Wilderness Skills

About this program
*Students under the age of 12 are welcome to enroll if their parent/guardian either takes the class with them or does a nature retreat on the land during the class. *
Students will learn basic skills needed to survive in the wilderness safely and comfortably. The philosophy behind these skills will be taught throughout the course. It will be held at our Mt. Shasta Camp which includes endless creeks, ponds and our authentic village consisting of sixteen bark tipis, two bark round houses.
We are proud to say this is the finest Skills Class taught today.
Skills Covered
- Shelters: bark tipi, tipi, lean-to, debris huts and more
- Water: how to locate and purify
- Fire: bow drill and hand drill, campfire building, wood identification, etc.
- Food: cooking methods
- Wild Edible and Useful Plants: identification and gathering
- Trapping Methods (no animals will be trapped during this class)
- Hunting Methods: primitive hunting skills and philosophy
- Hunting Tools: throwing sticks, spears, primitive bows, slings, bolas and more
- Cordage Making
- Tool Making: working with stone and wood
- Flint Knapping and Bone Working
- Tanning Animal Hides
- Camp Location and Setup
What people are saying:
This trip is both wonderful and challenging for 4th graders. They sleep under the stars in a shelter they built, jump into mud puddles, swim in cool water, hike through dark caves and forests, and do it all as a tribe. I cannot stress how important these trips are for the children to embark on together. During the New Village journey, there will be many more trips like this that allow our students to develop flexibility and grit. Experiences like these help them grow as individuals and as a class.