Life in the city comes with its own set of challenges, even more so when emergencies arise. From power outages to civil unrest, gridlock to supply chain disruptions, many families are realizing how unprepared we’ve become for the unexpected. The world feels a little tense right now. We see it on the news. Global conflict. Rising costs. Protests. Tensions at home and abroad. It’s hard to know what’s coming next but one thing is certain: relying on someone else to come to the rescue isn’t a plan.

Our Urban Survival Course is designed for everyday people who want to feel more confident, capable, and self-reliant in the environments they already live in. This is not a tactical bootcamp or a political survivalist group. We are not training extremists. We are not teaching people how to riot. We’re offering practical, common-sense skills for real-world situations that can happen anywhere, whether it’s a natural disaster, power outage, civil unrest, or simply being caught off guard in the wrong place at the wrong time.

This course teaches you how to assess your environment, create realistic plans, and take action when needed to keep yourself and your loved ones safe. Whether you live in a major city or a smaller town, these are skills every modern household should know.

Key Topics Covered

Situational Awareness
Learn how to read your surroundings, recognize potential threats, and make safer decisions in dynamic environments.

Developing a Personal and Family Emergency Response Plan
Create a clear plan tailored to your lifestyle so everyone in your home knows what to do during different emergencies.

Everyday Carry (EDC) Essentials
Discover what items are worth keeping on you or nearby at all times and how to use them.

Gear Selection and Use
Understand what tools and supplies matter most in an urban setting and how to avoid being sold unnecessary junk.

First Aid Fundamentals
Learn how to treat common injuries when help may be delayed using basic tools and good judgment.

Communication in Emergencies
Explore ways to stay in touch or get help when cell towers are down or signals are unreliable.

Networking and Community Building
Learn how to build relationships with neighbors, friends, and local resources so you’re not alone when things get difficult.

Threat Assessment and Urban Planning
Identify potential problem areas in your neighborhood or city and make proactive plans for sheltering or evacuation.

Evacuation and Shelter Strategies
Understand when to stay put and when to leave, and how to do either safely and smartly.

Urban Foraging and Water Purification
Explore how to find clean water and usable supplies in a city setting without relying on stores or systems that may be shut down.

Short-Term Bartering and Supply Management
Learn how to stretch what you have, trade with others safely, and manage household needs during a disruption.

Camouflage, Stealth, and Grey Man Tactics
Know how to blend in and avoid drawing attention when tension is high or things are uncertain around you.

This course is open to adults and mature teens and is especially beneficial for families, couples, and individuals who want to feel a little less helpless in uncertain times. It’s not about panic. It’s about preparation. The more you know, the less you fear, and we’re here to teach you how to stay calm, capable, and collected when it matters most.

Come join us. Learn how to take care of yourself and those you care about. Because being prepared doesn’t mean you expect the worst, it just means you’re ready if it comes.

DISCLAIMER

Participating in urban survival practices has inherent risks and dangers and should be done by trained professionals only. By performing urban survival skills as an individual, you take on the sole responsibility of the potential personal risks. The Colorado Mountain Man Survival LLC, as an entity and its instructors are not responsible for any damages, loss of property, or injuries sustained while performing urban survival activities.

All information, tools and instructions taught by the Colorado Mountain Man Survival LLC. and The Survival University are for educational use only.

A Hands-On Weekend Adventure

Learn Practical Survival Skills for Camping, Hiking, and Emergencies

Prepare for an immersive outdoor survival training experience designed to teach you real-world skills for camping, hiking, hunting, and emergency situations. Whether you’re a beginner or experienced outdoorsman, this class will help you build the confidence and capability to handle the unexpected in the wilderness.

You’ll learn how to select the right survival gear, use it effectively, and adapt when that gear fails or gets lost. This course blends modern tools with proven survival techniques—covering fire, shelter, water, navigation, and more—making it ideal for anyone looking to become more self-reliant in the backcountry or beyond.

What You Will Learn:

• How to choose the right survival gear
• How to pack and organize your gear for quick access
• How to use your gear for fire-making, shelter building, water purification, navigation, food gathering, and more.
• How to adapt to different environments and emergency situations
• What to do if an adventure goes wrong, and how to prevent that so you can enjoy more adventures, from day hikes to long vacations in the woods.
• Transferring your skills to an urban environment to be ready for day-to-day adventures too.

Each student will leave with a high-quality survival kit ($100 value), stocked with essential tools and gear to help you face any outdoor challenge. This kit is yours to keep and use in your future adventures. Not only do you keep the gear, but you will also be trained on each item by our highly sought-after instructors.

Class Details:

• Location: TSU private property in Teller County
• Duration: Two days and one night
• Price: $Up to you, but I need $55 back to me to buy the gear.
• Age: Adults may bring one child at no extra cost (survival kits are provided only for paying students)

This class is perfect for anyone looking to gain confidence and the skills needed for self-sufficiency in the wild. You will walk away prepared and ready for your next outdoor adventure.

Space is limited, so sign up today and start your journey toward mastering outdoor survival skills.

Whether adventuring in the outdoors or enjoying a book about adventuring in the outdoors, fire always comes up. In fact, it has been said that fire is directly related to every other survival priority. Not just survival, but most outdoor adventures are enhanced with safe, effective fires. It helps regulate core body temperature, boils water for purifying, cooks food, signals for rescue, makes tools, scares away the bumps in the night, and so much more. This is also one of the areas that I see most people struggle with, especially if they do not have the perfect situations and resources. There is a great deal to learn and master with fire, including basic principles about tinder, ignition tools, strategies, and techniques.

Teaching different methods of fire is, without a question, one of my favorite subjects. This 2 day series will be a culmination of over 30 years of professionally teaching pioneer, survival, primitive, boy scout, military, and every other type of fire hack. We will explore both modern and historical ways of making fire as well as looking at safety and dealing with poor fire situations. At the end of this series you will look at fire in a totally different way and will be able to achieve it with a tiny spark, sticks only, modern tools, pioneer tools, wet wood, windy weather, no wood, and more.”

Every class is slightly different based on what the mountain gives us, weather conditions, student interest and more. That being said, the core of the class stays relatively the same, it is just all the extras that get affected by different resources and times of year.

This is one of my most requested and sought after classes throughout the year. It is my absolute honor to keep the stories and skills in this class alive. Please join me in keeping them alive, and who knows, one day they may do the same for you.

COURSE TOPICS

1. Fire safety and basics
2. Pioneer and Heritage fires from around the world like flint and steel, cedar rolling, fire from bamboo sparks, trench matches, and other historical spark based fires
3. Modern fires like mastering the ferro rod, getting fire from wet wood, bullets, batteries, and other modern tools used by military, search and rescue, pilots, and seasoned outdoor professionals.
4. Primitive and indigenous skills from around the world like, bow drill, hand drill, pump drill, fire saw, cedar rolls and more.
5. Solar fire, ranging from modern to primitive; things like fire from ice cubes, convex lenses, fire from trash, parabolic fires and loads of other improvised ways to use the sun for fire.
6. Using fire as a tool and using fire to make other tools.
7. Cooking, baking, and preserving food with fire
8. Using fire with shelter and as a shelter. We look at fire lays from around the world that have been proven for centuries to make the difference in getting a good night’s sleep, preserving food, staying alive and chasing away the things that go bump in the night.

COURSE OUTCOMES AND DEMONSTRATED SKILLS

• Students will be able to identify and assess fire hazards and understand basic fire safety measures. Demonstrated Skills: Identifying fire hazards, implementing basic fire safety measures, understanding fire extinguishers and their use.
• Students will be able to start fires using traditional methods from different cultures around the world. Demonstrated Skills: Starting fires with flint and steel, cedar rolling, bamboo sparks, trench matches, and other historical spark-based fires.
• Students will be able to start fires using modern tools and techniques. Demonstrated Skills: Starting fires with ferro rods, wet wood, bullets, batteries, and other modern tools used by military, search and rescue, pilots, and seasoned outdoor professionals.
• Students will be able to start fires using primitive and indigenous techniques from around the world. Demonstrated Skills: Starting fires with bow drill, hand drill, pump drill, fire saw, cedar rolls, and more.
• Students will be able to start fires using solar energy. Demonstrated Skills: Starting fires with ice cubes, convex lenses, fire from trash, parabolic fires, and other improvised ways to use the sun for fire.
• Students will understand how to use fire as a tool and to make other tools. Demonstrated Skills: Using fire to shape and manipulate metal, wood, and other materials to create tools.
• Students will understand how to cook, bake, and preserve food with fire. Demonstrated Skills: Cooking and baking food over an open fire, using smoking and drying techniques to preserve food.
• Students will understand how to use fire in shelter construction and as a shelter. Demonstrated Skills: Building fire lays from around the world, creating and maintaining fires to provide warmth, light, and protection, and using fire to keep away predators and other nighttime threats.

Along with classroom instruction, the course includes hands-on practice in handling and using firearms on a range, ensuring that participants gain confidence and competence with their firearm. Whether you’re a new gun owner or seeking to refresh your skills, this course will empower you with the knowledge to use your firearm safely and responsibly.

Key Topics Covered:

• The four universal gun safety rules
• Safe loading, unloading, and handling of firearms
• Firearm storage and security
• Range etiquette and basic shooting techniques

No prior experience is necessary, and this course is open to all skill levels.

Dates:

October 26-27 2024

Colorado’s winter backcountry is as unforgiving as it is beautiful. For those who have completed our Basic Winter Survival Class, this 3-day Winter Survival Adventure Hike is your next challenge. This immersive cold-weather experience pushes you beyond the classroom and deep into the raw wilderness—off-trail, off-grid, and face-to-face with the brutal reality of winter survival.

This is not a casual winter hike. We’ll cover approximately 9 miles of rugged terrain over three days, including snow-covered slopes, thick timber, old game trails, and remote sections of wild, frozen landscape. You’ll be carrying your gear, managing your body heat, and applying survival knowledge in real-time under real stress. There are no shortcuts, no groomed paths—only experience earned the hard way.

Course Overview

This advanced winter adventure is designed to test your physical resilience and expand your survival skill set. While training is built into the experience, the focus is on applying what you’ve already learned under pressure, in unpredictable conditions. You’ll build fires when everything is frozen, set up shelter with limited resources, and learn how to endure freezing nights with nothing but what you carry on your back and what nature provides.

What to Expect

Expect snow. Expect sweat. Expect discomfort, problem-solving, and deep cold. Over the course of this 3-day trek, you’ll refine practical skills while pushing your limits in backcountry terrain that doesn’t care if you succeed or fail. This course is equal parts winter survival training and mental toughness challenge.

Skills Taught and Refined

• Advanced shelter-building techniques using natural materials

• Cold-weather firecraft with minimal resources

• Snow assessment and terrain awareness for safety

• Winter foraging and sustainable resource use

• Gear management for multi-day exposure

• Emergency fieldcraft: dealing with injuries, cold stress, and changing weather

• Real-time application of both primitive and modern winter survival skills

What You’ll Walk Away With

• Sharpened winter survival instincts through real-world practice

• Confidence in your ability to stay alive in the wild during winter conditions

• A deeper understanding of how to move, live, and endure in freezing backcountry environments

• A hard-earned experience that few others will ever attempt

Prerequisites This course is open to those who have completed our Basic Winter Survival Class or have equivalent field experience. It is physically and mentally demanding. A high level of fitness, cold-weather readiness, and mental grit is required.

Colorado is known for its world-class skiing and rugged backcountry terrain—but it’s also notorious for its sudden snowstorms and extreme winter weather. Blue skies in the morning often give way to whiteout conditions by afternoon, catching even experienced hikers and backcountry adventurers off guard. Many have died here not from lack of experience, but from being unprepared for how quickly Colorado’s winter conditions can turn deadly.

This 3-day Winter Survival Course in Colorado is designed to teach you how to stay alive when the temperature drops and the snow starts falling. You’ll learn how to manage cold exposure, keep your body temperature stable, and stay dry in freezing conditions where traditional survival techniques may fail.

We’ll cover how to build both snow and primitive shelters that offer real protection from the elements, how to get a fire going and keep it burning in wet, windy environments, and how to use snow safely as a water source. You’ll also gain a better understanding of winter-specific dangers like hypothermia, frostbite, dehydration, snow blindness, and avalanche risk—and how to avoid them.

Whether you’re a hiker, hunter, skier, or just someone who ventures into the wild during winter, this course provides practical, hands-on skills to help you stay safe and come home alive.

What to Expect

Over three days, you’ll be immersed in hands-on training focused on winter-specific survival skills. While the emphasis is on staying warm and dry with shelter and firecraft, we’ll also touch on gear prep, snow navigation basics, and cold-weather fieldcraft. Expect to spend full days outdoors, practicing what you learn in real conditions.

Skills Taught Will Include:

• Proper cold weather gear and clothing selection

• Hypothermia wrap and emergency warming techniques

• Primitive and snow shelter construction (snow dependent)

• Modern and primitive fire-starting in winter conditions

• Full-length body fire and all-night fire builds

• Using snow as a water source safely

• Firecraft maintenance in cold and wet environments

• Avalanche awareness and terrain assessment

• Cold-weather tool use and knife skills

• Situational awareness and winter mindset training

Hands-On Wilderness Medicine Training for Outdoor Emergencies

If you spend time in the backcountry, you need more than a basic first aid kit—you need real skills. The Wilderness First Aid (WFA) course at The Survival University offers hands-on medical training for remote environments, taught in the rugged mountains of Colorado at 10,000 feet elevation.

This intensive 18-hour outdoor medical training course is ideal for hikers, backpackers, hunters, wilderness guides, survivalists, and anyone who ventures off-grid. Whether you’re responding to injuries, illness, or unexpected emergencies far from help, this class gives you the confidence and training to act quickly and effectively.

You’ll gain practical experience through immersive scenarios, including night training and realistic simulations in the field. Taught by certified instructors with real-world experience in wilderness medicine, this class is perfect for those who want more than a classroom lecture—it’s about learning to think, act, and respond under pressure in the wild.

If you’re looking for more advanced wilderness medical training, check out our Wilderness First Responder course. There are no prerequisites for either course.

What You’ll Learn in Wilderness First Aid

• Wilderness patient assessment and medical decision-making

• Managing soft tissue wounds, bleeding, and shock

• Treating musculoskeletal injuries (sprains, fractures, dislocations)

• Head, neck, and spinal injury care in remote locations

• Burns, bites, stings, and venomous animal responses

• Environmental emergencies: heat, cold, altitude, and exposure

• Improvised evacuation techniques and litter carries

• Building and organizing a functional wilderness medical kit

• Wilderness medicine mindset and planning for backcountry safety

• Basic anatomy and physiology for field care

Day and night practical exercises are a critical learning tool for this material. This program is physical in nature, and a reasonable level of fitness is expected of all participants. Certification is valid for two years. Adult, child, and infant CPR and AED use is included as part of this program.

Optional CPR & AED Certification

For an additional fee, you may stay after the course to complete standalone CPR certification, covering adult, child, and infant CPR, the proper use of an Automated External Defibrillator (AED), and how to treat choking incidents.

Why Take Wilderness Medical Training at The Survival University?

We train outdoors, rain or shine. Our high-elevation mountain classroom simulates real backcountry challenges—not a padded indoor setting. Whether you’re preparing for long treks, guiding trips, or simply want to protect your friends and family, this course gives you field-tested skills in wilderness emergency medicine.

Ready to take your preparedness to the next level? Register today and join us for this immersive wilderness medical training experience in the heart of Colorado.

With Instructors: Wildkind Jess & Colorado Mountain Man Jason

Experience the wild beauty of Colorado like never before with our 2-Day Backcountry Hiking Adventure. Led by seasoned outdoor educators Jess Caldwell and Jason Marsteiner, this immersive hiking and survival course takes you deep into the Colorado wilderness, through remote canyons, across mountain streams, and into unforgettable terrain.

This course is designed for outdoor enthusiasts, backpackers, and beginner hikers who want to learn real-world wilderness survival skills while exploring breathtaking backcountry locations. You’ll learn essential outdoor techniques while connecting with nature and building confidence in your ability to handle diverse terrain and conditions.

Looking to start with foundational skills? Pair this hike with our 2-Day Survival for Beginners course offered just before this adventure, and enjoy the full 4-Day Colorado Wilderness Adventure & Skills Training experience.

What to Expect on Your Hiking Adventure

Over two full days, you’ll hike through rugged, remote wilderness while learning and applying vital backcountry skills. Your instructors will guide you through hands-on lessons in:

• Wilderness navigation and route-finding

• Identifying edible and medicinal plants

• Fire-starting using modern and primitive tools

• Water purification techniques

• Shelter construction in natural environments

• Trail safety and hazard awareness

This is more than just a hike—it’s a true adventure training experience where each mile offers new challenges, deeper awareness, and the chance to practice survival techniques in real terrain.

Nature Connection and Community

As you traverse canyons and camp under the stars, you’ll experience a powerful connection to the natural world. Breathe the fresh mountain air, soak in stunning views, and take time to slow down and rewild your senses.

Along the way, you’ll bond with fellow adventurers. This course is built not just around hiking and survival skills—but also around community, connection, and personal growth. Shared experiences, group challenges, and campfire stories bring people together in a way that’s hard to find anywhere else.

Logistics

• Duration: 2 days, 1 night in the backcountry

• Location: Remote wilderness near TSU’s Colorado base

• Return: Students will hike out and be transported back to main camp by the end of day two

• Suggested Prerequisite: 2-Day Survival for Beginners (optional but highly recommended)

• Part of: 4-Day Colorado Wilderness Adventure & Skills Training Program (if bundled)

Why Take This Course?

• Perfect for new backpackers, hikers, and outdoor enthusiasts

• Combines hiking with survival skill development

• Builds confidence, resilience, and self-reliance in remote settings

• Offers a rare chance to unplug and fully immerse yourself in nature

• Learn from passionate, experienced wilderness instructors

Discover the art of trapping with our immersive 2-Day Trapping Course, where modern techniques meet primitive ingenuity. Whether you’re looking to enhance your survival skills or simply want to get closer to nature, this course offers a hands-on experience that is as educational as it is fun. In today’s modern society, knowing how to trap—not only for sustenance in a survival scenario but also as a way to understand natural behaviors—can be both practical and empowering.

What You’ll Learn

Thro Important Legal Notice: Trapping Regulations throughout the course, you’ll gain a solid foundation in both modern and primitive trapping methods. Our expert instructors guide you through the principles of ethical and legal trapping practices, ensuring you understand the importance of safety and sustainability in every step. You will learn how to:

• Set up and configure a variety of modern traps, from leg-holds to live traps
• Choose and craft effective bait and lure techniques
• Evaluate and select optimal trap placement based on natural signs
• Construct primitive traps using natural materials such as snares, and deadfalls
• Camouflage and test your traps for maximum efficacy in different terrains

Why Trapping Skills Matter

In a world where convenience often overshadows self-reliance, these skills provide a valuable edge. Whether you’re preparing for an outdoor adventure, a survival situation, or simply seeking to reconnect with nature, the ability to trap responsibly is an essential survival skill. Learning these techniques not only boosts your self-sufficiency but also deepens your appreciation for the balance between human activity and the natural world.

Join us for two days of practical, engaging, and enlightening training that will leave you confident in your ability to harness nature’s resources responsibly and effectively.

Important Legal Notice: Trapping Regulations

Please note that trapping is illegal in Colorado; we will not engage in any actual trapping, but will only set up and demonstrate proper trap usage. We encourage everyone to familiarize themselves with local laws and regulations.

Lead Instructor: Jacks Genega
Duration: 5 Days / 4 Nights
Student Limit: 15 Participants

The Survival Training Expedition Program (STEP) is a 5-day immersive backcountry survival course designed for adventurers, backpackers, bushcrafters, and outdoor practitioners who want to take their skills to the next level. Held in the rugged wilderness of Colorado, this course combines survival training and physical challenge in a self-reliant expedition setting. You’ll hike through diverse terrain—dense pine forests, exposed ridgelines, rocky gulches, and stream crossings—learning to survive with minimal gear and maximum resilience.

This hands-on survival expedition is structured around building practical wilderness skills while carrying only what you need in a lightweight day pack. Participants will receive expert instruction in primitive survival techniques and then put them into practice during a multi-day hike, culminating in a solo overnight challenge that puts your training and mindset to the test.

This is not just a class—it’s a transformational wilderness experience.

Survival Training Highlights

• Friction fire techniques (bow drill, hand drill, and fire maintenance)

• Primitive fishing and survival trapping methods

• Wilderness navigation without GPS, using map, compass, and terrain association

• Edible and poisonous plant identification in field conditions

• Wildlife safety and behavioral awareness

• Creating primitive tools, containers, and natural cordage

• Shelter construction with natural materials

• Low-impact camping and bushcraft skills using Leave No Trace principles

Course Structure and Phases

Phase 1: Survival Skills Foundations
Orientation, gear check, safety briefing, and skills workshops on self-aid, fire craft, emergency shelters, and water procurement.

Phase 2: Guided Wilderness Expedition
Multi-day hiking expedition into off-grid valleys and gulches with hands-on training in foraging, navigation, natural shelter-building, and primitive food procurement.

Phase 3: Solo Overnight Challenge
Scout and select your own camp location. Apply all learned skills during a solo overnight experience. Rejoin the group for reflection, feedback, and post-expedition skills review.

Requirements to Attend

• Must be 18 years or older

• Physically fit enough to hike 5–10 miles per day with 20 lbs. of gear

• Basic familiarity with survival priorities is recommended

• Mental readiness for rugged conditions, variable weather, and self-reliance

Gear List

Participants are responsible for bringing specific personal gear including:

• Fixed-blade knife or cutting tool

• Fire-starting materials (ferro rod, lighter, etc.)

• Water bottles or containers

• Nylon poncho or tarp

• Emergency blanket or bivvy sack

• Headlamp with spare batteries

• Paracord (50 ft. minimum)

• Compact first aid kit

Additional optional items: sunscreen, bug repellent, trekking poles, gloves, and sunglasses. Food must be limited to 5000 calories for the expedition portion to simulate real survival situations.

What to Expect

• Expert instruction by a Wilderness First Responder and licensed HAM Radio operator

• Potable water will be available at basecamp

• Students may tent or hammock camp during the expedition

• Evenings will include group discussions and story sharing

• No meals provided—bring your own food, snacks, and energy sources

Important Participation Guidelines

• Firearms, alcohol, and drugs are strictly prohibited

• Students assume personal liability for injury or incident

• Participants must remain committed through the expedition—leaving early compromises group safety and will not be permitted

• Be prepared for an emotionally and physically challenging experience that will test your limits and grow your capacity for self-reliance

Why Join STEP?

This survival expedition offers more than just skill-building. It’s a powerful journey into the wild that strengthens your awareness, adaptability, and connection to nature. Whether you’re an outdoor enthusiast, backcountry traveler, aspiring survivalist, or bushcraft learner, STEP will give you the real-world skills, confidence, and mindset to venture deeper, push farther, and live more intentionally in the outdoors.