My wife and I took a primitive skills outdoor survival class from our local community college, for about $85 each. Here is the link: Glendale Community College -Wilderness Survival Skills class.
http://www.gc.maricopa.edu/fw/activity/hbc_fall.htmlThe class was run by a woman that was a “Shadow Walker” (troubled youth counselor) at the Anasazi Foundation
http://www.anasazi.org/ run by Larry Olsen of “Outdoor Survival Skills” fame. She had an autographed copy of this book.
The course consisted of an introduction in a classroom and an overnight campout. We were limited to little camping/survival gear. No gloves, tent, sleeping bag, Thermarest, CamelBak, etc. I had my EDC items in my pockets.
Things we were to bring:
Dried food from list (one meal of choice – freeze dried, if desired)
One metal cup (no aluminum foil)
Two water bottles
Some method of water treatment (we brought an MSR Waterworks)
First aid kit
Knife (we brought a Mora, Leatherman Charge Ti & Wave, modified Cold Steel True Flight Thrower and a Gerber Sportsman’s Saw)
Army poncho
Army wool blanket
Small tarp/space blanket
Three neckerchiefs
Trash bag
50 feet of cord
5 feet of cotton cord (fire bow)
Pair of extra pants (for straps)
Toilet paper
Toothbrush
Extra items:
Headlamp (we used Petzl)
DEET
Sun Screen
Hooded jacket
Windbreaker
Army blanket bivy bag
Stocking cap
Camera
Chapstick (lube socket}
Biodegradable soap
Toothpaste
There were five males and one female in their 20s plus my wife and me. She started the class in the parking lot at GCC. We spread out our items on our blanket and tied it up like a package. Then we tied the extra pair of pants to the back as shoulder straps to make a backpack. We loaded up in a GCC van and headed to north of Payson, AZ. We stopped at a rest stop on the way to look at some Yucca plants. We were not able to harvest our own plants, but we could identify them. She brought some with her. She pointed out several edible plants on the way. Once we got to the campsite area we put on our backpacks and walked to the campsite.
The first activity was to find a place to sleep to drop our packs. The teacher then showed us how to use a poncho to make a shelter. She tied a handkerchief on three of the corners and then tied a stick to the end of each handkerchief. (I used cord in place of the handkerchiefs.) One corner of the poncho is tied to a tree and the other corners have a large rock placed on the stick. The hood is tied closed and a cord is used to hold up the top. A space blanket or tarp is placed under it. We then broke up and set up our shelters. She ended up using a tarp shaped into a tube tent. The same set up my son uses while camping with the Boy Scouts.
She then described the parts of a fire bow and made a fire with her fire bow set. We then went to collect Manzanita wood to make a spoon. We had a curved knife to make the scooped out part of the spoon. We did not use a coal to make the bowl area of the spoon. We all worked on spoons for a long time. She had two machetes that some of the students used to trim wood for their spoons. I used my knife to baton the wood to a flat shape. I whittled a flat spoon and made one for my wife.
Our teacher then described and demonstrated the use of the fire bow. We made lunch using our metal cups and dried goods. I boiled some water with salt and bullion powder and then added rice and let it cook for about five minutes. I took it out of the coals and drained most of the water. I then added bacon bits and Butter Buds. We ate our lunch with our new wooden spoons.
We then collected wood to make our bows. She had two saws for the students to use. I used my Gerber Sportsman’s Saw. We used the Yucca stems, which were brought by the teacher, to make the spindle and fire board. We spent several hours working on our fire bow set. We collected and shredded Juniper bark for the tinder bundle. I made fire first and then helped my wife move her bow, in long steady strokes, and she made fire second. All of the students were able to make fire by the second day.
My wife and I had freeze dried lasagna for supper. We spent some time around the campfire and then went to bed.
The next morning I started the campfire using my ferro rod and a Coghlan’s Emergency tinder. I used an arm size log as the brace and put some tinder and kindling propped against it. I lit the Coghlan’s tinder and placed it under the kindling. I then placed some fuel wood once the fire was going. I made a mix of oatmeal, Quinoa (pronounced "kee-nwa"), buckwheat, Butter Buds, brown sugar and raisins for breakfast.
Each student then put a clear trash bag on a branch to make water with transpiration. We then found and ate some cat tail root. Then we went for a hike along a stream. When we came back we checked our bags. Some had water and some were just damp. We then made and ate lunch. Everyone had to make an ash cake. This is just flour, water and whatever you want to add. You make a patty and throw it on the ashes. Let it cook for awhile and then flip it over. We made one with sunflower seeds. It is flat bread. It was not bad. We worked on making cord by twisting it in opposite directions. We collected up our stuff and drove back to GCC.
Observations:
Using a machete for woodworking is foolish and dangerous.
Use lots of DEET if you are sleeping on the ground. I got bit by a kissing bug.
Yucca has to be hard to work as a spindle.
A Gerber Saw works much better than a knife or a machete for cutting wood.
A fixed blade knife and battening is great in a survival situation.
All your cooking and eating can be done in a metal cup.
You put your cup in the coals to cook.
Make sure there is no wood above your cup or you will get ashes in your water.
A hand carved wood spoon works as good as anything.
A hooded sweater, bandanna around your neck and sock cap can help keep you warm.
Leatherman pliers are great for pulling a hot metal cup out of a fire.
If you have flour and water, you can make a meal out of ash cake.
With a Charge Ti clipped in your pocket, a fixed blade on your belt and a Gerber Sportsman's saw in your back pocket you are ready for most cutting tasks.
Previous Topic
Index
