Description

Winter Survival Course – Colorado Backcountry Skills for Snow, Storms & Cold Exposure

Colorado is known for its world-class skiing and rugged backcountry terrain—but it’s also notorious for its sudden snowstorms and extreme winter weather. Blue skies in the morning often give way to whiteout conditions by afternoon, catching even experienced hikers and backcountry adventurers off guard. Many have died here not from lack of experience, but from being unprepared for how quickly Colorado’s winter conditions can turn deadly.

This 3-day Winter Survival Course in Colorado is designed to teach you how to stay alive when the temperature drops and the snow starts falling. You’ll learn how to manage cold exposure, keep your body temperature stable, and stay dry in freezing conditions where traditional survival techniques may fail.

We’ll cover how to build both snow and primitive shelters that offer real protection from the elements, how to get a fire going and keep it burning in wet, windy environments, and how to use snow safely as a water source. You’ll also gain a better understanding of winter-specific dangers like hypothermia, frostbite, dehydration, snow blindness, and avalanche risk—and how to avoid them.

Whether you’re a hiker, hunter, skier, or just someone who ventures into the wild during winter, this course provides practical, hands-on skills to help you stay safe and come home alive.

What to Expect

Over three days, you’ll be immersed in hands-on training focused on winter-specific survival skills. While the emphasis is on staying warm and dry with shelter and firecraft, we’ll also touch on gear prep, snow navigation basics, and cold-weather fieldcraft. Expect to spend full days outdoors, practicing what you learn in real conditions.

Skills Taught Will Include:

• Proper cold weather gear and clothing selection

• Hypothermia wrap and emergency warming techniques

• Primitive and snow shelter construction (snow dependent)

• Modern and primitive fire-starting in winter conditions

• Full-length body fire and all-night fire builds

• Using snow as a water source safely

• Firecraft maintenance in cold and wet environments

• Avalanche awareness and terrain assessment

• Cold-weather tool use and knife skills

• Situational awareness and winter mindset training