Wilderness Survival & Junior Ranger Skills

Scout skills without the bureaucracy: navigation, tracking, shelter and first aid, on real ground.

Booking now
Each session2 hr 30 min a session
How oftenOnce a week
Cohort10–15 per cohort
SeasonYear-round · a new cohort starts each month

What you leave with

A Livabit Junior Ranger badge, earned on a practical gauntlet rather than handed out

Practical outdoor survival, nature literacy and stewardship for 8- to 14-year-olds, modelled on traditional scout skills and stripped of the paperwork. The undeveloped terrain does most of the teaching.

Children are dropped off. A certified wilderness first responder is on site, the ratio is one adult to six children, and a parental liability waiver is signed before the first session.

What makes this one worth it

  • The Trail Navigator — Wayfinding & Orientation
  • Native Tracker — Flora, Fauna & Wildlife Safety
  • Bushcraft & Emergency Shelter Building
  • Wilderness First Aid & Ranger Challenge

What is included

  • All 4 sessions of the 4-week cohort — 10 hours of instruction
  • A place held for you for the whole run, in a cohort of 10–15
  • Every piece of equipment listed below, provided on the day
  • Your instructor, and their attention in a group this size

What to bring

  • Water, and something to eat if you want it
  • Nothing else — the kit is provided

How it runs

Once a week · 2 hr 30 min a session

Frequency
1x / week — Saturday 9:00 AM – 11:30 AM
Session length
2 hr 30 min
Each month
4 sessions, about 10 hours
Cohort size
10 – 15 participants
Where
Open trail, river valley terrain, and outdoor basecamp shelter
Level
Ages 8 – 14
Commitment
Monthly — stay as long as it is worth it

What you cover, in rotation

The group works through these in order and then begins again on fresh ground. Join at whatever stage it is on — nothing here assumes you were there for the last one, and nothing runs out — or drop in for a single session if that is all you can manage.

  1. Stage 1The Trail Navigator — Wayfinding & Orientation
    • Topographic maps, compass bearings, and landmark identification.
    • Navigating by the sun, terrain contours, and wind patterns.
    • A 'find your waypoint' scavenger hunt across safe baseline terrain.
    • Take-home challenge: draw a hand map of your own neighbourhood.
  2. Stage 2Native Tracker — Flora, Fauna & Wildlife Safety
    • Identifying footprints, scat, burrows and bird flight paths.
    • Native medicinal plants, edible berries, poison oak and stinging nettle.
    • Rattlesnake, coyote and bee awareness in Southern California habitats.
    • Casting animal tracks found along the river wash in plaster.
  3. Stage 3Bushcraft & Emergency Shelter Building
    • Square knot, clove hitch, taut-line hitch and bowline.
    • Debris and tarp shelters from fallen branches, tarps and paracord.
    • Watershed dynamics, filtration basics, and solar disinfection.
    • A team shelter build tested against wind and shade criteria.
  4. Stage 4Wilderness First Aid & Ranger Challenge
    • Minor cuts, scrapes, sprains, heat exhaustion, and proper splinting.
    • The seven Leave No Trace principles.
    • The Ranger Gauntlet: a navigation, shelter and knot-tying team course.
    • Junior Ranger badge and certificate presentation.

4 sessions in the cycle, then it begins again on new ground.

Who leads it, and what is provided

Led by Local park rangers or experienced scout leaders, as independent contractors.

Group safety at a 1:6 ratio, skills instruction, and the wilderness first responder duty.

On the table when you arrive

  • Compasses and topographic maps
  • Paracord and tarps
  • Plaster casting kits
  • Basecamp shade canopy

Before you book

Know before you go

  • This is a drop-off experience for ages 8–14
  • One adult to six children, with a wilderness first responder on site
  • A parental liability waiver is signed before the first session

Cancellations and refunds follow our cancellation policy, which is the same for every activity on this site.

When it runs

August 2026

M
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W
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F
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Runs Not running

Sunday 9 August

  • 9amup to 15 guests

Usually runs Sundays.

This is the operator’s schedule, not live seat availability. We check the date with them and come back to you — nothing is booked or paid for here.

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