Curriculum | Nature Connect Survi

Experiential Learning

We design courses to allow you to learn through doing, at your own pace and practice what you've learned. You will enhance your connection to nature through activities such as hiking, camping, backpacking, bushcraft, wilderness survival, wilderness safety and self-rescue.

The Curriculum

Check-In begins at Noon on Fridays
Courses conclude on Sundays at Noon

Can't take Friday afternoon off? That's ok. Get here when you can and leave when you need to. If you miss something on Friday due to a late arrival, we'll be happy to cover it with you after classes conclude on Sunday.

On-site camping is available for students of NCSS during class (Friday at noon through Sunday at noon). NCSS camping areas are a moderate walk from the parking area.

Please be prepared to transport your camping gear by foot to the camping area. The trail from the parking area to the campsites are roughly 100 to 200 yards over wilderness terrain. You will be responsible for your own camping gear, food and drinks during the class. Fire pits are available at the campsites. There is no alcohol or drug use permitted at NCSS. If you have any questions or concerns about camping at NCSS, please contact us with your questions.

View & Download Items to Bring

Need Camping Gear?

No problem! NCSS has you covered.

Rental gear is available upon request.

Tents
Cots
Sleeping Bags and Pillows
Camp Chairs
Cookware
Lanterns

Ask us about our deluxe package - everything you'll need including set-up!

To inquire about rental gear, contact us at:
Email: info@natureconnectsurvivalschool.com
Phone: 314-440-9095

What You Will Learn

Primitive Fire Making

A wet, lost or empty lighter is useless, so knowing alternative ways to make fire is a survival necessity. Students will learn how to get a fire started in any condition without the aid of modern devices or store-bought accelerants. NCSS students will learn how to find the materials needed to get a fire started in nature and how to make fire with a Ferro Rod, Flint and Steel, Bow Drills and Hand Drills.

Water Purification Techniques

The human body can only last about 3 days without water. Having safe drinking water in an essential survival skill. Even in non-survival situations, water can be the heaviest item in your backpack and learning how to find and treat it along the trail can make for a lighter pack and leave room for other gear. Learn several techniques to purify drinking water with and without the aid of store-bought devices and chemicals.

Shelter-Building

Remember building forts as a kid out of sticks in the woods or sofa cushions and blankets? While finding or building shelter is one of the top three survival essentials, it can also be one of the most fun activities. The elements are the most dangerous aspect to the wilderness and getting out of them can be the difference between comfort and suffering. NCSS students will learn how to build shelters from a 3-minute tarp set up to more elaborate structures such as Lean-tos and Debris Huts.

Making Cordage

The ability to tie things together is as handy of a skill as anything when it comes to outdoor activities, but what happens when you run out of cordage or don’t have any to begin with? Making cordage is easier than you think, and nature provides the materials all around us. NCSS students will learn how to make cordage with natures materials found all around us.

Bushcraft Cooking Methods

A good meal in nature is one of the most rewarding experiences. Enjoying a warm cooked meal improves morale, nourishes our bodies, and provides the energy needed to keep going. Cooking over a fire can be a challenge, but with the various skills and techniques taught at NCSS, you will have effective methods to choose from on your next adventure into the wilderness.

Staying Warm In The Wilderness

Being cold and miserable is what deters many people from enjoying nature. This class will cover several techniques to help keep you warm and dry on your wilderness adventures. From proper clothing to where and how you set up camp, NCSS will give you the skills to get warm and stay warm.

Handy Knots

Knots can be frustrating whether they come undone when you need them to hold strong or you can’t get them undone. Knots are a common annoyance in life yet there are many instances in all aspects of life where tying a knot is necessary. Knowing a handful of easy and fast knots that hold when they need to hold and come undone when they need to be untied will serve you well in your outdoor adventures and the next time you help your friend move.

Primitive Trap-setting