Anake Outdoor School - Frequently Asked Questions

Who can apply to the Anake Outdoor School?

All adults age 18 and over may apply to the Anake Outdoor School. There are no course prerequisites.

Who is the Anake Outdoor School intended for?

The Anake Outdoor School is an outdoor course intended for anyone interested in deepening their understanding of the natural world in an intensive training setting. The course is designed to meet the needs of a variety of different types of students from young people directly out of high school, to college students and recent graduates, as well as older adults.

Who are the instructors at the Anake Outdoor School?

With over 5 decades of combined experience teaching outdoor nature skills, the Anake Outdoor School's core instructors facilitate all aspects of the course, teaching, coordinating guests and field trips, and serving as mentors to the student body. Marcus Reynerson, Laura Gunion, Mike Prince, and Lindsay Huettman serve as the core course instructors, with additional staff specialists sharing their knowledge in specific topics over the course of the year.

The Anake Outdoor School also incorporates expert guest instructors that visit the course to offer their unique perspective on special skills and topics. See their biographies.

What is class like at the Anake Outdoor School?

Class meets three days a week, tuesday through thursday, at Wilderness Awareness School's campus and other nearby locations. Tuesday class meets from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m., and Wednesday and Thursday class meets from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Each day consists of both lecture and extensive hands-on, outdoor experiential activities such as animal tracking exercises, wild edible gathering and preparation, bird language exercises, awareness games, and survival skill projects, to name a few.

The class also takes day trips and several extended field trips during the course of the year. Each fall we go on a tracking expedition to the beautiful Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area, in winter we make an extended two-week trip to California to visit Quail Springs Permaculture Farm near Santa Barbara and The Regenerative Design Institute north of San Francisco, and during the spring the course goes out on a 3-week, end-of-year rite of passage including a one-week wilderness survival expedition. Outside of class, students work on the Kamana Naturalist Training Program and other assigned work.

What is the application process for the course?

Please Note We begin welcoming applications for the 2012-2013 school year on Nov. 1, 2011. See the application timeline and payment due dates for more details.

To apply, you can use our Anake Outdoor School On-line Application, or download an application in pdf format.

To receive an application packet by mail (which includes a free DVD and color brochure about the course), please use our request form.

Can International/Overseas Students Apply?

Yes. Wilderness Awareness School is authorized under Federal law to enroll nonimmigrant alien students (international/overseas students). Please use our request form for more information about enrolling.

What are the backgrounds of the Program's students?

Our students have a variety of backgrounds. We have no "typical" Anake Outdoor School student. However, most of our students have taken either Wilderness Awareness School courses or other outdoor/ wilderness classes or have been referred from colleges and universities.

Many students have read the book, The Tracker by Tom Brown, Jr. and consider it an important catalyst for being a Wilderness Awareness Residential student. Some of our students are recent high school graduates. Others are participating in the course to complete their college degrees. Still others are college graduates who have been working, but now are changing their focus and the Anake Outdoor School is part of their graduate school experience. We also have "non-traditional" students who have joined the Anake Outdoor School several years or even decades after they graduated high school or college. Other students come from a wildlife biology background. All students have one thing in common though - an above average passion for connecting with nature and the outdoors.

Is there an academic component to the Anake Outdoor School?

Yes. We do maintain transcripts of quarterly narrative evaluations that include self-evaluations and instructor evaluations. For students desiring it, we can translate these into graded  transcripts in 6 course areas, which we do for students enrolled for credit  through Western State College.

Also, all students work on The Kamana Naturalist Training Program outside of class. It is a rigorous academic course in and of itself, involving a significant amount of research, fieldwork, and a variety of journal activities.

What opportunities are there for those who complete the first year?

Students who complete the Anake Outdoor School have the option, and are highly encouraged, to continue into a second year of study in our Anake Leadership Program or the Wildlife Tracking Intensive. These courses provide the opportunity for students to round out their Wilderness Awareness studies with professional experience and focused learning.

Why is there an Anake Outdoor School?

The Anake Outdoor School came about to fulfill a longtime vision, held by the founders of Wilderness Awareness School, to provide an opportunity for participants to become highly skilled in all aspects of our curriculum while also guiding them to become natural teachers and leaders. The Anake Outdoor School serves this vision by providing an intensive training course of full-time, full-immersion studies for adult students.

Where is the course located?

The Anake Outdoor School is located in the foothills of the Cascade Mountains by the Snoqualmie River at Wilderness Awareness School's home base in Duvall, Washington. The school's property is called Linne Doran (Gaelic for "Pond of the Otter") and our land consists of over 40 acres of mature and second growth forest as well as the land's namesake pond and wetlands. This campus is adjacent to the vast forest lands of the Snoqualmie-Baker National Forest, west of the Alpine Lakes Wilderness Area.

Classroom facilities at Linne Doran include "Cedar Lodge," our new classroom building and gathering hall which houses the Ingwe Library and also has four apartments for Anake Outdoor School students on the second floor; "The Wolf Den," our 30 foot modern yurt; and "Malalo Ya Chui" (which means "Lair of the Leopard"), a more rustic 20 foot structure modeled after an African Akamba hut, built to honor School co-founder, Ingwe.

Day trip locations often include riparian sandbars along the Skykomish and Snoqualmie Rivers, many great county parks, the high Cascades, and the desert ecosystems of eastern Washington. The Program also takes several extended field trips throughout the Northwest each year.

Where do Anake Outdoor School students live?

There are some limited on-campus housing options, with many of our students locating their own housing in the Duvall area with support from staff. Most students opt for shared housing in rural country homes, though apartments, cabins, and yurts are often available in the area as well. Most of our students live in shared houses or apartments in the Snoqualmie River valley, which includes the towns of Duvall, Carnation, Monroe, Fall City, and Snoqualmie. The shared housing saves the students money on rent and adds an additional aspect of community to the course.

How will my personal learning goals be met?

While the curriculum of Anake Outdoor School is broad and very rich, we recognize that each student comes here with their own unique goals and desires for what they receive from participating in the program. There are two main ways we work to support you in achieving these personal goals. First, each student is matched with one of the core instructors to provide personal support and guidance, most often in the form of reviews of your weekly inventories, research and reflections. Instructors also offer students evaluative feedback at the end of each quarter. Secondly, all of the students matched with a particular instructor form a Learning Group, of groups from 9 to 12 students. These Learning Groups get together periodically outside of class, often over dinner, to support each other in achieving personal goals, overcoming stumbling blocks, and planning extracurricular adventures and experiences. The Learning Groups are guided by a core instructor and a apprentice, but are also very much student-driven, as taking responsibility for your own experience is an important component to Anake Outdoor School's fundamental approach to learning.

How long has the Anake Outdoor School been in existence?

The first official year of the Anake Outdoor School was the 1999-2000 school year, though the Program builds on a legacy of advanced students receiving college credit while studying with Wilderness Awareness School instructors.

How much does the course cost?

Tuition for the Anake Outdoor School 2012-2013 school year is $10,350. This cost includes all instruction, workshops, field trips, and independent study materials for the school year. Tuition does not include living expenses.

Upon acceptance into the course, a $2,000 payment is required to secure your enrollment. The remainder of the tuition is payable in two equal installments (the remainder of the tuition, minus any scholarship, divided by two). See payment due dates.

What types of Financial Aid are available for the Program?

In addition to private loans or other funding students are independently able to secure, two forms of official financial aid are currently available for the Anake Outdoor School:

1) Scholarships We offer our own scholarships for the Anake Outdoor School, which range from $1000 to $3000. Scholarship awards are applied equally to the August and January tuition payments. NOTE: The scholarship application form must be submitted at the same time as the regular course application. Use the on-line scholarship application, or download and complete a Scholarship Application in PDF format, and mail it in.

2) Veterans Benefits Tuition assistance is available to U.S. Veterans through the Department of Veterans Affairs benefits and services.

Anake Outdoor School Application timeline and payment due dates:

Standard Application and Enrollment Period for the 2012-2013 Class
Nov. 1, 2011: Application period opens 
2 weeks after we receive your application, we will send you a letter regarding your acceptance, and a scholarship award letter if applicable
4 weeks after we mail your acceptance letter, your enrollment paperwork and $2000 deposit are due. This deposit includes a $100 non-refundable enrollment fee. The remainder of your deposit will secure your spot in the program and is applied to your tuition.
Sep. 1, 2012: First payment due (remainder of tuition, minus any scholarship, divided by two).
Jan. 1, 2013: Final payment due (the remaining balance). 

NOTES: More details will be included in the letter you will receive when you apply. If you apply after Feb. 1, 2012, you can expect to hear from us with a decision on acceptance and scholarship awards within 4-6 weeks of the date of your application. Your deposit and enrollment fee will be due within one month after you receive notice of acceptance.

Rolling Admissions Application Period:
All applications received after February 1, 2012 will be considered on a Rolling Admissions basis. Immediate acceptance into the program is possible until we have a total of 36 students accepted. Once we have 36 acceptances, applications will be responded to in the order received. (Applications may be reviewed more quickly than this, but will be placed on hold for response).

A $2000 payment is due to secure enrollment and scholarship award within one week of acceptance.

Can I receive college credit?

Yes. Undergraduate college credit through Western State College is available for the Anake Outdoor School. It is 18 credits (6 in Environmental Studies, 6 in Biology and 6 in Recreation) and these credits are transferable. There is more information on Western State College's website. If you have additional questions about college credit, please complete our request form.

Also, if you are currently enrolled at a college or university you may be able to work out a way to receive credit for our course through your own college or university. Several of our students have had success in doing so. Talking to an academic advisor at your school is a good way to start researching this option.

Past students have reported that the following schools have granted some form of credit for their Anake Outdoor School experience. Students need to make their own arrangements.

Cornell University
Prescott College
Antioch University Seattle
The Evergreen State College
Humboldt State University
Mankato State University

Do I have to be working towards a degree or enrolled in a college/ university to be part of the Anake Outdoor School?

No. Many students are here just for the unique training that we have to offer and are not concerned with receiving college credit. Some students are finished with college and are augmenting their education with our course, while other students are attending the Anake Outdoor School instead of a traditional college/university.

Should I have taken courses with Wilderness Awareness School or other schools to be a part of the Program?

There are no prerequisites for the Anake Outdoor School. You will not have to take any additional classes or workshops other than those covered in your tuition costs.

However, in addition to encouraging prospective Anake Outdoor School students to visit the Program if possible (see below), we also encourage you to attend one of our weekend or weeklong workshops or expeditions if you are interested in doing so. This can give you a better idea of what Wilderness Awareness School and our teachings are like, and help decide if the Anake Outdoor School is right for you. We offer tuition credit for this weekend or weeklong course if you enroll in the Anake Outdoor School within the next 2 years. Please use our request form for more information about this tuition reimbursement option. (*NOTE: tuition credit is only available to prospective students who have not yet officially enrolled in the course. We often offer additional tuition assistance for our courses to enrolled Anake Outdoor School students.)

Will I be able to work and do the Program at the same time? Is there work available in the area?

Yes. The Anake Outdoor School usually meets during three consecutive class days per week, and this schedule is designed to allow students to be able to work at least part-time. Many of our students do work. Their range of jobs includes working at other schools and child care, outdoor labor, employment at rock-climbing gyms or other outdoor recreation organizations, working with moving companies, working at coffee stands and restaurants, delivering pizzas, etc. You should have no problem finding a part-time job to help support your studies.

May I come and observe the Anake Outdoor School?

Yes--we welcome and encourage all interested students to observe our course in person. Each year, we have several special Visit Days that are intended to provide you with the best opportunity to get to know our program through direct participation in a class day. You must register ahead of time to participate in one of these Visit Days, and space may be limited!

Find out what our upcoming Visit Days are and how to sign up!