Ancient Pathways, LLC offers our Traditional Skills Semester program which is an immersion into Native American cultures, Southwest Archeology, Wilderness Survival, and Bushcraft skills.
Return to Home - Southwest Semester Outdoor Survival Course
 
About Ancient Pathways - Outdoor Survival and Wilderness Skills Instruction.
 
Semester Syllabus - A Breakdown of Survival Skills you will Learn.
 
Course Schedule - A weekly breakdown of outdoor survival skills and programs you will experience.
 
Course FAQ's - Answers to all of your questions concerning our Outdoor Survival Semester Program.
 
Program Application - Fill out the following form to register for our Outdoor Semester Program.
 
Apprenticeship Program - Learn the indepth skills of Outdoor Survival.
 
Northern Arizona - Learn about the Outdoor environment of our survival skills classroom.
 
Contact Information for Ancient Pathways - Outdoor Survival Programs.
 
Ancient Pathways - Click here to view out main website full of outdoor survival courses and wilderness programs.
 

FAQ's

Who can apply and what does it cost? 
The Southwest Semester Program is open to participants over the age of eighteen. No previous experience in the outdoors is necessary. Whether you are a veteran outdoor explorer or novice, you can benefit from our program. You do need to be physically fit and be prepared to work hard on daily living skills. The program is limited to 8 students and costs $5,600 which includes meals, teaching materials, rustic lodging, tribal and camping permits, and instruction. Ask about our payment plan information.

Do I have to be working towards a degree or enrolled in a College/University to be part of the Southwest Semester Program? 
The answer is absolutely not. Many students are here just for the unique training that we have to offer and are not concerned with receiving College credit. Some students are finished with College and are augmenting their education with our program, while others are attending our program instead of a traditional College or University.

Where is the program held? 
Our main teaching site is north of Flagstaff in a stunning region overlooking the Painted Desert and Hopi Mesas. On site are three prehistoric ruins and our property backs up to miles of state and federal lands. We are also within a fifteen minute drive of Wupatki National Monument and ninety minutes from Grand Canyon National Park. Our wilderness basecamp is off the grid (no electricity) and consists of a heated workshop and teaching area, cooking and kitchen area, rustic restrooms, shower, and communal campfire. Click here for more information about Northern Arizona. 

Where do I stay? 
Accommodations are intentionally rustic to keep with the spirit of the lifestyle and traditional skills we are learning. Students have the option of sleeping in a natural shelter of their design or using their own tent. Being a university town, student housing (not included in price) is also available in Flagstaff, a forty minute drive from our basecamp.

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Do I need a car?
Our fieldstation is located about 30 miles north of Flagstaff in a wilderness region. You need to consider how long you can be comfortable in one spot with limited transportation. There will always be food, water, and plenty of projects to work on at camp and we keep a tight schedule so there won't be long periods of down time. You might be ok on only a bicycle and many students carpool to town on their days off. 

What if I want to buy groceries, check email, or do laundry? 
Flagstaff is a 40 minute drive from our basecamp. It is a college town of 65,000 with all the amenities and features of a big-city but with a small-town atmosphere. Flagstaff was also voted the 9th best college town by Outside magazine (September 2003). Click here to learn more about Flagstaff.

What is the food like? 
We receive high marks from our students concerning the campfire meals and traditional cookery they experience. Being able to eat well in the wilds is a seemingly forgotten skill and we spend each day working on this enjoyable art form- no freeze-dried meals here! Each student starts out learning the basics of food prep in the wilderness and progresses over the semester to making delicious Dutch-oven casseroles, bread, pizza, and our famous peach-cobbler. You will also learn the primitive methods of baking fish in clay, making a steam pit in the ground, cooking in handmade clay pots, and how to forage for and cook tasty wild-plant dishes. And no, you don’t have to eat bugs - unless you choose!

What is the instructional format? 
The instructional format runs Monday through Friday, unless we are out on fieldtrips, with some occasional long weekends. You are also welcome to join us for any of our regularly scheduled courses for the public at no extra charge. Days off can be utilized for practice, rest, or personal excursions. There will be times when students are at basecamp unsupervised such as on days off or in the evenings.  Click here for a weekly review of our course schedule.

Who are the teaching staff? 
The head instructor for the wilderness program is guide and founder Tony Nester. He will be with you from start to finish. In addition, more than a dozen of the most highly respected instructors, craftspeople, archeologists, native teachers, and naturalists from the Southwest will share their expertise and survival skills with you throughout your stay.

Will the experience live up to my expectations?
Many students pursuing traditional skills and the study of native lifeways often come with a romanticized image of how that life is supposed to look and feel. That’s okay. Just keep in mind that we will be using modern tools, driving in vans on our fieldtrips away from camp, spending time with tribal elders who live in houses, visiting Flagstaff on occasion for lectures, and interfacing with the modern world periodically. Keep your expectations realistic and you may discover opportunities you never even thought of.

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