Standard Class

STANDARD CLASS
August 2-8, 2026
Location: Joseph Citta Boy Scout Camp
Prerequisite: None
The Standard class teaches the basics needed in any survival situation—whether the situation is a self-imposed survival outing or one borne of necessity. At the Tracker School we are moving toward the ultimate self-reliance—being able to survive in the wilderness (or in the city or during an environmental disaster) with nothing more than our mind, our heart, and our skills. As these teachings are embraced, there is a confidence which emerges, knowing that in an increasing variety of circumstances, we can help ourselves and our loved ones not only survive, but thrive.
We follow the sacred order of survival: shelter, water, fire, food. This is a general order that we need to survive, but it is not written in stone. There may be times when fire or water are more important than shelter, at least in the short term. In this class you will learn more about the sacred order of survival.
It is a very intense week, with long days of lecture and hands-on experiential learning. A few of the many things we will teach:
Shelter: the debris hut and several advanced shelters.
Water: what to look for when finding water, purification techniques, unusual sources of pure water like the solar still.
Fire: a bow drill kit is made by each student, learning to make a fire without matches or flint & steel; hand drill and other fire-making techniques will also be taught, as well as types of fire structures.
Food: edible plant identification, trapping, throwing sticks, primitive cooking.
Tracking: following and understanding tracks, sign tracking, pressure release studies.
Supporting skills: Camouflage. Stone tool making. Knife safety. Stalking. Cordage. Uplifting awareness which is an underpinning to all these skills.
The Standard class also provides a common vocabulary and a consistent understanding of the foundation for all of Tom’s teachings. It is a prerequisite for some advanced classes.
Expect long days, intense teaching, hands-on experiential learning, and a lot of fun and camaraderie as you learn these skills with fellow students. You will emerge armed with survival skills and imbued with a strength of knowledge and wisdom which leads to a greater confidence in all you do.
“Learning wilderness survival, then, is not only an insurance policy, but a way of getting back in touch with your roots. It can be an adventure in which you discover not only how to survive, but how to live well—whether your home is an Alaskan bush cabin or a New York apartment house. At its best, a survival situation will heighten your senses and enhance your abilities. Through necessity you will discover you can do things you never dreamed you could do. And a particularly high moments, you will feel not only your connection to the earth, but the flow of the spirit-that-moves-in-all-things. If you can open your heart to the wisdom of the universe, you will come to know that man, animals, trees, rocks, rivers, and skies all speak a common tongue. Sensing this, you cannot help but care more for the earth and all its creatures.” —Tom Brown, Jr., from Tom Brown’s Field Guide to Wilderness Survival.