SURVIVAL STORE

Collage of people building and resting in primitive shelters in a wooded area during a survival skills workshop.
A-frame primitive shelter built from logs and evergreen branches, partially hidden among dense pine trees in a forest. The structure is camouflaged with natural materials, blending into the surroundings.
A-frame primitive shelter built from logs and evergreen branches, partially hidden among dense pine trees in a forest. The structure is camouflaged with natural materials, blending into the surroundings.
A man stands beside a partially enclosed primitive log shelter built from pine poles and forest debris in a dense pine forest. He is pointing toward the structure, which includes a raised bed area and a fire pit lined with stones.
A man in a green shirt and camouflage hat sits inside a primitive lean-to shelter made of pine logs, observing a raised bed covered with leaves for insulation.
A primitive debris hut shelter made of pine branches and leaves, set in a grove of aspen trees.

Primitive Shelter Building: Emergency Survival Structures & Firecraft

$345.00

Students will learn how to quickly construct highly effective primitive survival shelters, designed to provide reliable protection in a variety of environments and conditions. These structures are intended for rapid deployment during emergency situations, ensuring you have immediate cover against the elements without the expectation of long-term comfort.

Description

Primitive Shelter Building: Emergency Survival Structures & Firecraft

When it comes to survival, shelter is priority one. In extreme conditions, you have just a few hours to get protected—or risk exposure. This hands-on course teaches you how to quickly build primitive emergency shelters using only the natural materials around you and a few simple tools.

This is not a long-term bushcraft building course. This is about fast, efficient, life-saving shelters that can be built on the move in high-stress situations. You’ll learn how to build expedient shelters like lean-tos, debris huts, and thermal-reflective setups that hold up against wind, rain, and cold. We’ll also cover raised bed construction and how to integrate full-length fires for heat and comfort.

You’ll train in essential firecraft and shelter techniques used in real-world survival scenarios, giving you the confidence to stay protected no matter where you find yourself.

What You’ll Learn

  • How to build primitive emergency shelters in under 3 hours

  • Knife safety, batoning wood, and feather sticking for fire-starting

  • Tying key survival knots and using them in shelter construction

  • Building long-term fire lays for continuous warmth

  • Raised bed building to avoid cold ground exposure

  • How to construct and maintain shelters using natural materials in various environments

Course Topics Include

  • Knife use and safety techniques

  • Baton and feather stick techniques for fire prep

  • Primitive lean-to shelter design

  • Debris huts and natural insulation

  • Expedient emergency shelters using only what you can find

  • Long-duration fire management

  • Shelter orientation, wind blocking, and thermal retention

  • Practical knots every survivalist should know

Course Outcomes

By the end of this course, you’ll be able to:

  • Build a functional primitive shelter in any environment

  • Start and maintain a fire using both modern and primitive techniques

  • Use knives safely and effectively for shelter and firecraft tasks

  • Identify and tie essential survival knots—and know when to use them

  • Understand the timing and practicality of different shelter types based on conditions

LENGTH

3 Days / 2 nights

ACCOMMODATIONS

It is highly encouraged for students to stay in the shelters that they build, however, if students do not wish to camp with us, the town of Cripple Creek is a short 15 minute drive from our location and Woodland Park is 30 minutes away. Students will be responsible for making their own reservations with nearby hotels. We do have a central community campfire location with a few designated campsites but mostly offer dispersed camping. Students will be able to drive their car within 100 feet of the main camp and will not have to hike gear for long distances.

  • Shelter Lodging: Students will stay in the shelters that they build during class or in their tent/hammock.
  • Sanitation/Hygiene: A portable restroom and potable water will be provided at the main camp.

FOOD AND WATER REQUIRED

Water will be provided but students will need to bring their own food. We recommend quick field expedient meals such as freeze dried hiking meals or MRE’s. They can quickly be made at our primitive camps and won’t slow down the learning process. However, students may bring any food that they wish to cook over the campfire or on their own personal camp stove.

Food can be purchased locally at nearby facilities. Walmart and several local eateries are within a reasonable driving distance.

SUGGESTED GEAR LIST

We do not provide students with gear unless they have purchased it from us ahead of time. Not much gear is needed for our courses, though good equipment does speed the learning process up greatly! Gear does not have to be purchased from our store to attend the course, but we recommend survival gear of equivalent quality.

  •     Fixed blade knife (Preferably a full tang bushcraft style knife WITHOUT a serrated edge)
  •     Poncho or Rain Gear
  •     Outdoor Clothing and appropriate footwear
  •     Folding hand saw
  •     100’of 550 Paracord
  •     Headlamp and extra batteries
  •     Cooking pot and eating utensils
  •     Single walled metal canteen
  •     Insect Repellent
  •     Sunscreen and sunglasses
  •     Notepad and pencil
  •     Small Backpack

Check Recommended Items List for more details!

If it is still not clear what gear is needed for our survival courses, then we have assembled a complete kit that is still high quality but for a budget friendly price. All the items in this kit were hand selected by our instructors to be the best bushcraft tools on a budget. This survival kit is a useful starter kit that can be used in all of our courses. These are all must have tools at a good price. It’s a great survival kit, bug out kit, go bag, or use it as a solid foundation to build a kit that perfectly fits your needs. With this kit and our training anybody can survive like a king in almost any environment!

NOTE

Due to the different levels of prior experience and knowledge among students in each class, individual outcomes may vary. Weather conditions can also be a factor in changing class content slightly. Nonetheless, our instructors will always endeavor to be as accommodating and consistent as circumstances will allow to ensure students get the best training experience and value for money.

Start Time: 9:00AM

End Time: 5:00PM