Forged in the Wild: 50 Days That Transform Lives

A Brotherhood in the Woods – Outdoor Skills Forge Lifelong Bonds

We’re not here to tear you down. My instructors are a crew of misfits who love this life: trackers, medics, bushcrafters, all with a knack for teaching and a grin to share. They’ll push you hard, but they’ll sit with you by the fire too, swapping stories over a pot of stew. That’s the vibe here. You’re not a number or a paycheck, you’re one of us. I’ve watched strangers become family out here, bonded by the shared ache of a long day and the thrill of nailing a new skill. By the end, you’ve earned your place among the Colorado Outdoor Crew, woven into the heart of the TSU ranks. Pass the final test, and you might even join our instructor track. I’ve got a soft spot for the ones who stay, passing down what they’ve learned to the next wave. But even if you don’t, you leave with a band of folks you’d trust with your life. A tribe forged in the crucible of the wild, unbreakable as the mountains themselves.

One summer, a woman named Sarah told me she’d never felt so seen. She’d spent her life blending into the background, but out here, she found her voice. That’s what happens when you’re surrounded by people who get it. You grow together, and you don’t forget it. You carry their echoes in your chest long after the last ember fades.

Skills That Stick – Mastering Survival for Life

Let’s break it down: 500+ hours of training, spread across 50 days. You’ll master fire starting with nothing but a bow drill and some determination. You’ll spark fires that roar to life from nothing, build shelters that stand defiant against the wind, and weave traps that could feed you for days. We go deep, crafting primitive tools from raw materials, mastering advanced survival trapping, and navigating with nothing but a compass and a map. You’ll craft tools from stone, cook over an open flame, and learn wilderness medicine that could save a life. It’s a lot, but we don’t rush it. We drill it in until it’s muscle memory. Until it’s as much a part of you as your own heartbeat.

I’ve had students take this and run with it. Some turn it into careers, guiding, outfitting, teaching. Many start teaching on their own after leaving us. Others just want the confidence to roam the backcountry with a knife and a pack. Either way, it’s yours. And that Wilderness First Responder cert you earn? It’s the gold standard. Most outdoor gigs won’t look at you without it, and we’re one of the few places pairing it with this kind of hands-on time. You’ll leave with a resume booster and a skill set that’s bulletproof. An arsenal of knowledge that turns you into a force of nature.

Two Worlds, One Journey – Wilderness Training Across Colorado

Our land is split between two gems. The Mountain Camp at 9500 feet is nestled in a valley with whispering pines, rock formations, a thousand acres of high-country soul. You’ll feel the altitude in your bones, but the views, sunset blazing across the ridges, make it worth it. Then there’s the canyon reach at the Chapman Ranch, 4500 acres at 7500 feet, 30 minutes away. It’s a different beast: a vast, untamed expanse where willows and scrub oak cling to a rocky canyon, sliced by a mountain stream teeming with different resources. More rugged and remote than the Mountain Camp, it’s gorgeous, brutal, and teaches you something unique. Two realms of relentless beauty, each a gauntlet thrown down by the wild.

You’ll bounce between them, soaking in the contrast. Up high, it’s about battling the cooler, thin air. Down below, it’s heat and wide-open space, a landscape that dares you to harness the stream’s bounty and carve out your place. It’s like two classrooms, each with its own lessons, and you get the best of both. I’ve had students say the switch kept them sharp, forced them to adapt. That’s the goal: versatility, readiness, a mind that bends but doesn’t break. A duality that hones you into a blade of resilience.

The Long Haul – 50 Days of Wilderness Immersion

Fifty days isn’t a weekend jaunt. It’s a marathon, and we ask you to run it full out. No slipping off to town for a burger or a bed. You bring your food, cook it over the fire, live the life. We haul in fresh drinking water to keep you alive, you’ve got solar showers or the wild stream to scrub off the day’s grit, and brief resupply breaks to reload, but the whole point is to stay locked into this raw, untamed rhythm. Your hands get rough, your legs ache, your mind stretches to fit the days. It’s hard, no question. But that’s where the transformation happens. Where the relentless pulse of the wild remakes you from the inside out.

The final stretch is the crucible. Scenarios that test everything, lost hiker, broken gear, no food. It’s controlled, but it feels real, and you rise to it. I’ve seen people who couldn’t tie a knot on day one orchestrate a full rescue by day 50. It’s not about being perfect; it’s about showing up. When it’s over, you’re not just tired, you’re reborn. Your nervous system resets, your perspective shifts, and you walk away with a clarity that’s rare as hell in this world. A clarity forged in the fire of the untamed, a vision that pierces through the noise of life.

The Call Is Yours – Step Into Your Wilderness Journey

I’ve poured my blood, sweat, and soul into this program because I’ve witnessed its power, lives reshaped, spirits ignited, limits shattered. This isn’t about scraping by; it’s about seizing the wild and forging a version of yourself that nothing can break. Up in the mountains, down in the canyon’s roar, deep in your own gut, you’ll find what you’re made of. We’re ready, waiting on this savage Colorado frontier, 50 days that’ll rip you open and build you back stronger. I’ll be there, tarp in hand, grinning as we charge into it together. So step up, grab this chance, and let’s make it epic, what do you say? This is your shot at greatness, your summons to the wild’s unyielding embrace. Answer it now, with fire in your veins and the howl of the wilderness in your ears.

Spots are limited. This is your moment.