What To Expect on a CI Course

With any new experience you embark on in life, there are going to be questions about what to expect. The best advice we can offer is to leave your expectations at home so you can be present to your new experience, soak it all in, and enjoy it. Having said that, our courses have some common themes that make them Cottonwood Institute courses:

ESSENTIAL CAMPING SKILLS:

Each course will teach students the essential camping skills they will need to comfortably and competently explore the outdoors. These skills include, but are not limited to: Minimum impact camping, campsite location, modern tents, food and ration planning, outdoor cooking, food hanging, ecologically responsible fires, map and compass, etc.

WILDERNESS SURVIVAL SKILLS:

One of the things that makes the Cottonwood Institute unique is our wilderness survival skills curriculum. These skills include, but are not limited to: Survival scenarios, survival priorities, survival kits, natural shelters, 1-match fires, petroleum cotton ball fires, friction fires, natural cordage, traps and snares. Some courses also teach winter survival skills depending on the season, including: Thermodynamics and heat loss, winter gear and equipment, snowshoeing, quinzhees, emergency snow shelters, avalanche awareness, basic mountaineering and snow travel techniques, etc.

ACTION PROJECTS:

There are many issues facing our environment and it is easy to get overwhelmed by everything and to just want to check out and ignore them. At the Cottonwood Institute, we are extremely positive and optimistic and choose to operate within the cycle of hope! By raising an awareness about environmental issues, looking at the problem from a stakeholder perspective, breaking larger problems into smaller tasks, collaborating with other people, and taking action to address the problem we can make a huge difference in the world. Most courses complete Action Projects to address local environmental issues from fire mitigation to organic gardening to trail maintenance and restoration work. Students also learn how to take what they learn on their course and apply it to their own lives by making small changes to reduce their environmental footprint at home.

SLEEPING ARRANGEMENTS:

We will be camping out during our overnight trips, so you can expect 5 star accommodations provided by mother nature. This includes starry nights, stunning sunsets, wildlife sightings, and many other priceless features. Tents are allowed on most courses, but we encourage students to go low-tech by sleeping under tarps or poncho shelters and staying in the survival shelters they make during their course at least once!

FOOD:

We make every effort to provide delicious, nutritious food during our courses and prefer local and organic choices. Meals may include pita pizzas, burritos, pasta, stirfry, etc. We can accommodate most dietary restrictions, but if you have specific needs, please let us know ahead of time.