Wilderness Survival Path
Explore. Build skills. Become more confident in the outdoors.
Bryant Pond’s Wilderness Survival Path immerses young people in a world of self-reliance, personal growth, and connection to the natural world. Beginning with exploration and discovery for our youngest campers, each program introduces age-appropriate skills and challenges that allow campers to grow more confident and capable in the outdoors.
At the heart of the pathway is Split Rock, a remote campsite nestled among the beech and hemlocks and the traditional home of our Wilderness Survival I and II programs. Removed from the usual routines of everyday life, campers at Split Rock live together as a small outdoor community, learning what it takes to become more self-reliant while developing a deeper awareness and appreciation of the natural world around them.
Skills That Grow with the Camper
Much of the Wilderness Survival Path is built around the Order of Survival—Attitude, Shelter, Fire, Water, and Food. Campers learn through hands-on experiences and community living, with the skills and level of challenge growing as they move through the programs.
Throughout the pathway, campers explore skills such as fire-building, foraging for wild edibles, identifying signs of wildlife, nature awareness, outdoor cooking, tool craft, water purification, and constructing different types of shelters.
But the experience is about more than mastering individual skills. Working together with a small group of peers and outdoor staff, campers learn to rely on one another, solve problems, take on new responsibilities, and become more comfortable outdoors. Along the way, we often see campers develop greater confidence, independence, and appreciation for the natural world.
Find Your Wilderness Adventure
Black Bear Cubs | Ages 7–10
Where wonder and outdoor skills begin.
Designed especially for younger campers, Black Bear Cubs combines exploration, play, and hands-on discovery with an introduction to wilderness survival skills. Campers build forts and simple shelters, explore fire-building, track wildlife, develop nature awareness, and enjoy traditional summer camp activities while staying in the comfort of our bunkhouse.
Wilderness Survival I | Ages 10–13
Learn the skills. Live the experience.
Campers make Split Rock their home for the week as they begin putting wilderness skills into everyday practice. They typically sleep under tarp shelters, prepare most of their meals at the campsite, and develop skills including shelter and fire-building, water purification, tracking, foraging, tool craft, and outdoor cooking.
Wilderness Survival II | Ages 12–14
Go further. Rely on your skills. Take on the next challenge.
Wilderness Survival II builds on the outdoor-living experience with a greater focus on self-reliance, decision-making, and accomplishing more with less. Campers explore more advanced skills including primitive fire-building with a bow drill, foraging, shelter-building, outdoor cooking, navigation, and problem-solving.
Bushcraft | Ages 14–17 | Two-Week Program
Live simply. Build skills. Go deeper into the Maine woods.
The most advanced program in Bryant Pond’s Wilderness Survival Path, Bushcraft gives teens two weeks to deepen their wilderness skills. After developing and strengthening their abilities at a remote base camp, campers put those skills into practice during an off-site, off-grid camping trip.
A Path of Growing Independence
Each program offers its own experience, and campers do not need to complete every program in order to participate. Together, however, they create a pathway that allows young people to take their outdoor skills further as they grow.
Black Bear Cubs begins with wonder, exploration, and introductory skills. Wilderness Survival I introduces the experience of living at Split Rock. Wilderness Survival II places greater emphasis on self-reliance and advanced skills. Bushcraft gives older teens the time and challenge to deepen those abilities through a two-week immersive experience.
At every level, campers are encouraged to try new things, learn from their surroundings, contribute to their camp community, and discover just how capable they can become outdoors.
