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Wilderness Skill Instruction

This is where curiosity meets confidence. Choose from scheduled workshops or request private instruction focused on the wilderness skills you want to learn—or refine. Whether you’re brand new to the outdoors or looking to level up, our instruction is practical, supportive, and designed to build real-world confidence.

Popular skills include: navigation; food, water and waste management; basic camping and backpacking skills and systems; personal hygiene in the backcountry; personal safety; Leave No Trace principles and Wilderness First Aid.

We offer scheduled workshops and overnight experiences that give you the chance to learn, practice, and apply skills like backpacking and hammock camping in a supportive, small-group setting. Scroll down to explore what’s currently available. More workshops and new dates are always just around the next bend. Check back here, follow our blog, or join us on social media to see what’s coming up next.

Don’t see the skill—or the timing—you’re looking for? We’re happy to create a custom instructional session with hands-on practice, just for you. Simply complete our Contact Form and tell us what you’d like to learn.

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Backpacking 101 - Basics

Get trail-ready with this fun, full-day workshop! We’ll walk you through essential gear, show you how to pack your backpack, let you sample backpacking meals, and cover the basics—navigation, water filtration, campsite setup, food prep, hygiene, safety, and trip planning.

This course is the prerequisite for our Backpacking 101 Weekends (though your guide can waive it if you’re already experienced).

Come learn the skills you need for a thru-hike or a weekend adventure!

Date: March 21, 2026

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Click HERE for booking page.

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Backpacking 101 - Basics for Women

Spend an action-packed day with Goldilocks dialing in gear, food, navigation, water, safety, and camp skills—hands-on, high-energy, and built to boost confidence. Required for Backpacking 101 Weekends (waiver possible).

Who This Is For
Women ready to step up, take space on the trail, and build real backcountry skills alongside other adventurous women. Whether you’re dreaming of your first overnight or leveling up for bigger miles, this is your launchpad.

Date: April 11, 2026

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Click HERE for booking page.

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Navigation Skills

Master the essential survival skill of finding your way without a cell signal. This hands-on workshop moves beyond basic map reading to teach you terrain recognition, topographic map interpretation, and course plotting. Learn to integrate digital tools like inReach with traditional compass skills to plan and travel with total confidence.

What You’ll Learn:

  • Map and compass fundamentals

  • Terrain and landscape orientation

  • Creating trip itineraries

  • Using satellite and digital mapping tools effectively

Upcoming Dates:

  • Intro Session: April 26 (Lone Pine Day Event, Front Royal)

  • Full-Day Workshops: May 17, June 16, and July 11

  • Click HERE for booking page.

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