Winter Survival Trek

January 25-29, 2027 | 5 Days of Winter Adventure

In partnership with the Boreal Wilderness Institute

Instructors: Dale & Colleen Kiselyk, Bruce Zawalsky
Special Contributors: Richard Ellens (Senior Trapper) and Bruce Zawalsky of the Boreal Wilderness Institute

Location: Nature Alive Adventure Centre and the nearby Freeman River Watershed, approximately two hours northwest of Edmonton near Goose Lake, Alberta.

New for 2027: A Three-Week Winter Wilderness Experience

Nature Alive Adventures and the Boreal Wilderness Institute are excited to offer an exceptional opportunity to combine three unique winter wilderness programs into one unforgettable experience.

Participants may register for:

• Week One only
• Weeks One and Two
• Any combination of weeks
• All three weeks for the ultimate winter wilderness immersion

Whether you're seeking professional survival training, a hands-on trapline experience, or an advanced wilderness trek, these programs provide a progressive pathway into the heart of Canada's boreal winter.

Week One

Winter Boreal Survival Course

January 12-16, 2027 $950 CAD + GST

Led by renowned wilderness survival instructor and author Bruce Zawalsky, this professionally delivered winter survival course provides the skills and confidence needed to travel, work, and thrive in cold-weather wilderness environments.

Ideal for:

• Winter travellers
• Outdoor guides and instructors
• Outdoor educators
• Ground Search and Rescue volunteers
• Bushcrafters seeking advanced winter skills

Participants gain practical knowledge and hands-on experience in surviving and travelling comfortably within Canada's boreal and mountain forests.

Registration and full course details are available through the Boreal Wilderness Institute.

Week Two

Bushcraft Trapline Experience

January 18-23, 2027 $1,500 CAD

Join Ross Hinter, Dale Kiselyk, and Colleen Kiselyk for an immersive exploration of life on an active boreal trapline.

This course focuses on practical wilderness living and bushcraft skills, including:

• Axe, saw, and rope craft
• Winter firecraft and shelter building
• Animal tracking and processing
• Hide preparation
• Navigation and winter travel
• Snowshoe and toboggan travel
• Campcraft and meal preparation
• Winter clothing systems
• Deep snow and backcountry movement

Participants stay at the Nature Alive Adventure Centre, with opportunities to spend one or more nights on the trapline in heated wall tents.

For more Details and the Register click here.

Week Three

Winter Survival Trek

January 25-29, 2027 $1,100 CAD + GST

The Ultimate Boreal Winter Journey

Put your wilderness skills into practice on a five-day winter expedition along the frozen Freeman River.

Guided by instructors from Nature Alive Adventures and the Boreal Wilderness Institute, participants will travel by snowshoe while hauling equipment in traditional freight toboggans and pulks. Along the way, you'll establish camps, build super shelters, manage winter fires, and experience the realities of winter travel in Canada's boreal forest.

This trek combines wilderness travel, bushcraft, winter camping, campcraft, tracking, and survival skills in a challenging but supportive learning environment.

Participants can expect opportunities to:

• Travel across frozen landscapes on snowshoes
• Learn efficient winter campcraft techniques
• Construct and use super shelters
• Practice winter firecraft
• Develop route-finding and camp-selection skills
• Explore animal tracking and survival trapping concepts
• Participate in group camp operations and wilderness living

This is not a "survival hardship" course. Rather, it is an immersive winter bushcraft expedition that emphasizes skill development, teamwork, self-reliance, and a deep connection to the boreal wilderness.

Prerequisites

Participants should have completed one of the following:

• Boreal Wilderness Institute Winter Boreal Survival Course (Week One)
• Karamat Winter Wilderness Skills Course
• Equivalent winter camping and wilderness experience approved by the instructors

Trek Overview

Over five days, participants will travel along our registered trapline using snowshoes, pulks, and traditional toboggans. Camps will be established using super shelters, hot tents, and winter firecraft techniques. Participants will be actively involved in camp setup, firewood gathering, meal preparation, shelter construction, and all aspects of winter living.

Recommended Experience

Participants will benefit from prior experience with:

• Snowshoeing and winter backcountry travel
• Winter fire lighting and fire management
• Winter shelter construction and camping
• Safe use of axes, saws, and knives
• Winter clothing systems and cold-weather preparedness
• Group travel in remote wilderness environments

Most importantly, participants should bring a positive attitude, a willingness to learn, and enthusiasm for an advanced winter bushcraft experience.

What Is Included

• Professional instruction and guidance
• Breakfast, lunch, and supper each day
• Snowshoes, pulks, and toboggans (participants may bring their own)
• Winter shelter materials
• Trapping demonstrations and instruction
• Tracking and natural sign interpretation
• Group travel and campcraft instruction
• Canvas wall tents and wood stoves
• Cooking equipment
• Safety equipment, including emergency communications and first aid resources
• Pre-trip gear list and preparation support

Not Included

• Personal clothing and cold-weather sleep systems
• Personal first aid kit
• Personal knives, saws, axes, and bushcraft tools
• Snacks and specialty dietary items
• Personal mess kit (bowl, mug, plate, spoon, fork)
• Optional cots and sleeping platforms

Fitness Requirements

Participants should possess a moderate to good level of physical fitness.

Expect to:

• Snowshoe 0.5 to 2 kilometres on some days
• Pull toboggans and transport equipment
• Gather and process firewood
• Assist with camp setup and maintenance
• Participate in daily camp chores

A willingness to contribute to the group experience is essential.

Accommodations

Participants will potentially stay in heated canvas wall tents while also having opportunities to build and use super shelters and other primitive winter shelter systems during the expedition.

Meals

All meals are included. Please contact us prior to the course if you have dietary restrictions or food allergies.

Group Size

Minimum: 6 Participants
Maximum: 8 Participants

Course Fee

$1,100 CAD + GST per person

Includes instruction, group camping equipment, canvas hot tents, wood stoves, toboggans, meals, shelter materials, and safety equipment.

See the VIDEO of a past wilderness trek on the Freeman River.