Outdoor enthusiasts are invited to join veteran outdoorsman and Douglas County Park Ranger Tom Welle at the Spruce Mountain trailhead for a hike and simultaneous course in outdoor survival skills on Sunday, August 29 from 9:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.  Registration is required by August 25. Course is limited to 25 participants.  Please call Carol at 303.660.7495 to register and fulfill submittal of required paperwork.

”The best time to learn and apply outdoor survival skills – finding water and food sources, building temporary shelter, starting a fire, and using signaling techniques  – is before you need them,” said Welle.  “The skills taught and practiced in this course should enable anyone to travel through and safely enjoy the outdoors with an increased level of confidence and enjoyment, as well as help themselves through their first few critical hours and days of being lost.” 

Various survival items and tools are also discussed, used and tested.  Participants are taught to improvise and adapt to their situation until help arrives. 

Course instructor is Tom Welle, Senior Park Ranger for Douglas County Parks and Open Space.

Thomas Welle grew up on the Western Slope of Colorado guiding hunters and anglers in the White River country.  From that beginning, along with training in the military and with various park agencies as a ranger, Tom has learned and used the techniques necessary to stay alive for those critical few days until help arrives. 

For additional information including advice on the gear and supplies necessary for this hike, please go to http://www.douglas.co.us/openspace/index.html