The Arctic Survival and Safety Course
SEPTEMBER
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If you want to learn to be confident and safe in wild surroundings, then this Arctic Survival & Safety Training is something to consider. During your stay with us, you will learn to be on your own, and we provide skills & thoughts to undertake these kinds of adventures. Skills and thoughts are not the only things needed. You need to gain experience in a variety of areas, like valleys, mountains, forests, highlands and at sea. To learn even more, we hope for different types of weather. So, you get the chance to learn to deal with good, bad and nasty weather. You can learn a lot, but there is also time for fun and to relax. We organise this training every month and in all seasons. Costs are 1425 Euro (9 days).
EXPLORe AND DISCOVER THE BEAUTY OF THE ARCTICThis survival and safety training takes place in Arctic Norway, north of the Arctic Circle and the scenery is breathtaking. You will explore fjords, islands, mountains, valleys and forests. During the course we use kayaks and boats to get out on sea and into the fjords. On shore we will explore in mountains, valleys and forests. On some of the places we visit during this course you can find the remains of the Viking age.
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FOR WHOM
This training is designed for people that want to learn how to be alone for a more extended period in remote and wild environments. We like it if you have a project or trip in mind that you want to do in the future so that we can focus on that. Minimum age is 18 years and suitable for all genders. Read further on this page to check if this training is something for you.
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GOAL
The goal of this training is to get you to a level where you feel safe and comfortable (as far as possible) in different environments. How far you get by doing this training depends on where you are now. We can help you grow, and it is you that need to learn skills and gain experiences. So this training is about getting to know yourself in different situations.
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LEVEL
This training is on an intermediate level and requires that you have some previous outdoor experience and you are physical in a healthy (good) condition and are mentally mature enough to be on you own in situations that can be outside your comfort zone. We always do an interview (video call) before we confirm your booking. We do no mind steep learning curves if you are ready for that.
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METHOD
During this 9-day training, you join workshops (skills), attend to talks and go individual or with a teammate into the wilderness. To get real experiences, we take you to different wilderness areas like mountains, remote valleys, forests and uninhabited island near the coast. You can join this training every month. Remember that each season has its challenges and things you can learn.
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Facts, dates, costs and general informationHere are the facts of this course. Feel free to contact us if you have questions or if you want to discuss your plans. Check also our Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) for answers on general questions.
Dates and booking information
DATES 12 September 2020 -20 September 2020, 9 days Alternative dates for groups (minimal 3 participants) on request. Private trainig (1:1) on request. NAME ARCTIC SURVIVAL AND SAFETY COURSE This arctic survival and safety training is also organised in other months. Snow conditions are the best in the period November to April. Northern lights are visible in the period September to April. The period of the midnight sun is from the end of May until the end of July. The polar night is from the beginning of December until the beginning of January. COSTS (what is included)
COSTS The costs of joining this course is 1425 Euro. Included are all transports during the trip, guiding, use of kayaks, transport with our boats, use of tents, use of fishing rods, use of materials related to the course, use of cooking equipment and one overnight stays in a cabin or similar accommodation. NOT INCLUDED AND SHARED COSTS Flights and transfers to the point where the trip starts are not included. Daily expenses like food and non-alcoholic drinks are shared among the participants and the staff. Usually these costs are around 15 Euro per day. We love it if you bring some ingredients from your country! Included is one overnight stay in a cabins or similar accommodation. If we (like to) stay more than 1 days in a local (mountain) cabin , then these costs are shared and are around 30/35 Euro per night per person (shared space) and we pay this to the locals or owner of the cabin. Decisions about whether to sleep in tents or cabins are based on weather conditions and what we like. We will discuss this with you. LOCATION and how to get there
LOCATION
This training starts and ends on our base in a small fishing village named Helnessund in the municipality of Steigen (Nordland) in the north of Norway. Our base is located 50 km north of Bodø and has a good ferry connection. AIRPORT The nearest airport is Bodø. To fly to Bodø you usually change flights in Oslo. There are multiple flights daily between Oslo and Bodø. TRAVELING BY TRAIN IN NORWAY (OPTION) An option is to enjoy a 17 hours train ride from Oslo to Bodø. Check vy.no for more information about traveling by train. The so-called minipris ticket can be an economical way to travel (only online available and you have to buy it well in advance). FERRY There is a good ferry connection from Bodø to our base. This fast ferry (hurtigbat in Norwegian) takes you in approximately 1 hour from Bodø to Helnessund. Daily departures are in the afternoon, on most of the days at 6 PM. It is a 20-minute walk from the airport to the harbor in the city center where the ferry departs. At the end of the course, this ferry will also take you back to Bodo (daily departures, most of them in the early morning, around 8 AM). TAKE YOUR TIME We recommend that you arrive 1 day before the start of this course in Bodø and take some time to acclimatize and get rid of travel and work stress. We can give you suggestions for hostels or hotels in Bodø. LEVEL AND SKILLS
This course is suitable for people on beginner, intermediate and advanced level of outdoor experience. If you are on beginner level we expect that you had some (basic) outdoor experiences in nature in the past and that you have some experience with staying overnight in tents. If you do not have that, then your learning curve is a bit steeper (no problem).
OTHER COURSES If you think this course is too tough for you or you want to gain first more basic experiences, then take a look at our Arctic Outdoor Course. GENDER NEUTRAL This training is not a men-only thing! We like mixed groups and appreciate and welcome different views and approaches. AccomModation
During this course we stay in (mountain) cabins, expedition tents, tipi-tents with a wood stove or self-built shelters or snow holes (november - april). Our descisions how to stay overnight are based on weather forecasts and conditions. AVAILABILITY
Available.. Number of participants: Max 8 Minimum age is 18 years. REMARKS
LOCATION This course is organized in areas that are off-the-beaten-track. gear and how to prepare
PACKING LIST This course is organized north of the Arctic Circle. So, you need warm clothing, good shoes and outdoor gear like sleeping bags and more. You receive a detailed packing list after you made your booking. This packing list tells you about the things you need to have and also gives you a lot of practical information. RENT FROM US In case you do not have all the gear and you do not want to buy, then you can rent equipment from us, like backpacks, sleeping mattresses, kayak-suits, snowshoes and more. 
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THE DNA OF THIS COURSE
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Let us tell you a bit more about the ideas behind the course and what you can expect. To be on the safe and comfortable in the outdoors we think these 4 things are most important: skills (practical things that you know how to do), knowledge (understand things how they work), experience (that you know how it is in reality) and thoughts about psychology (yours and group psychology). So on this journey, we take you during the training. Discover and develop yourself! And learn about being in nature alone and as part of a group.
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HOW IT WORKS
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This Survival & Safety Training is organised around our Base in Arctic Norway, north of the Polar Circle. After your arrival, we will build up several basecamps (tents and shelters) in different scenic areas in the municipality of Steigen (2500 inhabitants, 1000 km2 wild nature). Some camps are in valleys, and others are in the mountains or on islands close to the shore. This course consists of experience trips where you go with your teammates or alone in wild nature and workshops or talks where we teach you things. During your stay, we also stay overnight in (mountain) cabins in the Arctic wilderness. Our decisions on how we stay overnight (tents, tarps, self-made shelters or cabins) are based on weather forecasts and how we (and you feel). The experience trips are a great way to practise skills and get to know more about yourself.
optional challenges to give you confidenceDuring the training, there are some optional challenges where you are on your own mission and can you can practise the survival, bushcraft and navigation skills we have been teaching you. |
SKILLS & KNOWLEDGE
We tell you a bit more about the things we think that are essential to know and practice. Some topics are workshops (that takes 1 or 2 hours or more), some are talks (in the evening or any other good moment) and some skills we practise on-the-go when we are in the mountains or at sea.
ESSENTIALS OF FOOD PREPARATION
You probably know how to prepare a simple meal at home. But in the outdoors it is different. What are the necessary ingredients to take with you? What are proven recipes to stay warm, strong and healthy? What kind of stove and cutlery should I take with me and what to do if some items are lacking?
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THE ART OF FIRE
From ancient times you probably know the importance of fire and fire-making. It keeps us warm, and you can use it for making food. Do you know how to light a fire in a proven way? Can you find the best wood to burn? Do you know other functional purposes of a fire? What do you have in your backpack to light a fire?
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FOOD FROM NATURE
Be prepared if you are travelling through remote areas. So take the right provisions with you, but you can add something to that? Can you recognise edible plants, berries and mushrooms? Are you able to collect seafood and catch fish? Which experiments should you better avoid? What about hunting and traps...?
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WHERE TO CAMP AND WHERE NOT
You are exploring magnificent untouched scenery, but every day has its end. What is an excellent place to make a camp? How do you prepare for fast-changing weather patterns? When to start to look for a spot? How do you look for a place that offers supplies, like wood and water?
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TO UNDERSTAND THE MAPS
Maps provide a lot of information, but only if you understand or better, have the skills to visualise. What does a map tell you and how to plan a trip? How to use a compass? How to find a route that takes to you proffered destination? How to calculate the time to get somewhere...
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HOW TO READ THE LANDSCAPE
If you use your eyes and look around you there are a lot of potential answers, but can you interpret them? Is it clear for you where to go and what to avoid? Wild rivers, valleys covered with snow, frozen lakes and steep mountains, what is the story that they want to tell you?
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NAVIGATION FROM THE COLD GROUND
Wilderness hiking is unique, and often there are no trails. So what do you do not to lose track? Follow the moose might be a good idea, but there are some eye-opener insights to share. When was the last time you used instinct instead of thoughts....?
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GEAR AND EQUIPMENT
A full 300L backpack full of so called must-haves doesn't take you that far. So what are the real essentials? The worst-case scenario or not. How to pack for that or not...? We have some rational thoughts about what to carry and what not. How do you choose?
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SHELTERS
Shelters. How to make one in case you lost all your equipment? A Snow hole, something with a tarp or a shelter made out of things you find in nature. Branches, leaves and mosses. What are your options and how to decide? What tools do you need? Lets built some...
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MEDICS AND STAYING HEALTHY
If you are in remote areas, it is essential to stay on the safe side. Do you know how to avoid survival situations? What are the basics to help yourself when you have an injury. What medical kit do you bring? How do you stay clean and proper? How to build a toilet?
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ROPES AND KNOTS
Ropes are one of the most versatile pieces of kit that you can take with you. Can you make some essential knots? How can rope make your life better, and how can you use it in rough terrain? What kind of rope should you take with you?
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CLOTHING, SHOES AND PROTECTION
There is no bad weather, just bad clothes... A popular saying. Partly true... Bad weather exists. And bad equipment and clothing too. So how do you choose clothing, shoes and other gear? Is it true that proper gear comes with a high price? In what should you invest most of your budget?
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COMMUNICATION AND ELECTRONICS
Electronics are all around us in daily life, and we rely heavily on them. What are essential instruments in nature? How do things like an EPIRB, GPS, VHF or tracker work? How do you keep them working in a harsh, wet and cold environment? What about battery packs and solar energy?
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WEATHER AND METEO
Weather is an important topic if you are in the wilderness. So you need some basic and hands-on knowledge. Do you know a bit about how it works with low-pressure systems? How to interpret a weather forecast. What can you see when you look at the sky. How do you act when the shit-hits-the-fan?
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TOOLS & REPAIRS
If you have been travelling for a more extended period, you might have the experience that things break all the time. What essential repair stuff do you take with you? How can you repair things? Can you sharpen your knife? How to improvise with materials you find in nature?
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THe psychology of things
To master skills is an important thing! You can learn quite some stuff from us during this course. But there is another critical topic to have knowledge of, and that is you. So in this course, we reserve quite some time to talk about peer pressure, the comfort zone, fears, panic and ways you can deal with that kind of things.
FACING YOURSELF
On the edge of your comfort zone and outside you can learn a lot about yourself if you allow that. Do you know what a comfort zone is? Can you make an image of your comfort zone? What are the scenarios when things get tough?
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THE BOTH SIDES OF REALITY
Look at this picture! This is Arctic Paradise. That is what you have dreamed of and want to show your friends. But it is just one face of nature. Do you know how to prepare your mind for the real thing? Are you able to retire from your mission? Can you go back?
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THE ART OF BEING ALONE
To be on your own and at the same time, be happy and confident is a skill that only you can develop. During this training, there will be times that you are on your own. Before that, we share our thoughts about this topic.
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TO DISTICT FEAR FROM DANGER
One of our favourite topics is to distinct fear from danger. During the training, we will teach you some techniques and share some experiences we had.
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