How many times have we been backpacking, or hiking alone, and all of a sudden a thought comes to mind; “Man, what if something happens right now”? Many times (and I hike alone alot) I come to the conclusion that, “What if I get hurt”? Or, in my case on one trip …LOST!

If you are an avid backpacker or hiker, it might be a good idea to brush up, or take a class on some basic fundamentals of survival. I mean, not all of us are Bear Grylls, or Les Stroud. However, there are some pretty cool survival classes you can take, and really learn the basics of surviving the backcountry. Most hikers think, “it will never happen to me”. Or “I won’t get hurt out here”. That is usually the first mistake in backpacking…being caught off guard.

So, where would one go to learn a few survival techniques?

To learn how to survive in the wilderness, it is necessary to develop 8 basic wilderness survival skills. You can build your knowledge on these survival skills now so you will be prepared if you find yourself stranded. Never forget that your brain and your ability to remain calm and not to panic are your most important survival skill. Let’s start with the basics.

- make SHELTER to protect you from different weather conditions.
- make a FIRE also when you don’t have any matches.
- find and purify WATER.
- find FOOD.
- use different ways of SIGNALING to attract attention.
- NAVIGATE with and without a map and compass.
- Basic Wilderness FIRST-AID.
- Basic WEATHER prediction.

Great, got the basics, but who will teach me? Where can I go to get first hand experience?

The Boulder Outdoor Survival School, is the oldest and largest traditional living skills / survival school in the world. Based out of corporate headquarters in Boulder, Colorado. BOSS will teach you how to survive with technique, not technology. They place an emphasis on the skills that can provide shelter, water, fire, food, clothing, etc. without the need to carry a 60-pound backpack. As the saying goes, ‘Know more, carry less.”

People sometimes forget that all the modern ‘necessities’ of backpacking are very recent inventions. And while it’s nice to go camping with fancy sleeping bags, tents, lightweight stoves, GPS units, headlamps, etc. it’s not really necessary. In fact, there are some good reasons to learn how to enjoy wilderness travel without all that gear. This doesn’t mean we run naked into the wilderness to freeze and starve — we do have equipment lists for our courses. But we do have a philosophical bent towards traveling lightly, walking gently, and listening carefully.

The result: you actually become part of the wilderness, rather than an intruder with a backpack.

Go to the BOSS Website and learn more about programs and schools. They are a great resource for survival techniques. If you are going to learn, learn from the best.

See you on the trail.