I took the wilderness 1 class and found Shane and his staff to be very knowledgeable. I look forward to doing the wilderness weekend Mountain Scout Survival School offers. read more

We started taking class with Shane Hobel of Mountain Scout Survival School when my daughter was 10, she is nearly 12 now. I had contacted Shane after thinking about these types of classes for a while. After observing extreme weather conditions in our country, I realized if it plunged to negative 30 degrees here, I would have no clue how to stay alive, nor how to help my child. Shane responded to my message promptly, and we chatted for about an hour. He was knowledgeable, friendly, kind, reassuring, and funny. I was greatly relieved to discuss such a paramount topic with a competent expert. I almost expected a bill for all the questions I had, but I discovered Shane is not driven by the pecuniary, he is a genuinely good, helpful guy. The basic class is Wilderness I. I was a bit apprehensive to take my daughter to the middle of the forrest with people I didn't know, but Shane had been so genuine during our call, I did. All the volunteers and trainees/Scouts working for Mountain Scout School are every bit as nice and helpful as Shane. We learned a huge amount from 9-5, manifold topics are covered. Notebooks are imperative, you could never recall all the information given. We have since attended Wilderness I another 5 times; each time I hear something different I had missed before. "Dirt time" to practice skills is also given in Wilderness I. Mountain Scout Survival School offers a plethora of course options after the required Wilderness I - Wilderness II, Wilderness III, Tracking I and II, Camouflage and Movement, Fire I and II, Art of the Stalk, Healing Way I and II, Urban I and II, Bug Out, Map and Compass, Tree Identification, Hunt Tracking etc. There are a myriad of other courses I'm sure I'm missing. The Healing Way is very profound, and the Art of the Stalk - literally crawling through the foliage - is fun. The classes are very reasonable for the NYC metro area. One thing not advertised is once you've attended a Mountain Scout Survival School class, to repeat that class is a paltry $40 fee. If you want to become more involved, he accepts volunteers who assist classes. Every few months he offers Skill Set Open Practice Days for no charge. This school is very affordable - no $20K overnight auction items here, no pressure. I have met many interesting and nice students, varied draw of people attend. I like the fact Shane stresses he is not aligned with the segment of prevalent Doomsday Prepper type shows. Shane is Native American, and has reverence and awe for nature and Mother Earth. He reminds everyone he teaches ancient skills which are our birthright, and had been known to all until very recent modern times. He is so correct, it's time to reclaim what every other generation has practiced. Shane emphasizes community, and sharing skills sets to increase the efficiency of your community group. His philosophy is to increase and expand your awareness, baseline is inculcated into you. He is a bit zany which adds to sometimes too serious topics. I have attended about 90 percent of the above listed courses, and they are all interesting and helpful if you are serious about accumulating skills. I have seen fire made from ancient bow drills in intense rain with a couple feet of snow. Wow. Shane and his crew are kind of like watching a cross between McGuyver and Michael Weston operating outside. Very approachable, no need to feel inferior for showing up with no skills. Despite his expertise, Shane is very humble with zero attitude. Attending classes builds your endurance, confidence, and self-knowledge. I detest heights, I am petrified to ride Soarin with my kid, yet I found myself rock climbing a couple weeks ago to end one class. It was harrowing to watch my daughter use a knife (!) the first couple times (NY Presbyterian Pediatric ER greets us by name when we arrive). Shane coaxes you beyond your self-imposed limits without you being aware he is doing so. If the Zombie Apocalypse happened and I had a choice between handing my daughter over to a bunch of military special ops, or Shane and his Scouts, I would optimize her survival chances by picking Shane and his Mountain Scout Survival School. read more

I have been taking Shane's classes for over two years now. I have taken several classes repeatedly. When I met Shane I was already familiar with Tom Brown's Tracker School and had read TB's books. All of the skills and knowledge were new to me but I knew these things were possible because my Native American father tried to teach us as children. My father had spent his childhood in the wilderness too and had many stories like Tom Brown. Shane is teaching in the traditional Native American way. Shane teaches in the tracker school tradition. Where the instructors only point you in the direction of knowledge. He tells you what is not in books the rest of it is up to you and you go through the experience of discovering out on your own so that you really know it. Four years ago I moved to Dutchess co. From Manhattan With my children. I knew nothing about living in the country . I was terrified of the deer and coyote. Through wilderness training I am now confident in my surroundings, and can recognize the movement and growth of the wildlife on my own property. I have foraged in my own backyard fed my family with weeds! Shane's classes told me only what was important to learn. I did most of the hard work of actually learning my own. This DIY mentality is critical in survival and is a skill itself. read more

I initially met Shane through a daily deal offering a basic wilderness survival course here in Manhattan. Both my Fiancé and I found him engaging and informative. The class was well structured and he kept everyone moving, doing and thinking. We were sorry to have the day come to a close, not only because we were having a great time but because we wanted to learn more! Since then we've made the easy trip up to Garrison in the Hudson Valley and taken class offerings as our schedule allowed (we work crazy hours) and each time we are struck by the absolute sense of wonder and joy that Shane and his crew bring to their work. They are comitted to sharing their knowledge and have gone out of their way numerous times to help us understand either by demonstrating or re-explaining a process or idea what I'd missed. Making fire without any matches is still high on my to do list :) I cannot say enough positive things about their endeavor to share skills and teach preparedness and survival acumen. We had to cancel one day because i had a last minute work project and they were happy to work with us to sort it out. Living in New York, we've had some hairy times in the last few years. I am glad I have at least a clue on how to keep my family above water in case something bad happens locally (emergency planning)-you can't hide under a desk anymore, there's just too many things out there. So from finding and preparing clean water for drinking, Bug out bags to a stuck in the car survival kit, Ancestral skills like making a fire and where to pitch a tent all the way to beginning to learn how to do it with solid gear or how make it all from scratch is a daunting task. Shane and his Mountain Scout Survival School is like any other education: you gotta put in the 'dirt time' before you need it so you have it when the world comes knocking. Knowledge weighs nothing, regret weighs tons. You won't regret the time you spend here. Go get your hands dirty people, My name is Stephen and i'll see you there! read more

Better training than the military gets! I have trained with Shane at mountain scout survival school for the better part of a decade now and I can tell you that there is none better out there to meet the contemporary learner's needs. The knowledge that he imparts is invaluable and honestly necessary for anyone who desires to keep themselves and their family safe in times of uncertainty. Furthermore, if you think that you may be in a situation where knowledge may save you in a survival situation; this is the place where you really need to be spending time. The school is great! Come learn some stuff that will save your life. read more

I highly recommend taking classes at the Mountain Scout Survival School. If possible, enroll in classes at the Hopewell Junction location - the wild forest encourages and inspires. My husband and I took Wilderness 1 in mid March, 2021 in the Hudson Valley, and a week later, I took Tracking 1 and Fire 1. Wilderness 1 is an intro class, and because Shane introduces the "7 arrows," it is essential to take this class before enrolling in other more hands-on classes. As a survey class, Wilderness 1 attracts many different kinds of people with varying levels of experience. I enjoyed it immensely, but it was in the classes that followed where I had the privilege of experiencing the unique community that Shane has built. So, how does he do it? Shane's approach to teaching is informal and conversational, and he invites his audience's reactions and participation by telling anecdotes to highlight the key points of his lessons. In the 3 classes I took over the course of 2 weeks this month, Shane facilitated a learning experience that includes some lecture-style and note-taking, followed by hands-on experiences like starting a debris hut, tracking footprints across pathways, and preparing materials to start a fire using a bow drill. I signed up for the classes to gain perspective and start to cultivate an important skillset, and because I am on a very personal journey: my convenience-focused lifestyle has made me feel like I am existing outside the natural world, and I believe that humanity is causing irreparable damage to Mother Earth because so many people are living an unsustainable lifestyle. When I became a mother myself, this realization became a call to action. The only possible step to take is to cultivate a strong connection to our First Mother and a reverence for Her so that we can know that we are part of the natural world, and therefore responsible for and impacted by everything else. When Shane started sharing thoughts like "nothing in Nature can move without disturbing something else" and "we are all a part of this Earth," I was able to personally connect to the practical information I was learning at the Mountain Scout Survival School. Wilderness 1 may start on a light-hearted note with discussions about the apocalypse and theories about whether or not zombies float or sink, but it ends with the class circled around a fire with the classes Scouts facing away from the fire as a symbolic gesture in honor of our experience with the fire - for many of us, our "First Fire." In Tracking 1, students are introduced to the concept of traveling through time when following a trail: "where you were I am, and where you are I will be... and eventually, we will find each other in the future." In Fire 1, students are invited to express gratitude once they have found the stick with which they will make their bow drill. Thus does Shane imbue every teaching with a spiritual element that makes experiences at Mountain Scout truly unique. I cannot wait to bring my children up to Hopewell Junction! read more

Taken a couple of courses with this school now. this school offers one day classes. Compared to the Tracker School in NJ which offers a 7 day Standard Class. this school's Wilderness 1 class offered in NYC in one day actually manages to cover quite a lot of the what is in the 7 day course held at the Tracker School. basics like building a shelter from what is in the landscape, water and how to purify it, edible plants, how to make fire by rubbing sticks together and how to make rope (cordage) are covered in amazing details. I took lots of notes, had time to practice and got to be outdoors for the whole thing. the skills taught are more in line with the way native american indians would have done these things hundreds of years ago. the class ended with a practice of awareness which in NYC is truly handy. Since the classes are single day events it much easier to do than having to set aside an entire week and have to pack up camping gear to attend a class. Gonna take some more classes here during the summer. read more

My wife and I enrolled us and my 14-year old daughter for the one-day Wilderness 1 class, which was held in Garrison. I would not recommend this course for anyone. The instructor Shane Hobel is an entertaining guy, and he probably knows a lot about the wilderness. He is not a good instructor, however. For a class about preparedness, it was clear that the teacher was unprepared to teach an all-day class. The class consisted of Shane talking for hours on end. There was virtually no hands-on activity. Shane talked about the importance of "dirt time," but in fact he just lectured at us for hours, and had few props to demonstrate what he was talking about. Basically it became clear that he was just winging it. That might work for an hour or two, but an all-day course requires some advance preparation. For example, there was a whole section on water filtration. Shane's helpers erected a small tripod made of sticks tied together, and then Shane talked about how one could hypothetically tie bandanas to the sticks to form tiers for filtering water. He explained how one could then take charcoal from a hypothetical fire and turn the charcoal into a fine powder, and filter the water through the charcoal, and then filter it through sand, and a variety of other filtration media. Let me stress: all of this information was conveyed without any demonstration. He just told us about it. He also told us abstractly how to distill water and catch it with a tarp, etc., without any diagrams or props. He told us that it is important to know which plants are which, and that we should look online to find images of poison ivy, for example. Would it have been difficult for Shane or his volunteers to press samples of poisonous plants to show us what they look like? If I wanted to look online to find pictures of plants I could figure out how to do it without being told by a wilderness survival instructor. Shane also made some remarks that were completely nonsensical. For example, he told us that under the sidewalks of Manhattan there are twenty stories of buried city streets, and that he has walked these streets, and seen old barber shops and lampposts, which have been built over and forgotten. My daughter asked me, "How can there be buildings in Manhattan now that are from the early 1800s, if the city has been built over like that?" The answer of course is that Shane is wrong. Manhattan may have a few disused subway stations here and there, but the city has not been build upon like Rome or some other ancient cities. Shane also told us that if you get bitten by mosquitos it is because you are approaching the insects with a sense of defensiveness and hostility. He is never bitten by mosquitos because he has a serene relationship with nature. Shane didn't address the fact that mosquitos bite people in order to feed themselves. It isn't about your feelings towards the mosquitoes. Shane said a lot of New Agey stuff like that, dressed up with references to indigenous wisdom and "the elders." He spent about fifteen minutes complaining about ice water in restaurants and told us how he likes to put slices of cucumber and lemon in his room-temperature water. The day we went it happened to be raining and cold, and Shane made a big deal of bragging about how warm he was because of his advanced training, and that he knew how to alter his metabolism. "I may feel cold, but I am not cold," said Shane. After about five hours we decided to leave because we were getting very bored being yammered at by an egomaniac. We hiked two miles or so to the train station and quickly warmed up through vigorous movement. If it would amuse you to be harangued by a kook for 8 hours in his muddy compound while you sit on a log, then this is the school for you. Otherwise, this class is not worth the money and I would not take it. read more

Took my first class, Wilderness 1, about 3 years ago and still going back for more. If you are reading this review, you probably haven't been to Mountain Scout Survival School. Then the following is what you need to know. 1. You will have to take Wilderness 1, which is a prerequisite to all other classes. 2. Wilderness 1 is a 75% note taking class and 25% hands on class. It contains a lot of information. Some of the information you might have already known but it is always helpful to learn it again from someone who uses it or view it from a different angle. 3. Although Wilderness 1 is heavy on note taking, there is still hands on exercise, practices and shenanigans (I should not spoil the fun). 4. I highly recommend taking Wilderness 1 and Wilderness 2, which give you a good fundation. Wilderness 2 and pretty much all other classes is the opposite of Wilderness 1. You will spend at least 75% of the time working on skills and receiving feedbacks. And of course, there will be more shenanigans going on. 5. It is called a survival school but it teaches primitive skills that our ancestors used daily. These skills will get you from survival situation to living comfortably in wilderness once you get good at it... Nonetheless, you will realize the more skills you acquire the less equipments you need to bring when going outdoors. It boosts your comfort level of being in the wilderness and give you more freedom to explore the nature. 6. Price is reasonable. 7. The classes are very accessible from NYC metro area. Either just go to central park or hop on Metro North to Garrison station. If you need more details, I hope the following helps. Typically, the class started with some lecture to get everyone ready and on the same page. Then they move to teaching one skill sets. You get a brief instruction for each skill and have 15-30 minutes to work on depending on the skill. Then you will get feedback from the instructors before moving on to the next skill. There are assistant instructors and volunteers to guide you along. It's very likely you won't finish what you are working on at hand in class but you will have enough time to get a hang to the skills and the feedback will give you a jump start. But just like any other skills or sports, you will need to spend time practicing before you get good at it. You can always repeat or volunteer for the class you have taken. Volunteer allows to you learn the backstage of the class and give you opportunities to practice your skills. There are also lots of exercise, scenarios and shenanigans in classes. During exercises, you work on your skills and get feedbacks. Then in scenarios you apply the skills to simulated real life situations. For example, in the Hunt Tracking class, we get to practice specific tracking skills, then we go on to follow a deer trail to see if we can find the end of the trail. There are always on going shenanigans to keep you on your toe. Needless to say, Shane is very knowledgable, experienced and energetic. He uses these knowledge and skills and can give you honest advice. Other instructors at the school also share their experience with the skills. read more

I was given a Wilderness 1 gift recently, and I upgraded to a Winter Wilderness Weekend. It was an incredible experience! I have recently been interested in firemaking (that is, making efficient fires with no paper or accelerants, and progressing to making fire with sparks rather than flame) and so-called bushcraft, and I thought this would be a great way to get some more hands-on instruction. The weekend was intense and challenging, but Shane, Colin, and the other staff and volunteers made sure we were never uncomfortable or felt threatened by anything. The Hopewell Junction property has 90 acres, the majority of which have only primitive manmade structures, if any at all. There were tracks in the snow made by coyotes, foxes, turkeys, and rodents, and we had no illusions that we were camping on the edge of the woods. At our first fireside lecture, Shane jolted us out of our city and suburb mindset, reminding us that awareness of surroundings was the reason that human beings survived and thrived on Earth for so long. That was the main theme of the weekend: awareness. We were taught to be aware of tracks in the snow, resources for food, shelter, water, traps, fire, and other necessities. Shane and his staff can be intense, but that is a good thing--in many parts of the world, still today, the use of these skills means the difference between life and death. And never more so than in the winter. While our group of 5 felt challenged, we never felt threatened by the conditions or any tasks in front of us. On the first night that we camped, it got down to -6 F (without windchill), the coldest temperature I've ever been in. Shane and Colin were out all night, stoking a roaring campfire in case anyone was uncomfortable in their tent, passing out huge packs of handwarmers for our sleeping bags, and making sure we were OK. If an immersive experience appeals to you, I'd recommend a weekend or a week. I learned a lot of lessons the hard way, mistakes I'll never make when camping again, because of being in the cold for 48 hours. A day would have been good, but more like a class than an experience. We learned a mix of skills: building natural shelter for any season, selecting wood and building fire, tips for filtering water without a commercial filter, finding a few edibles even in winter, building a trap to catch an animal, navigation, tracking, disguise and stalking other humans, handling a knife, among many others. We didn't get to try every single skill out ourselves--maybe about half of them. But trying to make fire from a single match at 11:30 pm in the woods in 6 inches of snow teaches you many things about yourself, your ability to plan, make quick decisions, as well as the art of firemaking. A few thoughts for prospective customers: 1) yes, there can be a lot of lecture. But it is vital to orient your thoughts, to realize why these skills are important and not just casual hobbies. There is no reason why you can't practice these skills after. In fact, any "dirt time" MUST be supplemented with tons of practice afterwards, regardless. So learn what you can, and get to it. 2) be prepared! I did a winter weekend, with below 0 F temps, and was glad that I had a 4-season bivy tent, goose down sleeping bag, and wool blankets. I brought food for all my meals, cooked them over the fire, and Shane and Colin often brought coffee and other snacks for us. It's Mountain Survival, not Mountain vacation. It IS fun, it IS amazing, but it is NOT easy if you've never done this kind of thing before. Be overprepared, always. You can leave stuff in your car or at camp if you don't need it. They may not be able to think of everything you will need for the weekend. Be honest with yourself and thorough in your preparations. 3) It's a good value for the amount of time you spend up there. There's a lot to learn simply standing in the woods, listening to the birds sound out warnings, looking at the fox tracks from the night before, seeing the poisonous berries intertwine with the healthy ones. The knowledge that Shane, Colin, and the others have is incredible. They don't need to consult a book to answer your questions. They know that these skills are challenging at first. They also had to fail many times before they succeeded, and they are honest about that. They are a resource far more vast than any book or youtube channel. read more

My boyfriend and I took the Urban Survival and Preparedness 1 course yesterday. Not only did we have a blast, we learned a lot! I would recommend this to anyone - it's time that as citizens in NY we learn to be peacefully accountable for ourselves in time of crisis (ex: Hurricane Sandy!). Shane, our instructor was sooooo knowledgable and his teachings were very helpful. The other students in the class also had a lot to share and Shane was able to facilitate open and honest discussions about our fears, our goals, and how to reach them! read more

Had an extremely bizarre experience here. I walked past the storefront in Beacon and we were going to go in and get info on future trainings. A guy who worked there asked if we were friends with Alice and when we said no, he said we couldn't go in. He blocked the door and then asked if we "knew about him" but didn't let us answer before saying that we should leave. Maybe there was a private event going on or something, but if that was the case, it seems to me that he could have told us that and been more friendly. It is a business after all. He was really tall and imposing and frankly, the whole thing made us uncomfortable. Guess I'll learn survival techniques somewhere else. read more

i have taken many of these classes. i recommend if you spent time out doors in any way hunting, fishing, hiking or what ever you should look in to these course. the stuff i have learned doing these classes i have used and, shown my friends and co-worker. everyone is always impressed when i show them the fire starting method i learned there. if you like hands on learning, this is for you. the first class has a lot of sitting and note taking at first but, trust me it helps later on. i think the fire and tracking classes have been my favorite. making a friction fire for the first time is amazing, as is when you can start see animal tracks with out really trying all the stuff you do in wilderness 2 is mind boggling. it`s pretty much hands on rite from the start i have enjoyed all the classes i have taken both as a student and a volunteer. read more

Don't do it. Imagine this, standing for 8 hours with 8 strangers under 30 degree weather listening to a guy lecture about the principles of survival. He had no props, no hands-on. It was a waste of money and a waste of my time. My wife felt really bad that she sent me to this class. She thought it was a good idea. The guy made fire, showed us traps, showed us shelter but that was it. You can't teach a survival class without being hands-on, I guess you can because Shane did it, and he is taking people's money at the same time. It is ridiculous that this is actually legal. I still feel as if he deceived my wife for making it seem that it was a great class. He sold her the idea. please, do not waste your time. read more

I took the Wilderness 1 and 2 classes at Mountain Scout, and I have to say that I'm very impressed. I've been to other survival training schools in the past, and this one I will definitely be visiting again. In both classes what I really loved was how the instructor showed the hands on training of how to use the skills coupled with their original purpose and how the native people that practiced it thousands of years ago incorporated it into their daily lives. I really got a sense of the appreciation and respect that these skills meant, and that's one of the attributes that made this class unique; hats off to Shane great classes. I'm looking forward to taking Fire 1 and Tracking 1 really soon read more