The Boiler Room Expedition Program
Hey - have you ever been lost, or temporarily stuck in the woods unprepared? Do you want to learn how to survive comfortably in case of a disaster? Or are you just interested in how to handle a situation, if it were to come up? Maybe you simply like to get out and explore what you find? If you answered yes to any of these questions, then The Boiler Room Expedition Program is for you! One weekend (at least) each month, we’ll go into the natural world, make new friends, share, learn, and build our skills while having fun together! Come and join us on one of our adventures; fill out the form at the bottom of this page or contact Julie at 360-643-1326 with questions or for more information.
One more note: For future trips, I am open to working with people’s interests–and happy to take requests and cover other topics as it seems to go with the group’s desire. Please feel free to make a suggestion and share your ideas with me! This program is for you–let’s make it yours! Thanks so much, and I hope to see you sometime! ~ Julie
UPDATE FROM JULIE PLACHTA, The Expedition Program Coordinator:
Hello! Here is some of what we’ve been up to, and I have also included most of the schedule for the summer, and trips/classes that are being offered. There is much excitement to be had, beauty to be seen, and experiences to be absorbed–so let’s go into the natural world and have some fun!!! I hope that you can join us sometime!
The snow cave expedition in February was a big hit! Ten of us hiked up the Notch Pass Trail in the Quilcene Range and got to work creating our structures that we’d be sleeping in for the night. Splitting into groups, we built two different kinds of shelters: one was an alteration of a design using blocks of snow, and the other was the traditional snow cave (piling up snow, allowing it to settle, and then digging it out to where the sleeping platform is higher than the top of the door entrance). The cave worked wonderfully, and those who slept there were quite warm and comfortable through the night. The other creation was not so strategically completed (the limited daylight was an issue), but everyone who worked on that shelter reported learning a lot, and still having a positive experience. J I was very pleased with the participation in this event, and there was enough interest to do a second one–if only we had the time to work it in! …The good news is that it inspired me to plan on scheduling a few snow cave camping trips next winter, and I’m pretty sure they’ll be well-attended!
I took a couple of youth to Glass Beach for an afternoon; we found many treasures and had a really positive bonding experience. The company of each other and the sea was perfect!
In April we went up the Dungeness; there was a lot more snow than anticipated! Trudging through the depths of white was wonderfully wet, and we spent the hours listening to the grouse’ calls and enjoying the fog. Ah, such beauty in those mountains!
We also held a Stove-building workshop in April, which was heavily attended. Participants went home with an ultra-lightweight camp stove that they had created (some of them came out looking like beautiful flowers)! The stoves burn methanol (alcohol), and can bring water to a boil relatively quickly. The only disadvantage is that it can be difficult to fine-tune control the burning temperature…but for a free backpacking stove, I think that’s a relatively good trade-off! The satisfaction of creating a functional accessory out of recycled materials with your own hands is also a big bonus, and well worth it!
During a weekend in May, a group of us went hiking along the Duckabush River. We went five miles in on the first day, and camped at a gorgeous site along the river. Sharing good food and stories around the campfire was very fulfilling. The next day we continued exploring upriver before heading out. We found a place where a cougar had fed on a bird, which was a fun mystery to try to solve. One other highlight was seeing a Male Harlequin, and watching it dive in the clear pool waters over and over again. What a special gift (they are somewhat of a rare sight, and only inhabit specific places)! It was definitely an appreciated treat!
The first weekend in June a small group of us went out to the Washington coast. We parked and hiked through the mud, splish-sploshing merrily in the dark to our campsite at Shi-Shi beach (we agreed that it would be more fun and challenging to leave our headlamps off until we needed them at the steep part). Along the way, we found ourselves naturally overcoming fears and creating trust and companionship. It was a wonderful experience–with the only sacrifice being the need to do laundry after returning home!
Upon rounding Point of the Arches at low tide, the environment changed dramatically! Suddenly, it was difficult to take a step without crushing some sort of life-form, and there was so much to discover! We found Hermit Crab and Oyster Colonies, along with several Sea-Stars, Anenomes, and other tide-pool treasures!
**Please note that the wall of the Boiler Room will have a display of what we’re up to, and things we’ve been doing, during the month of June; I invite you to come in and check it out!!!
WHAT’S NEXT??? UPCOMING EXPEDITIONS:July will bring a few treats. It being summer, I’m planning some extra special adventures: Tuesday, July 1st, there will be a day trip up Mount Townsend. Come and walk through old growth forest, stop for lunch at a beautiful lake, and climb to spectacular views among wild flowers and rock formations!!! This is one of my favorite day-hikes; I’ve done it in every season…it promises to be a grand adventure!
Oregon Sand Dunes trip: tentatively scheduled for July 17-20th, this should be an awesome opportunity to do some moonlight tracking (the full moon is on the18th) and explore a different bio-region, and the life that exists there!
July 22-24: Girls only, age 12-16 (negotiable): This is a very powerful time in a young woman’s life, and can be a positive experience, if honored and acknowledged. To the girls this is designed for: the trip focused on you will provide a safe place to talk about the issues you’re facing and any questions you may have about this new chapter of your lives. It will offer a chance to connect with others who have experienced and are experiencing the same things, as well as relating in a different way to the natural world. There will be a sense of belonging, and appreciation for what transformations are taking place within you. Hopefully, those who join us will feel a strong sense of support, even as you return to your daily lives at the end of the trip.
Also in July, there will probably be a trip to Marmot Pass, if interest is high enough (this trip will be open to EVERYONE–please contact me if you’re into it)!
Sometime during the first two weeks of August (weather dependent) will bring an extra special event: A selected group will be making a trip up Mount Olympus! …This is open to those who attend pre-qualifying hikes and trainings this summer. Please contact me for more details if you are seriously interested in working toward this.
There will be a North Cascades hiking trip, August 8-10th, to explore a slightly different local ecosystem. Let’s see where this takes us!
Please contact me if you have any questions about these trips, would like to reserve a spot (space is limited, and it’s summer time), or want to help out in any way. I can be reached at ofthewolves at gmail dot com or 360-643-1326 (email is better than phone for now, but I will be getting a more reliable contact number sometime in June).
Thanks so much everyone!!! Take care, and I’ll see you soon!!! ~Julie Plachta
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