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The Survival University offers our community of outdoor adventurers a robust library of training material through our Survival Blog. We believe in passing on our knowledge to empower students with a wealth of information that we find relevant to learning.
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What Survival Training Can Teach Us and What It Cannot Promise
Remembering Kaden Matsuda and Jackson Donlon while exploring what wilderness survival training can offer, why preparation has limits, and how awareness, equipment, and judgment shape our options in Colorado’s mountains.
The Most Dangerous Words in Wilderness Survival Are “We’ve Come This Far”
The time, money, and effort you put into a trip can make changing your plans feel like failure. Jason Marsteiner explains how the sunk cost fallacy affects wilderness decisions, how to recognize when a plan is failing, and how to choose a safer way home.
What’s Growing Out There – Usnea (Old Man’s Beard)
That pale beard hanging from a branch has a story worth slowing down for. Meet Colorado’s Usnea lichens, learn the central cord clue and common lookalikes, and explore tinder, traditional uses, forest ecology, and the limits of their medicinal reputation.
Tragedy in the Enchantments: Sybil Claborn’s Story and the Lessons We Can Learn
Published: October 19, 2026 On September 13, 2026, Sybil and Justin Claborn found themselves stranded in Washington’s Cascade Mountains as a powerful storm swept through…
Water Purification Tablets: How They Work and When You Still Need a Filter
Water purification tablets are small enough to forget in your pack, but using them takes more than dropping one into a bottle. Learn how iodine, chlorine, and chlorine dioxide differ, why treatment times vary, and how to build a practical water plan for the backcountry.
What’s Growing Out There – Dandelion
The flower your HOA wants gone might belong on your plate. Learn to identify and harvest dandelions, cook tender greens and campfire fritters, and brew flowers, leaves, and roasted roots, with practical safety advice and a little time left for blowing wishes into the breeze.
Survival vs. Bushcraft: Same Woods, Different Mission
A carved stake and a broken stick can hold up the same tarp. Jason Marsteiner explains how survival and bushcraft share a toolbox, why urgency changes the job, and how practicing both builds practical outdoor capability.
Why People Struggle to Start a Survival Fire
A lighter and a pile of sticks do not guarantee a survival fire. Jason Marsteiner explains the mistakes he sees in class, from skipping tiny fuel to smothering baby flames, and how preparation and practice build a fire that stays lit.
Mount Katahdin, Hypothermia, and What “Everything I Could” Means
Bert Goris’s death on Mount Katahdin raises lessons about hypothermia, weather, exposed terrain, and preparedness. Jason Marsteiner examines how training expands what “everything I could” means without judging the hikers who tried to help.
Grand Canyon Flash Flood: What Happened and Lessons for Hikers
The August 2026 Grand Canyon flash flood exposes the limits of familiar campsites, warning systems, and last-minute escape plans. Jason Marsteiner’s original analysis is followed by verified updates, practical safety lessons, and a remembrance of John Giusti, Brent Rosenkranz, and Timothy Allen Smith.
Should You Follow a River If You Get Lost Hiking?
Following a river can feel like a way out when you are lost, but downstream does not guarantee a safe route or nearby help. Learn how to assess terrain, crossings, weather, daylight and your remaining energy, and when a mapped waterway can actually help you navigate.
Black Bears, Brown Bears, and the Problem With “Rules” in Bear Country
Bear advice is often reduced to simple rules, but real encounters are rarely that clean. This article breaks down the difference between black bears and grizzlies, how defensive and predatory behavior change the response, and why tools like bear spray only help when they are carried, practiced, and understood. It also covers cubs, seasonal behavior, wind, terrain, bear sign, dogs, and the common mistakes people make when fear takes over.