In today’s world, you might forget that for all of history, humankind has lived or journeyed into environments that require fundamental survival skills in order to flourish. Wilderness Survival (also known as bushcraft) is the ability to utilize natural and limited materials in traditional ways to stave alive and escape danger.

In modern society, learning wilderness survival skills is not only important for the occasional forays into dangerous environments, but also helps in building confidence, self-esteem, and instilling a sense of self-knowledge while re-connecting with nature and our human past.

While we might not think we need wilderness survival skills if we avoid nature, there are still instances where we might need to call upon them including natural disasters, getting lost in the woods, extreme shifts in weather, accidents causing some form of incapacitation, and many other unforeseen circumstances.

Therefore, it is prudent and wise for every human to have at least a rudimentary capability in the basic skills of survival to ensure their continued existence. These include the ability to:

• Build a fire
• Build a shelter
• Tie Knots
• Navigate without a GPS
• Apply First Aid
• Evaluate gear and supplies
• Master the essentials of hiking and camping.

The MSMHC is proud to announce the addition of acclaimed author, outdoor survival expert, record setting hiker and elite Wilderness Search and Rescue Team member, Nancy East, to our roster of expert artists for our 2022 programs. Nancy will launch the spring hiking season with a presentation on Friday night, March 18, describing her adventures as a Search and Rescue member. On Saturday, March 19 Nancy devotes an entire day to a variety of the above mentioned wilderness survival topics to ensure your safety, comfort and enjoyment as you create memorable experiences hiking in the Great Smokies.

Space is limited to ten students to guarantee individual attention and Nancy provides all materials needed for event.