The course takes place in the wilderness near Bluff, Utah and involves practical survival training, cross-country navigation and plenty of time to apply your skills.

 Course Overview
During the course a variety of natural and improvised shelters, water procurement devices, survival myths & misconceptions, outdoor-related injuries, modern and primitive fire making, carving spoons and bowls, throwing sticks, shelters, Southwest prehistory, wilderness hazards such as flash floods and venomous creatures, signaling devices, survival kits, first-aid issues, primitive traps, and edible plants. Each night, you will have the chance to sleep in a variety of handmade shelters. Daily hiking mileage will range from 2-3 miles a day.  

Weather varies from 70 to 80 degrees F during the day and 40 to 50 degrees F at night. Two meals a day are provided but feel free to bring along any personal snacks (power bars, jerky, trail mix, etc…). Let us know if you have any dietary restrictions or food allergies. Our meals on the trail consist of oats, millet, rice, lentils, carrots, potatoes, and foraged edibles.


 Pre-Course Suggestions

Our course is based in the wilderness near Bluff at an elevation of 4000'-6000’. One of the major factors affecting your enjoyment and learning during the course will be your degree of physical fitness. We strongly encourage all of our students to arrive in good physical condition. Engaging in a physical fitness program prior to your arrival, will help ensure your success in adapting to the lifestyle and daily skills we will be working on. Cycling, running, hiking, swimming, and other aerobic activities are good ways to prepare.

How to get to the Class

Arrival
Students may drive up in their own vehicle to Bluff, Utah (see below) or they can carpool with us from Flagstaff the day before the course begins. Please let us know ahead of time so we can arrange where to meet you. Also, let us know before you arrive, if you will need us to pick you up in Flagstaff at a hotel. We will plan on meeting on the first day at 7 AM in Flagstaff and being back in Flagstaff on the last day by 4 PM.

Flying
Flights should arrive in Phoenix or Las Vegas the day before the course starting date. From Phoenix it is approximately 2.5 hours driving time to Flagstaff. From Las Vegas it is approximately 5 hours driving time to Flagstaff. From Albuquerque, New Mexico it is also about 5 hours driving time. The most inexpensive way to get to Flagstaff is via Greyhound Bus. For schedules and costs, call (800) 231-2222 or the Flagstaff office at (928) 774-4573. An alternative methods of transportation are Coconino Shuttle Service (888) 440-8929 or Flagstaff Express (800) 563-1980.

Your return flight should be made after 12 noon the day after the course his completed
 
Driving to Flagstaff
From Phoenix take I-17 north all the way into Flagstaff. The highway will merge into Milton St. which eventually becomes Rt. 66. From Las Vegas, Nevada take Hwy 93 to Kingman, Arizona and then I-40 east to Flagstaff exit 191. Follow this for 4 miles into town. From Albuquerque, New Mexico take I-40 west to exit 195 and head north into town. From Page, Arizona follow Hwy 89 south into Flagstaff.

Driving to Bluff, Utah
If you are driving on your own to Bluff, then plan on meeting us at the gas station in town (there’s only one!). It is next to the Recapture Lodge and Kokopelli Inn. Plan on meeting us there around 12 noon as our drive from Flagstaff is roughly 4 hours and across one timezone.

Lodging
While there are a wealth of hotels to choose from, many of our students have been pleased with the following accommodations:

            Super 8 Motel (by Greyhound) 602 W. Rt. 66  (928) 774-4581
            Grand Canyon Hostel (downtown)19 S. San Francisco St. (928) 779-9421
            Hotel Monte Vista (downtown) 100 N. San Francisco  (928) 779-6971

Directions for meeting on the first day: Head to Flagstaff and take I-40 east to Exit 201 (Country Club Drive), turn left after exiting. Proceed to Hwy 89 north (like you are headed to Page, AZ) which will be on your right side. Shortly after turning, you will see the Flagstaff Mall on your right. We will meet in the parking lot of SEARS. Plan on being there at 7 AM on the first day. We will finish around 4 PM in Flagstaff on the last day.

  Topics include:

• survival psychology
   
• heat-related injuries
   
• natural and improvised shelters
   
• water location and procurement
   
• basic map-reading and navigation
   
• solar stills, signaling methods
   
• primitive and modern fire making skills
   
• edible and poisonous plants
   
• Flash flood hazards
   
• dealing with desert hazards such as snakes and scorpions

Gear List for the Course
The majority of items listed below consists of clothing and can be found at outdoor stores such as REI. We will provide water purification items, two meals a day, teaching materials, and a great time in the backcountry. If you have any questions about the gear list, feel free to contact our Flagstaff office at 928-526-2552 and tell them you have questions on about equipment for the October Walkabout..

Clothing- 4 upper body layers- Please note when selecting clothing that 100% cotton should be avoided due to its poor insulating value when wet and its inability to wick moisture away from the body. Rather, select items made of poly/cotton or nylon/cotton. An example of the layers you should consider are: a Coolmax or polypro t-shirt, long-sleeve shirt, wool or fleece sweater, lightweight jacket or windbreaker.

Lower Body Layers- Poly/cotton blend pants such as BDU’s or military-style fatigues. Please do not wear jeans or Levi’s. One pair of shorts is also recommended.

Socks- Two pair of socks from fabrics such as wool or heavy polypropylene are best. Avoid cotton or sports "tube" socks as they don't wick moisture away from the skin and can cause blisters.

Footwear- 1 pair lightweight boots. These should provide good ankle support and be broken in.

Brimmed or baseball-style cap- a must-have item as we are at 4000’ and the sun can be intense.

Wool or fleece hat- for nighttime when the temperature drops.

Personal Snacks- this is optional and left up to each person. Some students bring jerky, Clifbars, trailmix, etc…. Breakfast and dinner are provided but if you have a high caloric intake then you may wish to bring some extra food.  

Two, 1 Quart Water Bottles- Nalgenes or Kleen Kanteens are preferred. Even if you bring a Camelbak, please bring at least a one quart Nalgene or plastic bottle.

Leather Work Gloves- the type you find in the garden or hardware stores are sufficient.

Toiletry Items- Toothbrush, toothpaste, etc….
 
Medium-size Daypack or Fanny Pack- A nylon pack (2800-3500 cubic inches) for carrying your clothes and water bottles.

Knife- we will have Mora Knives available for purchase for $20. Otherwise bring a sturdy, fixed blade knife.

Ultralight Sleeping Bag- something that is compact and compresses well such as a SnugPack Merlin or Marmot down bag. This should be rated to 25 to 30 degrees F. We will be making grass mats so no need for a ground pad.

Sunscreen and sunglasses

Silva or Suunto Baseplate compass- nothing fancy, just their $12 basic model

LED Headlamp- We use the Black Diamond Gizmo Headlamp but any quality LED flashlight is fine.

Optional Items- camera, & journal/pen.