Description
This is a survival experience. The purpose of this experience, is for you to put your skills to the test in the field. If you don’t already have a base level of skills suitable for this experience, we encourage you to start with the precursor Intensive Forest Skills Intensive Course. This 3-day intensive course will increase your baseline skill level so that you can better appreciate and gain more from the survival experience.
Please Note: This course is not designed as a skills based course. Though there will be lessons and skill development throughout, the itinerary is much more fluid and lessons will be given when time permits. To come into this course with a baseline level of competency is beneficial to your own enjoyment of the course. I will be giving lessons as required but may happen one on one when time permits.
Prepare to be Alone
Survival Experience for a Healthy and Safe Journey Alone in the Wilderness
Why do this? This is a question that is VERY important to ask yourself. We will explore the why and the consequences and rewards of embarking on your survival journey alone.
How can you navigate your journey in a safe way? We will explore the fundamentals of moving through the wilderness in a safe, productive and practical way. This includes safe axe and knife usage.
Are you mentally tough and resilient?
What does it take to be with yourself alone for 80 days or longer? We will dive deep into what it means to be your own coach, best friend, confidant and support system.
Skills we will cover:
The Mind – Perception
“The impediment to action advances action. What stands in the way, becomes the way.”
– Marcus Aurelius
Flexibility, Emotional Agility, Recognize Your Power, Find the Opportunity
The Body – Action
“Then imitate the action of the tiger; stiffen the sinews, summon up the blood.”
-Shakespeare
Safety, Shelter, Gathering, Snaring/Bow, Fire, Basic First-Aid, Iterate, Iterate, Iterate!
The Soul- Will
“Offer a guarantee and disaster threatens” –“Ancient inscription at the Oracle of Delphi”
Prepare for None of it to Work, Amor Fati, Something Bigger Than Yourself, Prepare to Start Again
Each season will be wildly different in regards to what obstacles there will be to overcome and skills we’ll be able to cover!
June: This time of year fishing* can be great, and the berries are hopefully plentiful! Oyster mushrooms are out, but guess what else are out… The BUGS!! We will focus on bug proofing our shelters, creating smoky fires and experimenting with natural bug repellants. (Temporarily unavailable due to conflicting schedule. Update will be made in the Spring)
August: On a regular year… it’s mushroom season!! Fishing* is still good, bugs are gone (ish), but it could start to be rainy. Probably the “easiest” season to survive comfortably. Mosquitoes at night are still very much alive and so a bug net should be one of your 10 items.
October: It’s small game season! Most of the mushrooms are gone and we start thinking about fires inside shelters. More robust shelters, snaring rabbits** and finding more creative (dub in desperate) ways to find wild edibles.
February/March: A whole new ball game in regards to survival. Substantial shelter building, ice fishing*, snaring** and trapping.
These courses are designed for people with a desire to learn, from my perspective, what is takes to survive in the wilderness for an extended period of time. Whether you’re looking to actually be a participant on the show, or just want to train for a, “what if” scenario, I can be your guide.
We will spend the week in home made basic shelters built by you. We will live off of rations and whatever we catch or harvest.
Depending on the season and the resources we will be in small groups of 2. Solo shelters will be an option for those looking for a greater challenge.
The week will be full of practical skills development with a heavy focus on pushing through your limits and what it takes to find the opportunities in every situation. Find the good in the bad. Alter your perception to make each challenge a lesson and a blessing.
“…there is nothing either good or bad, but thinking makes it so.”– Shakespeare (Hamlet)
Think you have what it takes? Or want to give it a try under the safety of my guidance? Let’s do this!
What’s Included:
- Rations (~ 1,500 calories/day in the form of meat, fat, nuts, fruit, rice and legumes);
- Group gear such as large bug tent for group lessons, safety instructors tent, safety equipment, and communication devices;
- Boat shuttle or gear shuttle in winter to and from basecamp;
- 7 nights of wilderness living on our private property with access to cut trees for primitive shelters;
- Instruction and guidance from Kielyn! (Alone S7 finalist and professional wilderness guide!)
What’s Not included:
- Personal gear and clothing;
- Transportation from airport or town to parking area. Carpooling may be possible.
*Participants must hold a valid Ontario Fishing License
**Participants must hold a valid Ontario small games license
Please see our Policies and Conditions page for more details.
Winter Course only – Continue the Adventure!
This course is immediately followed by our “Brain Tanning and Wild Game Butchery” course. The two courses together create a complete experience, from field to table and clothing. If you are interested in joining us for both courses (2 weeks) we’ll provide $200 off the price of each course.
kielyn –
Basia, thank you so much for your incredible review. It was so great seeing you out there using your skills to overcome the obstacles along the way. You had a great attitude and it was a pleasure spending the week with you! I hope to see you again soon! -kie
Basia Halliop (verified owner) –
An amazing opportunity to achieve new things in a beautiful environment, with a solid safety net and the support needed to succeed.
I spent most of the week sleeping alone on a snowy northern hillside, in a snow and debris shelter I made with my own hands, collecting my own firewood to boil my own water, all using minimal food rations and limited tools.
Yet with the regular checkins and group activities, I found that expert guidance, support, and community were never too far away when I needed them.
I feel like I improved my skills and confidence, but also had an experience I will remember forever.
Dave Marrone –
Dug! Thank you so much for your incredible review! We loved getting to know you and watching you thrive out there! I hope to see you again very soon!! – kie
Dave Marrone –
Rob! Thank you so much for such a glowing review. We really loved spending the week with you and we hope that you come back again soon! All the best to you, – kie
Dave Marrone –
Aw Karin thank you so much! You were an absolute joy to be around and I hope to see you again soon! Maybe this time in California! XO -Kie
karin kamb (verified owner) –
I had an amazing time on the winter survival course with LOTN. I’m a novice snow person and was a bit timid about putting myself in an unknown environment but Kie and the team were supportive and full of tips/tricks to aid my journey. I now have a new appreciation for primitive skills and ancestral living; everyone should get out there and test their innate skills. I highly recommend this course or any other at LOTN. They are super professional, kind and have a quality outfit! <3 <3
Rob McLellan (verified owner) –
I went to LOTN’s winter survival course thinking it would be a good opportunity to learn more about survival and to experience being “Alone” in a safe environment. It was so much more than that! Yes, I now feel more confident in my abilities in a survival situation. Yes, I got to experience being on a low calorie diet while in the wilderness. But I also learned the importance of community and having people you can work together with! By myself I set about 20 snares for rabbit. Collectively we set over 200. I caught 0, the group caught 3. Only 1 fish was harvested (not by me!). It would have been a much more difficult week if others had not shared their good fortune, including the unexpected harvest of 3 porcupines.
Kie and her guest coach/leader Stuart (sp?) were amazing. If you think you have skills, you have to meet people like them. I guarantee you will be humbled. Hoping I have found some new outdoors friends and inspired to get back out there!
Dug North (verified owner) –
This course was amazing! I got to build my own shelter, procure firewood and water, icefish, snare snowshoe hares, help hunt porcupines, and fashion my own snowshoes out of fir boughs.
During the course, I used the ten survival items I chose to bring with me. It was incredibly informative to see which items served me well, and which I would trade for something else the next time around. It was also very helpful to learn how my body responds to increased activity and reduced calories. It’s difficult to simulate that in day-to-day life.
It was nice that the students could choose the level of cooperation/independence that we felt would benefit us the most. This means beginners and more advanced students can all get what they need from this course.
Kielyn was an ideal guide/teacher/friend throughout. Every one of her lessons has the weight of authority that can only come from actual experience. She has done it and can tell you about it, so listen to every word because that kind of education is pure gold. I look forward to taking more courses with Lure of the North.
If you are looking for an immersive survival experience to increase your skill and confidence this course provides the perfect blend of adventure, safety, and training. Highly recommended!
Joe Simpson –
I did this course in 2020. Kie, fresh off the Alone experience was our leader and she did an amazing job of exposing us to new experiences. I had such a good time and got to experience winter camping and survival, unlike anything in my past. It was a life changing, bucket list trip and I will be forever appreciative of the opportunity.
Hannah Anderson (verified owner) –
I had an absolutely incredible and eye opening experience in this course. I was really nervous going in as I’m a total beginner and I didn’t know what to expect, but I loved every part of it, even in moments of struggle. Kielyn was so good at pushing us past our limits but also encouraging us to listen to our bodies and knowing when to rest. I learned so many skills and found a very satisfying sense of purpose in our day to day survival activities. I’m beyond happy that I found Lure of The North and I feel like I’ve come home with a fresh perspective on life. I’ve already signed up for a winter expedition. Truly cannot wait to go back!