Wilderness Survival

Going on a hike or camping in southern Michigan can be a fun and exciting experience. It can also become dangerous if your plans, the weather, or the unexpected happens. This course will give you some of the basic skills you will need to keep yourself safe in a wilderness environment. Below are a few of the items covered in this course:

• Basic in case of emergency pack items
• Knife safety
• Collecting tinder and fire making materials
• Building a proper fire lay
• Starting a fire (Ferro rod & bow drill)
• "Saving" a wet lighter
• Water collection and disinfection
• Basic shelter construction with tarp (a frame, lean to, plow point)
• Natural cordage (material identification, collection)
• Knots (tripod lashing, round lashing, arbor knot, etc.)
• Building a cooking tripod with removable shelf and pot hanger
• Signaling for rescue

These foundation level skills will teach you how to stay hydrated, fed, found, safe and warm when going out into the woods. You will learn that when you are prepared, nature can be a great place to spend your time.