Jerry Weil, Training Coordinator, L.A. County Public Defender, 7/24/2001

I first experienced Headwaters in July of 2000, when my son and I took the Wilderness Skills class in Santa Cruz. We chose Headwaters because it was located near the University of California at Santa Cruz, where my son was to start his freshman year. We came with minimal expectations: learn a little about how to survive in the wilderness for a bit more peace of mind during future camping trips. On a practical level, we did learn some valuable outdoor survival skills: shelter building, fire starting with friction alone, creating tools from natural sources (flint knapping) and identifying edible and useful plants. But we came away with so much more! Tim Corcoran, the founder of Headwaters, is equally devoted to reawakening in his students the kinship that humans and their natural environment have shared for thousands of years. I was no longer "visiting" nature like a tourist in a museum: I was stepping over the "velvet rope" that separated me from the "real" world that was my birthright. With each day I grew more aware of what the natural world had to offer as an essential counterbalance to the stresses inherent in my professional work as an attorney. The experience of that week-long course was so rewarding that my wife joined me and my son in a weekend plant identification course the following spring, when we all shared an awe at the bounty of nature in the form of so many edible and medicinal plants.

My relationship with the wilderness was taken to new heights during the Nature Awareness class just held in the Marble Mountains of northern California. Although my family couldn't join me, I immediately felt at home with the new group of students. We all shared a yearning for deepening our relationship with nature, and the staff that accompanies Tim as an ensemble makes the experience that much more rewarding. Dave, the camp cook, presents himself as a somewhat cantankerous lord of the camp kitchen: don't be misled; he is an outstanding chef whose meals are both the fuel and reward for a day of outdoor adventure and learning. In spite of his prickly demeanor, I know him to be a sensitive and insightful teacher who complements Tim's phenomenal experience and leadership. Walter is the camp's "zen master" and jack-of-all-trades, who possesses a remarkable knowledge of plants, unequaled climbing ability and a wide range of wilderness skills that he is happy to share with the students. When given a task, he devotes his attention to it 100%, ignoring any distractions; and his whimsical sense of humor keeps everyone laughing.

During the Nature Awareness course Tim kept us continually involved in physical and mental exercises that succeeded in eroding whatever barriers we had built between us and the wilderness. There were many moments when I had to pause just to savor the changes in my awareness. As the course drew to a close, I no longer questioned my relationship with the earth: I was "home". I am deeply grateful to Tim for his dedication to this vision, and I will always remember those eight days in the Marble Mountains as a rare "peak experience" that will stay with me for the rest of my life.

Nancy Boxer

I love Tim's classes. I took his weekend Native Plant Class and immediately signed up for the Bow & Arrow Making Workshop. My son Scott came along and he was hooked. We joined the 8 day Nature Awareness Class and Scott went on for Wilderness Skills the same summer. This year we are planning to do more.

As great as it is to learn the kind of skills Tim teaches, what is even more compelling is the sense of community which develops as a group of people work together in the wilderness. Tim's passion for nature and his respect for each student somehow draws everyone in, no matter what age, sex, or level of competence. We end up the week completely inspired and exhilarated, disappointed only in that we have to return to what we used to call civilization.

Leslie Dawe

Headwaters Outdoor School brings me home to a place of wholeness, health, and peace. When I first ventured up to Mt. Shasta for the Earth Philosophy class, I came not knowing a soul and I left as one of the family. That class opened parts of me I had forgotten existed. Beautiful, ugly, real. Now that I have experienced the Winter Class I know what it means to be in tune with the weather, to sleep nestled in a snow cave that I created with friends to protect me from a raging snow storm, to breathe in the stillness of a starry night, to soar with eagles, to scamper over lava beds and watch snow turn into rain, to surrender to a beautiful community of people, to humble myself and step out of ego, to ask plants for permission to use their leaves and branches for a shelter from the rain, to give thanks for the life around me and in me. I am so deeply touched and for the first time in a long time I feel connected with this earth that I call home.

Paul Dirks

There was a time when I thought that what made me as a person was my job, my possessions, and my financial success. To be the best mechanical engineer, to own the best boats, and to make tons of money. Then I started to spend time outdoors; no not just "camping" when I was a Boy Scout, hiking around a lot, or going on major backpacking trips. I mean really spend time "being" outdoors.

There was this time that I thought what made life was drinking with my buddies and working hard to meet my boss's demands. But, for some reason, I kept finding myself pulled back to just hanging around somewhere, anywhere, out in the woods. I thought I understood the reason for the outdoor attraction; things like learning how to catch more fish, kill more deer, prospect for more gold. I thought: "That's what the outdoors is for; to learn how to take more!"

So it naturally followed that if I can learn more outdoor wilderness skills, my life would be even that much more fuller and richer. These skills could make me a better fisherman, hunter, or even a better prospector. My interests in advancing my outdoor skills began with an interest in tracking and survival. As I explored these interests, it also made sense to learn what plants made useful tools and munchies. This is about the time Headwaters Outdoor School enter into my scene. I wanted someone who could enrich my life with plant knowledge so that I could be a better person. Little did I know that what was ahead of me was far more than just more knowledge; ahead of me lay growth as a human being.

Oh yes, I gained a ton of knowledge with just the first Useful and Edible Plants class from Headwaters. In one short weekend, I was taught over 100 plants. My brain wanted to explode after just the first day. I have since gone back and enjoyed three more of these plant classes; always learning more stuff each time and never tiring of the subject.

And yes, I gained many outdoor skills from Headwaters at Tim's Winter Class and Skills Class where I've had the opportunity to go so far as to sleep in snow caves, build a shelter in the mountains and not even need a sleeping bag, make fire by rubbing sticks together, make hunting weapons, track coyotes on ancient lava beds, and drink tea made from pine trees. These skills, plant knowledge, and much much more have increased my enjoyment of the outdoors immensely but there's something else that the Headwaters Outdoor School provided.

If I was to sum it up into one word what the Headwaters Outdoor School can provide, I would call it compassion. Webster defines compassion as: "…a feeling of deep sympathy and sorrow for another's suffering or misfortune, accompanied by a desire to alleviate the pain or remove its cause." You might ask yourself: "How can a person like me with a successful career, plenty of toys, and a bunch of money need compassion?" and "How can Headwaters help?" The answers come from the fact that the people at Headwaters saw not only a person who could easily learn the skills, but also a person open to learning about themselves and their relation to nature.

My experience with this school has been deeply enriching. I started out as a person just wanting to do more and take more. Headwaters did provide those skills to "do" and "take" but they did it in such a way as to make me understand what it is to just "be". Headwaters uses the outdoors as the stage for teaching individuals the relationship they have with nature, our planet, the animals, the plants, ourselves. And the most important part is their own skills at doing this; THEY HAVE COMPASSION! All of the staff at Headwaters have the natural ability to understand the student's feelings and respect the student's desires. Their skills have attracted staff individuals that create a family atmosphere. Students are warmly received into this family and the family embraces the new members with a deep respect for how involved the student wants to participate in the relationship. I have witnessed the pure "survivalist" attend the classes and enjoy it as much as the next student who just wanted to feel what its like to be the coyote by placing their hand in the track. This school has covered this whole spectrum for me and now my life is so much richer; it's hard to describe it in words.

I never imagined how much further I would go on this journey when I took my first class at Headwaters. It has been and continues to be a remarkable experience. My thanks goes to all the staff at Headwaters Outdoor School.

Julie Boettler

It may sound cliche to say the people you meet become your family, but I can honestly say this has been a truth. The staff and students of Headwaters have made a significant impact on my life. People of all ages and backgrounds attain a sense of belonging and the social boundaries between us and them fade very quickly.

People I would probably never have taken the opportunity to get know in every day life have ended up being some of my closest friends through these classes. Our backgrounds and life styles outside of Headwaters are often extremely different, but within the parameters of the school all of our social labels disappear. There is a common bond that draws people together and the community atmosphere in the classes quench that universal thirst of connecting with others and the environment as a whole.

There is always time for group interaction as well as the ability to have some time to your self. Your personal space and needs are honored as much as possible within a teaching setting.

I have been asked what my experience has been like at Headwaters, as a woman, and having had no previous experience with outdoor skills. From the very moment I arrived for my first class all of my insecurities and assumed fears of what I may be getting into were dissolved. At this point I have taken the majority of the classes at Headwaters and each time I have always received very non-threatening and welcomed guidance.

Although women are honored for the feminine energy they bring to the circle, ultimately everyone is recognized as an equal person and valued member of the group. As in any thriving "tribe" community, elders are respected and honored for their life experience and wisdom. My outlook on our future has taken a turn for the positive as I consistently observe the younger students actively seeking out the elders for their insight.

As far as working with Tim goes he has been an incredible teacher, mentor and friend. His love of wilderness and deep well of experienced knowledge and skills are a joy to tap into, but what sets him apart is his equal passion for people of all ages. He is a true example of someone who walks their talk and holds to their personal integrity of doing what they say they will do by following their dreams, even when it isn't always convenient. His actions alone have inspired many others to take the leap into getting reacquainted with earth living skills, which have become so unnaturally foreign to us.

I have had nothing but complete trust in Tim and his staff in supporting me with my intentions. They excel in holding a space with compassion, honesty, patience, humor and encouragement as students open up to deeper levels of nature awareness, personal growth and the ongoing art of refining their outdoor skills.

Each class taken is very different, while at the same time it becomes apparent how all of the varied skills are interconnected and compliment each other. Whether attending a class for the first time or multiple times they are as physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually challenging as you choose to make them.

The confidence I have gained in learning and practicing each skill has enhanced my overall experience in adapting to a variety of environments. By dissolving my naivety the world continues to open up in ways I've never appreciated before. Just by being on the land in Shasta the question of, "How to live in the moment?" answers itself. That rich sense of fulfillment seems to be automatically gifted to you just by showing up.

I have to admit when I was reading testimonies on the website to see if Headwaters was the place for me I wasn't sure about this Dave character, the camp cook. But right after I met Tim and Jean, Dave was the first staff member I met and I knew the people who have met him are only teasing about his cantankerous nature. You can't help but to feel a deep affection for such a warm-hearted, giving man. Dave walked right up to me with an outstretched hand, a huge smile and a sincere, welcoming sparkle in his eyes. Right away we struck up a conversation as if I'd known him for years and he offered his help with anything to make my experience a great one.

Dave takes time to get to know each person's likes and dislikes and does his best to accommodate everyone whenever possible. What really blew me away was the next class I showed up for. After having catered to many other students, I found he had a knack for remembering what foods people were partial to and what he could do to bring a smile to everyone's face.

Aside from being a great storyteller and listener, Dave has the gifts of not only feeding each person's appetite but he also feeds their soul with the attentive, nurturing care he puts into making each person's meals. I have now had the pleasure of enjoying many meals at Headwaters and have discovered a love for many dishes I didn't think I would have ever liked. There's always a variety of food for different tastes and plenty of it. It's not too often that anyone is late for a meal. Believe me, this is not the camp food you had in middle school and you'll find yourself standing back in line waiting for another helping.

My advice for anyone thinking about signing up for a class at Headwaters is to stop thinking. Don't put this adventure into yourself and your world on hold any longer. If there are any regrets I have about Headwater's Outdoor School, it's that I didn't find out about this organization earlier.

I'd say treat yourself to a life altering opportunity and show up for your self. Why not? The only thing you have to lose is the monotony of what you think you already know. You will be welcomed, honored and supported for who you are and all of the gifts you have to share, whether you know what they are yet or not. And new skills and talents will be revealed, bringing out the best of who you are and the confidence to share it. You will learn early on that with a conscious, caretaking approach there needs to be no barriers to stop you from enmeshing yourself fully and freely in nature.

I didn't know where I would ever use these skills outside of the wilderness but I've found myself on an ongoing journey of coming into my own personal power by using what I've learned in these classes in every part of my life, whether in the wilderness, suburbs or the city. Instead of watching nature on T.V. it thrills me every chance I get to now go out and create my own stories and memories by truly living my life actively in it.

These classes have been my personal investment in myself. It's not about a piece of paper. What you learn is an invaluable investment in yourself as a whole person.

(When I read this back it kind of sounds like a paid infomercial, but honestly the only thing I get out of this is the ability to share a life changing experience in hopes that someone else will also take a risk into seeing what this is all about for themselves..

So when asked why I continue to come to Headwaters the only answer that comes to me is that it's something that I can't not do.