Camping the Wilderness is a 2-day practical application course studying and experiencing camping from the backpack. Conducted in the Black Mountain wilderness area in a secluded location on private land. This 2-day course covers :

     · Camp locations.
     · Tents, survival shelters.
     · Water -- filtration and purifying, finding water in the desert.
     · Camping stoves -- gas, liquid, alcohol, dry tab, wood, and heaters.
     · Starting fires -- practical, survival, camp fire safety, wild fires.
     · Food -- dehydrated, MRE (Meals Ready to Eat), wild meats and vegetation.
     · Backpacks - types, fit, packing, care and maintenance.
     · Clothing - types, fit -- trousers, blouses, boots, coats, gloves, hats.
     · Wild Animals -- bears, lions, cats, dogs, snakes, cattle and other critters.
     · First Aid & Injuries -- cuts, bruises, slashes, stings, stabbings, bites, bleeding & fractures, dehydration & hypothermia.
     · Land Navigation -- map reading, compass, topography, land marks, roads, trails, right-of-ways.
     · Sleeping Bags -- fiber and natural fills, temperature ratings, sizes, weights, pads and liners.
     · And, much more....

     Are you a camper? Interested in camping the great outdoors? Ever wonder what it is like to pack it in, off road and trails on foot and see the wilderness country, most campers never see?
     What type of stoves are best for backpacking? How does a gas stove work? How efficient are alcohol stoves? Is there an advantage to liquid fuel stoves? How about solid fuel and prepackaged heaters? Which one is best for you? Would you like an opportunity to use various stoves before you invest those hard earned dollars?
     In a survival situation can you make heat? Have you actually started a fire with little more than the natural resources and a pocket knife? Would you like to learn?
     How about water in the desert......do you know where to find it? How long can you last in the desert heat without water? How about in the winter months? When you find water, how do you know if it is safe to drink or cook with? Have you used a filtration system? Which filtration is the best? Which ones should you backpack? How long do they last? Do they really filter water to safe levels for drinking? How heavy are they and which ones cost how much? What are the different filtering systems? What if your in a survival situation with no water and no filter, do you find water or find a way out? What is the difference between daylight and night time hours and what it means to your need for water? How many days can you survive without water....1, 2, 3, 7 or 10? How do you conserve the water you have in your canteen, in your body? Would you like to learn?
     How about sleeping bags, tents, cleaning and hygiene, bugs, varmints, reptiles and predators? Do you know which to avoid and first aid in the event you are bitten, cut, stabbed, stuck, slashed, bleeding, dehydrated, hypothermic?
     Do you know how to read a map, use a compass, find your way back to civilization? Can you point to north, west, east or south? Does it matter? Do you know how cold it gets in the high mountain country or the desert plains? How hot it gets in the valley desert and what that means to you during a hike?

Camping the Wilderness - 2-days - tuition $150.00 per individual, $250.00 per couple
NOTE: Couple includes Spouse, Parent & Child, Sisters, Brothers, Sidekicks, Friend

Student Provided Equipment Should Include:
     - Backpack (24/48/72 hour size, also referred to as a BOB or GOOD bag)
     - Small backpacking tent (with a floor and netting, 2-4 man size)
     - Sleeping bag
     - 2-days food supply (dehydrated and/or MRE's)
     - 2-day water supply (2 gallons per person)
     - Flashlight
     - Change of clothing for the season (and, extra socks)
     - Compass
     - Work gloves
     - Any additional camping equipment you would like to test out or use
     - Large garbage bag (pack out what you pack in)

TacTrain Will Provide:
     - Additional water
     - Additional foods
     - Filtration systems
     - Camp stoves and fire equipment and materials
     - Location land map

NOTE:   We will be camping in an area which will require a small hike, so if you have additional gear you wish to bring to test out, there should be time to pack it in the short distance we will be from vehicles.