GENERAL INFORMATION
This year (2008) marks 23 years of running the wilderness
Learning Center.
All of our seven-day courses here at our school consists of a comprehensive, in-depth training period
that includes both classroom and practical hands-on field exercises. You
will have the opportunity to practice every skill learned under the guidance and
direction of our trained staff. Both primitive and modern techniques will
be covered completely. A large emphasis is places on edible plants and
natural food gathering skills. Approximately 90 hours of instruction will
be presented during each course. Group discussions will be held every
evening around the campfire. At least two instructors are present during
the entire course. This allows for a lot of one-on-one personal
instruction. And if this isn't enough we will allow any students to stay an
extra half day to work on any skills that they are still not completely
comfortable with.
All courses are taught in the great outdoors. Our base camp includes a
large outdoor classroom with plenty of open space around it to practice
primitive skills and techniques. The classroom is covered to protect you
from the elements, as we cannot control the weather. We provide all
supplies necessary for the course. This includes binders and plenty of
handouts. These are yours to keep so you will have a handy reference for
your future use.
All meals, which are included in the registration cost, are prepared in our
outdoor kitchen. Students eat in a covered dining area. We provide all the meals because cooking individual meals in the
field would be a waste of the students valuable time. Former students have commented that the cooking was so
good that it is a major selling point of the course; however, we do hope you
have other reasons for taking the course. Wait until you taste Aggies Apple Pie.
Although this is a primitive camp, we have clean, comfortable outhouses, as
well as a camp shower facility for your use.
Summer courses are held from July to September. Winter courses are from in February. Course registration is on a first come basis. Because we like to keep our classes small (8 to 12 students)
they tend to fill up quickly, so we highly recommend that you select a second
choice of dates when you register. We also recommend if you have a friend
desiring to take the same class, that you notify us and enclose both
applications in the same envelope as soon as possible.
Courses are open to anyone, male or female, 18 years of age or older and in
reasonably good health. Although our courses are not designed to test ones
physical capabilities, we do a considerable amount of walking, as well as other
physical activities, so students should be in reasonably good physical
condition. Students under the age of 18 can attend but must be accompanied
by a guardian or relative over 21 years old and must have a parental/guardian
form signed.
A $200 dollar deposit is required with your application form. The balance is due
when you arrive. A complete refund will be made to applicants who cancel,
in writing, more than 21 days prior to the start of the first class.
Applicants who cancel in writing, 21 days or less will forfeit $100.dollars of their deposit,
the balance will be credited towards another course for up to one year from
start date of course. Students who do not show up for their course will
lose the entire deposit. If you can only attend one class date and it is already
filled, your deposit will be refunded immediately. In the unlikely event that we
have to cancel a course, you will be refunded your full deposit immediately.
Please make sure you complete the entire registration form before sending it in. Upon receipt of
your registration form and deposit, we will forward a confirmation of class/receipt
for deposit, clothing and equipment lists, and travel directions.
Students desiring to bring any outdoor gear or equipment they'd like to bring
for field testing or for our evaluation are welcome to do so. Any extra
gear and/or equipment can be stored in your vehicle, as the parking area is
located a short distance from the school and is easily accessible anytime.
All courses begin on Sunday at 4:30PM and end on Friday around
6PM with a graduation ceremony on Saturday morning. Students can arrive either
Saturday afternoon or early Sunday. There is no extra charge for students
arriving early. Departure time on Saturday is usually between
9AM to 11AM. If a student must leave Friday evening we can arrange this. Also if
a student desires to stay Saturday for a few extra hours to brush up on a
subject, this is fine with us. Our goal is to give you the best education in
wilderness survival possible.
COURSES: DESCRIPTIONS/COSTS
BASIC WILDERNESS SURVIVAL COURSE. This course is a prerequisite
to all advanced courses. It is a very comprehensive course that begins
with understanding survival psychology. Then the fun really begins!
We will cover all areas of basic wilderness survival that includes fire making
techniques; constructing shelters from natural materials; finding and purifying
water; utilizing tools and equipment; using a map and compass, as well as
celestial navigation; knots, ropes, and making cordage; identifying edible
and medicinal plants; basic trapping techniques involving constructing and
placement of snares and deadfalls; organizing and using survival kits (possible bags); fishing;
signaling; how not to get lost; and much, much more.
There will be a lot of classroom and hands-on field training, and both primitive and
modern techniques will be taught. Every skill
learned in the classroom will be practiced in the field. We want you to leave this course feeling
totally confident and comfortable in the wilderness. Nowhere will you find a course
as complete
and enjoyable. Cost is $780.
ADVANCED WILDERNESS SURVIVAL COURSE. This course begins at our
base camp and takes the basics you've learned many steps further. After a review
of all previously learned skills you will learn some new ones. These will
include the familiarization of survival weapons, both primitive and modern;
basic wilderness first aid;
tracking and signing; off road vehicle recovery and much more. Then you're going to put the skills
you've learned to the test. Given a minimal amount of gear, you will set
out from our base camp as a group and use your navigational skills to find a designated location.
Once there you will set up a temporary camp and spend three days and two nights
in a simulated survival situation. You will be provided food (it is
simulated and we're not going to let anyone starve out there), but you will have
to improvise with your knowledge, wits, and your possible bag in order to "survive"
your ordeal. Then
we'll return to the base camp for a good meal, showers and a critique of
your survival experience. Cost is $780.
WINTER WILDERNESS SURVIVAL SKILLS COURSE. This course involves
spending six days and five nights in an outdoor winter setting. Students
will live and sleep in a outdoor winter environment. We do have a warm-up tent,
just in case. You will
learn winter survival skills that are appropriate to the extreme cold weather we
have here in the northeast. A lot of emphasis is placed on specialized
clothing and equipment, building
winter shelters, making fire, making water, recognizing and treating cold
related injuries and gathering wild foods. During the course students will
build a winter shelter (Quinzee) and get to spend at least one night in
it. You'll also learn what
can be used as natural insulating materials, how to make a pair of emergency
snowshoes, and lots more. If you spend any time outdoors in the winter,
then this course will give you the skills and knowledge to make you better
prepared for the unexpected. There is no prerequisite for this course.
There is a special clothing requirement. A list will be provided at time
of registration. Cost is $780.
WILD PLANTS INTENSIVE. We added this
new course several years ago and it has become a very popular program. This
course is devoted just to the study of wild plants. We will spend the
entire week learning to identify over 90 edible and medicinal plants. Not
only will you get to see these plants, but you will also learn how to gather,
harvest, and prepare them. You'll even get to eat some delicious wild
plants. We usually prepare one whole meal with what we have gathered. You'll learn how to make all kinds of healing salves, cough
syrups, mixtures, essences, soaps, and tinctures from over 35 common medicinal plants.
You'll also learn how to make flour, cordage and natural dyes. All materials we use
during the course are natural and do not contain any petroleum products.
Everything you make will be yours to take home. This course will be held
at our base camp, but there will be many side trips taken to special areas. There
is no prerequisite for this course.
As with all of our courses, each night we will have a great campfire with
interesting and informative group discussions. Cost is $780.
PWYP
Wilderness Survival Course, 2008 near Marion, North Carolina.
Immediately following the course will be the annual
PWYP Rendezvous to which you are all invited.
For the first time ever
the Wilderness Learning Center will be conducting a 3-day comprehensive
wilderness survival course on Chestnut Mountain in North Carolina. A special
guest instructor will be Ethan Becker, Owner and Designer of Becker Knives. The dates are
April 7-9, 2008. Registration will be at 8AM on Monday the 7th. The
gate will be open on Sunday the 6th for early arrivals. We will
present over 30 hours of instruction and practical exercises during this course.
Weather permitting we will also do a Celestial Navigation class one evening.
Plus on Thursday the 10th we will be available for any additional
help anyone may need from 9AM until noon. Cost for this program will be $335.00 / person. We are also offering a special
Parent/Child (under 12) rate of $499.00 or a couples rate of $600.00. A $50.00
deposit per student will be required prior to the course. Anyone
interested should fill out an application and mail it, along with the deposit,
to us. Make checks payable to Marty Simon. Balance will be collected on the 7th
at the site. Students are responsible
for their own meals, water and tents. Porta-potties will be provided. Camping
will be available near the site. Upon receiving your application and deposit, we
will mail you a confirmation of course, receipt of deposit, suggested clothing &
equipment list, map and directions.
ANNUAL REUNION. Every year we offer this special trip
for students who have completed one of our courses. We'll canoe to a great
spot in the Adirondacks, set up camp, relax and have fun. This trip is a
great opportunity to see and catch up with old friends. We may even go
over some survival skills. Attendance is by invitation only.
SPECIAL PRESENTATIONS
We are also available for Radio and Television guest appearances,
wilderness survival lectures and special consultations for corporations or
organizations that have unique requirements or need special training. We also do
private courses. Please feel free to contact us for
further details.
OFF-SITE PROGRAMS. Would you like us to come to you? If
you have a group of six or more, and our schedule allows us to, we can conduct
a program at your site. We have a mobile camp that includes a kitchen,
tents (if needed), and classroom; and
can customize a program to suit your needs. All you need to provide on
your site is a drinking water source and porta-potties. You may call, write, or e-mail
us for more information.
FINAL NOTES
Over the years students seem to have the same questions and concerns about
our school. Our responses to the most frequently raised concerns are as
follows:
1. No one will be required to participate in any activity that they
find objectionable. Even though we feel all our activities are completely
student friendly, you will not be required to do anything you don't want to do.
2. No one will be required to eat insects or bugs. We emphasis using wild
plants and believe there are so many available to you that it isn't necessary to
eat insects or bugs in a survival situation.
3. No one has to share a tent. Students have the
option of sleeping in single or double tents (that we provide for at courses at
our site. If a student prefers
to bring their own tent, that's fine too.
4. If you have a special food requirement, please let us know ahead of
time and we will do our best to accommodate you.
5. No animals are injured or killed during the trapping
portion of the course.
6. During all of our courses we do a considerable amount
of walking and students should be in reasonably good health.
