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Bear Grylls Survival Academy Information Pack & Joining Instructions
CATSKILLS MOUNTAINS, NY STATE
SURVIVE THE CATSKILLS
COURAGE/KINDNESS/DETERMINATION
“There is little faith involved in setting out on a journey where the destination is certain and every step in between
has been mapped in detail. Bravery, trust, is about leaving camp in the dark, when we do not know the route ahead
and cannot be certain we will ever return.”
From your wilderness base camp, in the heart of coyote, bear and bobcat country, you’ll learn
Bear Grylls’ own survival techniques, delivered by an elite company of instructors selected
by Bear and his crew. They’ll guide your team in the Priorities of Survival, knife skills, fire
lighting and rope work, showing you how to build an emergency shelter, forage and trap for
food, gut and skin your catch, find and purify water. You’ll learn to navigate by day and by
night, and how to dynamically and safely ascend mountainous terrain in a natural training
theatre of rocky gorges, rugged cliffs, craggy outcrops and fast moving white waters.
For your final 36-hour adventure, you’ll be dropped off in a remote mountainous area, with
just a few basics and an empty water canteen. Nothing you have done before will test you
like this experience, as you put everything you have learnt into practice to navigate the
dense Catskill forest and make your way back to civilisation – via a cascading waterfall!
After the passing out ceremony that follows, your now well-used Bear Grylls knives – and
the memories – are yours to keep.
PLEASE NOTE: You must arrive at Blue Hill Lodge for 14:00 for a prompt start.
LOCATION – 1471 DENNING RD, CLARYVILLE, NY 12725
GPS COORDINATES: 41.9248° N, 74.5581° W
On arrival you will be met by a Bear Grylls Survival Academy representative. From here, you will be shown
to your base camp, given a safety briefing and introduced to your instructors – your adventure begins here!
*You will be finished on day 5 by 1400hrs, please be aware of this before making any onward travel plans.
SURVIVE THE CATSKILLS
YOUR COURSE EXPERIENCE
DAY 1 - ARRIVAL The adventure begins at 14:00, with a chance to meet your course leaders and fellow participants and to
ensure you have all the items on the BGSA Kit List. We will then move to the academy’s wilderness base
camp. On arrival you will set up your camp training area, receive a safety brief, course brief & outline as well
as having a chance to talk about your specific requirements. You will then be issued with your personal
training equipment, basic food rations and you will start the first of many survival sessions including the
packing of expedition equipment, a Priorities of Survival lesson, followed by a knife skills session. After a late
Alpine style supper, there will be a lesson on Astro Navigation and then it’s heads down in preparation for the
next few days of full on Bear Grylls style adventure.
DAY 2 Day two begins with a field physical training session, followed by various core survival skills such as fire
lighting, remote and improvised First Aid, knot tying, improvised harnesses and the practical use of snares,
traps and dropping out fishing lines. Later, you’ll build your own emergency shelter and forage, find, prepare
and cook some exciting wilderness food.
You will learn to gut and skin, and explore the art of sourcing, filtering and purifying water. The day concludes
with a stalking stance and a night navigation exercise using Astro Navigation skills.
DAY 3 Hopefully you’ll wake up dry and warm if you’ve built a good shelter! You’ll need to use your skills to make a
fire from scratch, check the snares and drop lines. . . . have you caught anything for a ‘wilderness’ breakfast?
After that we head out on the extreme Bear Grylls training adventure day. You will undertake navigation
training and learn how to dynamically and safely ascend mountainous terrain using a variety of techniques.
This is classic BG crossing of difficult ground. Mountain sides, gorges, rugged cliffs, craggy outcrops and fast
moving white water is your training theatre for the day, so climb, swing, slide, jump and ride - it’s pure Bear
Grylls.
SURVIVE THE CATSKILLS
DAY 4-5 Final Exercise… let’s just say you’ll be putting all your new found skills to good use! You will be dropped off in
a wild remote mountainous area with just some basics and an empty water canteen. From that point, you’re on
your own as a team. Nothing you have ever done is even close to the adventure your about to go on. The aim:
simple, survival and rescue.
You must navigate and bushwack your way through the forest to the 8th highest peak in the Catskills. After
locating a plane crash site, maybe you’ll find a safe camping area for the night, clear of all the Catskills black
bears. You will need to get yourselves some clean water and maybe some food. Hopefully you have a good
strength of character and the will to succeed. If you manage to get through the dense Catskills forest and
rugged terrain in time, you will make your way back to civilization by going down a cascading waterfall - BG
style! If you are successful and make it back to base camp, we have the final passing out ceremony and the
awarding of the BG Survival Academy certificates. Your now “well used” BG knives and the memories will be
yours to keep. Your day will finish by 14:00 (2PM) – please be aware of this before making any onward travel plans. On successful completion of the course, participants will receive a Bear Grylls Survival Academy badge,
certificate and your own Bear Grylls Gerber knife to keep. Please Note: All activities are weather dependent and may be affected by other factors beyond our control.
The course schedule and content may be rearranged or amended at short notice and cannot be guaranteed.
SURVIVE THE CATSKILLS
KIT LIST The following kit will be issued to participants by the Academy for use over the duration of the course:
4 seasons sleeping bag
Camp bed
Head torch
Rucksack and waterproof liner
BG Canteen and mug
Bear Grylls survival knife
These items will all help you to survive! Please note, all of the clothing and equipment that you bring must be
appropriate to the environment and the time of year. This is just a guide and you may not require all of the kit.
Your instructors will let you know what to take out into the wilderness upon arrival - any surplus kit can be left
in vehicles. For a more accurate idea of items you may need to bring, please check the weather forecast
www.weatherundground.com prior to your departure for 12725 (Claryville, NY).
1 pair of Hiking boots, preferably with ankle support
Training shoes
Trousers (lightweight)
Base layer, mid layer and outer (lightweight)
Thick fleece or lightweight winter jacket
Hat
Gloves x 2 thin (active) & thicker outer (waterproof)
Rain gear (water and windproof trousers and jacket)
Sunglasses & Sun Cream & mosquito repellent (weather dependent)
Casual clothes (spares, including footwear for once the course has ended)
Personal toiletries & Towel
Personal medication
Camera (in a waterproof bag)
…and a bag full of positive attitude!
Emergency Contact: Jeff Williams Tel: (845) 985-2291 ext. 315
Email: [email protected]
HEALTH & FITNESS As you would expect, the Bear Grylls Survival Academy is challenging both mentally and physically.
So, in order to get the most out of the course, applicants should be fit and healthy.
If you have any questions about Health and Fitness for this course, please contact our friendly BGSA team –
for any pre existing injuries or allergies, please let the team know in advance.
SURVIVE THE CATSKILLS
MEETING POINT 1471 DENNING RD,
CLARYVILLE,
NY 12725
Tel: +1 845-985-0247
GPS COORDINATES: 41.9248° N, 74.5581° W
HOW TO FIND US…..
NOTE: You must arrive at Blue Hill Lodge for 14:00 (2PM) for a prompt start. On arrival you will be met by a
Bear Grylls Survival Academy representative.
NEAREST AIRPORTS Albany International Airport, NY (98 miles) | LaGuardia Airport, NY (127 miles)
Newark Liberty International Airport, NJ (130 miles) | JFK Airport, NY (138 miles)
SURVIVE THE CATSKILLS
ABOUT BEAR GRYLLS Bear Grylls has become known worldwide as one of the most recognised faces of survival and outdoor adventure.
His journey started as a young boy on the Isle of Wight, where his late father taught him to climb and sail.
Trained from a young age in martial arts, Grylls went on to spend three years as a soldier in the British Special
Forces, as part of 21 SAS Regiment. It was here that he perfected many of the survival skills that his fans all over
the world enjoy, as he pits himself against the worst of Mother Nature.
Despite a free-fall parachuting accident in Africa, where he broke his back in three places and endured many
months in and out of military rehabilitation, Grylls recovered and went on to become one of the youngest climbers
ever to reach the summit of Mount Everest.
He then went on to star in seven seasons of the Discovery Channel’s Emmy Award-nominated “Man vs. Wild” TV
series, which became one of the most-watched shows on the planet, reaching an estimated 1.2 billion viewers.
Since then he has gone on to host more extreme adventure TV shows across more global networks than anyone
else in the world, including five seasons of the BAFTA award-winning The Island with Bear Grylls, the hit TV show
Running Wild, Hostile Planet for National Geographic and “You Vs Wild” for Netflix.
Running Wild now playing on National Geographic has featured Bear taking some of the world’s best known stars
on incredible adventures. These include President Obama, Julia Roberts, Roger Federer, Will Ferrell, Zac Efron,
Channing Tatum, Kate Winslet, to name but a few.
His autobiography Mud Sweat and Tears spent 15 weeks at Number 1 in the Sunday Times Bestseller list and he
has written over 85 books, selling in excess of 15 million copies worldwide.
He is an Honorary Colonel to the Royal Marines Commandos, the youngest ever UK Chief Scout and the first
ever Chief Ambassador to the World Scout Movement, representing a global family of some fifty million Scouts.
He is married to Shara and together they have three young boys who also love adventure.
They live between a houseboat on the Thames and a private island off the Welsh coast.
Bear’s life motto is simple: courage and kindness... and never give up!
SURVIVE THE CATSKILLS
Tel: UK: +44 (0) 1483 424438 | US: +1-877-742-2925
BOOKINGS & ENQUIRIES Email: [email protected]
Phone: +44 (0) 1483 424438
Phone: +1-877-742-2925
Fax: +44 (0) 1483 860391
Website: www.beargryllssurvivalacademy.com
To be eligible for the academy you must be aged 18yrs+ in order to attend.
INCLUSIONS Accommodation
Food & Water
Various kit (see provided kit list)
All fieldwork & lectures
On completion of the course participants will receive a Bear Grylls Survival Academy badge, certificate and
your own Bear Grylls knife to keep.
EXCLUDES Flights and any other means of transportation not mentioned
Transfers
Travel/personal Insurance
INFORMATION Payment plans are available for our Survive the Catskills course – please ask a member of the team for further
details with regards to this
Your placement will be confirmed to you in writing by the Bear Grylls Survival Academy
Please Note: Bear Grylls Survival Academy reserves the right to amend dates of courses or cancel courses if our
minimum attendance numbers are not met. Participants should check that adequate travel insurance covers them
for cancellation of any flights that may have been booked. It is the client’s responsibility to provide accurate and
true information to the company. Proof of identity and age will be required, before the client may join the course.
In the event of any of the information supplied by the client proving to be incorrect or untrue and preventing the
client joining the course, the full amount paid by the client will be retained to cover administration costs and there
will be no refund due to the client.
SURVIVE THE CATSKILLS
