All of the things taught on the September course but in a winter context and winter-specific.

The Three-day Basic Winter Bushcraft and Wilderness introduces the trainee to the concepts of wilderness living and survival in winter conditions, enabling them to operate in the wilderness with greater confidence, safety, and enjoyment.

The three day course is a solid beginner course that teaches everything a person would want to know to survive in the wilderness. From Survival Psycholgy, through expedient Fire-making and Shelter-building, to Foraging for Survival, Cordage, Knots, and Lashings, to a plethora of tops and tricks.

Bring your tent and self-cater or stay in hard accommodation on the ranch. There will also be an opportunity to stay in the shelters we build.

All of the skills of a Basic Bushcraft Course, but in a winter context. Shelters will include the super shelter and quinzee shelter, in addition to the conventional lean-to shelter. 

Emphasis will be placed on conserving energy, keeping warm, and rescue.

Recipients of this training will subsequently see the wilderness very differently, enabling them to relate to their surroundings more readily, while more easily identifying nature’s abundant resources, and responding to risk situations more capably.

Whether you access the wilderness as a hunter, hiker, trapper, snowmobiler, or wilderness camper, etc., this course will provide you with valuable skills to improve your general understanding and confidence in the wilderness, while keeping you and others alive should an emergency occur.

This three-day course goes far beyond the introductory Survival Essentials course and will be conducted entirely outdoors.

Topics will include:

1. Survival Psychology

2. Tool Techniques and Safety (knife, axe, and saw, improvised tools)

3. Fire (including improvised fire-starting methods) How to stay warm!

4. Introduction to Winter Shelters

5. Food and Water (acquisition, treatment, and preparation)

6. Introduction to Foraging for survival in a winter context

7. Personal Survival Kit (what to buy and what not to buy)

8. Clothing (what to wear to keep you alive, what not to wear because it will kill you)

9. Weather (context, prediction, preparation)

10. Cordage, Knots and Lashings (including expedient cordage and its application)

11. Introduction to Wilderness First Aid

12. Rescue Protocols

13. Predator Awareness

    
    

Here’s a list of suggested kit (bearing in mind you’ll be outdoors all day (7-8 hours) and it could be -30C, albeit you’ll be able to get warm by the fire):

• Warm clothing (plus spares). Plan to layer!

• Warm boots.

• Warm hat (plus spare)

• Windproof outer shell.

• Gloves (plus spares).

• Knife (fixed blade) optional.

• Weatherman/Gerber tool (optional)

• Sunglasses.

• Chap stick

• Headlamp

• Back-up light

• Washing/shaving kit (there’ll be an opportunity to go to the ranch in the evenings for a shower, etc. This is also a great time to charge your phones!).

If you're staying outside in a tent:

• Tent

• Sleeping mat

• Cot (optional)

• Sleeping bag

• Sleeping bag liner

• Pillow

• Stove

• Fuel

• Cooking pots/utensils.

• Camp chair

• Any personal items you’d like.

If you’re on any kind of medication, please bring enough for the duration of the course, plus a day or two.

Cell phone coverage is not good.

Note: All ATA Bushcraft and Survival courses are self-catering, which is viewed as part of the routine and discipline of wilderness living.

• For one-day courses, please bring lunch with you, as well as plenty of fluids.

• For two-day courses and above, bring sufficient food/meals for the duration, plus snacks and drinks.

• Breakfast and supper should be hot meals cooked onsite, but lunch should be cold (unless a hot food container is used) as there will not be time to cook lunch due to instructional requirements.

• It is recommended that you bring food that is pre-prepared and just needs to be re-hydrated or heated up.

• There will be one or two gas stoves available for cooking, plus the central open fire.You may bring your own stove if preferred (bring enough fuel for the duration of the course).

• Thermoses for hot drinks as well as hot food containers (wide-mouth Thermos style) are advised. You'll also need cookware (pots, pans, etc.) and cooking and eating utensils.

• A compact camp cooking set is recommended. Don't forget your cup (preferably insulated).

• You'll also need items to clean your dishes with.

• Recommended: One green scratchy pad, one dish cloth, one tea towel, a small bottle of dish soap.

• Limited food storage is available onsite, but your vehicle can be used as storage for the duration.

• Drinking water will be provided by the instructor, as will tea, coffee ("bush coffee"), and hot chocolate.

Plan your meals and keep it simple. More food is better.

You can always take it home!

Instructor Russ Meades

FORMER CANADIAN RANGER COMMANDING OFFICER

Narrow Path Bushcraft & Survival

Russ Meades grew up in rural England and spent all of his spare time exploring and learning about the countryside.

He acquired many skills in improvisation from local characters that would later serve him well in the military.

Formal exposure to the concepts of survival was gained while training with the British Army in the early 1980s.

He took a keen interest in the subject and began teaching basic survival to British Army troops in 1987.

Following immigration to Canada and transfer to the Canadian Army in the early 1990s, Russ maintained and developed his survival skills which were useful on his many solo hunting and hiking trips as well as in his military activities.

In 2007, Russ transferred to the Canadian Rangers as their Operations and Training Officer and was able to gain further knowledge from many very experienced Rangers.

In 2017 Russ led the design team that produced the Canadian Rangers’ advanced survival course. In 2019, Russ was honoured by the great Mors Kochanski by being certified as a Wilderness Living and Survival Instructor.

CHECK OUT THE PHOTOS FROM OUR WORKSHOPS

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