California Survival School
The Authority in California Survival Training
California Survival School provides wilderness survival training to more students annually than any other survival training program worldwide.
As the nation’s largest wilderness survival school, California Survival School is trusted by teams with National Geographic, California Law Enforcement Search & Rescue, and Google HQ for survival training and outdoor adventure leadership.
California’s Premier Hub for Wilderness Survival & Outdoor Education
California Survival School is California’s leading authority for wilderness survival training, outdoor safety education, emergency preparedness, and survival media production.
As the largest and most experienced survival school operating in CA, we train more students each year than any other California-based program—setting the benchmark for professional instruction, risk management, and field-tested skills.
Our courses serve hikers, families, first responders, outdoor professionals, military veterans, media networks, and corporate teams seeking reliable, real-world survival training in California.
Why California Survival School Sets the Survival Training Standard
Beyond CA, California Survival School operates as the recognized leader for survival education worldwide, with instruction built on global operational experience—not theory.
We train both the public, and wilderness experts, for global expeditions and survival emergencies all over the world.
Instructors regularly lead trainings and expeditions everywhere from the Amazon Jungle and Mount Everest, to the Sahara Desert and throughout the Rain Forests of Southeast Asia.
Expert Instructors with Proven Field Credibility
Train under internationally recognized survival professionals with hundreds of years of combined training experience as leaders in the field. California Survival School instructors and programs have been featured with Good Morning America, Outside Magazine, National Geographic, History Channel, Discovery Channel, The New York Times, and more.
Our instructional team includes leading experts and survival legends like David Holladay, Matt Graham, Dan Baird and Theresa Emmerich Kamper.
Trusted by Film, Television, and Industry
Our instructors serve as risk-mitigation and survival consultants for major productions including The Revenant, Cast Away, and Man vs. Wild.
Corporate and organizational clients include Google, Microsoft, Amazon, and Meta, who rely on our leadership, resilience, and decision-making training.
We also actively train specialized teams within the U.S. Military and law enforcement, adapting primitive survival priorities into actionable strategies for high-stakes environments.
Know More. Carry Less.
Every program emphasizes judgment, environmental awareness, and adaptive thinking. Gear supports knowledge—never replaces it.
Survival Courses in California
Ideal For Anyone seeking practical wilderness survival skills in California.
Core Survival Skills – Wilderness Survival Training
Our foundational, single-day wilderness survival training adventure offered across Southern and Northern California.
- Survival Planning & Prioritization Keystones:
- Emergency Temperature Regulation: (Shelters, Survival Fire Methods, and Beyond)
- Mindset, Rest, & Cognitive/Emotional Management For Emergencies:
- Hydration. Water-finding / Safety, Hydration Management Methodologies:
- Caloric Management & Wild Edibles for Emergencies:
Required training for outdoor leaders, guides, and expedition staff.
Wilderness First-aid Certification
Hands-on wilderness medical training conducted in outdoor field environments. Wilderness First Aid Training Covers:
- Comprehensive Environmental Emergency Management Planning
- Patient Medical Assessments for Remote/Austere Wilderness Conditions
- Hands on First Aid Treatment/Evacuation decision-making and Emergency Skills Training
Realistic planning for the first 72 hours after a disaster—when emergency services are delayed and self-reliance matters most.
Urban Disaster Training and Emergency Preparedness
Training focused on real risks faced by California residents.
Topics Include
- 72-hour emergency planning
- Earthquake readiness
- Evacuation strategies
- Family communication systems
Training Locations Across California
California Survival School operates statewide to ensure access to survival training across diverse ecosystems.
- Southern California – Courses near Orange County, Los Angeles, and San Diego County
- Northern California / SF Bay Area – Instruction locations in the Santa Cruz Mountains, Livermore, and Lake Tahoe regions.
Past projects of note for our instructors have included work as primitive skills experts behind-the-scenes and on camera for Man v. Wild, Survivorman, Dual Survival, World-wide Extreme Survival (Japan), Good Morning America, and Castaway with Tom Hanks.
Begin Your Training
Thousands of students have built confidence, competence, and clarity through California Survival School programs. Whether your goal is outdoor safety, disaster readiness, or professional-level survival skills, your training begins here.
California Survival School
The authority for survival training in California.
Choose your training. Secure your spot. Build real preparedness.