Wilderness Survival School

Topics covered include (but not limited to):  

• The Essentials of Survival 

• Planning and Preparation 

• Preventing a Survival Emergency 

• Psychology and State of Mind 

• Shelters 

• Fire Starting 

• Hypothermia 

• Environment 

• Survival-Related Emergencies 

• Communication and Signaling 

• Rescue 

This course includes three weeknight evening lectures and one overnight field session that provides practical training and experience in a simulated survival situation.   

The overnight training is not a “sink-or-swim” field trip, and we will NOT be surviving off of roots, berries, wild mushrooms or killing and eating bugs/wildlife. The goal is to learn from a simulated survival situation and to practice skills with the equipment we should normally carry in our daypacks.  Students may bring tents, sleeping bags and other backup equipment if they desire.  Overnight session will be held close to the parking area.  There are no physical stamina requirements to attend the field session.  

Course Schedule for 2026  

LECTURE SESSIONS (7:00PM to, no later than, 9:30PM, held at CMC Basecamp) 

• May 14, 2026 
• May 21, 2026 
• May 28, 2026 

OVERNIGHT FIELD EVENT (all day Saturday and return Sunday after breakfast) 

• June 27 & 28, 2026  

NOTE: In the past twenty-eight years there has not been enough demand for the WSS to offer the school more than once a year.  We fill the class to capacity and seldom have a waitlist to get in.   

Most of our instructors in the WSS also teach in other CMC Schools which causes scheduling conflicts both with them and for students also enrolled in these other courses.  Please remember that Wilderness Survival School only offered once each calendar year. 

Tuition is $89.00.  A textbook and some supplies will be provided. 

Cancellation and Refund Policy: https://www.cmc.org/about/cancellation-and-refund-policy