Some of the essential skills of the wilderness and remote explorer are Survival Skills, Navigation Capability and general Wilderness Safety awareness. We bring our expertise to the table to provide you with the opportunity to increase your knowledge and confidence with an active and common sense approach to growing these essential wilderness competencies. All these sessions can be taught as evening/ half day, full day or full weekend sessions depending upon content and level of confidence requested. Due to the flexible variables that come with these programs costs and fees will vary depending upon topics requested and the length of the session. These programs can be integrated within a WRFA course.
Survival
Heading into the trees for a wild time, planning to come back…?
Learn the skills and attitudes necessary to prepare and sustain yourself in the case of a wilderness survival situation. Topics can include clothing awareness through heat loss and gain, shelter building, fire building, and how being ‘ knotty ‘ can making it better. Depending on the content and confidence sought, time allotted for this session can range from a half day to a four day experience.
Commonly over two days / nights – Info file here: W-Survivalhandout2021
Navigation
Takes a couple of forms, Map & Compass and GPS….
Map & Compass
If you feel you need to develop your navigation skills and confidence, this course is for you. This program will involve learning all aspects of the compass and how it can be useful in the outdoors. Then we will explore all about maps and how they relate to the world around us. A sampling of topics covered include, types of compasses/ maps, symbols, scale, declination, triangulation, natural navigation techniques and safety bearings.
GPS (Global Positioning System)
This program enhances the ability of the map & compass navigator to make use of their modern technology. Sessions can vary in length, but generally run between a half day and full day. We will engage the GPS learner in their environment and enable full appreciation for the uniqueness of this tool and it’s limitations. Our super phones all have GPS capability, so learning about what that is, various apps and what it cannot do is the latest addition to our getting ourselves figured out in the woods.
Wilderness Safety Sessions
(Adult HUG-A-TREE!)
Often we will get requests to do a general safety session that will involve various topics surrounding woods / wilderness safety. Some of the topics that can be included in these one day or evening sessions include:
- ten essentials of survival
- what to put in a pack
- shelter building
- what to wear
- layering (clothing)
- how to signal for help
- what foods to bring
- wilderness first aid kits
- useful vs. useless equipment
- basic navigation
- Search and Rescue basics
- water purification
- knots session