"Maybe you're comfortable taking days off from work and dropping $600 just to find out whether this guy actually knows what he's doing, and whether he knows how to teach what he knows. "
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Let me try to offer a couple of helpful comments.

I think you will make better progress if you see your overall learning experience in the wilderness (incl. survival) as a series of small steps ... rather than a big leap. with that in mind, doing a local course isn't such a bad idea at all. i have no idea why the course you are describing costs $600 - but that might be a very reasonable question to call and ask about. also ask what equipment is needed (stuff you need to bring).

YES - i do believe that excellent instruction is worth every penny that you can spend on it. and the same goes for time - worth the extra time that you dedicate to it. as i think back through my own life - the people who trained me in wilderness, survival, and self-defense skills - I am extremely fortunate I got those people. by sheer random luck (and not my brilliance) they were all excellent. and without a doubt, if I had not got the instruction they had offered, I would be dead now. i just woundn't have made it.

so the question I ask you in return is this - how much is your life worth to you?

cheers,
Pete2