Harold Ellis – New Haven, CT

I am a Technology Education teacher, with a keen interest in the outdoors and being prepared. I am an Eagle Scout (have gone on two jamborees) and my resume includes: Order of the Arrow, Explorer Post President, and present Assistant Scoutmaster in two troops. It was in the Boy Scouts that I became interested in the wilderness. I have also attended Plas Y Brenn, Snowdon School of Survival, Scotti School of Defensive Driving, Griffon Group, and Skip Barber.

I enjoy sea kayaking, orienteering, hill walking, and camping. On many camping trips, I tryout and practice survival skills I have read about or seen demonstrated. I never use a tent.

Seven-Day Summer Course:

What an eye opener the first summer trip was. I was doing what I had only read about: bow and drill, transpiration bag, and processing game. I had built shelters before, but now they were actually livable. I gained heighten proficiency skills in fire building, something I had taken for granted. I learned so much, and had such a great time, I knew I had to come back for the Winter Course.

Winter Course:

The winter course was another opportunity to do things that before I could only read about. We built tree pit and snow cave shelter and made fires in extremely wet conditions on top of four feet of snow. What a challenge! Not only was the trip a blast, but an incredible learning experience.

The Advanced Wilderness Navigation Class:

The advanced navigation would be hard to beat! It allowed me the opportunity to savor the wilderness and tighten up my navigation skills (which while reasonably developed had a tendency to get sloppy).

I have shared what I have learned with friends and the scouts. My confidence and enjoyment of the woods is far greater now. I see things completely differently; the means to create an emergency shelter, how to plan a move through an area, and how to look after my equipment and myself. I am a better person because I went through these courses.

About the staff:

It just doesn’t get any better then Greg Davenport and his team and that is why I keep coming back!