3 Day Modern Survival Class

“You’ve got the gear; now get the skills”

This class is designed for the individual looking to gain a solid foundation of knowledge before venturing into the backcountry or taking an advanced class. This class’s focus is on basic outdoor and modern survival skills necessary to enjoy a wilderness adventure with confidence. This class is heavy on both discussion and practical skills culminating in a field exercise final exam.

The first day consists of a lecture on wilderness risk assessment and management, avoiding emergency situations, carrying the right gear and understanding the priorities of survival. Next learn common and practical knots that the class will be using extensively in the next few days. Lastly, discuss the selection, care and sharpening of a knife! A few basic knife craft projects will be demonstrated and you will start some projects.

The next two days will consist of brief discussions followed by hands on instruction in small groups. You’ll be able to experiment with the modern range of survival and outdoor gear and see what works best and what fails miserably in a safe and controlled environment. Exposure to a wide range of modern tools is the best way to determine which components go best in a kit.

The last day will consist of a group discussion and a practical field examination which will allow the student to demonstrate their competency and ability to understand and respond to adverse situations. This examination will consist of a group-discussion of survival psychology, priorities, kit and morale items. The students will then individually demonstrate constructing an effective shelter, processing wood into a survival fire, lighting the fire with fire starters made on day 2, then obtain and boil water for pine needle tea in a stainless steel container.

The class concludes with a congratulatory dinner of camp chili and an awards ceremony! This class is appropriate for all skills levels and even the most seasoned outdoorsman will likely learn some tips and tricks.

Survival Priorities: In a discussion, review a number of cases of individuals in survival situations. This case review will be focused on improving understanding for having the best game plan for preventing a survival situation or responding appropriately if an emergency arises. Use the Rule of 3’s and the Methods of Heat Loss to formulate a survival plan; using a light weight kit to maintain core body temperature. The importance of a Positive Mental Attitude will be highlighted and students will discuss some things they do in the backcountry to maintain their morale.

Basics of Survival

• Fire
• Pine Needle Tea
• Knots
• Shelter
• Water
• Food