Empowering Ancient Ways

– Deepening our connection with nature through

Ancient Wilderness Living Skills -

The core skills of this course have been brought together after much preparation and introspection as to how to incorporate the most well-rounded and universal wilderness wisdom and teachings into one week-long experience. This course provides the ingredients to enrich the life of anyone who lives on planet Earth, from the most seasoned wilderness guides to wildlife biologists, busy professionals who yearn for the sanctity of the wild, or anybody interested in being thoroughly introduced to wilderness living skills.

Our Passion to teach has evolved from our experience as passionate students, learning to integrate the wisdom found in pure wilderness, and emulating that firm sense of connection. Our approach has evolved out of learning to help our students to create intentful routines from the skills that have lasted through all time. We set students up for success by helping them to become aware of the wilderness that surrounds them all the time. Here begins the journey to understanding the difference between Wilderness Survival & Wilderness Living. The choice is yours, when you make it.

Course Topics Include:

Shelter, Water, Fire, Food
Wildlife Tracking
Bird language, concentric rings and base line symphony
Stone, bone, and antler tools and usage
Tree and Plant Fibers- Harvesting, Processing and Preserving
Tanning and Preserving Hides and Animal Skins in various ways
Stalking, Natural Movement, and Camouflage
Stewardship and Caretaker Ethics Emphasized
Empowering our ecological footprint (your tracks)
Traditional cooking and food preservation
Container making, and More!
Student Testimonial

“My experience at Empowering Ancient Ways really helped to clarify the direction I want to take in my life. The awareness skills and sit spot exercise helped me acquire my summer job last year and reinvigorated my interest in pursuing post-graduate studies at university. The teaching and support given by Skeet and the rest of the crew was incredible and really helps you strive for success. The bow drill was personally the most difficult skill that I succeeded in performing and gave me the greatest sense of accomplishment I’ve had as far back as I can remember. The people that you meet there are great and the sense of community that develops exceeds the duration of the courses. I would highly recommend Sticks and Stones Wilderness School to anyone who loves the outdoors, wants a challenge or wishes to experience something new. I am definitely looking to take more classes.” ~ Chris Deduke, student

When: April 25 – May 1 & Sept 5 – 11, 2010

Where: Kimbercote Farm, Grey Bruce County, ON

Cost: $650

Includes: Instruction, 3 hearty meals/day, dorm style accommodation or camping and materials for duration of the course.

Contact Chris at chris@earthmentorship.com for more details

Family Wilderness Skills Weekend

Bring the whole family and join us at the Wolf Den for a weekend of wilderness and nature exploration. We will lean about the natural world first hand through the practice of ancient wilderness living skills
including: wilderness crafts, survival skills, and educational wilderness games.

When: The weekend of Nov 7 & 8, 2009. We will start at 10am Saturday and go till 4:30pm Sunday

Location: Wolf Den Bunkhouse, Oxtongue, ON. Hwy 60, 8 minutes west of Algonquin Park.

Accommodation: Each family will have their own room in a beautiful log cabin in the woods. All bedding material is provided.

Food: We will provide a pizza dinner Saturday night and snacks. Your family can cook lunch and dinner in the Wolf Dens communal kitchen.

Price: $120/person, $340 for a family of 3, $380 for a family of 4, $420 for a family of 5, 5 yrs old and under free.

Includes: 1 night accomodation at the Wolf Den, Saturday night dinner, all materials, and 2 mentors.

For more information or to reserve your spot please contact Chris at 705-788-1210 or email him at chris@earthmentorship.com

At Home in Your Body, At Home in the Nature

This multi day retreat bridges two ancient paths, yoga and wilderness awareness. Join us for morning and evening yoga, intentional breath and meditation, interpretive nature walks, wilderness living skill workshops, nature crafts, and a chance to deepen your connection to the natural world, your understanding of your own body, and how the 2 fit together.

Dates: Oct 22 - 25, 2009 & Feb 25 - 28, 2010

Times: Program starts with dinner at 6pm on Thursday and will finish around 4pm the Sunday.

Location: Wolf Den Bunkhouse, Oxtongue, ON, 8 min West of Algonquin Park. Each participant will sleep in a beautful log cabin.

Cost: $380/person or $720 for 2
Includes: 3 nights accomadation, healthy food, snacks, materials, yoga and naturalist mentoring.

For more info or to reserve your spot please contact Chris at 705-788-1210 or email him at chris@earthmentorship.com

Family Wilderness Awareness & Skills Retreat - July 26 - 29

- Yoga, Survival, Birds, Trees, Plants, Stories, Fire, Crafts, Family -

An exciting retreat to invigorate our connection with nature and to
inspire exciting new ways for us to nurture family relationships. Join
Chris Gilmour of Earth Mentorship Programs & Wendy Martin of Sacred
Breath Yoga for 3 days of family fun, relaxation, and education near
Algonquin Park.

*Activities include:*

: sensory awareness games
: family and team building activities
: nature crafts: guided nature hikes
: learning about local wildlife, trees, and plants

: interpreting the sounds and signs of the forest

: music and stories around the camp fire

: wilderness survival skills
: yoga activities to explore balance, strength, the power of breath and
finesse vs. force
: empowerment and role playing games for kids that allow their own
unique voice to be spoken and heard.
: simple, quick and effective De-stress exercises, that connect body,
mind and breath

: free time to explore and relax

The program will begin with dinner Sunday night followed by an activity.
Monday and Tuesday will each have 3, 1-3 hour sessions: morning,
afternoon, and evening, with free time in-between. Some sessions we will
have separate youth and adult programming and in some we will all work
together. We will be done by 12 noon Wednesday.

When: July 26 - 29, 2009. We will meet for a 5pm dinner Sunday night and
finish around noon on Wed.

*Location:* Wolf Den Bunkhouse, Oxtongue, ON. Hwy 60, 8 minutes west of
Algonquin Park.

*Accommodation:* Each family will have their own room in a beautiful log
cabin in the woods. All bedding material is provided.

*Food:* We will provide dinner Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday. Participants
bring and prepare their own breakfast and lunch in the Wolf Dens
communal kitchen. All cooking utensils, stoves, and refrigerators are
provided.

*Price:* $265/person, includes, accommodation, 3 dinners, 2 instructors,
all course materials.

Please contact Chris at chris@earthmentorship.com for more info or to reserve

Wilderness Skills Workshops

The Wolf Den Hostel and Nature Retreat is very proud to be working with Skeet Sutherland of Sticks and Stones Wilderness School and Chris Gilmour of Chris Gilmour's Earth Mentorship Programs to bring high quality Wilderness Skills Courses and Workshops throughout the Summer. These programs deepen participant's connection with the wilderness while empowering a new perspective and set of skills.

All weekend workshops will be offered at the Wolf Den Bunkhouse and Cabins, Algonquin area.
Cost $350, Includes dorm style accommodation, dinner and workshop materials.

Keeper of the Flame
July 11, 12, 13, 2008

Wilderness Food Skills
July 18, 19, 20, 2008

Wildlife Tracking Skills
July 25, 26, 27, 2008


Sacred Awareness
August 1, 2, 3, 2008


Empowering Ancient Ways
August 30, Sept. 6, 2008
Wolf Den Bunkhouse and Cabins, Algonquin area
Cost $750, $300 Deposit due by July 31, 2008
Includes 3 meals/day, dorm style accommodation and materials for course.


Empowering Ancient Ways- Advanced Skills
September 7 - 13, 2008
Wolf Den Bunkhouse and Cabins, Algonquin Area
Cost $750, $300 Deposit due by August, 7, 2008
Includes 3 meals/day, dorm style accommodation and materials for course.


Please contact Skeet through Sticks and Stones Wilderness School or Chris through Chris Gilmour's Earth Mentorship Programs for further details or to reserve your spot.