HIGHLANDS WILDERNESS

TRAINING INSTITUTE

SURVIVAL TRAINING SCHOOL

We all can appreciate butane lighters, bottles of distilled water, and vehicle navigation systems that guide us to our favourite restaurants, but why and how do we have these items? Do we really need them?

Today the topic of survival makes for great entertainment while sitting comfortably on soft couches, but why is it so entertaining? Is it the arduous adventure, the delectable meals, or could it be the discomfort others are feeling while we munch on processed potatoes?

Survival activities are wonderfully entertaining and educational, but they offer a considerable amount more if we place them in the context of our lives. How did our great grandparents provide for themselves? Would I be able to provide for myself, my family, as they did only a century ago? How about our grandparents of only fifty years ago?

Much is lost through the ages. Difficult ways are often intentionally forgotten. The hard times in our past are left out of the stories that we pass on to others. Soon, large gaps replace relevant history in our lives. We invite you to take a few steps back in time with us and learn how our ancestors lived. 

Introduction To Wilderness Survival

This program follows more of a workshop format then a course format. Designed for the faint of heart who are not quite ready to take on the basic wilderness survival course. Students will gather insight into topics such as how to build a survival kit, what should be in their kit. Topics such as what types of clothig are suitable for outdoor activities, basic fire starting techniques, intro to distress signals and woodlore skills. Students will be shown examples of wilderness shelters but will not have the time to build a shelter of their own  or the oppourtunity to sleep in said shelter to do the short duration of this program.

Workshop Cost: $195.00
Course Duration: 8 Hours 

Course Dates: Call or email us to book a course on the dates you require
Prerequisites: N/A

Basic Wilderness Survival

Whether you are exploring wild places or just enjoy camping, you don't think about survival skills until you need it and sadly it is often too late. Knowing basic survival skills can save your life. We present a basic two-day survival course that is open to anyone, regardless of age and physical ability, and a must-do course for anyone that enjoy the great outdoors.

* Primitive Natural Wilderness Navigation

* Psychology Of Survival

* How To Construct & Use Various Distress Signals

* Lighting fires in all weathers using survival and improvised equipment

* Fire Starting Flint & Steel & Other

* 1 Match Fire lighting 

* Building survival shelters

* Wild plant identification for food and medicine

* Natural bindings and cordage

* Cooking with minimal or improvised equipment

* Finding water and making it safe to drink

* And Much More

Course Cost: $295.00
Course Duration: 16 Hours 

Course Dates: Call or email us to book a course on the dates you require
Prerequisites: N/A

After completion of your basic survival course you might want to take the challenge and complete the advanced survival course. On this course you will be put into a simulated survival situation I.e. a Plane Crash Disaster, lost hunting party or some other realistic scenario. You will have only the very basic supplies for 3 days. Your survival depends on you utilising the skills learned in the basic wilderness survival course and or through those demonstrated to you by your instructor. This program is based on a mock survival situation, only you have the safety factor of knowing that it is not a real emergency in the making. It is fine to sit and listen and watch, but this is the course that lets you get out there and do..... After this course you will have an excellent understanding of how you would fair in a real situation, it gives you the chance to learn what you would do different or maybe what extra little items you should carry in your backpack to make your life a little easier should you unexpentantly find yourself in a real situation one day.

your goals will be:

* To build a shelter and sleep in it
* Start and maintain a fire for the 3 days
* Create Several Distress Signals
* Acquire food
* and most importantly keep a vigil for the rescuers who will be searching for you.

**Note: This course is for the serious adventurers and outdoorsmen among you and you need a good level of fitness and willingness to try your hands on all the required skills. To maintain a safe and controlled course we limit the number of participants to 4 per course.


Course Cost: $395.00
Course Duration:3 Days
Course Dates: Call or email us to book a course on the dates you require 
Prerequisites: Basic Wilderness Survival or previous experience

So you have completely lost your mind and have decided that your idea of fun would be to escape reality for 3 days. The trees will be your home, your supplies will be.....Hmmm how do we put this, Virtually NON-Existent and your only opportunity for sanity will be to converse with your Instructor, or should we say your safety escort because by this point you should have a pretty good idea of you are doing. This is your opportunity to head out into the wild with someone looking over your shoulder while you beat on your chest grunting like a caveman. Your escort may show you a few tricks along the way or if you are really nice you may be able to convince him to let you have a bite of his chocolate bar :) but basically here is there for your safety.

You will hike into a remote location chosen by the instructor, somewhere along the journey he will say here we are, and that will be your home for the next three days.  Day 3 will be spent watching you crawl aka hike back to civilization mumbling something about steak dinners or 2 pound cheese burgers,,,

This trip should not be taken lightly, it will be fun and full of adventures worthy of any Friday night bar tale but it is also a lot of hard work.

Course Cost: $695.00
Course Duration: 3 Days
Course Dates: Call or email us to book a course on the dates you require 
Prerequisites: Basic Wilderness Survival or Advanced Wilderness Survival

The cold and snow quickly magnify accidents and poor decisions into life threatening situations, and the stranded traveller quickly learns that the skills that served him or her well in warmer weather are sorely lacking when the temperature is frequently below zero degrees Fahrenheit for weeks at a time. But for those who would learn the skills of winter it is a magical time, when all the bugs and people have gone away for the season, leaving the quiet bush to those who would venture forth armed with knowledge and experience. You can gain both knowledge and experience in our Winter Survival Course.

Although we live in Canada which is known worldwide for it's cold winters and we have all perhaps spent a day or two playing in the great outdoors during the winter season, in our opinion this does know mean that we are all qualified to teach others wilderness winter survival skills. This is why our instructors are unique... Our instructors have lived and taught in some of the most remote, cold and barren locations in all of North America. From Whitehorse in the Canadian Yukon to Yellowknife & Inuvik in Canada's North West Territories our instructors have been there and taught there....

* Survival Psychology
* Psychology Of Cold Weather Situations
* Navigating in Winter Conditions
* Survival priorities

* How To Construct & Use Various Distress Signals

* Lighting fires in all weathers using survival and improvised equipment

* Fire Starting Flint & Steel & Other

* 1 match fire lighting
* modern firelighters
* Shelters: Various types of Snow shelters
* -40'c Improvised Emergency Shelters For Temporary Use
* Hydration in  winter survival
* Acquiring Water
* How to sleep comfortably & Safely in extreme cold weather situations
* Clothing, types and principals
* Snow Shoe Construction & Use
* Recognizing & Treating: Frostbite, Hypothermia
* Food gathering : I.e. Ice Fishing, Snares Etc
* Suggested Equipment & Winter Survival Kit Review

**Note: This course is held at our base camp for safety reasons. Although held in a remote and forested wilderness location onsite access to heated tents, hot water and other safety/comfort amenities will be available on site.

Our goal is to see that you learn new skills, Not Freeze to death :)

Course Cost: $295.00
Course Duration: 2 Days
Course Dates: Call or email us NOW!!
Prerequisites: N/A

Aircrew Survival

A small plane crashes in a remote area, with no hope of rescue for several days. How does the pilot-in-command sort, assess and treat injuries when the first-aid kit just went up in smoke? What kind of leadership qualities will that person need? What ethical dilemmas will the leader likely face during the ordeal?

No one wants to find themselves in a position to have to use the knowledge and skill required in survival training; least of all aircrew members.

But often times even a short course in survival skills can make the difference in whether or not you make it out alive. This 48 hour course is an intro to the psychology and hand on skills for survival. Together the flight crews will explore the essentials for surviving a hard landing, learning how to keep fear in check, and problem solving your way out using what you have available. 

Pilots and aircrew members also need to know how to dress for the aviation environment, how to build and use an aircraft survival kit, how to deal with in-flight emergencies and immediate post-crash factors, how to signal distress and other issues related to aviation. 

In addition, those who fly over water require training in ditching procedures, underwater escape and use of auxiliary breathing devices, emergency floatation, raft management and survival at sea. Class will consist of didactic and field experience in the Haliburton Highlands Wilderness area.

The course will include:

This fun and educational experience is sure to leave you with a sense of confidence and understanding of survival techniques that may someday save your life.

Course Cost: $295.00
Course Duration: 3 Days
Course Dates: Call or email us to book a course on the dates you require
Prerequisites: N/A