Any survival school or course recommendations in Northern Cali/Bay Area?

[MasterrEugene]

Hi Calgunners,

I would like to take one or more survival courses to increase my experience and/or knowledge in survival.

I came across this survival school (California Survival School)

Link: https://www.casurvival.com/courses/

Three courses that got my attention from this school were:

1. Core survival skills adventure training
2. Emergency preparedness and Urban disaster survival training
3. Wilderness First Aid (WFA) Certification

Does anyone know if it's any good or can someone recommend any other schools in the area?

[Gryff]

Er...any high school in west Oakland?

[TrappedinCalifornia]

...Does anyone know if it's any good or can someone recommend any other schools in the area?

If people like David Holladay, Matt Graham, and Cat Bigney actually offer instruction, it could be a decent course; particularly in the case of Holladay. That's not because of their on-screen media presence, but because Holladay in particular has been a mentor for many of the media programs without getting his face on screen much. In fact, he had an hand in a number of Les Stroud's Survivorman programs without much attention.



Of course, their emphasis is 'primitive skills.'

I don't know anything about the courses themselves, but if these represent the actual instructors, it'd be worth the money to me to see what they offer. Just bear in mind that there may be more than a modicum of 'philosophy' which smacks of 'hippie' involved.

[rodralig]

Hi Calgunners,

I would like to take one or more survival courses to increase my experience and/or knowledge in survival.

If you are serious, why not just go to BOSS?

https://www.boss-inc.com/

The trip may actually be worth it! Pay once, cry once!


_

[TrappedinCalifornia]

I don't know much about them, so I can't recommend them one way or the other, but...

COYNE SURVIVAL SCHOOL

FORMERLY KNOWN AS SURVIVAL TRAINING SCHOOL OF CALIFORNIA. SAME OWNERSHIP/LEADERSHIP; SIMPLY A REBRANDING TO AVOID CONSUMER CONFUSION, AS OUR NAME WAS OFTEN IMITATED BY OTHER SCHOOLS AND IN AD CAMPAIGNS. WE ARE LEADERS IN OUR FIELD, AND SET THE STANDARDS OTHERS FOLLOW.

A lot of this is going to depend on what you're trying to get out of the experience and any recommendations posted would be better served addressing that specific. In a sense, no 'survival school' is going to be able to go as in-depth as a school which specializes. As I said about the California Survival School you posted in the OP, the emphasis appears to be on what is often referred to as 'primitive skills' and the instructors seem to reflect that. Just like the Coyne Survival School states their "...primary goal is to train you to act as your own first responder when help is far away, or non-existant." (They spelled non-existent wrong. While not a 'deal breaker,' it is one of those seemingly innocuous things which might hint at their level of 'seriousness' depending on your proclivities; i.e., attention to detail.)



A 'survival' course you take through, say, REI or Sportsman's Warehouse will be geared, largely, toward a basic 'kit;' with that kit able to be filled by selecting from the store's inventory. Trackers Bay is really a 'camp' for kids which emphasizes outdoor skills. Meanwhile, Adventure Out claims...

Adventure Out is the epicenter for primitive skills and wilderness survival instruction on the West Coast. From basic survival (shelter construction, fire-by-friction, water collection), to advanced skills courses: traps and snares, bow making, stone tools, animal tracking, and more. Our instructors have decades of experience and have appeared in hit TV shows, best-selling novels, international magazines, and have devoted their lives to teaching YOU how to SURVIVE!

...yet they also offer courses in kayaking, surf/paddleboard, rock climbing, backpacking, mountain biking, and wilderness medicine. How 'hardcore' is their 'survival' instruction likely to be? Who knows? It could be good or it could be generic so as to be adaptable to the various activities they also teach.



Bear in mind that many schools have ascending levels of 'courses' where you start as a beginner and move up the ladder to more 'skilled' techniques. It's not about starting in the middle; i.e., generally, you are 'allowed' to take the higher level classes by advancing through the lower level ones. If you don't want to take the time or make the financial commitment to do that, then you're looking for a specific type of recommendation.

...I would like to take one or more survival courses to increase my experience and/or knowledge in survival...

So... perhaps a bit more by way of specifics would create responses better geared toward your druthers.

[rg_1111@yahoo.com]

Get the SASS hand book of survival. Lots of good information.