What is Included?

• 2 night / 3 day back-country adventure teaching cold weather survival & snowshoe backpacking skills.
• Learn critical cold weather skills to survive and thrive on winter backpacking adventures.
• Prior camping experience helpful, but not required. More details below.

The Skills:

Learn the skills needed to properly prepare for and carry out winter camping adventures
– Winter Travel Safety & Planning
- How to set up and manage a proper snow camp (shelters, camp kitchen, sanitation, etc.)
– Effective day/night heat management methodologies and best practices. (Layering, heat batteries, improvised insulation, fire tactics, winter shelters, and more).
– Proper Winter Backpacking Gear Setup & Use
– Avalanche Safety & Rescue Skills (Assessing avalanche conditions, avalanche beacon use, post avalanche search techniques.)
– Emergency Cold Weather Fire Skills
– Winter Navigation Skills (Topo Maps / Compass / GPS / Trail Sign in Snow / Tracking)
– Cold Weather First Aid (Recognizing dangers and preventing/treating common cold weather injuries).
– Snowshoes backpacking safety and best practices.

The Backpacking:

Over the course of three days will will snowshoe in the sierra back-country between our different campsites. Average distance per day is roughly 2-3 map miles (If you've never snow-shoed with a full gear load-out, expect it to feel like double :).

The Winter Weather:

Winter weather and snow conditions can vary widely in the sierras. As long as there is still snow on the ground, we intend to run this winter survival course. Updates and adjustments may be made to gear as well as specific location in the week leading up to the adventure.

What Gear do I need to bring?

The following example gear list covers the main items needed on the Cold Weather Survival Course. A more detailed list be be provided upon registration.

• Large-framed Hiking Backpack. 80-90 liters recommended. Let us know if you want to attempt to adapt something smaller BEFORE you come.
• Sleeping bag (Range from 0  degrees or below is ideal). If you have never slept outdoors in colder temps like this or get cold easily, opt for a warmer bag. (Many winter backpackers prefer a bag rated for temps at least 15-20 degrees colder than it actually is.
• Insulated foam ground pad (NOT inflatable).
• One nylon tarp (about 8x10)
• Small personal cook pot (one liter+ for snow melting.)
• Eating Utensils
• Small Scandi-grind knife (like a Mora Companion F with 4 inch or smaller blade)
• Extra stuff sac (About 1 gallon Size. To hang and store your food from mice/animals)
• 50 feet of Parachute Chord (Paracord)
• Two 1 Liter Water bottles of your choice.
• Camp Stove & Fuel (Recommendations upon registration)
• Appropriate layered clothing and footwear for temps ranging from 0 degrees to 60 degrees (Recommended list provided on registration.)
• Insulated boots (check with us for sizing recommendations, leave room for thick socks and heat spacing)
• Ski goggles or mountaineering sunglasses
• Sunscreen
• Backpacking Tent or winter bivvy.
• Personal Med/Blister/First-aid kit (Recommendation upon registration).
• Snow-shoes can be purchased or rented from places like REI for $20/day or less. (Reserve ahead of time!)
• Collapsible Snow Shovel
• Headlamp + Extra Batteries
• Compass, Fire starters, 2 forms of fire ignition.

How Do Meals Work?

On this winter survival adventure, students will bring simple backpacking friendly meals (7 meals + snacks) as outlined by the instructors upon registration.

Physical Requirements?

Attendees on this cold weather survival course should feel comfortable in their ability to complete regular walking hikes of 10+ wilderness miles distance. This adventure course provides what may be seen as a significant physical test. Backpacking can be considered physically demanding by itself, as are potential additional opportunities to do other physically demanding activities that may arise during the journey. As this adventure can be quite physically challenging, California Survival School requires that all adventure course applicants confirm that they are in good health and have no medical issues such that their Doctor would not approve their attendance on this backpacking trip. Please note that, even with your Doctor’s permission and California Survival School‘s acceptance of you on the course, there are no guarantees. Health and participation risks (inherent and otherwise) remain. It’s up to you and your physician to determine if this course is an appropriate choice for you. All participants must be aware of these risks and accept them. Please let us know if you have any questions.

Age Requirements?

Attendees for this winter backpacking adventure must be at least 16+ years of age. (Attendees under 18 must come with a parent or guardian who is also a registered course attendee).

Additional Information

Pending weather and snow-pack, we will be rendezvousing for this Cold Weather Survival Training  on private land in the High Sierras near Tahoe.

The closest international airports are in Reno Nevada and Sacramento CA. From there, it is advised that you drive. We recommend that students come in vehicles equipped with 4WD or AWD, and we require that students arrive with snow chains that work with their vehicle in case they are needed due to weather conditions.

When you register for this trip, you will generally receive an information in the month prior to the course that covers all the major details of planning for this trip (i.e. – How to get here, pre and/or post-trip nearby lodging recommendations, packing lists, etc.) If you have any additional questions, please email us at info@casurvival.com or call 1-949-216-0252.

Trip Refund/Cancellation Policy: Due to the special nature of this course, there will be not refunds or cancellations of trip spots allowed after 60 days prior to start of the course.

Have you completed Wilderness First Aid (WFA) Training? While not required, we highly encourage students to complete Wilderness First Aid training as a great addition to this course. Check out upcoming WFA training dates here.