Wilderness Survival
Anyone who spends time outdoors, whether for work or recreation, will find wilderness survival skills useful. Whether you’re planning a day hike on a mountain trail, an extended trek in the woods or wilderness travel in a foreign country, the Wilderness Survival Web Guide links you to sites full of the knowledge you need to safely enjoy the great outdoors.
Expand All Guide SectionsWilderness Survival Tips
You don’t have to be a Boy Scout to know how to survive in the wilderness like one. The Web sites in this section provide general wilderness survival tips and discuss more specific aspects of survival, such as obtaining food and water, and building shelter.
Dulcinea's Insight
- For help determining which wild plants are safe to eat, read “Tom Brown’s Guide to Wild Edible and Medicinal Plants.” Don’t miss the “SAS Survival Handbook: How to Survive in the Wild, in Any Climate, on Land or at Sea” for pointers about surviving in a variety of circumstances.
- If you or someone else is injured in the wilderness, first aid skills are an extremely valuable asset. See the findingDulcinea First Aid Web Guide for resources about learning and applying first aid.
Dulcinea's Picks
For general survival guides …
The National Geographic Adventurer’s Handbook
teaches survival basics like how to signal for help and pack a survival bag. Also find outdoor tips about keeping warm on a cold hike and expedition tips on topics such as avoiding an avalanche.
GORP
explains that anyone trying to survive in the wilderness faces “at least one of seven common threats or enemies to their continued existence.” Learn how to combat those threats in this article.
OutdoorSafe
offers an array of articles on how to stay safe in the wilderness and avoid dangers such as lightning, dehydration and altitude sickness. Browse the “How To” section on the left to find these articles and others.
To obtain food and water …
Discovery Channel
presents a tutorial on how to find and identify plants that are safe to eat in the wilderness. There’s also a discussion of what plants are safe to use for medicinal purposes.
British Columbia Adventure Network
has an article on how to find food and water that is safe for consumption in the wilderness.
To learn knot tying …
George Merrick Troop 7
of Coral Gables, Florida, part of the Boy Scouts of America, features 40 Boy Scout knots with illustrations and descriptions of each.
To learn navigation skills …
Wilderness Survival
explains how to navigate through the wilderness using the sun and shadows, the moon, and the stars, as navigational tools. Also learn how to make an improvised compass.
For forums on wilderness survival …
The Survival Discussion Board and Forum
has message boards about numerous survival topics, including general wilderness survival and even urban survival. Free registration is required to participate.
Wildwood Survival
presents the “Wildwood Survival Forums.” Talk about subjects like building a shelter, making a fire, finding edible plants and more. Read any messages you want and complete the free registration to post your own.
Who knew?
Outside Online
, the Web home of Outside magazine, offers some of the magazine’s top wilderness survival stories here. Pick up a few survival tips, or just enjoy these inspiring tales.
Wilderness Survival Schools
For wilderness survival enthusiasts, or those who want more intensive training to supplement what they already know, a wilderness survival school can greatly increase your knowledge about surviving outdoors.
Dulcinea's Insight
- Most wilderness survival schools are very specific about how rigorous their programs are. Be sure to select a program that will suit your needs and physical abilities.
- Some wilderness survival schools offer newsletters that not only provide updates about their course offerings, but may suggest valuable wilderness survival tips as well.
- To find a wilderness survival school in your state, try typing your state name and “wilderness survival school” into your favorite search engine. Some wilderness survival programs are also called “tracking schools.”
Dulcinea's Picks
For a directory of wilderness survival schools …
Wilderness Drum
lists contact information and provides links to wilderness survival schools around the United States and Canada.
For some well-known survival schools …
The Tracker School
, based in New Jersey, is a tracking, nature and wilderness survival school. Sign up to participate in a variety of wilderness-related classes or catch up on news about the school.
The Boulder Outdoor Survival School (BOSS)
is another well-known provider of wilderness education. Search course offerings, request a brochure for additional information or view photos of people participating in BOSS courses.
Wilderness Awareness School
is located in Duvall, Washington and offers wilderness training and appreciation courses for children ages 4–18, families and adults. Home study coursework is also available. Browse the offerings from the homepage.
Buying or Assembling Wilderness Survival Kits
Carrying a wilderness survival kit when you enjoy the outdoors is one of the best ways to prepare in case of an emergency. Learn how to make a kit of your own, or where to purchase a pre-made kit, using the Web sites recommended here.
Dulcinea's Insight
- It’s possible to purchase wilderness survival gear through some wilderness survival schools’ Web sites.
- If you plan to buy a wilderness survival kit, see the findingDulcinea Online Shopping Web Guide for advice on safe online shopping.
Dulcinea's Picks
Buying wilderness survival kits …
Fox Kits
sells wilderness survival kits to suit people with a variety of needs, including day hikers, military personnel and airplane pilots. There are also kits specifically for first aid and medical traumas.
Assembling wilderness survival kits …
Montana’s Official State Travel Information Site
provides a list of 10 items that should be included in a wilderness survival kit, such as a compass, fire starter and pocketknife.
OutdoorSafe
offers this list of items that anyone going outdoors should pack in a wilderness survival kit.
© 2012 Dulcinea Media, Inc.
