BASIC SURVIVAL WILDERNESS CLASS
Kasper & Andreas taught us about letterboxing during their Adirondack Adventure. We are proposing this for our new letterboxing design.
B A C K   T O   B A S I C S

This classes serves as an introduction for those individuals who have little or no experience in the wilderness field, or for those who wish to refresh the basics.  Your hosts will maintain a high level of supervision to insure your safety, and only decrease supervision when your proficiency increases.  
Basic level survival does have a large amount of information that needs to be absorbed.  At Back To Basics you may chose from a full one-week course or two weekend classes.  We do realize that everyone's schedule is not flexible.  The same material will be covered whether you opt for the one-week or weekend scheduling.

Week-long Course Schedule
Course Instruction Friday, Saturday, Sunday
Field Experience Monday, Tuesday

Weekend Course Schedule
Course Instruction Friday, Saturday, Sunday (1st Weekend)
Field Experience Saturday, Sunday (2nd Weekend)

YOU MAY ALSO OPT FOR A COMPLETE FIELD COURSE

Whether you are opting for the one-week course or the weekend courses
Arrival and Registration is Friday morning from 9:00am - 11:00am.

TOPICS COVERED DURING YOUR BASICS SURVIVAL COURSE

Introduction & What to Expect
We will begin your course with an overview of basic survival and expectations of your course.  These expectations are what you can expect from them and what they may expect from you in the learning process.  Together we must work as a team to promote safety as well as meet your individual learning objectives.

The Basics
This section of your course will cover your basics needs, leave no trace, and the impact on the wilderness.

Dressing for the Outdoors
Here you will learn the mechanisms of energy transfer, the general principles of different clothing material in regard to keeping warm/cool, clothing for wet weather, clothing for cold weather, and proper footwear.

Water
Kim will cover topics that focus on proper hydration, water sources, and water purification in the wilderness.
Picture taken by scjack33. Learning to properly filter your water on the trail is very important.

Signaling
Signaling will focus on audible, mirror, and fire.

Shelter
This section will focus on shelter techniques that will include; the basic concepts of a shelter, selections of campsites, different shelter types, locating natural shelters in the wilderness, and the safe use of fire externally/internally with your shelter.
Dennis shows an excellent imagination when building his natural shelter in the wilderness.

Sanitation
Proper sanitation will be reviewed with Kim regarding washing cooking and eating utensils, human waste, and water supplies.

Fire Skills
Topics covered under your course objectives in regard to fire skills will be addressed, and inclusive of;  fire safety, choosing a fire site, understanding wood fire, and wood selection. You will also be instructed regarding different fire lays that are needed for cooking, light, warmth, and signaling.
Campfires were started every evening during Karen and Krishna's stay.

Safety
Safety is high priority during your instruction; your hosts will provide you with a base for safety with animals, water, fire, and your equipment.

Gear Selection & Packing Your Pack
Proper gear selection and proper packing is essential in the wilderness.  We will give you the pros and cons of these techniques during your course.  If you have already obtained some outdoor gear, they do ask that you bring it.  You must use your gear to become comfortable and familiar with it.
Gear selection and packing is very important prior to a survival trip.

First Aid
Categories that Kim will address during your class are:  dealing with common outdoor medical concerns, first aid acronyms, cuts, hypothermia, basic metabolic needs, frostbite, breaks, sprains, strains, heat stroke, heat exhaustion, bites, and stretcher techniques.
To know some basic first aid prior to any trip is important. Always carry a first aid kit with you.

Weather
Mother Nature can be unforgiving, therefore your hosts will present you with a basic understanding of weather patterns and what the clouds tell us.
The weather in the Adirondacks changes frequently, please be prepared.

Cooking
Kim will discuss cooking; which will emphasize you caloric requirements, outdoor cooking gear, and your food selections.
Outdoor cooking does take practice in a wilderness setting.

Basic Animal Tracks
During your field experience, you hosts will begin to orientate you to animal tracks.  This will provide you with knowledge of who is with you during your venture.
Wildlife and animal tracks are abundant in the Southern Adirondacks Mountains.

Navigation
Proper navigation skills are a necessity to any venture whether it is a day hike or an extensive thru-hike.  Your hosts will teach map and compass reading skills, during your course and during your field experience.
Picture by summittherock. Navigation is essential for planning your survival.

Basic Planning
Planning begins here and is a must for any wilderness excursion.  You will begin planning your overnight stays, trail routes, milege, water sources, emergency outs, and campsites.  It will be presented in several ways:  by guide, by map, by terrain, and by your endurance level.
Every detail must be taken into account when planning your wilderness adventure.



FIELD EXPERIENCE

Field experience during this course consists of an overnight hands-on experience at either Nine Corner Lake or Good Luck Lake based on your hosts choice.  Your skills will be reviewed and critiqued during your experience.  You will be receiving positive and negative feedback from us during your skills training.  It is not presented to you as a "you know nothing" aspect, but is presented as you do learn from your mistakes.  You will recall more from your mistakes more than your accomplishments.  Also remember that at Back To Basics there is never a stupid question, or an irrelevant question.  We do not claim to know it all, we also learn from our mistakes.

Outdoor Educational Survival Classes can heighten your senses as well as relax you mind and soul. Your hosts will take you to remote areas for you to discover, explore, and experience a new respect for nature.


Total cost for your course, lodging, field experience, gear, and MRE'S:  $625.00/pp

If you wish to spend an additional night at a yurt upon your return, it is discounted to $35.00/night with your dinner included.

"Security is mostly a superstition. It does not exist in nature, nor do the children of men as a whole experience it. Avoiding danger is no safer in the long run than outright exposure. Life is either a daring adventure or nothing."

- Helen Keller -


© Back To Basics Adirondack Wilderness Adventures 2004






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