We train here. A metaphor. learning to survive in the shadow of a mountain. Where the sky is great and open. Like our mind curious and open. We train here in forest and meadow where the deer feed and rest. Under a star canopy so clear and bright it takes your breath away. We train […]
Survival Skills: Staying Alive in the Wild
Shelter craft is an important survival skill to learn. Shelter from the elements is almost always your first consideration in any survival situation. Weather and availability of materials will most likely dictate the shelter built. The lean-to shelter is an example of a design to tackle extreme cold in the northern forest. Survival […]
Mountain Lion Facts for Search and Rescue
The mountain lion, Felis concolor, or cat of one color, is also known as cougar, panther, ghost cat, catamount, and puma. The mountain lion is the largest feline carnivore of North America. Adults are tawny to chocolate-brown with black tips on their ears and their long tails. Mountain Lion track photo by Mark Wienert Mountain Lion Facts On average, […]
The Best Bow Drill Woods
Best woods for the bow drill create a hot coal faster. Imagine you’re shipwrecked like Tom Hanks in Castaway. Stranded on a Pacific island with no matches or lighter. Or, lost in east Texas. You can’t boil your drinking water or cook the mouse you trapped for your survival stew without fire. What are you going […]
The Amazing Blue Elderberry
I am a pushover for the blue elderberry. Sambucus cerulea and S. racemosa, an amazing shrub that offers the knowledgeable forager a tremendous bounty of uses. Parts of the blue elderberry are used for making friction fire, musical instruments, hunting weapons, and traps. And late summer and autumn prepare the ripe blue elderberries for a sweet and […]
28-DAY Wilderness Camp
Are you ready to immerse yourself in nature? You will love this exceptional 28-Day wilderness camp. No camping experience required. 28-Day Wilderness Camp for adults. Where is Camp? Northern California near Mount Shasta. The rugged setting includes forest and open landscapes in a montane habitat. Who Comes to Camp? Why you, of course. And people like […]
Teen vs. Wild
What does Bear Grylls have that your teen wants? Teen vs Wild. Bear Grylls is an ordinary person with a big heart, loads of energy and charisma. With a number one television program tween’s, teens, and youth pay attention to. Is your son our daughter ready for Teen vs Wild? Teen vs Wild But some […]
Summer Adventure Camp for Teens in California
Teens camp out in a pristine wilderness setting. Activities include hiking and backpacking. Teens learn and practice woodcraft and camping skills. For many of our teens catching their first fish is a memory that lasts a lifetime! Your teen will enjoy sleeping under the stars and sharing stories around the campfire. Summer Adventure Camp for […]
Wilderness Teen Camp: a Wonderful Eye Opening Experience
Teens & Staff – wilderness teen camp Lifesong Wilderness Adventures ~ 2013 Wilderness Teen Camp Review Last summer I had the good fortune to be a guest at Lifesong Wilderness Adventures wilderness teen camp during the month of July. What a great adventure for all involved! Rite of Passage for Teens The students were a […]
Chickweed Power
Chickweed is a common wild edible plant that is packed with vitamins and minerals. What does a hardcore macho, worm eating, outdoor survival teaching, professional eat for breakfast? Chickweed of course. Chickweed or Stellaria media, has juicy, tender, slightly sweet leaves and stalks. For a quick go to food in spring Chickweed is an excellent choice. Chickweed […]
Make Drinking Water Safe
How to make water safe to drink during an emergency.Water must be potable, drinkable, filtered, boiled, to be safe to drink. Water, you need it to survive. If you are in an emergency situation right now. You will need safe drinking water to hydrate your body. Make Drinking Water Safe – in an emergency Emergency […]
Rite of Passage for Teens
Rite of Passage for Teens A teens rite of passage. A wilderness journey to adulthood by Henry Poole Last year I ran across some research that discussed the history of rite of passage into manhood for boys. Recalling my experience of growing up in the 70’s and 80’s, I felt an “aha” while reading about […]
Top Wilderness Survival Courses
Finding a top rated wilderness survival course to train in can be a challenge. More and more courses are being offered that teach outdoor skills by people with very little professional experience. In your search for a top rated survival course. You will learn more and be better served with a wilderness survival instructor who has […]
What should I take for a Wilderness Survival Weekend
This is the recommended gear list for our California Weekend Survival School. All items on the checklist below are important for an enjoyable and comfortable camp experience. Tent, ground tarp, and sleeping pad. Rent a tent/pad, and a carving knife for camp Sleeping bag, pillow Eating utensils – cup for hot drinks, bowl, plate, flatware […]
Cold and Flu Remedies from Nature
Cold and Flu Remedies from Nature. Are you feeling achy with a scratchy throat? Let’s start with a few natural remedies from the kitchen using ingredients you likely have on hand. Then later will look at some other options from the woods and fields for treating Viruses. Onion soup to the rescue Try this: make […]
Mark Wienert Professional Survival Instructor
Mark Wienert. Wilderness Survival Instructor since 1994. I began Lifesong Wilderness Adventures in 1994. Soon after operating a Logging business for 20 years in California’s Sierra Nevada mountains. During that time I lived near Yosemite National Park where I developed skills in rock climbing, mountaineering, backcountry skiing, and snow camping. Mark Wienert Professional Survival Instructor […]
Sign language – reading natures clues with Mark Wienert
REEDSPORT OR. — The tracks in the sand of a passing black bear and her two cubs disappear into a thatched tangle of forest beside Eel Lake. Oregon’s coastal rain forests are a jungle that swallows light and tracks alike — at least to the untrained eye. For expert tracker and wilderness survival teacher Mark Wienert, […]
Cobra Lily
One very fascinating plant species, Darlingtonia californica, or Cobra Lily. Grows in boggy habitats in the western US. This includes southern Oregon and northern California. The Cobra Lily is carnivorous. It lures its prey with a foul smelling stench, traps it. Then digests insect prey for food. Cobra Lily Although the distribution of the Cobra Lily aka Darlingtonia, is […]
Teen Camp Conservation Project
Teen camp restoration project during the month of July. Our project is nestled on a remote property in the Eddy mountains of northern California. And as part of each summer camp experience, teens discover the importance and restoration techniques to heal damaged wetlands. We developed this program over the years to educate our students the […]
Sharpening the Tracker Knife
Sharpening the Tracker Knife looks complicated, and it is at first sight. But read-on for some simple tips on knife sharpening. Sharpening the Tracker knife Back in the day a knife called The Tracker was made by Dave Beck and were sold at the Tracker School. You can read the history of the Tracker knife […]
Wing of bat, eye of newt….
Wing of bat eye of newt so the incantation may go. What is safe to eat and what is not. A good thing to know in any situation, and vital when you are trying to survive. The Oregon Coast has much to offer on both counts. Take the Rough Skinned Newt for instance. I have […]
Predators Fang
Roosevelt Elk in Oregon clear-cut Predators fang. In general, hunters take animals in the prime of life, while predators disproportionately take out the older, younger, or less fit individuals. As poet Robinson Jeffers has noted, it is the fang that has created the fleet foot of the antelope.” By George Wurthner Predators Fang “Beyond the […]
THE EDGE ~ Extreme Survival Camp Testimonials
THE EDGE ~ Client Testimonials Our clients say it it best. Reflections of THE EDGE; a testimonial the Will to Live – Part I Skills by – Joshua Poole “This extreme, intense challenge is what drew me to the wet and wild world of southern Oregon. Some may be interested in survival skills for chaotic […]
Survival Trick Enjoy the Little Things
Enjoy the little things is a survival trick that works. And a consistent theme with the graduates of our 28-day teen apprenticeship course. Survival trick enjoy the little things And Khalil is no exception. Khalil Edson first came to us as a student of our 28-Day Teen Apprenticeship program. I am proud of all my […]
How to track animals
Tracking is a fun way to discover and learn a lot about animals and their behavior. The more you track animals the more you learn about them and the life they live. Learning how to track wildlife is an ancient survival skill. A skill our ancestors relied upon to live, hunt, and forage. How to […]
Thru-Hike Survival Training
Thru-Hike Survival Training prepares you for backcountry survival emergencies. Wilderness hazards encountered hiking the PCT take many forms. Weather effect causes problems for backpackers that include cold, wind, flooding, and lightning. Learning to recognize dangerous situations before they happen is important. Understanding wildlife behavior and how to prepare for these encounters reduces anxiety. Thru-Hike Survival Training […]