A five mile day hike to close the mountains to practice.
This is actually two separate events - a hike and a shoreline ritual. You may do one, or both together.
The Hike: 10am - 3pm
Join us for a meditation hike to the gem of the Chuckanuts: Oyster Dome.This popular local destination, a prominent rocky outcrop on the southwest face of Blanchard mountain, will be our place of Closing the Mountains for the ending of our ritual hiking season.
This hike, inspired by traditions on Tibetan sacred mountains where the last ritual circuit of the season was performed by priests putting the mountain to rest, will be a 5 mile round trip with about a 1,000’ elevation gain. On the dome we will perform a ritual combining water from the three headwater branches of the Nooksack River. At the end of the hike we will carpool down to Larabee Beach for our seasons final ritual, returning water to the Salish Sea.
Meeting up: You can meet us at the Chuckanut Oyster Dome Trailhead (just south of Oyster Creek) by 10am or opt to carpool from the Community Food Co-op in downtown Bellikngham at 9:30.
Carpooling/Vaccination: To keep everybody safe, carpoolers must be fully vaccinated, and N95 masks must be worn inside the vehicles.
Dress appropriately for the weather, with good footwear for the trail. Bring a sack lunch and at least two liters of water. We will eat lunch on top of the dome.
Returning Water Ceremony: 3pm (approximately) - 4pm
This ritual completes our Wilderness Dharma ritual hiking season and all are encouraged to attend to offer the water we have carried through out the season back to the Salish Sea. You may attend this ritual even if you did not do the hike.
We will meet at approximately 3pm at the band shell area at Larrabee State Park. Take the main entrance and head south to the band shell and beach access parking area. The exact time for the ritual depends upon the arrival of the hike group coming from Oyster Dome. Getting to the beach involves going down two long flights of steps, but is only a few hundred yards away. The whole experience will take about an hour.
Registration: Please register so we have an idea of how many are coming, and if can offer / need a carpool ride.
Costs: In the spirit of generosity, we offer this event free of charge so that all who wish may attend. We also invite generosity on the part of participants (who are able) by making a donation to Red Cedar Zen Community to cover our organizational expenses in making this event possible. You can do so while completing the registration form.
In that same spirit, the teachers/leaders are freely giving their time in organizing and leading this event. If you feel moved to, you may express your gratitude with a donation to the teacher/leader on the Donate to a Teacher page.
More information: Please contact Wilderness Programs Coordinator Bob Penny at wilderness@redcedarzen.org with questions and see our Wilderness Dharma Program webpage for an overview of this program.
