Frostbite! Symposium on Winter Skills

[Grey Owl]

Just wanted to let you folks know about a very affordable source of training that is available in Alberta, 6-8 January 2017.

Frostbite! is an annual gathering of bushcraft, survival and wilderness living skills instructors and interested participants. While not specifically geared towards hunting, fishing and trapping, you will not find a better collection of instructors in one location for such a reasonable price. The event runs Friday afternoon to Sunday noon and features 14 instructors providing approximately 20 different workshops from Plant Medicines to Primitive Traps, Tracking, Toboggan building and fire by friction.

Cost: $35 for the weekend includes camping, all sessions, catered meal on Saturday night and copious hot drinks.

Upgraded indoor accommodations are available for an additional fee, and some instructors may charge a materials fee to cover their costs of volunteering.

Ask questions here, or email the organizers.

Visit the website at http://www.frostbitesymposium.com

[rusty99]

This looks like a lot of fun! Is this the first year that it has been held? Wondering about feedback from other AO folks before I sign up.

[Red Bullets]

Too bad they are putting on the workshop during ukrainian christmas. The 6th is xmas eve. Might not have too many slavic type people there.

[Grey Owl]

This is the third year for the event, but first year that it has gone beyond word of mouth. Previously it was an excuse for friends to get together learn from each other, then a few extra people showed up and a couple formal 'sessions' occurred, and then questions from strangers led to a more organised event.

[newtoab]

Looks very interesting. Tents or hammocks are available, or attendees are to bring them? Is this suitable for people who have never camped in the winter before?

[Albertadiver]

I'm going to seriously look into this. My wife and I have been winter camping for 10 years but I always enjoy learning and practicing new skills.

[chimpac]

I think I will attend this event.
If anyone needs the use of a wood burning cook stove under a fully closed in tarp let me know. I have various sizes, one, 2, 4 man that I have made over the years.

[Grey Owl]

Sounds like a number of you folks are thinking about joining us for the weekend.

As for being appropriate to first time winter campers? That is tough to answer, and easy. It is safe because there are warm spaces available and many people to learn from and ask questions. It is a great chance to wander amongst the camps, see how different people setup, and ask questions. Promise, campers of all sorts love talking about their stuff and will tell you how great, or poor it is. Interesting to note, only about 1/3 of those planning to attend have indicated they will sleep outside. The rest have chosen to reserve a heated cabin or Lodge Room

The workshops are not necessarily all about winter camping, but general outdoor skills. And particularly outdoor skills that are not often focused on, for example, making your own toboggan or bucksaw. Or learning the basics of friction fires. Even the workshop on sparkbased firestarting, I gurantee that any person that reads this thread could learn something from any of the firestarting courses. Simply put, there are always new tricks to learn. As an outdoor educator, I've learned that most people over estimate their own abilities. So if you are ready to learn, you will find something interesting at the event.

One way to look at it, the more you know about a topic, the less you are likely to learn, but the more you will value a new tidbit of information. And this group of instructors are also plotting how they can sit in on other people's sessions.

Here is a list of the current workshops. There were 3 new sessions added over the weekend:

Workshops for Frostbite! 2017

• Plant Medicines and their preparation
• Primitives Traps and Snares
• Building a European style folding bucksaw
• Survival Kit Planning and Philosophy
• Building the PVC Bow
• Essential Navigation Skills: Map and Compass
• Friction Fire techniques
• Fire Lighting with Strikers
• Building a Super Shelter
• Ancestral Weaponry: Build your own atlatl
• Homemade and emergency firestarters
• Build a 10’ HDPE toboggan (limited to 3 participants)
• Tracking and Nature Awareness
• Crafting with Cattails: the Simple Doll
• Backcountry meal planning and preparation
• Stargazing: Tracking the Stories in the Night Sky

[recce43]

Let me think about it .
Nope spent time in the artic in a tent and a igloo .

[Grizzly Adams]

Sounds worthwhile and I'd come, but the family has me scheduled for a tropical survival course. Sand, Good food and margaritas. Damn.

Grizz

[Grey Owl]

Ahh, you poor fellow.

Be sure to pack lots of creme for the rash you'll get from all that sand in your shorts. When you get back, I'm sure we will have some snow and ice you can use to massage your sunburn as well.

[Jack&7]

Actually...I am really bummed out as I would LOVE to do this!

But alas...I am doing what Grizz is doing and taking a tropical survival course as well.

could there be a possibility of a second course if enough interest was shown?

[Grizzly Adams]

could there be a possibility of a second course if enough interest was shown?

x2.

Grizz

[Grey Owl]

This is the 3rd year for the event that is loosely termed a "Symposium on Winter Camping Skills". So as a course, not so much. But there are numerous people that offer winter skills related courses, most of whom are volunteering at this event.

On the other hand, if the response is good, we will plan on continuing this as a yearly event. At present, the first full weekend of January is the weekend of choice. But with feedback, that might change. But if you are going winter camping, why not during the darkest time of the year.

If you are looking for winter courses, try the following websites:
www.karamat.com
www.threeravensbushcraft.com
www.mammutbushcraft.com

All of these companies offer training throughout the year, although the winter schedules are pretty sparse right now.