An inch of new snow fell overnight, and this morning sat on top of the frozen ground creating a near-perfect medium for tracking. So we spent most of the morning exploring and looking for tracks. We were fortunate to find fisher, snowshoe hare, red squirrel, ruffed grouse and robin tracks in the snow, as well [...]

Today was the first day of the spring Wilderness Buschraft Semster in 2025. We still have some snow cover in shady areas, and we started our first morning working on making fire and coffee. #FullTangLifestyle

Working on friction fire techniques at the field school. We had 100% success rate with everyone getting their first hand drill coals. We also had success with the fire plough, as documented in this video. A lot of learning is taking place. #FullTangLifestyle

Using a tumpline to carry a wannigan and a passenger. #FullTangLifestyle

We’re making canoe poles this week to replace the old and broken ones. As it is with many projects that start with raw materials from the forest, identifying, harvesting and processing the blank is hugely important. You have to find the right species of tree (spruce) growing in the right way in order to make [...]

We’re into the middle of the summer 2024 Wilderness Bushcraft Semester and people are getting deep into the projects on the course. The morning we filmed this everyone was working independently, so I figured I’d walk around and document the different things that were going on. #FullTangLifestyle

We took advantage of the recent rains to get out onto a small stream we can usually only canoe during the high waters of early spring. It is the same stream we ran for JMB Vlog 182, Poling A Low Water Stream, and is a great local run. This time we had lots of water [...]

JMB Vlog 104 is an update to JMB Vlog 201, where we were starting canoe paddles. At this point all of the students have finished their paddles, and we’re varnishing them. We do this to seal them so they don’t absorb water. Everyone did a great job on this project, and we’re excited to get [...]

Life at the field school is hard during the heat of the summer. The bugs are bad and other critters are getting into things. We’ve recently had a raccoon that wants to get into the trash, so we’re putting it away at night and making sure all food is locked down. This morning one of [...]

Our first shelter we’re building on the summer, 2024 Wilderness Bushcraft Semester course. #FullTangLifestyle

We started carving canoe paddles on the semester course. Over the next few days people will become intimately familiar with the draw knife, spoke shave, rasp, and cabinet scraper. #FullTangLifestyle

After some rain, the river came way up. Here’s how we end a day of working on canoe skills in the summer. #FullTangLifestyle

On rainy mornings at the field school we almost always practice wet weather fire skills. #FullTangLifestyle

So many uses for an axe. We recently used one to cut up some meat. #FullTangLifestyle

How big does a bow drill need to be? Jessie makes a mini bowdrill to find out. #FullTangLifestyle

The final video from our 2024 canoe expedition on Quebec’s Bonaventure river. Check out Hobo Camp 2024 and watch as we paddle the lower river, taking out in the salt water. It was a fantastic trip with challenging water and great friends. #FullTangLifestyle

Part 4 of our 2024 canoe expedition on Quebec’s Bonaventure river. In this video we line our canoes over the ledges in Kicking Horse Pass and run the section just below. #FullTangLifestyle

Part three of the video series from our June, 2024 canoe expedition on Quebec’s Bonaventure River. #FullTangLifestyle

The heat wave broke and we’re at the end of week one of the summer, 2024 Wilderness Bushcraft Semester. We spent the afternoon on Squapan lake doing an introduction to canoes and paddling and covered about 4 miles. Overall it was a solid week. Eight weeks to go to get people to the finish line. [...]

Week one of the summer, 2024 Wilderness Bushcraft Semester and we’ve got a heatwave sitting over us. With the heat index over 100 degrees F, we’ve moved class down to the river to intersperse coursework with dips in the river to keep us cool. #FullTangLifestyle

Part 2 from our recent canoe expedition on the Bonaventure river on the Gaspé peninsula in Quebec. #FullTangLifestyle

Part 1 from our recent canoe expedition on the Bonaventure river in Quebec. #FullTangLifestyle

Part five of the Wilderness Canoe Expedition Semester in 2024. #FullTangLifestyle

Part four of our trips on the Wilderness Canoe Expedition Semester in 2024. #FullTangLifestyle

Part three of our trips on the Wilderness Canoe Expedition Semester in 2024. #FullTangLifestyle

Part two of our trips on the Wilderness Canoe Expedition Semester in 2024. #FullTangLifestyle

Part one of our trips on the Wilderness Canoe Expedition Semester in 2024. #FullTangLifestyle

From 2023, a short video of bow-drill practice on a humid summer day. #FullTangLifestyle

Red-winged blackbirds were out in big numbers on a recent trip. In Maine they sing “Kong-ka-ree”. In western Canada they sing “Ko-kan-ee”. I think it’s because they are working for Kokanee, also known as big beer. #FullTangLifestyle

Our first day moving downriver on the current course. Water levels have dropped significantly in the past few days after a dry early spring. #FullTangLifestyle

Part 4 (of 4) of our trip running a northern Maine river just after ice-out. We had a blast on this one, hopefully that comes through on the video. Friends, fast water, no bugs, fish… a great trip. #FullTangLifestyle

Part 3 of our trip running a northern Maine river just after ice-out. This section of river was mostly quickwater and rapids, lively and fun. #FullTangLifestyle

Continuing on our trip. Canoeing through culverts and fast water. #FullTangLifestyle

New video series of an early May, 2024 canoe trip in Aroostook County, Maine. This was May 1st and the ice had just gone out (three days prior) on this pond. 40 miles to go. I’ll be posting this in short segments. Hope you enjoy! #FullTangLifestyle

Last video from the the Texas/Mexico border, video 6 of 6. #FullTangLifestyle

More good times on the Texas/Mexico border, video 5 of 6. We are on the lower portion of the river now, and the canyons are not as tall. We haven’t seen any sign of people since the put in. #FullTangLifestyle

More good times on the Texas/Mexico border, video 4 of 6. #FullTangLifestyle

More good times on the Texas/Mexico border, video 3 of 6. #FullTangLifestyle

Sorry for the excessive wind noise as I know it is annoying. It can also be a bit annoying to paddle into that wind for 7 days. #FullTangLifestyle

Beginning of the journey. At the put-in of the Rio Grande lower canyons trip. The video is a little weird, as I was playing around with stabilizing the footage in the editing software. #FullTangLifestyle

Nesting bowl for the JMBS Pot System. More about it in this blog post. And here’s a link to the bowl, available in many stores. Update 3/15/24: I bought a second bowl and the two nest perfectly in the 2-quart pail. #FullTangLifestyle

Out on a grey November day foraging for sunchokes. #FullTangLifestyle

First canoe trip of the fall, 2023 Wilderness Bushcraft Semester with new canoe paddles. Lots of water this year.

Beginning canoe paddle carving on the Wilderness Bushcraft Semester.

Update on Thursday of week 2 of the summer, 2023 Wilderness Bushcraft Semester. We’re on the river practicing poling.

Big thanks to JC, camera-person extrordinaire! Join us as we paddle and pole down Chase Rapids on the Allagash Wilderness Waterway in Maine. This video shows the first 2 miles, which is the challenging section and toughest on the 99-mile waterway. Some good footage of poling and paddling in fast water. This is from the [...]

Our big canoe trailer broke on a woods road on the Allagash trip. Like the phoenix, it will rise again. Woods roads are tough on gear, especially trailers.

Canoeing down St. Croix Stream back to Masardis, and a rumor about q local guy. #FullTangLifestyle

Our first day on the water in 2023. Paddling from the Masardis boat launch back to the field school into a big headwind. At least I was paddling solo in a 20-footer with no weight in it. #fulltanglifestyle

In 2022 I picked up a fat tire ebike to get around the field school. Here’s a short video showing my daily commute from our HQ to the Guide Shack. The bike is an Aventon Aventure and I’ve been really happy with it.

On or long programs students make their own ropes for using in the field.

Selfie first, safety last.

Tree felling on the Wilderness Canoe Expedition Semester. The importance of working with gravity and why we should be thankful to Isaac Newton and his great invention from 1514.

On the Wilderness Canoe Expedition Semester we cooked a campfire dinner using the outdoor kitchen at the Guide Shack. Dutch oven chicken, Dutch oven pork, grilled pork chops, lentils in the thermal cooker and rice on a rocket stove. It turned out great.

Our new ride, the Tater Raisin’ Van. Just a few days out from the start of the spring season, have spent a lot of hours on the road lately getting this thing back to the county. Named after the one and only Dick Curless of Fort Fairfield, Maine. Read about Dick Curless Listen to Tater [...]

Shot on April 26, 2023, opening up the road into camp and the first drive in of the year. The snow is still deep in spots, and I had to move a few trees, but I was able to drive into the field school. And just in time, as people will be arriving in a [...]

Ice going out on the Aroostook river in Masardis on April 14, 2023.

If you’re coming to the field school in winter, park at 1041 Garfield road. Don’t try to drive down Smith Farm Road to the field school because you will get stuck in the snow. We haul your gear in via snowmobile, you walk in (just less than a mile) on snowshoes on the snowmobile trail. [...]

This year’s project is nearing completion. In an outbuilding at our headquarters we’re building a library/classroom and calling it the Athenaeum. Check it out in this video.

Video shot on the final trip of the spring, 2022 Wilderness Guide Training Semester. A tiny bit of paddling and a lot of poling a tiny stream.

An excerpt from our latest video on using an army surplus, Vietnam-era medium Alice pack with a tumpline as an alternative to a traditional canvas canoe pack. I love traditional gear, but some of it is very expensive. If you’re wanting a traditional canoe pack, either to hold all of your gear for an expedition [...]

An excerpt from our latest video on the cook kit I carry with me canoeing, snowshoeing and car camping. The entire thing fits in a 30 litre blue barrel and allows me to cook for small groups of up to 4. When guiding a larger group, I switch it out for a larger wooden wannigan. [...]

An excerpt from our latest video on the pump-up solar shower I’ve been using for ten years. A simple and great piece of kit to make a warm daily shower simple and easy. For the whole video and links to the pieces needed to assemble it, go to our private online community at BushcraftSchool.com.

Just a few scenes from a trip during the spring semester. We camped by a beautiful rapid and made the kitchen right next to the water. No story, just another beautiful place near the field school in northern Maine.

It’s been a few years since we’ve built one of these on a course. A coracle is a simple boat that can be built with brush and a tarp. Back in the day they were known as bull boats, because instead of a tarp they were made with the skin of a bull. They go [...]

Keeping the trails clear at the field school is an ongoing process. In this video we were out on a crisp October morning and it felt great to swing an axe.

Had another great day out on the water recently with a few of the guys on the fall semester. It is such a pretty time of year in northern Maine.

We’re a week past halfway day on the fall ’21 Wilderness Bushcraft Semester. We just spent a few days on the river with beautiful weather and the leaves just starting to turn colors. Hope you enjoy coming along.

Out gathering some highbush cranberries (Viburnum trilobum) for supper. They are just starting to be ripe.

There is a huge bounty of wild food on the land right now. In this video are featured some of the mushrooms and apples I gathered on a short walk the other day at dusk, and what I do to preserve the calories so I can consume them later.

It took a year and a half, but the Moose Vegas field is now thick with clover. Life is getting pretty cushy at the field school compared to the early years.

After all the rain, we were able to get out on some local waterways that are usually too low to canoe in September. We shot this video on one of those waterways.

First vlog in a few months. We’re into the third week of the fall Wilderness Bushcraft Semester, and have been out on the river teaching the finer points of life in a canoe. And when we’re on the water, the safety shorts are hard at work keeping everyone safe.

This past weekend, Jack Mountain instructor and master Maine guide Paul Sveum ran an introduction to fly fishing course. Students got insight into reading water for likely hiding spots for fish, a chance to flip rocks and take a close look at the insect life that fish are feeding on, and that fishing flies are [...]

Fly casting in the pond during the introduction to fly fishing course over Memorial Day weekend.

Nearing the end of week 7 of the semester, we’re out working on advanced canoe poling maneuvers on the Big Machias River near Ashland, Maine. These are difficult techniques to master, and no one in history has done so without getting humbled by the river at some point. #fulltanglifestyle

Our week 6 and 7 canoe trip on the Allagash Wilderness Waterway during the spring, 2021 Wilderness Guide Training Semester.

Different trees are flowering at different times, especially at this time of year. We use that to locate trees such as apple trees whose fruit won’t be available for a few months. By noting where the trees are by the flowers, which is easy this time of year, we can come back when the fruit [...]

We had a bunch of interesting weather, including hail, rainbows and 30mph headwinds on our first overnight canoe trip. Students learned a lot about how to safely navigate water falls and ledges in a solo boat by station lining.

Out looking for trout on Aroostook County logging roads. Bring a stream thermometer, especially in the early spring. If you’re interested in learning more about fly fishing, check out our 3-day introduction to fly fishing course coming up May 27-30. The guy fishing in the clip at the end of the video is Registered Master [...]

Come see what it’s like to have complete control of your canoe by using a pole in white water as our students navigate an old dam, a few ledges and some challenging rips. We also take a break to check out a moose carcass, and look for sign of what’s been feeding on it.

Mother and baby bear tracks in the mud leads to a discussion of the art of animal tracking.

A wide-brimmed hat and a piece of fabric to flap in the breeze is a decent defense against flies.

Before relying on a gear system to keep your stuff dry on a remote expedition, it’s important to test it to make sure it works.

Episode 130 of the vlog is a short collection of clips from around the field school.

We were out on Squapan Lake recently to practice canoe paddling strokes and to see if we could get the trout to bite. A state fish stocking truck full of brook trout was at the boat launch when we arrived, and several float planes were taking fish to remote ponds in the North Maine Woods. [...]

Join us on a day trip poling canoes on the Blackwater River during week 4 of the spring, 2021 Wilderness Guide Training Semester. We do this trip every year when the water is high in early spring as it’s a great place to lean to pole a canoe in quick water. And it’s beautiful and [...]

Christopher shot and edited this video on our recent poling trip on the Blackwater River.

At the JMB Field School we’ve got slightly more than 3000 feet of frontage on the Aroostook River. The Aroostook is a beautiful, clean, clear water river that flows northeast from the headwater lakes to the border with Canada, crossing the border at Fort Fairfield before flowing into the St. John River and turning south [...]

At least we didn’t have any fun while cooking this chicken and sourdough biscuit dinner! Cooking a bird or a beaver this way was the impetus for the original swivel pot chain. Before it went on the fire I trussed the chicken, a fancy way to say I tied it with twine to hold it [...]

Our first day on the Aroostook River during the spring, 2021 Wilderness Guide Training Semester. Island Rips is on the back side of Samsquanch Island, right across from the field school. At the right water level, which we’ve got right now, it’s great place to practice poling canoes in quick water. Introducing Marge The Barge, [...]

On days with heavy rain, snow or wind, our camp cook shed with a wood-fired cook stove is a refuge and a luxury.

A video tour of fabulous Moose Vegas at the JMB Field School. It functions as our student camp and is where we do a lot of our instruction.

Big picture riff on why making things from the land matters, and how using materials that other people don’t value is useful in the long run.

Looking back on having had covid and clearing winter blowdowns from the trails at the field school. RIP Chris McCafferty.

This minidocumentary walks through the 2020-2021 Friluftsliv Forest Program students’ experience as they prepare for, and participate in their “halfway point” culminating exercise. Students on the FFP take part in a winter overnight, with only a fire and shelter they’ve built to stay warm. This experience shows the students how far they’ve come over the [...]

https://vimeo.com/472372746 A short video about the Solo experience that students on our long term wilderness living experiences take part in. Video taken at a remote lake in the north Maine woods over the course of three days.

In this short video, we walk through our newly built group shelter. We’ve been consistently having nights below freezing, so having a warm space for people to dry off and defrost their bones is a big bonus for our students. Just based on the general shape and color of the structure, we’ve started referring to [...]

This video was shot a few years ago (notice the slow introduction), and features Paul Sveum demonstrating how to sanitize water (ie. make it safe to drink) when you have no pot. You need to boil it, which is why a pot is such a valuable item to carry, but you should have a backup [...]

Video by Bosum Media & Photography of our March, 2020 trip to northern Quebec. We’ve been running trips with our friends David and Anna Bosum, through their cultural tourism business Nuuhchimi Wiinuu, for 20 years. The experiences there have all been amazing. But don’t take my word for it, watch the video.

Join me for a walk up Jack Mountain and a few other favorite spots in the local woods.

The first lesson from our new Household Handcrafts course, available for free at BushcraftSchool.com. This lesson teaches how to make a folded paper or bark drinking cup. The point of the course is to learn some crafting techniques using common household items.

How we manage the academic side of our professional training programs. We manage the day to day via a private group on our online community at BushcraftSchool.com. We manage the academic work and documentation via a private Google Classroom via Google Docs. Students use a tablet to complete their academic work.

Kids never listen, especially when we’re trapped at home for social distancing. The ice won’t melt itself, and no hair dryer works without electricity.

If you’re stuck home with your kids, eventually someone will need a haircut. I’ve been cutting my own for a long time and it’s no big deal. When I don’t cut my own hair, I have a Hollywood stylist do it. It costs $850 each time, but it’s worth it. I figure it’s just the [...]

Introduction to our new online course. Nature 191: Understanding The Weather & Observational Forecasting.

Video of JMB Podcast episode 79. Audio is the same as the podcast, but I decided to turn on the video camera just for fun.

In order to clear up misconceptions, we’re shooting a series of videos about the gear needed for life at the field school. First off is the cooking gear video below. We’ll be adding a video cooking course to demonstrate using the items of gear soon. You should refer back to the gear list for links. [...]

Tim Beal of the Downeast Primitive Skills youtube channel shot this video on our recent trip on the St. Croix. We had an amazing time; great guys, great food, great water level, great weather (except for the bomb-cyclone day) and a lot of great laughs. Hope you enjoy it!

The new Jack Mountain Bushcraft School online course platform and networking site is now live. Visit us at BushcraftSchool.com to meet like-minded people, learn a new skill, get a feel for how we do things or reconnect with people from your course.

Episode 111 of the Jack Mountain Bushcraft Vlog joins the spring, 2019 Wilderness Bushcraft Semester course for the first day we’re out poling on the Aroostook river at the field school. You can check out our waterfront area that we call Canoe Beach and see the initial attempts at poling in fast, deep water.

Episode 110 of the JMB Vlog joins the spring, 2019 Wilderness Bushcraft Semester course as they carve canoe paddles with simple hand tools. We also work through the blame cascade exercise which is an important part of life on the WBS.

Episode 109 of the JMB Vlog joins the spring, 2019 Wilderness Bushcraft Semester course on the first day of canoe poling practice. There was still snow on the edge of the field, but the air was warm even if the water was just a few degrees above freezing.

Episode 108 of the JMB Vlog is a series of scenes shot on our recent trip to northern Quebec. Chiseling holes in the ice to set a fish net, splitting wood, lashing a moose hide into a frame and cooking geese by the wood stove. It was a great trip, with lots of learning and [...]

Shot on location in northern Quebec, episode 107 of the Jack Mountain Bushcraft Vlog features Sam Larson and I discussing the merits of our video policy, selfie first, safety last. Please note that this is satire, but does represent how much fun we had on the trip.

Shot on a cold, snowy day on the Boreal Snowshoe Expedition, vlog episode 106 is an update from the field on the day we were working on emergency snowshoe construction.

Spent the day in the woods with the dog, marking trails and visiting some of my favorite spots including Sandy Beach and the Fairy Bridge over Perry Brook. For the trail map I’ve been working on for over a year, click this link.

We’ve had a lot of interest in our March, 2019 trip to northern Quebec where we’ll live with our Cree friends David and Anna Bosum. We’ll be immersed in Cree culture for a week, learning about how they live. This video is an update on the trip, as well as a recommended reading list. For [...]

Choosing tools for winter programs with the Jack Mountain Bushcraft School in Maine and points north. In the video we look at criteria for choosing a useful axe, knife and saw for the winter trail based on year of experience guiding snowshoe trips. Specific gear looked at includes: Axes from Pole & Paddle Canoe  Axe [...]

Members of the fall Wilderness Bushcraft Semester cooling off in the lake on a recent trip. Underwater basket weaving is something that people who know nothing about basketry or working with your hands often joke about, mistakenly thinking they’re being clever. The reality is that basket making is hard work, and a worthwhile craft to [...]

Check out our new 18-foot yurt-dome; the Jack Vegas Casino & Ballroom located at fabulous Moose Vegas. We’ll be outfitting it with a woodstove and lots of casino-style games in the near future.

Grand Pitch, on the East Branch of the Penobscot river, is not an easy place to get to. In our world where almost everything is accessible via automobile, I think it’s great that there are still places you need to sweat and bleed a little to get to.

Allagash Falls, 2 different viewpoints. It’s a special place, not reachable by road. Shot on the recent Wilderness Canoe Expedition Semester.

On Eagle Lake at the Smith Brook campsite, Allagash Wilderness Waterway. We saw this bull moose who was not the slightest bit interested in us. Smith Brook is the site of the 1976 Allagash alien abduction, the focus of this book.

Our first night on the water of the 2018 Wilderness Canoe Expedition Semester, camped on Telos Lake on the Allagash. I had the camera on autofocus, so you weren’t able to see the high peaks of Baxter State Park in the distance.

Shot on the Bonaventure River, this was our morning ritual for the trip. Man did we have a blast on that trip. Featured in the video is me, Frank, Kelly, Dragan and Christopher with the intro. Thanks to Blake for filming. Jack Mountain Bushcraft Vlog Episode 96.

To keep things simple, I’m changing how we catalog our videos. After a quick count of the videos we’ve put out over the years, I determined that we had done 94 of them, making this episode 95. On a muggy July morning on the dock, I discuss my old hat, my new hat, and edits [...]

I went for a sunset kayak paddle with my son on Rust Pond, where I grew up and home to our folk school. After a long spring at the field school it’s great to be home.

A few clips from our recent trip on the Bonaventure River in Quebec.

This morning I went to the fish hatchery in Caribou and picked up some young brook trout, brought them back to the field school, and put them in the pond. I have many fond memories of fishing small trout ponds as a kid. Now we can provide that same experience to the kids who come [...]

Keeping your body clean is important. This video is all about the ways in which to do so with no infrastructure. Something I neglected to mention in the video is that the Pump-Up Solar Shower is also a great piece of kit for trips to the ocean in order to rinse off at the end [...]

Making simple mocotaugans (crooked knives) in the campfire. It doesn’t take a bunch of infrastructure to make a functional knife. I used to believe it did, but now have 20 years of making simple knives in the campfire under my belt. Vise grips and a hammer are necessary, as is a new file to cut [...]

We woke up to a beaver sunning itself on the pond ice. It spent the whole day hanging around before swimming down the stream after dark.

Todays post, and all of our other posts, are brought to you by 2 solar panels that provide all of our off-grid electricity. Warm and sunny today and the snow has started to melt.

Systems are what make camp run smoothly. When running a course off-grid there often aren’t enough hours in the day to get everything done. As a result we’ve developed systems that use minimal time for maximum results. Nowhere is this more important than with food. Convenience foods aren’t an option in camp. If you wait [...]

Day four of the Wilderness Bushcraft Semester. We’re working on permanent shelters. This morning we’re peeling the bark on the base logs. We’re doing a lot of axe work, clearing a quarter acre. And we’re still on snowshoes.

Day 3 of the WBS. Because there’s so much snow, we’re having to improvise. Two of our instructors are staying in a canvas tent set up under the pavilion, as shown in the video.

Day 2 of the spring, 2018 Wilderness Bushcraft Semester. Day 1 of our new vlog. Still lots of snow on the ground here.

From the spring, 2015, Wilderness Bushcraft Semester, a hike up Deboullie Mountain in the North Maine Woods; a beautiful and remote spot.

Raymond Reitze is a Registered Master Maine Guide and a mentor of mine. This recent video from Seedlight Pictures captures his philosophy of living as part of the natural world. It’s 18:36 long. Here is a link to the video on Vimeo.

We recommend an 8-inch, 2 quart dutch oven for the Wilderness Bushcraft Semester, and for any other field school program. Ideally, it will have a flanged lid but no legs. If yours has legs, no big deal as these make it easier to cook in the field. But it also makes it more difficult to [...]

That water is cold! Loved this clip – like an old-school silent film.

A walk around a remote camp on the Boreal Snowshoe Expedition.

Life on our dirt road is exceptionally beautiful today after yesterday’s snow storm. Photo: Lucky the wonder pooch in the woods across the road.

Episode 30 of our podcast featured Sam Larson. It’s the first episode we’ve recorded remotely (ie. not in the same room), as well as the first episode where we’ve recorded video, as seen above. If you’re looking for just the audio, go here. Sam Larson is the founder and owner of Woodsong Wilderness Outfitters, was [...]

From a past Boreal Snowshoe Expedition. A participant fixed a broken axe handle in the field by wrapping it with saplings and lashing it together. It worked great. In the background is a canvas tent that was lived in for the winter. It’s not one of our expedition tents. In the photo below are my [...]

This fantastic video was shot on a JMBS alumi trip and assembled by Paul Sveum. If watching this doesn’t make you want to do an epic winter trip, you’re on the wrong website.

Update about appropriate pot systems for the Wilderness Bushcraft Semester. We’ve solved the problem of lids for the 2 quart stainless pails. As a result, we recommend bringing two of these to field school programs. From the Wilderness Bushcraft Semester Gear List: • Cook pot with a bail handle Will be used for cooking food [...]

Short video of poling a canoe in fast water, shot during the spring Wilderness Bushcraft Semester. The expedition canoe skills we teach are a long way from a short paddle on the pond. Professor Ben Spencer was coaching from the bow in this shot. The water was fast and deeper than it looked; challenging conditions [...]

I was recently in touch with Thomas Clayton from Wander & Roam Media. Ten years ago he came out the field school and shot this video. We’re talking about collaborating on another project in the future. This video is the favorite Jack Mountain video of a few people I’ve heard from, and this version is [...]

Older video of a hand drill coal being made with a closeup on the fireboard. This is from 2007 (and rocking that 240p resolution), but demonstrates that with the right materials and a some experience, getting a friction fire coal doesn’t need to take a lot of time or energy. Remember that it is very [...]

https://vimeo.com/209919188 A show and tell of three options for personal pots for the Wilderness Bushcraft Semester, as well as the 8″ dutch oven we recommend. There are lots of other options that will work, these are just the most common. Links to where you can purchase them are on our Wilderness Bushcraft Semester gear list.

The second of 2 videos about gear for the Boreal Snowshoe Expedition. If you’re going on the trip, pay attention.

Here’s the first in a series of videos shot specifically for those joining us on the Boreal Snowshoe Expedition this winter. You can get links to the gear mentioned at: http://www.jackmtn.com/gear.html#footwear Do not bring boots without removable liners!

I took a ride across town and sat down with Derek Faria at The Woodsman School in his new tent to talk about educational philosophy and the importance of getting out and doing it. During the talk I mention our educational philosophy and the seven elements of our programs, with a focus on the Self [...]

Video about the new Jack Mountain Winter Expedition Tent. I left three things out of the video. First, the height of the center pole is right around 8 feet, making the dimensions 8’6″ wide by 11’6″ long by 8′ tall at the peak. Second, the material is 10.10 oz cotton. Third, if you’re interested you [...]

Video 9 in the 2014 WCES (Wilderness Canoe Expedition Semester) series. Join us as we run the Telos Cut. Running Telos Cut We finished our trip down the Allagash in the last video. After taking out in Allagash Village, we had a big lunch at Rock’s Diner in Fort Kent, then went back to the [...]

Video 8 in the WCES (Wilderness Canoe Expedition Semester) series. Join us as we swim below Allagash falls and paddle the lower river. At Allagash Falls

Video 7 in the WCES (Wilderness Canoe Expedition Semester) series. Join us as we paddle into Round Pond, and Tim does a walk-through of our campsite. At Round Pond

Video 6 in the WCES (Wilderness Canoe Expedition Semester) series. Join us as we line canoes down Long Lake dam, an old logging dam. It’s unsafe to run because of metal spikes that move each year when the ice goes out, so we tie up lining bridles and line it, or lower canoes over the [...]

Video 5 in the WCES (Wilderness Canoe Expedition Semester) series. Join us as we pole Chase Rapids, the most challenging water on the Allagash. Poling Chase Rapids

Video 4 in the WCES (Wilderness Canoe Expedition Semester) series. Join the guys out on Eagle Lake looking for fish. Looking For Fish

Video 3 in the WCES (Wilderness Canoe Expedition Semester) series, shot during the aftermath of the big storm. Also some introductions a few days later on a beautiful day with views of the mountains. After The Storm And Introductions

Shot on the first day of our 2014 Wilderness Canoe Expedition Semester, on the Allagash Wilderness Waterway at Chamberlain Lake. We spent the afternoon paddling with a tailwind and were right on the tail end of a big storm system. Storm On Chamberlain Lake

Last summer, during the Wilderness Canoe Expedition Semester, we shot a lot of video. It’s taken some time, but now we’re ready to post that video. Instead of spending a lot of time editing it into a long video no one will watch, I’m going to post it as a series of short clips. I [...]

While he’ll never hear me say it, Paul Sveum is a wealth of knowledge and a great instructor. Our friend Derek Faria from The Woodsman School shot and edited this video of Paul teaching a bannock 101 class at the Snow Walker’s Rendezvous. Solid information from a man who has made a lot of bannock [...]

Check out our group winter shelter complete with vestibule, raised bed and wood stove, and learn the four things that every shelter needs to accomplish. Group Dome Shelter Fall 2014

Join the Wilderness Bushcraft Semester on a flatwater canoe trip in Aroostook County, Maine. See us canoeing, cooking and baking on the fire, demonstrating the secret ninja technique of using a wooden sword to knock arrows out of the air, and the most epic rope swing north of Knowles Corner. Up In The County

Demonstrating wet weather fire by sectioning, splitting and contact splitting with an axe, then using a knife to carve feathers. Finally lighting with one match. First video shot during the fall, 2014 semester, and the first by our video guy, Heath Spielberg. Wet Weather Fire

A series of videos shot on the 2014 Boreal Snowshoe Expedition. It was a stellar team out for two beautiful weeks. We had an amazing time. Boreal Snowshoe Expedition Intro Making Bannock Winter Cooking Rig Splitting Wood On Snowshoes On The Trail With Jerell Yukon’s Campsite Tour

Shot during the 2013 Wilderness Canoe Expedition Semester, one of the participants was adept at walking on a slackline and wanted to cross Munsungun stream where the old Oxbow Road bridge is washed out. It wasn’t a warm day. He wasn’t excited about the silly commentary. If you watch until the end, he made it [...]

Sourdough biscuits in the reflector oven filmed during the 2013 Wilderness Canoe Expedition Semester on a remote river in northern Maine. Topher and Dave were guide team partners for this dinner and literally steal the show. And no, we weren’t having any fun on that trip.

Solar power does a lot of work for us at the field school. In this video Paul Sveum shows three of the main ways we use the sun: to cook food, heat water and generate electricity.

Shot a while back during the fall 2012 Wilderness Bushcraft Semester, join the guys as they’re cutting up moose, talking about forcing a patina on a new blade and the delicate process of making homemade wine.

Wall tents are great portable homes. In this video Paul Sveum shows how he builds a platform and knee wall to make living in one that much more comfortable.

The next workshop in the Self Reliance Workshop Series is on lighting fires using a bow drill. It takes place May 14th in Ossipee, New Hampshire. You can sign up or get more information on the GALA website.

I just returned from our 14-day Boreal Snowshoe Expedition. It was a fantastic trip with the best weather I’ve ever had when out for more than a week in the winter. Constant cold, clear skies, and one big snowstorm. Most importantly, there was no thaw, that bit of winter weather I dislike the most when [...]

During the June, 2013 Woodsman course we were at the river picking fiddleheads for supper when a yearling and mother moose walked into the field. We were quiet and still, and the wind was blowing toward us, so they kept coming right at us.

Jack Mountain Bushcraft Journal episode 40, the 15th and final in a 15 part video series shot on our May, 2012 bushcraft canoe expedition course in the North Maine Woods. In this episode, join us as we swim the rapids, pack up camp, and visit with the Old Man of Allagash Falls, a stone face [...]

Jack Mountain Bushcraft Journal episode 39, the 14th in a 15 part video series shot on our May, 2012 bushcraft canoe expedition course in the North Maine Woods. In this episode, injury! One of the members of the crew gets a puncture wound in their shin. This episode finishes with a visit from Dr. Nick [...]

Jack Mountain Bushcraft Journal episode 38, the 13th in a 15 part video series shot on our May, 2012 bushcraft canoe expedition course in the North Maine Woods. Join us as Nick explains the benefits of the Onmipod-2500, the ultimate outdoor cooking rig.

Jack Mountain Bushcraft Journal episode 37, the 12th in a 15 part video series shot on our May, 2012 bushcraft canoe expedition course in the North Maine Woods. In this episode some of the crew make a reflector oven sourdough pizza.

Jack Mountain Bushcraft Journal episode 36, the 11th in a 15 part video series shot on our May, 2012 bushcraft canoe expedition course in the North Maine Woods. Join us as we put in on the Allagash headwater lakes for the second leg of our journey, visit with Tim in the middle of the lake [...]

Jack Mountain Bushcraft Journal episode 35, the 10th in a 15 part video series shot on our May, 2012 bushcraft canoe expedition course in the North Maine Woods. Join us at the headwater pool of the Aroostook River where Whiskey Jack traverses camp and has a discussion with Tim about fishing the pool.

Jack Mountain Bushcraft Journal episode 34, the 9th in a 15 part video series shot on our May, 2012 bushcraft canoe expedition course in the North Maine Woods. Join us in the canoe as we travel down a quickwater section of the river, then visit with Big Fish as he talks about his hammock camping [...]

Jack Mountain Bushcraft Journal episode 33, the 8th in a 15 part video series shot on our May, 2012 bushcraft canoe expedition course in the North Maine Woods. Join us in camp catching native brook trout, then cooking those trout along with a bunch of other stuff over the campfire.

Jack Mountain Bushcraft Journal episode 32, the 7th in a 15 part video series shot on our May, 2012 bushcraft canoe expedition course in the North Maine Woods. In this episode we carry boats and gear around Munsungan Falls, then take a look at the falls and talk about how it was a favorite fishing [...]

Jack Mountain Bushcraft Journal episode 31, the 6th in a 15 part video series shot on our May, 2012 bushcraft canoe expedition course in the North Maine Woods. Join us in camp at Munsungan Lake for an introduction the group, campfire cooking and a discussion about the history of the region.

Jack Mountain Bushcraft Journal episode 30, the 5th in a 15 part video series shot on our May, 2012 bushcraft canoe expedition course in the North Maine Woods. Join us as we pole downriver, cross Munsungan Lake, and set up camp.

Jack Mountain Bushcraft Journal episode 29, the 4rd in a 15 part video series shot on our May, 2012 bushcraft canoe expedition course in the North Maine Woods. Check out our poling practice session, watch Bart fall in twice, and hear Shawn expound on the importance of treating a friction fire coal gingerly as you [...]

Jack Mountain Bushcraft Journal episode 28, the 3rd in a 15 part series shot on our May, 2012 bushcraft canoe expedition course in the North Maine Woods. Learn about the knifing J paddling stroke as we paddle down Chase Pond in order to get to the outlet stream to practice poling.

Jack Mountain Bushcraft Journal episode 27, the 2nd in a 15 part series shot on our May, 2012 bushcraft canoe expedition course. Get a canoe poling lesson and learn about reflector oven sourdough biscuits.

The 1st in a 15 part series shot on our May, 2012 bushcraft canoe expedition course. Join us as we travel to the put in for our Aroostook river trip on Chase Pond, deep in the North Maine Woods and learn about safely launching canoes.

One of the morning sessions at Woodsmoke was focused on defining bushcraft.  There was a lively discussion as to whether it should be done at all, and if so, how to do it in a manner that would not exclusionary.  After about an hour of discussion, we shot this video to explain the ideas to [...]

Sustainable cooking as demonstrated by Whiskey Jack.  Rice cooked in a sun oven, then fried over a twig-fueled rocket stove.  

Video on building a semi-permanent, group-sized dome shelter in the woods of northern Maine to be used as a lodge, wet-weather instruction area, heated space during cold weather, and as a dance club in the evenings.  

A canoeing video of poling up and snubbing down the Big Machias River during the June, 2011 Riverman Course. The camera gets a little shakey in the middle, but even with this is shows that with a pole and some experience a person can travel upstream through a rip faster than they can walk on [...]

Shot during the Journeyman course last summer, this video features a Dutch oven chicken dinner expertly described by Whiskey Jack. Here he utters his famous line, “That doesn’t look any good!”, for the first time on film.  

A short video shot at a remote campsite in the north Maine Woods, 43 river miles upstream from town. We were here in July, 2011 on our Journeyman Course, and enjoyed the gentle rhythms of the campfire and the flowing river.