Wilderness Training Programs

If you love the outdoors and want to take your camping or hiking experiences to the next level, enroll in a wilderness training course to optimize your skills. Ensure that all of your excursions are safe and comfortable by learning navigation, first aid, equipment handling and planning and preparation skills. Plus, the courses offer time in the wild with an experienced guide at your side.

  1. The Sierra Club Wilderness Training Committee

    • The Sierra Club is a well-known name in wilderness preservation and conservation. The group also sanctions outdoor training courses taught by experts. The 10-week program is held once a year and is offered at several locations throughout California. The class includes two single-day outings and two overnight excursions for real-world training. Snow and desert settings are both included on the itinerary. The class fee is $285 as of May 2010 and includes a textbook.

      The Sierra Club Wilderness Training Committee
      Wilderness Travel Course
      310-967-2029
      wildernesstravelcourse.org

    Alderleaf Wilderness College

    • Alderleaf is a unique education center that offers wildlife tracking, wilderness survival and other classes in Washington state. Serious students can enroll in the 10-month Wilderness Certification Program, which teaches a range of topics including survival, ethnobotany and sustainable living. Those interested in specific topic areas can choose from classes such as fire making, hunter-gatherer living skills, shelter building, medicinal plants and more. Classes range in price from $95 to $2,400 as of May 2010.

      Alderleaf Wilderness College
      18715 299th Ave. SE
      Monroe, WA 98272
      360-793-8709
      wildernesscollege.com

    The Roots School

    • The Roots School in Montpelier, Vermont, aims to inspire a reconnection between humans and the planet by teaching concepts of survival, awareness, tracking and ancient living skills. The detail-oriented class offerings include wildlife tracking, bow and arrow construction, primitive fishing, survival medicine and more. Classes tailored to children and teens also are available, and courses range in price from $75 to $1,500 as of May 2010.

      The Roots School
      P.O. Box 932
      Montpelier VT 05601
      802-456-1253
      rootsvt.com