Mountain Expedition Skills Practicum (Wilderness Field Program)

This field course builds on foundational outdoor skills and trains students in all aspects of wilderness trip design and implementation, as well as both front country and back country field camp skills and management. The program begins with a series of vehicle supported long-term basecamps in remote locations, where students learn field camp set up, functioning and management. Specific topics include kitchen set up and management, food planning and purchasing, cooking, living space set up and management, study resources and library management, tarp and tent systems and vehicle management and logistics. Additional topics include small group decision making models and group communication skills, and self-assessment using a situational leadership and learning model. The wilderness component occurs through immersion on a series of multi-week expeditions into mountain environments in California. We begin with logistics, including route selection and itinerary development, food planning, equipment selection and preparation, and establishment of group culture. As we move to the field, we learn, practice and hone skills such as minimum impact camping techniques, map reading and navigation, water location and procurement, backcountry medicine, establishing and maintaining high functioning field camps, equipment maintenance and repair, group communication and organization, and travel skills such as on-trail and cross- country backpacking.