Description

This course is a precursor OR stand alone to our Survival Experience that immediately follows this course. The Survival Experience is a program in which participants have the opportunity to test their skills by settling in, in a remote part of the wilderness. If your baseline of skills needs to elevate, or you feel like a brush up before the experience part of your journey would be helpful to your enjoyment of the Survival Experience, then this course is for you.

Skills that we will cover include:

Fire Making

• Proficient use of the flint and steel, and ferrocium rod;
• Bow drill material gathering and kit building;
• Fire techniques using other unique materials;
• Efficient fire laying techniques;

Axe Craft

• How to safely and efficiently use an axe for crafting, felling, limbing, splitting, and bucking;
• Become comfortable using an axe for just about all of your camp chore needs.

Snaring (fall and winter season courses only)

• How to humanely and efficiently snare snowshoe hare;
• How to track and think like a snowshoe hare;
• The do’s and don’ts of snaring;
• Processing the hare and uses for the whole animal.

Fishing

• Discussion and application of creating home made fishing lures;
• Techniques for hand lining and jigging (season dependent);
• How to fillet a fish;
• How to tie on a hook with fishing line;

Snowshoe Building (Winter only)

• Learn how to make different styles of survival snowshoes including the LOTN developed “Spruce Paw” snowshoe.
• The making of simple bindings with paracord;

Knot and Binding Techniques

• Learn and practice the most valuable knots for most applications in the woods. Become proficient with these knots and you’ll be set for life to complete most tasks. (bowline, taut line hitch, clove hitch, truckers hitch, figure 8 on a bite, figure 8 follow-through

Shelter Design

• The theory behind different shelter types and their benefits and downsides for each.
• How to use your environment to stay adaptable and creative;
• Discuss the key features of a well built shelter;

Firewood and Tree Felling

• How to ID standing dry firewood (it’s harder than it might seem!)
• How to safely fell trees for your shelter and firewood;
• How to buck and split your wood safely with different methods and tools;

Wild Edibles and Medicinal Plants

• Learn to properly and safely identify some of the most prevalent food sources in the biome;
• Learn to properly and safely identify some of the best ways to keep yourself healthy with medicinal plants for consumption and for topical wound and skin care.

Cooking and Water Purification

• Theory of water pathogens that are harmful to humans;
• Theory of harmful parasites that can be found in consuming wild game;
• Cooking and purification methods and techniques to keep you safe and healthy.
• Food and hydration in a survival situation vs. a sustenance lifestyle.

Thermoregulation, Environment and Hygiene

• How the elements affect you and your body;
• Pacing yourself in the wilderness;
• How to properly dress for success;
• Taking care of yourself in the woods;

Basic Survival Psychology

• We will discuss the role of psychology in a wilderness survival context and how it can make the difference between thriving and surviving or suffering and dying.

What’s Included

• Shuttle to and from the property:
  • Winter course (just gear- participants walk in 9km to base);
  • Summer and Fall- Gear and participants shuttled via pontoon boat.
• Meals
  • From Lunch on Day 1 through to Lunch on Day 3.
• Skillful instruction from Kielyn’s almost 20 years experience as a wilderness guide and insights from her 80 day survival journey on the hit reality TV show ALONE S7

What’s not Included

• Shuttle to or from airport to rendezvous location ( location varies according to season);
• Tent (rentals available)
• Axe or other personal equipment (some available to rent).

Maximum # of Participants: 12

Have questions?! We’d love to answer them! Please email expeditions@lureofthenorth.com or call us at 705-280-6809 to speak to us directly!

Ready to register?! Head back to the top of the page and Let’s DO This!