Clapper Sticks!
Clap! Clap! Clap! The dancers’ bodies sway to the rhythm as an elder begins to chant. Clap! Clap! Clap! The dancers are all ages. Men, women, teenagers, and elders. … Continue Reading →
Category: Skills
Primitive skills, modern skills
Sharpening a $1 Knife (Video)
If you spend time outdoors, you come to appreciate the value of a good cutting tool. I’ve written in the past about the importance of keeping your knife sharp. … Continue Reading →
3 clever tricks to use the sun while hiking
Safe Arrival I drift through the forest in the fading light. Trees sway with the day’s last breath. As evening falls, their shadows dance like ghosts across the trail. … Continue Reading →
Using Your Hands as Tools (Video)
Keep your most valuable tools attached to your body. That’s what wilderness survival instructors advise us. This way, we always have them when we need – Even if … Continue Reading →
6 Tips to Make You Tough (in the outdoors)
If you spend time outdoors, then you realize that majestic views come with discomforts. Rain, cold, heat, sunburn, blisters, scratches, scrapes, bruises and bumps. They’re all part of the … Continue Reading →
How to Make a Traditional Fish Hook (Video)
Cultures of the Northwest Coast fascinate me. I first became interested nearly 20 years ago during a sea kayak trip to observe Orca. I paddled the Johnstone Strait, along … Continue Reading →
How to Pack a Backpack (Video)
Are you thinking about backpacking this summer? It’s easier than you think. Often just a two-mile stroll will take you to a secluded campsite, beside a glassy lake. You don’t … Continue Reading →
My Ceremonial Canoe Paddle
Life is about new experiences. That’s why I was eager to participate in a Native American cultural weekend put on by my friend Jim Lowery at Earthskills. Jim has … Continue Reading →
How to Make Branch Crayons
I lead nature hikes for several organizations including California State Parks and the US Fish and Wildlife Service. And if you’ve hiked with me before, your first moments include … Continue Reading →
How to Make Fire out of Snow (Video, Humor)
Forget those fake “survival TV” shows. Ignore those dirty sweaty heroes jumping off cliffs and drinking their urine. Reject the programs filled with unstable city-dwellers thrown into contrived dramas … Continue Reading →