Foraging edible mushrooms in the forests of the Oregon coast lead us to this striking King Bolete. A popular edible mushroom for foragers. Each autumn, this choice mushroom springs from the damp earth of the forest floor. Boletes edulis, also known as Porcine, and Ce’p, the King Bolete is prized and foraged by mushroom enthusiasts […]
We Train Here
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
Some shelters can be built with no tools The debris hut, also known as a leaf hut, can be built without saws and axes, All you need is the available material at hand. Make sure the spot you choose for your debris hut is plentiful in material to build it. Survival skills and snow […]
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 […]
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. late summer and early autumn are the best time to harvest ripe […]
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 […]
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 […]
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. This project is on a remote property in the Eddy mountains of northern California. Each summer our young campers discover the importance of restoration and the techniques used. We developed this program over the years to repair the damage done by illegal off-road drivers. Teen Camp […]
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. The UKW Survivor pictured here is not the Tracker Knife. But the similarities are virtually the same when it comes to sharpening either The Tracker or UKW Survivor. I’m using Russon’s version as I […]
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 […]
Young Wolf Youth Camp
The Young wolf represents courage, strength, curiosity, and the trail to becoming a human being. It is the way we teach our girls and boys. The transformation of the wolf child to the adult is a process of time and unfolding. Like a tiny seedling breaking the surface of the earth. It is nurtured by […]
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 […]