Spring Wilderness Survival Basics

“My favorite part of this program was the practical instruction and hands-on experiential learning. The instructors were all wonderful, entertaining, and very friendly. Their knowledge was helpful and the information was presented in such a fun way!”

– Allison M.

This course is a hands-on introduction to the skills and knowledge necessary to live through a short-term wilderness survival situation. If you have the survival skills and experience to survive at least 72 hours, then you have a much greater chance to find your way out of the woods OR be located by search and rescue.

Topics will include essential survival gear, survival priorities, and most importantly, how to maintain an upright mind.

You will learn these crucial survival skills:

• Building a fire
• Making a life-saving shelter
• Purifying water
• Navigation
• Wild edible foods
• Creating your survival kit

Anyone who enters the wilderness will benefit from having these basic, but important, survival skills.

Program Logistics

Class will take place at our school’s 40-acre property from 9am-5pm on Saturday and Sunday. No Food provided. Participants will be out in the field all day and will need to dress accordingly. While the class isn’t overly strenuous, we will be hiking about 1-2 miles over the course of the weekend. Students will need to be able to carry food, water, and gear with them throughout the day – preferably in a backpack with a hipbelt. A knife is required for the class. Fixed blade knives may be purchased during registration ($20-35 depending on the model).

Meet Your Lead Instructor

Kyle Schultheis

Kyle grew up in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada mountains, where he spent much of his time exploring the oak savanna landscape. He earned a BS in Geology from Chico state university before spending four years in the military, serving overseas and in snowy upstate New York. Upon exiting the Army, he spent several years living off-grid in a canvas wall tent in the Pacific Northwest and began a new path exploring nature-connected and holistic ways of living.

A graduate of Wilderness Awareness School’s Immersion program and multiple other year-long and seasonal wilderness skills programs, Kyle has been practicing bushcraft and naturalist skills intensively since arriving in Washington in 2016. He enjoys spending all hours of the day and night in every season living outside and helping others find what brings them alive in the natural world.