Advanced Survival Class

Advance your survival skills with our Advanced Survival Class. Building off of Basic and Intermediate classes, you'll learn friction fire off the landscape, advanced navigation techniques, long term shelter construction, water disinfection, and more. Push your limits and experience water, sleep, and food deprivation while mastering new skills for any emergency.

The registration deadline is 2 weeks prior to class start date.

4 days, 3 nights, 3.5 CEU's

Required Prerequisite: Completion of the Basic & Intermediate Survival Class.

ALL Students will need an Ohio Hunting License - Click Here

Required Gear List - Click Here

Meeting Location - Click Here

For questions regarding classes or gear lists, please contact our Lead Instructor, Ty Barker, at (304) 237-2173 or by email at tybarker73@yahoo.com. Office hours are Monday through Friday, 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM EST.

About the Advanced Survival Class – There will be a high demand to perform various skills from Basic and Intermediate classes taught at The Pathfinder School.

Examples

• friction fire off the landscape
• advanced navigation
• long term shelter construction
• water disinfection
• and more…

Instruction in this course is limited to new topics only. We will test the limits of your current knowledge base, creating mental and physical stress. You will experience water, sleep, and food deprivation until you accomplish tasks that may be needed in a real emergency.

The Mental Challenge – Regardless of whether-or-not the entire class is working at the same rate, the following will continue…

• New lessons daily
• New Deliverables added daily

Breaking Point – This course has an 80% tap out rate primarily due to the following

• Not prepared physically
• Not prepared mentally
• Not training appropriately in the skills necessary prior to the class

What you can do to prepare - Practice the skills from previous courses. Put in the dirt time!

• Exercise regularly
• Mentality: expect the unexpected
• Critical thinking and time management skills are extremely important
• Clear mind and focus

IMPORTANT: Regardless of your experience or skill level, this class is more than likely the most intense and rigorous class you will ever take. It has been compared to special forces training by those in the armed services (their words, not ours)- so you should be fit and healthy to expect to complete the course. This class will include daily treks up to 20 miles, collecting resources over terrain which may be very muddy and uneven while carrying your gear. All food, water, and toilet facilities must be procured from the landscape with minimal gear.

If you suffer from a medical condition that requires medication, please bring your prescribed medicines with you. If you undergo surgery or a hospital stay within 30 days of the class, DO NOT attempt this course.

We Highly recommend following the standard physical fitness guidelines for all Pathfinder Classes. Ideally, you should begin preparing 1–3 months in advance of this class, depending on your current physical condition.

• Hiking – uneven terrain will provide the most benefit.
• Walking regularly (at least 3-5 times weekly) for 5K
• Work your way up to a pack weight of 50lb before the class begins

As the premier school for self-reliance, our training exceeds that of any other school in the nation; so please take it seriously and take the time to physically prepare. It is strongly recommended to take Basic, Intermediate and Wilderness First Aid classes before taking this class.

Non-Patch Qualification Policy

• When a student enrolls it is fully expected that they intend to certify in Advanced Survival (by going for the patch); we do not allow anyone to remain in camp without the instructor’s present. At this level, only those going for the Patch Qualification will be allowed to remain on school grounds.
• If you tap out for any reason, at any point during the course, a helper will be assigned to aid you in packing your equipment so you may leave the school grounds.

Qualifications Issued

• To those graduating 80% or higher: An Advanced Patch and Certificate of Completion, signed by the Instructional staff, will be issued.
• Documents note Continuing Education Units (CEU) will be awarded.

Age Requirement:
Students must be at least 18 years of age.

Cancellation Policy - Click Here

NOTE: IF YOU NEED TO ORDER GEAR FROM SELF RELIANCE OUTFITTERS YOU MUST DO SO NO LATER THAN TWO WEEKS PRIOR TO CLASS TO ENSURE YOU RECEIVE YOUR GEAR. ORDERS CANNOT BE SHIPPED TO THE SCHOOL PROPERTY FOR PICK UP.

About our School:

• Fully Insured
• Red Cross Certified Training Facility
• EMT’s and Paramedic’s on Staff
• AED on Location 
• Epinephrine on Location
• Instructors are CPR and Wilderness First Aid Red Cross Certified 
• Low Student to Instructor to create a Pedagogy learning environment. 
• Most Instructors either former Military, EMS, or LE
• Dave Canterbury is NASAR Advanced Search and Rescue Certified 
• Dave Canterbury is Certified Expert Trapper by Fur Takers of America and a Certified Intermediate Herbalist by the Herbal Academy International School of Herbal Arts and Sciences
• All Instructors are equipped and licensed in HAM radio as well as PLB SAT comms for emergency communications away from classroom area.
• Training area is over 4500 Forested Acres 

Disclaimer:
Please make sure you take all gear with you at the end of the class. If gear is left behind, we will not be able to ship it to you, and will be considered abandoned. 

Due to property insurance restrictions: There will be no camping on the school property prior to the start of the class or after the classes conclude.

Each class is instructed by highly trained and professional outdoor/wilderness instructors. Each instructor teaches the Pathfinder School system and is authorized by Dave Canterbury. Instructors, including Dave Canterbury, can vary class to class.