Course Description

Everyone knows the panic of being injured. The initial shock, followed by the rush of pain, quickly overtaken by either panic or relief as our bodies come to grasp the reality of the situation. In the wilderness, all injuries can potentially lead to an emergency. Something as simple as a sprained ankle could leave a person stranded, or a normal blister can quickly become badly infected. In a remote environment, access to ambulances and hospitals could be hours to days away, as opposed to minutes in the city. During that time, the dangers of the wilderness become even more pressing. Darkness might be setting in, or severe weather could be fast approaching. It’s crucial to be able to care for yourself in these situations, and prevent a bad day from becoming a emergency.

This class is designed to prepare participants for these critical moments. In two days, the course will cover an introduction to Wilderness Medicine and the wilderness survival skills necessary in remote environments. At the end of class, participants will be able to: assess patients and identify serious life-threatening injuries, treatment methods ranging from how to clean and close simple cuts to setting of broken bones, and how to tackle the challenges of patient care in cold, wet, hot, and inhospitable environments.

This is a skills based class, and it’s impossible to learn practical skills without practice. The lessons taught will be reinforced with scenarios based on true wilderness medicine cases. Realistic moulage will be used to further prepare participants for future injury encounters. Wilderness medicine is a world of limited resources, and treating patients often involves creative thinking to apply what supplies are available to the problem at hand. This class will prepare participants to use gear they commonly recreate with to treat injuries with improvised medicine and transport methods.

Every emergency is unique, but with this class, participants will be prepared to create unique solutions for any wilderness medicine emergency.

What to bring:

This class focuses on the common problem of an injury or illness in a remote area. Students are encouraged to "fight like you train" and bring the gear they would normally carry on a day hike or backpacking trip. This class is taught 100% in the field in an off-grid primitive classroom:

• Clothing appropriate for the forecasdted low temperatures. Check it!

• First aid and survival kit if you have one

• Daypack

• Water bottle

• Headlamp/flashlight

• Knife

• Notebook & pen or pencil

Lodging:

Maryville has multiple options for hotels and lodging. The closest lodging to BigPig Ourdoors is Dragon City

There is primitive camping on-site at BigPig Outdoors. The site is a half mile from the parking area, so plan accordingly. The instructors will be camping on-site.

Food:

Students are responsible for bringing their own meals and cooking them on site. Your body needs more calories when you are working in the field, so bring plenty of snacks. Class will wrap up around 6pm on Saturday and there are restaurant options in Maryville.

Other Information:

• Other dates available upon group request

• Age: 15+ (under 16 must be accompanied by a paying adult)

• Class size limit: 16

• Classes start at 9:00 am on Saturday and ends around 4:00 pm on Sunday.

• ​Please read the BPO Policies and FAQs before purchasing.