a slow, uphill battle. What goes up must come down, but there's nothing like taking winding paths to agonizingly ascend a mountain. Though you're continually climbing, you rarely seem to get any higher.

Along the way, we encountered a variety of fellow hikers. Solo hikers. Young couples. Apparent campers. Families. The mountains bring everyone out. One gentlemen from Utah who we encountered was very excited to share his knowledge of the geology of the area and was kind enough to point our Mount Adams and Mount St. Helens in the distance.

A John Muir quote at the start and eventual finish of our adventure said it all. This is "the most luxuriant and the most extravagantly beautiful of all the alpine gardens I ever beheld in all my mountain-top wanderings." Now I by no means have the same bank of experiences as Mr. Muir had, but in this case, I'll take his word for it. It was a long day of hiking and while it tired the body, it rejuvenated the soul.

Timberwolf Trail - Week 9 - 2015-16 Edition

The drizzly conditions couldn't stop the amazing outdoor adventures of forest kindergarten. A wise friend once told me, "There's no such thing as bad weather, just bad preparation." With boots, raincoats, hats, and a positive attitude, these students were definitely prepared. As we headed out on the trail, we noticed a large group of turkeys . The birds kept coming because as we got on the trail, we saw (and heard) the cackle of about a dozen crows perching in a nearby tree. We saw a few sandhill cranes fly overhead and saw a pair of red-tailed hawks fly back and forth from tree to tree. The kids weren't surprised to see birds. We've seen hawks, turkeys, turkey vultures, and smaller birds plenty of times before. But the sheer number of birds on this trip got us thinking.

Crows and one of the hawks

As what is commonplace in nature, I was thrown a curveball. I decided to take a slight digression from my original lesson plans and ride this teachable moment as far as it would take me. We continued our hike and gathered at our old oak tree classroom. Then, it was question time. I asked kids why they saw so many birds. Some said the birds were stopping to rest. Some said the birds were lost. Another said the birds were hungry. Bingo.  I continued with asking what birds eat.  Berries and bugs were the main responses. From there, it took some time, but more questioning led to students figuring out that the rainwater was forcing underground animals like worms and mice to surface. Then, the light bulbs went on. Birds eat worms and mice. More water in their underground homes = more times they need to surface = more chances to be caught. I loved how the excited the faces got once the ornithological mystery was solved!

I swear I asked them to look miserable. :)

Turkeys through the trees

More turkeys by our favorite fallen tree\

From the trail, it was a short trip to the nearby school garden. Earlier in the year, we had discussed plants and focused on the role of roots. We talked about how good plants needed roots and how important it was to remove roots while weeding. Now that our growing season is completed, it was time to get the garden ready for its winter rest. We connected this garden rest concept to the idea of hibernating and tree dormancy.

The kids loved finding the slugs, worms, and grasshoppers that filled the garden beds and surrounding grasses. They also made it a competition to pull out the longest root or have the largest dirt clump attached to the root.

Natural play turned into a big group of tag and earthworm inspection, though some kids were willing to pose for pictures.

Matching ladybugs

Superheroes to the rescue!

Earlier in the week, we read an entertaining autumn story called The Biggest Leaf Pile, by Steve Metzger. It inspired an idea. Since we had been investigating, counting, and sorting leaves, I figured a good way to end our study of leaves was by re-enacting this story. For those of you unfamiliar with this story (spoiler alert), the main part is when a bear jumps into a large leaf pile, sending leaves flying. With our fall festival this Friday, I knew that if we wanted to recreate this story for our guests, we would need leaves. Lots of leaves. When I presented the idea to the students (and promised thy could all act out the role of the bear), they were happy to oblige in the collecting process. Our pile is growing and growing.

Our forest kindergarten program takes a break for recess, but that doesn't mean the natural learning and explorations stopped. I had recess duty this day and I noticed many of my friends saving earthworms from the concrete and taking them to the grass. A moment of pride came over me when they mentioned that they were doing it because the "ground needed the worms" and "worms are important."  Much more satisfying than the usual squeals of yuck and gross that permeate the playground on soggy days.

That afternoon, we continued our leaf collection and used natural items to practice addition number stories. Not only did the kids use acorns, rocks, dirt clumps, and leaves to represent numbers, they used sticks to make the mathematical symbols + and =. 

I love bare trees.

That afternoon, an arborist came to the school and taught the nature club I lead all about the trees on the land. Red Oak. White Oak, Hickory. Ash. Maple. Black Locust and more. He showed us how to identify the type of tree based on bark and leaves, the age of the tree based on scar lines, and the health of the trees based on some visual clues. He did estimate the age of one beautiful oak just next to one of the trail entrances at possibly 150 years old. Wow!

Nature is the ultimate teacher. Every day is a new lesson and a new experience. The learning and growing never stops.

I hope my kids can leave forest kindergarten with that message ingrained in their brains.