Survival Training & Cold Weather Research Articles

“Don't make the decision to survive too late.”
— Bruce Zawalsky

The Boreal Wilderness Institute (BWI) is dedicated to ongoing research into wilderness survival training, cold weather travel, and cold weather survival equipment. This is carried out through reading, researching, publishing, informational articles, practical scientific experimentation, and ongoing field testing of equipment and clothing. We are continually looking for better ways to share information and skills that will keep people alive in the wilderness. Due diligence before we travel is both part of what should occur before your travel into the wilderness. Lack of due diligence often causes a rather Darwinian ending to many survival situation. The knowledge is here, grasp it, but remember you must practice it in the wilderness in a controlled situation to really have a chance to master these survival skills or navigation skills when you require them in a real survival situation.

Recommended Reading

Survival TV vs. Reality

Learning to survive in the wilderness can be fun, challenging, and cause little stress. This philosophy is very much at odds with Survival Television that needs to make a Survival Situation dangerous, scary, and very stressful so that its audience is entertained. Sorry to burst anyone’s bubble, but anyone can live reasonably comfortably for 30 days at -40° c without food or a sleeping bag…Entire Article
Posted: 18th March 2012

Why Proper Navigation Training is Necessary

Many people find learning to use the Navigator’s Toolbelt (Magnetic Compass, Topographical Map, and a GPS Receiver) a complex undertaking, especially without proper instruction. This unfortunately means that many people travel into the wilderness without proper training. Wilderness Navigation is an easy and straightforward …Entire Article
Posted: 6th February 2012

Thank You from a First Hand Survivor

My name is Trina Jackson. I took your survival weekend course with the SARDAA group a couple of years ago. This September long weekend my husband, David, and I went for a day hike in Waterton Lakes National Park. We started our hike at 10:00 A.M. had hiked in about 10.5 Km and done approximately 1280 meters (4200 foot) of elevation gain. The weather had been a bit sketchy in that we had sun, sprinkles of rain, and even the odd snowflake, and then…Entire Article
Posted: 9th September 2010

How Do I Become a Professional Survival Instructor

I am asked at least a half a dozen time a year “How can I become a Survival Instructor” or “Can you teach me to be a Survival Instructor”. My answer is to quote Paul McCartney; it is a “Long and Winding Road”. It is neither a one course nor a one-step process. I believe that it is a multi step process to become a Professional Wilderness Survival Instructor…Entire Article
Posted: 28th September 2009

Why Professional Survival Training is Necessary

Learning to survive in the wilderness can be a life-changing experience. A survival situation is a challenge that you confidently survive or an ordeal that saps your energy and overpowers your brain with stress. Each year at least one person dies in the Canadian Wilderness because they did not know how to light a fire or…Entire Article
Posted: 17th August 2009

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