@alexaseleno

Bushcraft Essentials

Overview

A course for adults to learn important life-saving wilderness skills, acquire confidence, eliminate wilderness fears, and to gain wilderness experience. Bushcraft refers to the skills required for living in the backcountry. We focus on teaching you primitive shelters and fire, using tools, orienteering and using and creating your own gear. Mountain Shepherd’s approach to Bushcraft is centered around reducing your dependence on modern backpacking gear while increasing your ability to exist comfortably in a wilderness setting. While there is a distinct difference between survival and bushcraft, a solid foundation in these skills will enhance your ability for survival and help you to maintain a positive mental attitude if the situation were ever to arise. The course focuses on the art and science of living in the wilderness. Our goals are twofold: exist comfortably in the backcoutry, and reduce our dependence on modern backpacking gear. The skills we teach in our Bushcraft courses are for thriving with minimal gear. These same skills, though, will empower students to feel prepared in survival situations.

What to Expect

Mountain Shepherd’s gorgeous 100-acre campus provides an immersive wilderness experience, with comfort close at hand if needed. Starting with a brisk uphill walk to our first hands-on lesson, the course cycles among covered outdoor training camps so students can learn and practice the seven priorities of survival in a variety of settings. Home base is the Mountain Shepherd lodge, with ample indoor and outdoor space for meals and downtime. While you should be prepared to spend both days outdoors, Mountain Shepherd’s well-appointed classroom is available if the weather becomes extreme.

Students can choose to overnight in a tent, hammock, or improvised survival shelter. Loaner gear such as tents, hammocks, and sleeping bags are available, so this is a great opportunity to try something new or test out your own sleep system.

 

Adventure Highlights

  •       2 days/1 night
  •       Survival training
  •       Primitive wilderness skills
  •       All meals included
  •       Memories to last a lifetime
  •       Small group environment (10 maximum)
  •       Hands-on learning
Who chooses this adventure?

Outdoor experience levels do not matter. We have students with no experience, to occasional weekend hikers, to warriors of the wilderness. Everyone learns valuable information in this course. You will leave prepared to help yourself and others while on any adventure.

This is a course for adults. 18 year olds may come alone. Mature 16 & 17 year olds may come with a responsible partner over the age of 18.

What's Included?

Gear

The only required items are weather appropriate clothing and comfortable tennis/walking/hiking shoes or boots. You don’t need to buy a thing. The equipment list includes gear you should always have with you on an outdoor adventure. Bring what you have or borrow from us. We have everything you’ll need. It’s best to borrow before you buy. Part of the training includes gear recommendations for your personal survival kit.

Meals

All meals and snacks are provided, with plenty of options and dietary accommodations available.

Overnight accommodations

This is your adventure! You may choose to fully embrace the experience by spending the night in an improvised survival shelter. It’s also totally fine to sleep in a tent, a hammock, or a bunk in the lodge. The choice is yours.

Travel Arrangements

Your adventure begins and ends at the Mountain Shepherd Lodge in Catawba, VA.The nearest airport is Roanoke (ROA), which is approximately a 30 minute drive time.

Arrival time is by 9:30 Saturday morning. The course concludes by 1:00 on Sunday. If you prefer to travel on Friday, you can stay at the lodge. $50 includes a bunk and breakfast. $25 for each additional person in your group. Group, semi-private and private rooms are available. Contact us for reservations. Payment due before you leave.

Activity Level

Easy to Moderate

After meeting at the Mountain Shepherd Lodge on Saturday morning, you’ll do some introductions and pack lunch for a day spent in the woods. There will be a 1/4 mile, 10-minute hike to the teaching campsite (this does begin with a short, steep climb). At the end of the day, the group will walk back to the Lodge for dinner, and the option to pack-up for an evening out under the stars back at the campsite.

Day 2 will also involve a short hike to the campsite to continue the survival training, with the option to do a little hiking on the property on the way back to the Lodge before the course wraps up.

RESERVE YOUR SPOT

$295.00

NOTE: Once you purchase your course, you should automatically receive our registration form in your email. If you don’t see it right away, please check your junk folder.