Wilderness First Aid Skills Workshop
2-Day Hands-On Skills Course
2 Day Skills Workshop
Multiple Dates Available
$225 & up
Proudly serving the Northern Nevada, Reno-Tahoe and Yosemite regions.
Our workshops accept a co-ed student class.
Build Real Skills for Real Backcountry Situations
If you backpack, climb, ski, hike, or run remote terrain solo, you've probably wondered what you'd actually do if something went sideways miles from a trailhead. This workshop is built for that question.
Over two days of hands-on instruction, you'll work through the practical first aid skills that matter most when help is hours — or days — away. No filler. No online modules. Just real scenarios, real practice, and instruction grounded in working medical experience and time spent in the backcountry.
What You Will Learn & Practice
Backcountry Orientation and Self-Rescue
Route, logistics, and supplies planning
Terrain awareness
Staying found — and what to do if you aren't
Signaling for rescue
Sourcing and treating water for safe drinking
Decision-making when help is hours or days away
Common Backcountry Injuries
Wound care, bleeding control, and improvised dressings
Splinting for broken bones, sprains, and soft tissue injuries
Stabilizing serious trauma until help arrives
Burns and impalement basics
Environmental Conditions and Illness
Cold injuries and hypothermia
Heat illness and dehydration
Altitude illness (AMS, HACE, HAPE)
Lightning safety and response
Wildfire awareness in backcountry settings
Patient Assessment and Life Support
SAMPLE and MARCH patient assessment frameworks
Breathing, circulatory, and nervous system checks
Spinal stabilization basics
CPR fundamentals and Heimlich maneuver
Wildlife and Disease Awareness
Snake, scorpion, and venomous insect bites and stings
Black bear and mountain lion encounter protocols
Rabies prevention
Waterborne and communicable disease awareness
Dates and Locations
-
Two Day Course
$225
June 20-21, 2026
Course takes place in Reno, NV adjacent to the wilderness in a location with ample parking and bathrooms. This is not an overnight course.
Course runs typically from 9AM - 4PM, season dependent.
Coming from out of town? Ask us for lodging and camping options nearby.
-
Private Group Course
This course is a fantastic and popular option for non-profit organizations, youth and other groups. Content can also be customized to your speciality.
Expert Leadership
Workshops are led by qualified instructors with current field experience, including a practicing EMT, a Wilderness First Responder with backcountry search and rescue training, 17+ years of remote terrain experience, and AIARE certification, or another WFA-trained guide with extensive backcountry experience. Instruction draws on both working medical practice and real time spent in the backcountry, not just classroom theory.
This workshop is designed for hands-on skill-building and real practice in scenarios you'd actually encounter in the backcountry.
You'll leave with practical competence in patient assessment, injury stabilization, and field decision-making that you can apply confidently on your next trip.
If you need a formal Wilderness First Aid (WFA) certification for work, volunteer roles, or organizational requirements such as Boy Scouts, summer camps, or guide services, we recommend pairing this workshop with a credentialed course through NOLS Wilderness Medicine, SOLO Schools, or Wilderness Medical Associates.
Gear List
Layering is the key to staying comfortable while being active outdoors. When packing, try to bring only what you need. This not only makes your load lighter but also helps our amazing field staff.
If you've already booked your trip, don't worry! You’ll be getting emails with a detailed list of what you'll need to bring (plus tons of other helpful information).
Get ready to conquer the outdoors, Alpinistas! We can't wait to see you on the trail.
-
Outdoor apparel to be comfortable outside
Hat, sunblock, sunglasses
Outdoor footwear
Lunch, snacks, beverages
For campground event
All personal camp gear