Wilderness First Responder and Survival Skills Course
Wilderness First Responder Course
Skills: Wilderness first responder training, survival skills training in a remote location, basic horsemanship handling and safety training, traditional skills pertaining to survival, medical care with horsemanship
Logistics: We will travel by horseback into the Taiga where we will camp in two to three locations depending on conditions. This will require us to pack and move camp every few days. On days when we are not moving camp, we may utilize horses for transport as well as hiking on foot through the mountainous terrain. There will also be several days in camp where we will have more class-like atmosphere. Participants will be given a list of required equipment upon acceptance, but basic requirements are a pack weighing no more than 50 lbs. (23 kgs) including a tent, sleeping bag and pad. Water will be purified in camp sourced from local rivers and lakes. Meals will be provided and cooked by staff although there will be opportunities for participants to assist with meal prep and cooking.
Dates: June 13-July 3, 2023
Costs: $4,500 USD
Additional fees if taken for college credit
*Costs include transportation from Ulaanbaatar to the class site, meals, and all instruction and materials related to the course. Student must supply their own tent and sleeping bag.
IMPORTANT: *** A minimum of 5 students must sign up for this course by May 1, 2023 in order for it to run***
Overview: The Taiga is one of the most remote and inaccessible places left on earth, and because of that it is a perfect classroom for both wilderness first responder and survival skills training. Throughout the 14 days in the Taiga, we will not only cover the full course curriculum of a WFR course but also learn critical survival skills from both foreign and Mongolian teachers. The local guides live in this unique and challenging environment all year round and have a vast wealth of knowledge to tap into. This unique course, a collaboration between NOMAD Science and SEEK Adventure Travels, provides the hands-on concrete training of an accredited WFR class, and adds survival skills that not only supplement but also directly contribute to the WFR training namely in triage management, long term extraction situations and remote medical care. This in tandem with the traditional knowledge and skills gained from our local Mongolian reindeer herding Tsaatan teachers and partners makes this course truly one of a kind. Without a doubt it is a challenging and exhilarating experience that cannot be understated.
WFR- The wilderness first responder course is designed for outdoor professionals and outdoor enthusiasts, preparing them to care for injuries and illness in remote, challenging environments. The course is fast paced, challenging, hands-on and fun.
The course will be taught by Aerie instructor Trenton Harper, a long-time instructor for Aerie Wilderness Medicine, flight paramedic, Yellowstone park ranger paramedic and survival skills expert. The WFR course will address injury and illness prevention/ care in the backcountry, patient assessment, long-term patient management, improvised splint and litter construction, and environmental emergencies while stressing the thought processes unique to caring for patients in remote environments. Students also receive adult CPR certification.
Survival Skills- The survival skills portion of the class is more fluid relying on the opportunities the environment presents and utilizing the chances we get to incorporate these lessons into the trip. One of the major lessons of survival in a remote environment is being able to recognize opportunities as they present themselves and so the skills portion of the course is constantly evolving. We will cover a wide range of skills, from fire making, resources collection and management, shelter making, and butchering as well as traditional skills like trap making, horse and reindeer tack repair, knot tying, and forestry skills. Your skills and learning may be tested in several scenarios interwoven with the WFR course providing an extremely challenging yet stimulating test. This class will be jointly taught by Trenton Harper, Ryan Kertanis, backcountry guide and horseman and Ochiroo Yadam, Tsataan reindeer herder, traditional skills expert and horseman.
In addition to the WFR certification students receive CPR certification and may apply for 2 University of Montana credits through Health and Human Performance (additional fee applies).
