Fire is the ultimate wilderness tool.  Its utilitarian use hominids pre-dates modern man and no human can last long in natural environments without it. It provides light in the dark, heat in the cold, purifies food and water, and processes building materials.

Sheltering is the most important skill to learn for the wilderness environment as exposure is the most common cause of death in the wild behind falls and drowning. Beyond safety however, good shelters can make your overnights in the woods comfortable, clean, and private. In addition, “layering” as a skill will be covered, enabling you to understand how to best use the clothing you have available to mitigate or eliminate the negative effects of exposure.

Navigation will get you where you want to go in the wilderness safely and efficiently.  Traveling in unfamiliar terrain with a map and compass is the focal point of this pillar, with associated enablers such as field meteorology, celestial navigation, hazardous crossings, footwear, and ruck packing/use (backpacking).

With Foraging you will learn how to locate what you need in the Northern wilderness.  In most cases this will be acquiring water, but can include combustibles for fire, building materials, and even food through hunting, trapping, and fishing.  The skills and knowledge that make for successful foraging also facilitate dealing with an emergency such as a wilderness search and rescue, or evasion.