Forays

Schedule for Fall 2009

Forays are subject to change.  Be sure to read all the instructions if you intend to come!  Forays are for club members only.  If you're interested in joining our club, please contact us before the foray and bring $6.00 to the foray to cover your annual club membership costs.

Grayland Foray

Saturday, October 24th, 2009

We will be foraying at Grayland on Saturday, October 24th.  Last year we found King Boletes (Boletus edulis) and many other choice edible mushrooms in this area.

We will meet at the restrooms (just inside the park) at Grayland Beach State Park at 9AM.  Driving time from Olympia to this park is about an hour and 45 minutes.  If you get lost or need help, please call Tom Keller's cell phone at 360-789-5930.

Links:

• Grayland Beach State Park - Washington State Parks website
• Grayland Beach State Park - Google Map

Lake Quinault Foray

October 16-18, 2009

The Lake Quinault Foray is on!  The foray check in is after 5pm Friday 16 Oct and check out is 12pm Sunday 18 Oct.  The foray was mentioned during the Sep 09 meeting (see attachment for minutes from that meeting).  Members desiring to attend the foray should immediately mail check payment to Treasurer Melodie Gates, 1631 Lana Lane SW, Tumwater, WA  98512.  If the club does not have sufficient participation the foray might have to be cancelled- please do not delay in mailing payments.

Quinault Foray fees (direct fee questions to Melodie Gates at 360-352-1851 or mearle5@comcast.net)

The foray fee is $12 per adult (16 -60) per night, children (15 and younger) and seniors (60+) are $10 per night.  Members sleeping in their own RV but using foray site facilities (lodge, restrooms, showers, etc) pay fee $8 per night.  Guests or non-members may attend the foray by paying the base foray fee plus the annual membership cost ($10 per year for family or $6 per year for individuals or seniors).  Please send in your foray fee payment quickly.

Quinault Foray details (contact Vance at 360-790-6027 or vangann@comcast.net with questions):

• Kamp Kiwanis is located on the north shore of Lake Quinault in Grays Harbor County.  The Kamp is about 90 miles (2 hours) from Olympia – 60 miles west to Hoquiam then 30 miles north to Lake Quinault.  Detailed directions will be provided to members signing up to attend the foray.  Members driving to or near Lake Quinault during day or night hours are cautioned to be alert for deer, bear, and other wildlife crossing highways or side roads.  Members are also cautioned that the Washington State Police and police forces of small communities along the byways to the lodge can turn a restful weekend into an unpleasant experience for speeding or reckless drivers.  One member paid a $95 fine for going 35 mph in a 25mph zone in a small town near one of the club’s forays.
• Kamp has seven group cabins and a main lodge (see attachments).  Each group cabin has several bunk style wood platforms accommodating a sleeping bag and (recommended) air mattress.  With seven cabins the club will probably designate one female only, one male only, and one family only cabins.  This is normally sorted out at the lodge based upon needs expressed by attending members.  Undesignated cabins are open to all members/ages
• Members use Kamp kitchen facilities to prepare their meals and store perishables.  Members are asked to contribute to a foray pot luck supper scheduled at 6pm Saturday evening.
• Members are requested to help titivate the Kamp Sunday morning 18 Oct prior to departing.   Kiwanis rents the Kamp to our club at a discount rate because we don’t leave messes for the next group.  The cleanup is simple if everyone pitches in and helps clean the fireplace, sweep out lodge, restroom/shower area and cabins, clean kitchen area and wash dishes, wipe down tables, and empty trash containers in lodge and restrooms/showers.  Members are also requested to take all their belongings, specimens, and all unused food products when they check out of Kamp.  Kamp rules require us to remove all trash and recycled products from the facility at check-out.  If each member takes a little trash home it isn’t a big issue.
• Kamp multi-person female and male toilet/shower facility adjacent to the lodge.  Restroom/shower facilities are about 100 yds from the most distant sleeping cabin and about 50 yds from most other cabins.  The area near the lodge and restrooms is lighted at night but each member is encouraged to bring a personal flashlight.  There is also single person unisex restroom/shower in the main lodge.
• The main lodge can accommodate groups of 70 people.  The fully equipped kitchen, ample restaurant grade refrigerators/freezers, lodge size fireplace, large seating/eating areas and a front porch with lake view make group living a pleasant experience.  Numerous nature trails, state and county parks are near the lodge.  Canoe/kayak/small boats can be launched at the Kamp.  The lodge also has plenty of dishes and other table service.  Very friendly and quiet pets may attend the foray.
• Early risers departing the camp by 7am are practically guaranteed to see one or more black bears and a magnificent herd of Roosevelt elk near the ranger station 5 miles east of the Kamp along the North Shore Road.

There is no phone at the lodge but a tower has been recently installed in Amanda Park providing good cell phone service.

Quinault Lodge Annual Mushroom Festival.  Our club foray is timed to coincide with the Annual Mushroom Festival held at the Lake Quinault Lodge (across the lake from the Kamp) 17-18 October.  Members desiring to participate in lodge events must make arrangements at phone: 800-562-6672, by visiting the lodge on arrival or by paying a fee when attending festival events.  A detailed time schedule of the Mushroom Festival events is not yet available; however these details are known:

• Club members may attend any festival activities at the Lodge that weekend for $20.  No individual event fee is avaialble. 
• Presentations on Fungi and Forest Health, Mushroom Collecting, and Mushroom ID by Dr Steve Trudell (UW Affiliate Professor in Colleges of Forest Resources and Biology).  Dr Trudell co-authored a fine fungi resource book, Mushrooms of the Pacific Northwest.  That book is currently selling at our local Costco for $11 (retail $28).
• Door Prizes, Fungi Bingo, discussions on health benefits of mushroom consumption.
• Fungi-Perfecti presentation on home mushroom cultivation.
•  Lecture on Raising Mushrooms by Fletcher Street of Ostroms
• Mushroom cooking lecture by Lodge Chef Patrick Norris
• Mushroom walks and collection viewing (I am trying to determine if this is a field event or just a slide show).
• Chainsaw mushroom carving demo by Jeff Coleman (local entrepreneur).
• Grand Finale by the Mushroom Munchkins ??

Mushrooming Regulations.  Kamp Kiwanis is located in Olympic National Park (ONP) near the Olympic National Forest and several Native American Reservations.  When you are on the Olympic Peninsula you are either in the ONP, the ONF, a Native American Reservation or on private property.  Members are encouraged to have a map as mushrooming regulations vary by area.  A general purpose map is located on the Olympic National Park Viewer.  Members are also encouraged to inquire at local forest ranger stations for additional or local rules on collection of forest products.    A healthy and fun way to find out ONP information and park tips is to take the ranger-guided forest loop trail tour which runs hourly out of the Park Ranger Station adjacent to the Lake Quinault Lodge on the South Shore Road. Current mushroom regulations are as follows:

• ONP limits recreational mushrooming to one quart per person per day of all species combined.  Fines are at Ranger discretion but can start at $200 per assessed violation.  Each park has different rules so do research when visiting other national, state and county parks.
•  ONF limits recreational mushrooming to one gallon per person per day per specie. 
•  Native American Reservations on the Peninsula (Quinault, Hoh, et al) prohibit non-tribal mushrooming and fines violators up to $500 (don’t pick mushrooms on a Reservation!)
• Members are encouraged to obtain permission before collecting on private lands and to obey all posted rules.
• SSMC can not provide any protection or representation of its members for violating any regulations or trespasses.

Don’t delay in sending your foray fee to Melody.  Hope to see all you mushroom lovers there

Lake Cushman Foray

Saturday, October 10, 2009

The Big Creek Campground at Lake Cushman is about 40 miles from Olympia. Go North on Hwy 101 about 30 miles to Hoodsport and turn left on Hwy 119. Go ten miles to the stop sign and turn left on SR 24 – the entrance to Big Creek Campground will be about 100 yds on your right.  Trip details can be found on the Olympic Park Map Viewer.

There are three rendezvous planned on the day of this foray –

• 0730-0800am at a Hwy 101 park and ride for car pool/ride share (details below)
• 0900 at the group shelter in the Big Creek campground to determine members present on the foray.  Members going on this foray who do not wish to attend the 0900 campground rendezvous should, for safety purposes, send their names to foray leader at vangann@comcast.net or leave message at 360-790-6027 at least 24 hours before the foray.
• 2pm at the Big Creek campground group shelter to hold a potluck and account for safe return of all members attending the foray.  Members who do not plan to attend the potluck at the completion of the foray should, for safety reasons, advise the foray leader at the 0900 campground rendezvous or send their names to foray leader at least 24 hours before the foray.

A park and ride at the Hwy 101/Steamboat Island Rd (located on the East side of the overpass bridge) will be used for members to consolidate into car pools if desired.  Be at the park and ride rendezvous by 0730am as cars must depart the P&R by 8am to make it to the Big Creek Campground by 9am.  Members who are willing to ferry other members on the foray should email me with seats available and members desiring to ride in a host member’s car should email me so I can coordinate and advise them in advance of their ride arrangements.  Members seeking to ride with another club member should offer $6 to the member driving them on the foray to cover costs.

This time of year requires foragers to have foul weather dress (raingear, high overshoes, layered clothing), and safety equipment (at least a compass and whistle - a space blanket, small LED light, and energy bar are also advised).  Additional safety considerations are recommended:

• forage with a partner, especially one with a GPS
• keep your car or the road in sight  while foraging
• If lost remain stationary and use your whistle or LED to assist searchers.

The foray may be cancelled in event of persistent rain.  Check your email at 6am that morning for a go-no-go advisory.  You can call Vance Aeschleman at 360-790-6027 after 6am that morning if you do not have email.  Also call Vance If you have not yet received any information about the Lake Quinault foray the following weekend 16-18 Oct.