Equipment Checklist and General Information
Pavillion where some class teaching will be done
o Tent with rain fly (make sure your water-proof the tent and rainfly with a spray)
o Sleeping bag (I’d recommend a 20 degree bag if you have one)
o Ground pad (yoga mats or air mattresses do not work very well)
o Separate pair of wool socks to only be used to sleep in (yes, even in the summer)
o Mess kit (unbreakable plate, spoon, fork, knife, and cup)
o Water (this is your opportunity to test out your water containers and see how much water you should carry for a weekend outing)
o Sharp knife (we will have sharp “frost” knives available for loan or purchase for $16)
o Small file and small saw for assisting in carving notches in wood for traps (optional)
o Flashlight or headlamp
o Long-sleeve shirt (for a possible cool nights or mosquito protection)
o Tick repellant (you can use Permanone / permethrin spray on your clothes – works well but spray
only on clothing (not bare skin).
o Work gloves (for gathering wood and handling hot rocks)
o Towel
o Rain gear (and footgear for rain and mud)
o Personal items (anything you may want to have with you to make yourself more comfortable)
o Notebook and pen (for taking notes, we will be covering a lot of material)
o Small frying pan 4”- 6” inches in diameter (optional)
o “Peterson’s Field Guide to Edible Wild Plants” (optional)
o “Newcomb’s Field Guide to Edible Plants” (optional)
o Small chair (optional but REALLY nice to have for your comfort around the campfire)
o Snacks (for your personal (or shared) consumption (optional))
o Any of your own personal “survival gear” you may want to “try out”
Why all the Gear for a “Survival Class”?
The objective of this class is for you to both “have fun” and learn wilderness survival skills”. You need to LEARN the skills FIRST before you put them into practice and TEST YOURSELF doing applying the skills. We found will learn the skills faster under more comfortable conditions.
There are a few “comfort” items on the list, remember, the purpose of this first class is to TEACH you new skills. You’ll learn better if you’re comfortable, so bring anything – within reason – that will help make you comfortable. You can practice the skills you’ll learn at this class in a future class with minimal gear (knife, blanket or less) like in our Survival 201, 301 or 401 classes. We will be camping out in the woods in this class tho. Your vehicles will be parked about ¼ mile from our basecamp in a secured, fenced in area. And you will have access to your car all weekend. You will also need to carry your camping gear the ¼ mile from your vehicle to camp.
Electricity?
No there will no electricity at camp
Bathrooms?
There will be an “out-house” (no running water) near the campsite for your bathroom needs.
Showers?
There are no community showers at camp so many bring “Baby Wipes” for a daily shower substitute. Others sometimes bring a Solar Shower device with a privacy tarp. There is a Pilot Travel Truck stop about 10 minutes from camp that has showers available for $12 if you want to go there before or after class that day.
Daily Routine
Breakfast will typically be at 8AM, with class starting by 9 AM, lunch around noon and supper at 6 PM. Evenings will consist of special projects or campfire activities that conclude around 9 or 10 PM. The meals will be basic consisting of things like oatmeal, cereal, breakfast bars, spaghetti, BLT’s, Sloppy Joes, hot dogs, fish, etc. Check the “typical menu” link on the website. If there is something on the menu you do not like or have special dietary needs you will need to make arrangements for those meal substitutions but you will have access to our kitchen stove and cooking gear.
We will be a “self-reliant” team at camp, so you will be participating in typical daily camp duties such as wood collection, fire tending, help with cooking and getting water. Please step up and see how you can help set up as well as keep the weekend running smoothly.
Also, think about what you want to learn during the class, and how and where you want to use what you learn. Let me know your expectations before you arrive so that we can make sure we meet those expectations and teach you what you want to learn. The class will end between 3 and 4 PM on Sunday depending on how fast the class picks up on the skills during the weekend.
You can use the school’s toll free number (888) 886-5592 as an “emergency contact” for family and friends – You should be able to recieve cell service at camp however please refrain from openly using your cell phones as many others perfer to enjoy a non-electronic atmosphere to learn these primitive skills this weekend.
As a reminder firearms, alcohol, drugs or pets are not permitted at class.
Directions To The Class Location
The class location will Richfield Joint Recreational District land, about 12 miles south of Cleveland, Ohio. They have 380 acres of land and we will be on a secluded back part of the property. We will meet at the main gate parking lot of Camp at 5 PM, Friday Sept 17 and drive to the class location together.
Driveway to Meet up location
The address of the place where we will ALL MEET at 5 PM FRIDAY is:
4374 Broadview Rd.,
Richfield, Ohio 44286
(GPS Coordinates: 41.24963 -81.66413)
This driveway is to the Richfield Heritag Perserve (the land that I have leased to teach the class on) and is about 50 ft. south of a Giant Eagle Grocery Store on Broadview Rd. The driveway is on the West side of Broadview Rd.
Meet up location on Friday 5 PM just past the pine tress on the right
As a landmark point of reference the driveway is also just before a sign designating that the area is the highest point in Summit County. (Photo is looking south on Broadview Rd.)
The meet up spot is just on the other side of the pine res in the picture to the right just 500 ft down the driveway as you pull in off Broadview Rd.
PLEASE BE ON TIME.
If you arrive early and are hungry, there is a bar/restaurant called The Doug Out about 1 mile south of out meer-up location on Broadview Rd. at the intersection of Broadview Rd. and Rt. 303.
Lyme’s Disease
Deer Tick (left) vs Wood Tick (right)
The class will be held in the woods and there is a possibility that you will encounter ticks. The larger wood ticks are of no great concern…it’s the small deer ticks that can pass on Lyme disease to you. Here are some helpful tips to minimize the change of getting Lyme’s from a tick.
What you can do to prevent tick bites:
■ Wear long-sleeved shirts and long pants.
■ Tuck your pant legs into your socks or boots.
■ Use a rubber band or tape to hold pants against socks so that nothing can get under clothing.
■ Tuck your shirt into your pants.
■ Wear light-colored clothing to make it easier to see tiny insects or ticks
■ When hiking in woods and fields, stay in the middle of trails. Avoid underbrush and tall grass.
■ If you are outdoors for a long time, check yourself several times during the day. Especially check in hairy areas of the body like the back of the neck and the scalp line and warm moist areas like under arms and groin areas. Bring a mirror to aid seeing in those “hard to see” moist dark places.
■ Inspect yourself carefully 3X a day for insects or ticks after being outdoors or have someone else do it.
■ Wear sturdy hiking boots.
■ If you have pets that go outdoors, spray them with repellent made for that type of pet. Apply the repellent according to the label and check your pet for ticks often.
■ If you will be in a grassy or wooded area for a long time or if you know that the area is highly infested with insects or ticks, consider using a repellent.