Wilderness Skills (with campout for 9-12 years)

Have you ever wondered what it takes to survive in the wilderness? Come learn the essential skills for staying safe, building shelter, finding water, navigating and much more! You will not only have a fun time exploring the beautiful Santa Fe National Forest, but will leave feeling more confident and safe in the outdoors. Ready for adventure? Let’s go!

July 15-19 | Ages 5-6, 7-8 & 9-12

9:00 am – 3:30 pm

Monday – Friday, 5-6 & 7-8 year olds – $555 + tax

Monday-Friday, with overnight campout Thursday, 9-12 year olds – $675 +tax

Drop-off/Pick-up Times and Locations
We are now offering two drop-off/pick-up locations to choose from: Patrick Smith Park and Swan Park. Swan Park campers will meet at 8:30 and be shuttled to Patrick Smith, leaving at 8:45 to join with other campers. Pick up for all groups is between 3:30-3:45 at their respective locations.

Challenge Level:

Scholarship Application

Register

Para registrarse en español, haga clic en el botón Registrarse arriba y seleccione español en el menú superior derecho del sitio web de Active. Para obtener ayuda, envíe un correo electrónico a: hello@sfmountainkids.com.

Wilderness Skills

Have you ever wondered what it takes to survive in the wilderness? Come learn the essential skills for staying safe, building shelter, finding water, navigating and much more! You will not only have a fun time exploring the beautiful Santa Fe National Forest, but will leave feeling more confident and safe in the outdoors. Ready for adventure? Let’s go!

August 7-11 | Ages 5-7, 8-12

9 – 4 | Early Care Available

Mon-Fri, $475 + tax

Challenge Level:

Scholarship Application

Register

Wilderness Survival Shelters with Camp Out

Learn everything you have ever wanted to know about survival shelters and gain wilderness survival skills in this week long adventure. What is a debris hut and how it is different than a wicki-up? Why won’t a stick fort keep me warm and dry, and how can I make it so it will? We will learn about survival shelters and about primitive and modern fire-making techniques, and make our own food over the fire on our overnight campout. Campers will need a sleeping bag and sleeping pad at a minimum. If you need gear, please contact us and we will do our best to provide it.

July 17 – 21 | Ages 8 – 12

9 am – 4pm | Overnight campout Thursday night

Monday – Friday $595 + tax

Challenge Level:

Scholarship Application

Register

Wilderness Survival Shelters with Camp Out

Feb 20, 2020
Mountain Kids!
No comments yet

Learn everything you have ever wanted to know about survival shelters and gain wilderness survival skills in this week long adventure. What is a debris hut and how it is different than a wicki-up? Why won’t a stick fort keep me warm and dry, and how can I make it so it will? We will learn about survival shelters and about primitive and modern fire-making techniques, and make our own food over the fire on our overnight campout. Campers will need camping gear.

June 19 – 23 | Ages 8 – 12

9 am – 4pm | Overnight camp out Wednesday night

Monday – Friday $595 + tax

Challenge Level:

Scholarship Application

Register

Extraordinary Earth!

In this week, we will explore all things connected to the earth! You will learn about many of the trees and plants in our high mountain ecosystem, build shelters with downed trees, play in the mud(dy earth!) and learn how to camouflage in the woods! Our plant expert will show you many wonderful uses for local plants, such as using yucca to weave rope and which plants can be used for food or medicine. This will be a fun and learning filled week of mud, clay and skills. See you in the woods!

Did you know? Trees communicate and share nutrients with one another through an underground network of fungi in the soil!

June 19 – 23 | Ages 5 – 7

9 – 4 | Early Care Available

Mon-Fri $475 + tax

Challenge Level:

Scholarship Application

Register

Wilderness Skills with Archery

July 5 – 9 | Ages 5-7 & 8-12

8:30–3:30 | Early & After Care Available

Mon-Thu $347 | Mon-Fri $425 | Mon-Fri (8:00-5:30) $550 + tax

Challenge Level:

This is where the fun begins for our campers. Learn how to prepare for a hike and stay safe in the wilderness. Campers will learn the four cardinal directions, how to find north without a compass, signaling for help, and the importance of attitude in a survival situation. Survival shelters (and forts!) will be a key activity this week. Older campers will explore wilderness skills in more depth while planting the seeds of exploration and adventure in a safe, fun, and engaging environment.

Scholarship Application

Forts & Forests

June 21-25 | Ages 5-7

8:30–3:30 pm | Early & After Care Available

Mon-Thu $347 | Mon-Fri $425 | Mon-Fri (8-5:30) $475 + tax

Challenge Level:

Learn everything you have ever wanted to know about forts, survival shelters, forests and trees in this week long adventure of building forts and fairy houses. What is a debris hut and how it is different than a wicki-up? Why won’t a stick fort keep me warm and dry, and how can I make it so it will? We will learn about trees and use them for crafts, to make fairy houses, play Tree Tag, Meet-a-Tree and other favorite activities as part of this awesome week of tree loving fun!

Scholarship Application

June 24-28: Wilderness Skills

The Hummingbirds (Mountain Kids’ younger group) started their week exploring the trails and waterways of the Beaver Ponds, while learning what to do should we encounter a bear and mountain lion.

The fun continued with an introduction to building survival shelters and a lesson on their importance. As the week continued, the Hummingbirds discussed the essential 6W’s (who, what, when, where, why, & weather) and why they’re important even before entering the wilderness. The children also learned seven new hand gestures in order to help them better understand the seven Leave-No-Trace Principles (ways in which we can respect and take care of our wild lands and parks with low impact practices). We also explored ways of staying S.A.F.E.R. (a mnemonic for how to stay safe while spending time in the outdoors), with one of the key elements being to STOP AND STAY PUT if you get lost.

During our week of acquiring new wilderness skills, the Mountain Kids roamed through areas such as the Rio en Medio, Aspen Vista, and the Ski Basin, all of which are beautifully wooded locations and provided us with a wonderful setting for each camper to use their imagination while becoming animals such as deer, mountain lions, bats, and moths.

Our week ended with the Eagles (older campers) and Hummingbirds gathering together for a day filled with fun and games at the meadow of the lower Big Tesuque trail. What a fun and adventure-filled week!