SURVIVAL LEADERSHIP

Women's Wilderness Survival 101 North Garden, VA

Empower yourself with essential wilderness survival skills in a supportive environment designed specifically for women and by women.

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Deepen Relationships with the Self and Nature

COMMUNITY

Bond with Like Minded Individuals

Stone River Institute

Womens Wilderness Survival 101 • VIRGINIA • Stone River Institute

$425.00

Dates

Would you like to gain essential wilderness skills while deepening your connection to nature?

Women’s Wilderness Survival 101 is a course directed towards women of all ages to encourage more female participation in the field of wilderness survival. Students from all skill levels are welcome and no experience is required. Whether you are a proclaimed survivalist, a weekend bushcrafter, a homesteader, an ultralight hiker, or just a general everyday woodswoman this class is designed to promote a sense of community through our shared love of nature.

Together we will build skills that promote confidence both within ourselves and out in the woods. Throughout the weekend we will learn to take care of our immediate needs in wilderness survival as we discuss self-aid, fire, navigation and shelter. Other topics will include self-defense, hygiene, and signaling for rescue. This class is for participants who desire to both learn and grow, as well as how to develop a sense of resilience through self-reliance in both community and as individuals in the wild.

WOMEN'S WILDERNESS SURVIVAL 101

4 DAYS/3 NIGHTS

Beginner/Moderate Level

COURSE DETAILS​:

  • Learn how to take care of your medical needs in an emergency situation
  • Learn how to properly use a knife and saw to avoid injury
  • Signaling for rescue with the use of your kit and modern tools such as a Personal Locator Beacon
  • Make fire with various ignitions from modern to primitive using your ferro rod, magnifying lens, and bow-drill
  • Learn how to positively identify plants and trees that aid in fire and tool construction as we go on a woodland walk and collect resources
  • Turn your poncho into an emergency shelter or substitute pack
  • Learn how to make cordage and rope with jute twine
  • With the use of a compass, we will learn basic navigation skills and together we will run a small orienteering course through the woods
  • Discussion on how to maintain good hygiene in a wilderness setting
  • Learn self-defense techniques as a last resort should a predatory situation arise

Sleeping Arrangements:

Participants will set up their camp in no preset woodland areas that maintain a natural, undeveloped feel, with no preset campsites. The setup encourages a more immersive outdoor experience while still being accessible, with a short walk from the parking area.

Restrooms:

Compost toilets will be available on site and maintained by staff throughout the course. In addition, there is emergency access to flush toilets and showers, and accommodations can be arranged for individuals with specific needs to ensure comfort and accessibility.

Food:

Participants should plan to be self sufficient for meals, bringing their own cooking systems and provisions in line with a field based course environment.

Terrain:

The campus is in a rural mountain setting with uneven ground, footpaths, mild hills, forested areas, and rustic structures. Wear sturdy, comfortable footwear as surfaces can be natural and sometimes rough. Hiking around is part of the experience!

Water:

Participants should be prepared to manage their own water needs unless otherwise clarified.

Parking and Transportation:

The site is easily reached by well maintained highways, and there is ample parking available on location. From there, participants will take a short walk to the camping and course areas. A rendezvous point is used to guide attendees to the exact location, rather than sharing direct coordinates publicly.

Cell Coverage:

Cell service on site is reliable for major carriers like Verizon and T Mobile. Additionally, emergency WiFi is available in certain locations, providing an added layer of connectivity if needed.

Trash:

Trash cans will be provided on site, but a pack in pack out ethic is encouraged. This supports a low impact approach and aligns with leave no trace principles throughout the course.

TRAVEL ITEMS REQUIRED BY THE PARTICIPANT:

  • Sleep System (Tent/Hammock) and Insulation (If choosing to stay on site)
  • Collapsible Chair
  • Headlamp with Spare Batteries
  • Proper Clothing for Season and Weather
  • Leather Gloves
  • Cookware and stoves for personal meals you provide
  • Water and Container
  • Hygiene items and Medications
  • Notebooks and Pencils
  • Combination Tool like a Leatherman or SAK
  • Cargo Tape for Repair

TOOLS AND GEAR FOR COURSE USE WILL BE PROVIDED by Wildcard Wilderness Survival

If you choose to bring your own gear, then below is what is recommended and not required!

OPTIONAL GEAR LIST:

  • Fixed Blade Knife with Sheath (4” min blade length)
  • 1 x Roll of Jute Twine (100 ft min)
  • Folding Saw (Silky is suggested)
  • Ferro Rod with Striker
  • 1x Lighter
  • 50’ Paracord
  • 1x Stainless Steel Container with an Enclosed Lid (Altoids tin will work fine)
  • 1 x 100% Cotton Bandana or Shemagh (to be burned)
  • 1 x Matches (Any Kind but Waterproof is suggested)
  • 1 x Magnifying Lens
  • 1 x Poncho (Helikon or Snugpak suggested)

 Recommended Gear for this Class

Stone River Institute

Meet at:

4916 Plank Rd Suite Upper 6, North Garden, VA 22959

​FINE PRINT:

  • Instructor is Wilderness First Responder certified and a licensed HAM Radio operator (KE8WHY)
  • Potable water is available on site and in the classroom
  • Be prepared for All Weather as this class is in an outdoor setting
  • No Meals are provided so students must bring their own food and snacks. A 90-minute lunch break is given should students wish to cook their meal or leave the property
  • Portable Restrooms are within 100 meters of the classroom
  • Students are not required to stay on site after class hours however it is encouraged to develop connections around a central fire
  • Students can tent camp or hammock camp, however, space is limited for hammocks
  • Firearms are not permitted in the classroom
  • Alcohol and drug use are not permitted during class hours
  • Students accept all liability for personal injury

Stone River Institute

Coordinates to the precise location will be given after course purchase.

Get directions

Learn Survival Priorities with #WildcardJacks

Dealt a bad hand? Become a wildcard.

Are you craving confidence in the wild or inner resilience in life?

Ready to experience something that challenges you without judgement, reconnects you to nature without fear, and helps you discover your lionheart within?

Wildcard Wilderness Survival is female-led by experienced instructors who teach hands-on wilderness skills in a grounded, trauma-aware setting focused on building true self-reliance and preservation without pressure or performative toughness.

Confidence is built by learning and doing in a space that feels supportive. That’s why we’ve curated Women’s Wilderness Survival 101 to be an ego-free learning environment where women train together in safety and trust. There’s no flexing, no competition, and no expectation to prove anything. You’ll learn essential wilderness living and survival skills that create confidence through encouragement.

Fire, Shelter, and Water are Your Winning Hand for Survival

Learn how to take care of your immediate needs in emergency preparedness in a wilderness setting.

What will you discover?

  • Fire Ignition: Learn various ignitions from percussion to friction
  • Knife Safety: Acquire critical cutting safety skills
  • Self-Rescue: Discover lost prevention methods with a compass
  • Self-Aid: Develop medical skills like how to stop the bleed

Wildcard Wilderness Survival encourages students to become a wildcard—someone who learns to adapt, overcome a bad hand, and move through uncertainty against all odds. By blending technical wilderness skills with intentional mentorship, Wildcard Wilderness Survival empowers people to trust themselves, reclaim confidence, and carry that resilience far beyond the woods.

Step into a space designed for you.

Join Women’s Wilderness Survival 101 to play your hand and build resilience through self-reliance.

Wildcard Love.

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