OAK HILL, W.V. (LOOTPRESS) – New River Survival & Bushcraft has chosen the New River Gorge Region as the home of their new year-round survival school.
Owner and operator of the program, Josh Sapio, said the business kicked off its first season and started accepting reservations on May 1. He says they are excited to teach others about outdoor safety, including building shelter, starting a fire and procuring water.
The school also offers classes focused on wild edibles, signaling for rescue, land navigation, and bug-out trips.
According to Sapio, these classes can appeal to children and adults who have no survival experience, as well as survivalists who already have experience, as there is always something to learn about surviving in the great outdoors.
The minimum age to participate is 10 for regular adventures and eight for Boy Scout-related adventures; however, Sapio said they do occasionally make exceptions for younger participants.
“There’s so many outdoorsmen these days, whether they are hikers, climbers, kayakers or hunters, anybody that goes into the backcountry for an extended period of time can experience some type of emergency in which case they may have to live out 72-hour emergency scenarios and wait for rescue, so it’s important to learn these skills.”
While New River Survival & Bushcraft currently only offers seven-to-eight-hour long trips, by next year, they hope to offer multi-day experiences.
“We love the New River Gorge area. It’s our home, and we are excited to provide something that is new to the area. We are ready for bookings!”
Those interested in registering for a class can visit the New River Survival & Bushcraft website or Facebook page.