Adult Program Logistics for Training Camps

• Logistical Details for Training Camp Weeks:
• Costs & Refund Policy;
• Transportation Choices & Daily Camp Schedule, including optional Saturday night stayovers;
• How to Prepare & What to Pack
• Camp Agreements
• Recommended Resources

Click Here to Go Back to the Index of Adult Camps.

Logistics, Health & Safety: We don’t rely on novice instructors to lead programs, because of course, the skills we teach require great experience. Our highly seasoned, dynamic instructors are the best, and we place the physical, emotional, mental and spiritual health of our students as our top priority. We have always maintained an intimate 6-1 or smaller student-instructor ratio, and we facilitate excellent organic and wild edible meals utilizing local farms and co-ops. All camps weeks are co-ed. Participants may freely call home as much as they need during the time they are with us. Register for as many weeks as you like!

Print out an Application Form which has the whole schedule listed, and send it in the mail with your deposit; or Email or call us at 425-248-0253 with questions.

Non-Credit Tuition: The camp week starts with Sunday dinner and goes through Friday dinner, with an optional $50 stayover through Saturday brunch especially for those needing complimentary airport/bus/train trainsportation. Tuition for Adults: The cost per week is $525 if you register by March 20th, 2010, or $550 if you register by June 10th, 2010, or $575 thereafter. Cumulative discounts of $25 are given per additional family member, and $25 cumulative discounts for additional camp weeks, and $50 off for referring any new family who registers someone for camp, with the minimum price per week bottoming out at $475. You retain your original rate if adding extra camp weeks at a later date (if space remains available) so be sure to send in that initial registration for at least one camp week asap! $200 per week per participant deposit is required to hold your spot, and campers may apply for as many weeks of the summer as they like. Airport/bus/train pick-up and drop-off is complimentary for adults. Credit: If you would like to apply for credit through an accreditaded college, we will facilitate that, although there will be extra fees through the college you choose. We are currently going through a multi-year accreditation process ourselves and hope to offer credit directly in the future.

Our refund policy is written just above where you sign your registration form. It reads that if we cannot accept your registration due to closed enrollment or other reason during the application process, you will receive a full refund on deposits. Otherwise, deposits are not refundable. If you need to cancel after making further payment, you may receive a credit for a future program, minus a 25% administration fee of your total payments, in case of emergency. Of course, you will receive a full refund if the program you sign up for is canceled and not rescheduled at a time you can attend. Participants may be asked to leave at any time for inappropriate behavior or unresolvable match to camp, and no refund (nor credit necessarily) will be given for the portion of the program which is missed.

See our Merit Scholarships, Financial Aid & Giving page to learn how campers can raise money for paying their own way to camp, and how to get financial aid if needed. Our refund policy is written just above where you sign your registration form. It reads that if we cannot accept your registration due to closed enrollment or other reason during the application process, you will receive a full refund on deposits. Otherwise, deposits are not refundable. If you need to cancel after making further payment, you may receive a credit for a future program, minus a 25% administration fee of your total payments, in case of emergency. Of course, you will receive a full refund if the program you sign up for is canceled and not rescheduled at a time you can attend. Participants may be asked to leave at any time for inappropriate behavior or unresolvable match to camp, and no refund (nor credit necessarily) will be given for the portion of the program which is missed.

Camp Schedule & Transportation:

CHECK EACH INDIVIDUAL WEEK FOR ITS RENDEZVOUS LOCATION. Or check our Driving Directions Page for a list of camp rendezvous locations, or call / email us with all the details.

Every week starts on Sunday Friday dinner, with optional $50 stayover (or $100 for minors) to Saturday. After initial introductions, we'll eat between 5:00-5:30 and then give an overview of the week between 5:30-6:00, including detailed information on our trip itinerary for the week, after which any accompanying friends/family are free to go. From 6:00-6:30 we run ice-breakers, followed from 6:30-7:00 by a review of our agreements and adding any special rules especially concerning van safety and other issues.

We also provide pick-up and drop-off at SeaTac Int'l Airport, as well as the ferry, bus and train stations in Seattle and Tacoma/Puyallup. There is a $25 per family airport/bus/train pickup fee and a $25 per family drop-off fee. (Pick-up at baggage claim unless unaccompanied minor, then at gate. Drop-off at security unless unaccopanied minor, then at gate.) If flying or taking a train, ferry, or bus, book your arrival on Sunday between 1:30-2:30 if at all possible. Book your departure on Saturday between 1:30-2:30 if possible.

Mon-Fri: Morning wake-up, stretches, washing, and breakfast vary slightly depending on previous evening activities, but if all was quiet by 10:00 p.m. we would awake at 7:00, do warm-ups from 7:30-8:00, and have breakfast from 8:00-9:00 ... 9:00-12:00 is the morning session. 12:00-1:00 is lunch, and 1:00-2:00 is usually swimming time. 2:00-5:00 is the afternoon session. 5:00-6:00 is dinner, and 6:00-7:00 is usually personal time. Evening sessions begin at 7:00, and bedtime varies according to the activity and the time of sunset.

Pick Up: We'll pack up from our camp location and drive back to the same place we started. For pick-up, family/friends meet us back at the orignial rendezvous point, bringing a pot-luck dish to share between 5:30-6:00 to enjoy presentations from 6:00-7:00 It is critical for local family members and friends to arrive by 6:30 at the latest and stay all the way until 7:00 in order for all those who participated to experience a healthy integration of these incredibly unique experiences back into their home lives.

Optional Saturday Night Stayovers cost $50: (or $100 for minors) If you cannot possibly attend the Friday pot-luck, or if you are flying out on Saturday, then you may stay over Friday night at our home office in Puyallup. Pick-up is at 12:00 noon, and drop-off at the airport or train/bus/ferry terminals is at 12:30 p.m.

Packing & Preparing for Camp:

After registering, we will send you a detailed program description, with directions on how to prepare. For week-long camps, we will also send a questionnaire for new campers to complete. It will include health history questions and other information that are designed to ensure that the program for which you apply is the best choice for you.

Lost & Found Policy: If you leave it at camp, it will be picked up by charity unless you pick it up on a weekend before we move our office down to the South Sound region in the fall. We won’t have staff to package and send home forgotten items. Again, to help avoid loosing things, please put your name on every item you bring, bring only what you need, and as explained above, leave all electronic devises and other distractions at home.

Agreements for Participation

Agree to honor the experience as a safe haven for every person – physically and emotionally. This means encouraging others to rise to the challenge in every group activity, watching out for the physical and emotional safety of every person, and respecting the personal boundaries of others in camp, including bodies, belongings, and behavior that others may or may not witness.

If unclear or uncomfortable about sleeping, dressing, and bathroom situations after your initial camp orientation, be sure to discuss it with a lead camp instructor. Also, make sure a responsible party always knows where you are going, especially if you walk into the woods, go down to the water, or leave Wolf Camp property.

Ghost stories, jokes, or comments which are derogatory toward others or toward sacred themes such as bodily function, are discouraged since we have a diversity of participants with varied sensitivities. Also, all participants agree to discuss only age-appropriate themes and behaviors around younger campers without adult supervision. Asking permission is always the best policy.

Drugs, including alcohol, are not allowed at Wolf Camp - not even in private vehicles, and tobacco may only be used in areas that are out of smell of others. In addition, please don’t consume or improperly handle any plant that you don't know 100% that it won't cause illness or poisoning. Further, due to the mixed ages and genders at camp, all participants should refrain from any kind of sexual activity anywhere on the property in case of accidental (visual or audial) exposure to others, and simply to keep the focus where it is meant to be while here at camp: on the subjects that we teach.

Pets must be kept on leash or in your vehicle at all times due to the abundance of wild and domestic animals here. Children must remain within the designated boundaries and under the direct supervision of a permitted parent or instructor. They can only enter water under strict supervision of their own parent or an instructor 21 years of age or older with lifeguard training.

Please note that you may be asked to sign an additional liabilty release form with all the rules of the Wolf Camp or other property being utilized during camp. Finally, please take all garbage home with you to recycle after camp, and in fact, please pick up any litter you see, and separate it into garbage or recycling or compost.

Print out an Application Form which has the whole schedule listed, and send it in the mail with your deposit; or Email or call us at 425-248-0253 with questions; or go Back to the Index of Training Camps.

Packing & Preparing for Camp:

We recommend bringing, only if you already have them and don’t mind them getting used harshly, the following Field Guides, as any others either give unsafe, or too incomplete, information, or can be perfectly well substituted for the following cost-effective guides:

Plants of the Pacific Northwest Coast (or canadian equivalent with similar title referencing coastal british columbia, edited by Pojar & McKinnan and published by Lone Pine) will be our primary resource for Survival, Herbal, Alpine Quest & Art weeks.

Plants of Interior British Columbia (or american equivalent with similar title referencing the rocky mountains, edited by Kershaw, Pojar & McKinnan and published by Lone Pine) will be our primary resource for the Artisanry & Scout week this year.

Mammal Tracking in North America by James Halfpenny & Elizabeth Biesiot is the most accurate, easy-to-use tracking guide, and it will be our primary resource for our Tracking week.

Birds of North America: A Guide to Field Identification (A Golden Guide from St. Martin's Press) is the cheapest, easiest-to-use accurate birding guide, if you get the soft cover version, and it will be our secondary resource for Artisanry, Scout, Tracking, Herbal, Alpine Quest, Survival & Art weeks

Botany in a Day – the Patterns Method of Plant Identification – Herbal Field Guide to Plant Families of North America by Thomas J. Elpel will be our secondary resource for Herbal & Art weeks.

Ecology Of Western Forests (Peterson Field Guide) by Kricher & Morrison, is the cheapest, easiest, best “everything” reference guide, and it will be a secondary resource for all our camp weeks, but of particular use during Artisanry, Scout, Tracking, Herbal, and Alpine Quest weeks.

ADDITIONAL RECOMMENDED RESOURCES DEPENDING ON THE SUBJECTS YOU WISH TO STUDY:

SUSTAINABLE PIONEERING
Bring shovels, rubber boots, wheel barrows, garden tools, work gloves, trimmer/cutters, and old seeds/starts.
Gaia’s Garden: A Guide to Home-Scale Permaculture by Toby Hemenway & John Todd
Introduction to Permaculture by Bill Mollison, for larger permaculture designs
The Foxfire Book series in many volumes
The Earth Manual (Heyday Books, Berkeley) by Malcolm Margolin
The Man Who Planted Trees by Jean Giono

OUTDOOR MENTOR FACILITATION TRAINING
Building United Judgement, and A Manual for Group Facilitators, (The Fellowship for Intentional Community) by the Center for Conflict Resolution
Rediscovery - Ancient Pathways - New Directions by Thom Henley
Tom Brown's Field Guide to Nature and Survival for Children (Berkley)
How to Shit in the Woods (Ten Speed Press) by Kathleen Meyer
The Stars by H.E. Rey, or (Peterson’s) Skies, or A New Way To See Stars
The Great Floods (documentary in cooperation with Coulee Dam National Rec Area Nat'l Park Service) produced by Washington State University.
Drawing from the Book of Nature (Rudolf Steiner College Press)

WILDERNESS FIRST AID & WATER SITE MANAGEMENT & RESCUE TRAINING
Lifeguard Training by the American Camping Association
Tracker by Joel Hardin available from www.j hardin-inc.com
Tracking: A Bluepring for Learning How by Jack Kearney (Pathways) for human tracking
Three Days at the River documentary by Thomas J. Elpel available from www.hollowtop.com
Order from Paul Nicolazzo at www.wildmedcenter.com:
Art & Technique of Wilderness Medicine
Wilderness Medicine Handbook
Case Studies in Wilderness Medicine
Weatherproof Patient SOAP Notes
Effective Outdoor Program Design & Management
Site Management Handbook
Also, please cut up 2 old shirts to make 2 rolls of webbing
2 sets of in-tact pants, 2 tee-shirts, and 2 regular shirts which will be stained and cut up during rescue simulations.
If you have a set of ski poles, please, please bring them.
If you have a tarp that is 8x10 feet or somewhat larger, please bring it.

EARTH SKILLS UNDERSTANDING
Waterlily (University of Nebraska Press) by Ella Cara Deloria.
Watch for Me on the Mountain (historical fiction about Geronimo) by Forrest Carter.
The Song of Hiawatha by by Henry Wadsworth Longellow (version by Bounty is beautiful).
Lighting the 7th Fire (documentary from Upstream Productions) by Sandra Osawa.
The Peacemaker's Journey (cassette from wildernessawareness.org/tapeindex.html) with Jake Swamp.
Nanook of the North (documentary now produced by Reel Enterprises) directed by Robert Flaherty.
The Great Dance: A Hunter's Story (an Aardvark / Earthrise / Liquid Pictures / Off the Fence film co-produced with KirchMedia, e.tv, and Primedia Pictures in association with WIMSA) directed by Craig Foster and Damon Foster, produced by Ellen Windemuth and James Hersov, featuring !Nqate Xqamxebe, Karaho "Pro" Langwane, XlhoaseXlhokhne, The !Xo, Xwikwe and Nharo people, edited by Damon Foster, written by Jeremy Evans, music by Barry Donnelly.
Rabbit-Proof Fence (movie by Miramax Films about Molly Craig and her family) based on the book by Doris Pilkington Garimara.
I Heard the Owl Call My Name (movie by Tomorrow Entertainment) based on the book by Margaret Craven.

WILDLIFE TRACKING & BIRDING SEMINARS
Monday, Sept. 5, 09:00 - Friday, Sept. 9, 17:00 at Wolf Camp on Animal Tracks & Surveying with Chris
Small Binoculars, waterproof hiking boots, a watch, and a bird song recording devise if possible.
Flashlights that send out smooth beam (no dark spots in the middle - bring extra batteries)
Palm pilot with cybertracking software if you have been previously trained to use it.
Natural colored clothes of browns and greens that you can camouflage and paint, and a watch.
Camouflage patterned clothing is fine if you have it, but it is not necessary.
Bird Tracks & Sign: A Guide to North American Species (Stackpole) by Mark Elbroch
Mammal Tracks & Sign: A Guide to North American Species (Stackpole) by Mark Elbroch
Mammals of the Pacific Northwest by Chris Maser
Skulls and Bones by Glenn Searfoss (Stackpole)
Advanced Bird Language cassettes by Jon Young (www.natureoutlet.com).,
Stokes Field Guide to Bird Songs compact disks (Time Warner), or Audoban’s or Peterson's Western Bird Songs CD
A Field Guide to North American Birds (Golden Guide)
A Field Guide to Mammal Tracking in North America (Johnson Books) by James Halfpenny
Tracking and the Art of Seeing (Berkley) by Paul Rezendes
Peterson’s Birding by Ear (Houghton-Mifflin) cassettes, and the books Bird Eggs and Bird Nests
Sibly's Guide to Bird Behavior or the The Birder's Handbook
Three Among the Wolves (Sasquatch Books) by Helen Thayer

HERBALISM SEMINARS
Botany in a Day: Tomas J. Elpel's Herbal Field Guide to Plant Families (HOPS Press)
Plants of the Pacific Northwest Coast (Lone Pine) or Plants of the British Columbia Interior (Lone Pine)
Peterson’s Medicinal Plants and Edible Wild Plants (Huoughton Mifflin) for Western North America
(Peterson’s) Poisonous Plants, both published by Houghton Mifflin
Medicinal Plants of the Pacific West by Michael Moore
Healing Wise by Susun S. Weed, and Primitive Cooking (Wood moke) video available through hollowtop.com
Billy Joe Tatum's Wild Foods Field Guide and Cookbook and The Eat-A-Bug Cookbook by David George Gordon
Pacific Seaweeds by Louis Druehl
Northwest Trees (The Mountaineers)

WILDERNESS SURVIVAL & PRIMITIVE LIVING
Clothing that can get extremely soiled, and waterproof hiking boots.
Any primitive tools or crafts that you have made in the past which would be helpful on your trek.
Outdoor Survival Skills by Larry Dean Olsen
Indian Fishing: Early Methods on the Northwest Coast by Hilary Stewart, and her book Cedar
Primitive Technology – A Book of Earth Skills (Gibbs Smith, Publisher)
Bulletin of Primitive Technology, back issues from PO Box 3226, Flagstaff, AZ 86003
Scout Handbook by Baden Powell, and Outdoor Skills Instruction - Survival (Boy Scouts of America)
My Side of the Mountain by Jean Craighead George (Puffin/Penguin)
Hatchet and Winter Dance by Gary Paulson (Doubleday)

PRIMITIVE HUNTING & FISHING CAMPS
Self-bow and arrows, throwing sticks, at-latl darts, fishing spears and other hunting crafts you have made.
Hunting knives, clubs, scrapers, and other animal processing tools you have made.
Natural colored, quiet, cold/wet weather clothing you can camouflage and paint, and waterproof hiking boots.
Camouflage patterned clothing is fine if you have it, but it is not necessary.
The Indian Hunters by R. Stephen Irwin (Hancock House)
Bows & Arrows of the Native Americans by Jim Hamm (Lyons & Burford)
Primitive Bow & Arrow (Prarie Wolf) video on dry scrape found through hollowtop.com
Traps (Hoods Woods) video found through hollowtop.com
Indian Fishing: Early Methods on the Northwest Coast by Hilary Stewart, and her book Cedar
Primitive Technology II – Ancestral Skills (Gibbs Smith, Publisher) ed. David Wescott
Bush Craft: Outdoor Skills and Wilderness Survival by Mors Kochanski
Scout Handbook by Baden Powell

SKILLS OF THE PRIMITIVE ARTISAN
Clothing that can get extremely soiled.
Knappable stone and knapping tools. Scraper (good one available from hollowtop.com) or other tools you made.
Raw materials such as seasoned woods, hides, and well preserved animal parts.
Buckskin - The Ancient Art of Braintanning by Steven Edholm & Tamara Wilder
Deerskins Into Buckskins by Matt Richards
Blue Mountain Buckskin by Jim Riggs
Complete Brain Tanner by Brent Ladd video found at hollowtop.com
Primitive Technology – A Book of Earth Skills (Gibbs Smith, Publisher) ed. David Wescott
Earth Knack - Stone Age Skills for the 21st Century by Robin Blankenship
Flintknapping - The Art of Making Stone Tools by Paul Hellweg
The Art of Flint Knapping (Mound Builder) video found through hollowtop.com

Overnight Camps Essay on Packing

The most important thing for you to do is to sleep well the night prior to camp and eat a healthy breakfast the day camp starts. Remember, we will be camping primitively, so set your expectations appropriately. As for what to bring, if you cannot attain all of the required items, or if you have a favorite item you want, even though we haven't mentioned it, or advised against it, or provide it for you, simply advise us before camp starts. We always have extra to share. Otherwise, the items on this page are things you'll need to bring to camp to help ensure that everyone is comfortable.

Health History: If it’s not too time-consuming to find, please bring the results from your most recent physical exam to place into your file upon check-in on the first day of camp. A very recent physical is not required as long as you were forthcoming when you filled out the health history form (which was part of your registration form), but a physical is recommended if you have not had one in the past year. Please tell your doctor your plans for coming to camp, and the activities involved.

You need to be able to easily carry and pack all gear (with your name printed on everything) in a large backpack (no need to spend $100 dollars unless your family plans to use it over the years, then definitely spend that much, but for budgeting, simply get the cheapest large backpack you can find, though preferably internal-framed, and check the strength of the zippers and shoulder straps in the store by pulling hard on them, or take it home and re-enforce the straps if you know how to sew) organizing the following items inside, or securing things like the sleeping pad to the outside (with straps; not using bungie cords which are very hazardous):

Wolf Camp in Summer: Kids Day Camps all over Western Wa Overnight Youth Camps in Washington State School Year Programs School Break Camps travel to Wa, Ca, Wi, La Custom Programs - Schools, Groups, Families, Camps Wolf Journey Classes all over Western WA: 1-3 pm Homeschoolers; 4-6 pm Afterschoolers

Adult Program Logistics for Training Camps

Overnight Camps Essay on Packing