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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.
Check out the drop-down menu above to find your particular area of interest.
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.
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.
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.
What To Do If You Get Lost While Hiking: The First 10 Minutes That Matter Most
Many wilderness situations begin quietly, with a small moment when something about the terrain no longer feels right. This article explains what to do during the first 10 minutes after realizing you might be lost and how simple decisions during that moment can prevent a small navigation mistake from becoming a much bigger problem. By slowing down, observing the terrain, and making deliberate choices, hikers can often regain control of the situation quickly.
Why Most Internet Survival Hacks Don’t Work
Internet survival hacks are everywhere online, promising clever tricks that supposedly make wilderness living easier. The problem is that many of these ideas are designed for attention, not real world conditions. In this article we take a closer look at several popular hacks and explain why simple, well tested methods almost always work better.
How Survival Skills Build Leadership and Real World Decision Making
Survival skills are not just about building fire or navigating terrain. They reveal how you respond under pressure, how you make decisions when conditions shift, and how you correct mistakes before they compound. In the woods, leadership is tested quietly and honestly.
Why Hiking Groups Fail Long Before Something Goes Wrong
Most group failures in the backcountry do not start with a single bad decision. They begin much earlier, when communication, alignment, and shared responsibility quietly break down. This piece examines why hiking groups fail long before something goes wrong, and how those patterns can be prevented.