SURVIVAL STORE

Students practicing ancestral skills, crafting tools, and moving through rugged terrain during a primitive skills challenge.
Scoped bolt-action rifle leaning on a backpack at the base of a tree in the forest.
A group of people hike through a lush green mountain valley under a clear blue sky.
Primitive fire-starting tools laid on a patterned blanket, including a bow drill set, spindle, and handhold.
A skewer of vegetables and meat roasts over hot campfire coals surrounded by stones in the forest.
Group crossing rocky creek during primitive wilderness trek, surrounded by steep terrain and dense greenery.
Man in hat kneeling to build a primitive fire with kindling and a ring of rocks in a grassy clearing.

Primitive Skills Run: Wilderness Running, Survival & Ancestral Training

$1,195.00

Designed for the hunter or those who carry a bolt-action rifle for survival, this course has a strict focus on practical shooting skills. Students will be given an introduction to ballistics, rifle setup, zeroing options, shooting positions, sling use, and much more. This course is grounded in real-world hunting scenarios and students will learn how to get the most out of their centerfire rifle.

Description

Primitive Skills Run: Ancestral Running & Wilderness Survival in Colorado

A Transformative Experience for Runners, Primitive Skills Enthusiasts, and Nature Seekers

Rediscover running in its most primal form. The Primitive Skills Run is a unique, immersive training experience that blends ancestral running techniques, primitive survival skills, and deep nature connection in the wild backcountry of Colorado.

Led by renowned wilderness expert, ultra-endurance athlete, and mindfulness practitioner Ryan Maguire, this multi-day experience invites you to challenge your physical and mental limits while learning to move through the landscape with the skill, awareness, and intuition of our ancient ancestors.

Who This Course is For

This course is designed for:

  • Trail runners and ultra athletes seeking a deeper connection to their movement

  • Primitive skills practitioners who want to train their bodies and minds in motion

  • Ancestral living enthusiasts looking to explore natural human movement

  • Wilderness lovers and backcountry explorers craving raw, authentic experiences

If you’re ready to strip away modern distractions, test your endurance, and learn how to run, survive, and connect like our ancestors, this is for you.

What You’ll Learn and Experience

Ancestral Running Techniques

Learn natural, minimalist running skills once used for persistence hunting and long-distance travel. Tap into body mechanics, barefoot or low-tech running, terrain harmony, and meditative movement practices to enhance both performance and awareness.

Wilderness Survival While in Motion

Running and survival aren’t separate. You’ll train in navigation, situational awareness, terrain adaptation, and movement efficiency across diverse ecosystems—from cool pine forests at 10,000 feet to hot high desert scrub at 7,000 feet.

Primitive Camping & Skills Training

Beyond movement, you’ll develop foundational primitive living skills—including shelter building, fire by friction, water sourcing, and basic foraging—designed to support you on foot in the wild.

Community, Storytelling & Nature Connection

Gather around the fire with a tribe of like-minded runners, survivalists, and nature lovers. Share insights, reflect on challenges, and build lasting connections with others who seek the same reconnection with the land and themselves.

Course Location & Environment

Held in the stunning backcountry of Colorado, this course takes you from alpine forest to high desert over multiple days and elevations. Prepare for physical challenge, diverse terrain, unpredictable weather, and one of the most meaningful backcountry experiences you’ll ever have.

Minimalist running. Primitive survival. Deep connection.
This is more than a course—it’s a return to what it means to be human.

COURSE LENGTH

5 days/4 nights

The Primitive Running Course spans 5 days, allowing participants to fully immerse themselves in the experience and absorb the teachings. The course will begin at 9am on the first day and will end at Noon on the last.

FOOD AND WATER

Water will be harvested along the run. Be sure to bring your water filter!

Food is Provided. We will provide Pinole, Salt, and a basic ration. Part of this course is taking on the challenge of fewer calories, and collecting food. Everyone will have the same experience. No additional food is allowed.

SUGGESTED GEAR LIST

All the items should be lightweight, yet functional. A general running kit containing the items below will weigh around 4 to 5 pounds (minus the clothing you are wearing, and any food ration we provide).

  • Square Cloth 55” to 60” is ideal. We recommend pure cotton, linen or a blend. Other thin materials can work if they are not too slippery, or too thick. This will carry all your gear, should be easy to roll up, tie the corners, and feel good on your skin without feeling too warm. You can purchase this as a table cloth at a thrift store, or sold by the yard in a fabric store, or Walmart fabric section (if you dare to venture inside :). We recommend you bring two thickness options so we can suggest the most ideal for this course in person.
  • Footwear. These must be well broken in prior to the course with at least 80 miles. No new footwear allowed. Your footwear will get wet often. Sandals are okay if you are conditioned to running off trail in them, otherwise we recommend the running shoe you’re familiar with. Blister free is the ideal here.
  • Clothing- Two pairs of lightweight quick-dry running shorts. One long sleeve sun shirt. One hat for the sun (wide brim is recommended). Two pairs of socks if you are wearing shoes.
  • One bandana- for collecting, etc..
  • One thin nylon belt
  • One hard sided flask running water container with lid. Around 450ml size.
  • 25 feet of thin cordage. Parachute chord is okay
  • One small size nylon stuff sac- roughly 5”x7” size. To house loose items; your food rations, cordage, med kit, etc…
  • Poncho or Thin Blanket Throw. This is both your warm layer in the morning/evening and part of your sleeping kit. This thin poncho or thin blanket throw should be very lightweight and packable weighing about one pound, at least 5 feet long. We recommend wool, though synthetics like micro fleece will be okay. (No down, nylon, or sewn in insulated fabrics allowed).
  • Sleeping bad liner. We recommend Silk as they are very lightweight and packable. Thin lightweight materials like coolmax is okay as well.
  • Knife. We recommend a tiny lightweight Bushcraft style knife that is good for woodwork (single beveled edge is ideal). An ideal blade length for this course will be 2.5 to 3 inches. Keep it small and light!
  • Med/blister kit. Everyone should have moleskin, and a basic blister kit, along with any medical items you feel are important. This should be a tiny kit of just a few ounces. Sunscreen can be part of this kit if you are prone to burning.
  • Squeeze water filter. We recommend the Katidyn BeFree (available on Amazon). Platypus or a Sawyer squeeze filters are okay as well.
  • Phones, watches, and electronics. They are not allowed on this course.

 

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