Backpacking 101

BACKPACKING CLASS & AVAILABLE DATES

Square Design

Choose Date above from In-Store or Online Classes

 

CLASS DESCRIPTION

 

Backpacking 101       ~      Wilderness travel and camping

 

2 Hours          10 Student Max          Level: Beginner          Price: $20

                       

This class covers the fundamentals of backpacking so you can hit the trail with confidence. It simplifies the process so you can focus on the fun!

Through instructionals, demonstrations, hands-on exercises, Q&A, and detailed graphic PowerPoint, you get the practical knowledge needed for fun, safe backpacking.

Ideal for hikers and outdoor enthusiasts, this course is also great for families, travellers and anyone wanting to get out there and stay awhile.

 

YOU WILL LEARN:

  • How to plan a trip with ease and on a budget
  • Preparing yourself physically and mentally
  • What gear you need and how to pack and use it. From bear bags to guy lines.
  • Planning meals, water and sleeping comfortably
  • How to go to the “bathroom”. (Spoiler, there is no "room".)
  • Leave No Trace practices
  • Pro tips & tricks for the trail and camp
  • Needs and awareness for Safety
  • And much more!

 

Start your adventure with the knowledge to make it easy.

 

CLASS SIZE is kept small (9 attendees) to facilitate questions, individual attention and safe practices during the pandemic if in-store. Masks are required in-store.

CLASS INCLUDES: 10% discount for all AHS purchases when you create a Shack account as part of the Arizona Hiking Shack family.

 

 
Square Design

 

ABOUT THE INSTRUCTOR:

Jonathan Mincks – Wilderness Skills & Safety Instructor

Mincks is a boondocks scholar who has been exploring the backcountry since in diapers. His life-long study and engagement in wilderness skills and emergency response has earned him multiple credentials in; Advanced Wilderness First Aid, CPR, Natural Medicine, Wilderness Survival, Desert Survival, Paddling Specialist and Outfitting.

His approach to teaching is renowned for being practical, thorough, inspiring and current.  His attention to detail and current "hacks" has garnered him acclaim from new enthusiasts and seasoned professionals alike.

 

"What you teach is PSAR, Preventative Search and Rescue"

Members of the Central Arizona Mountain Rescue Association (CAMRA) Search and Rescue team after watching Mincks in action.

 

 

 

Choose Class Date Above

AZ ADVENTURE SCHOOL

CLASS DESCRIPTION

Backpacking 101       ~      Wilderness travel and camping

3 Hours          15 Student Max          Level: Beginner to intermediate          Price: $35

 


header image


 

This class covers the fundamentals of backpacking so you can hit the trail with confidence. It simplifies the process so you can focus on the fun!

Through instructionals, demonstrations, hands-on exercises, Q&A, and detailed graphic PowerPoint, you get the practical knowledge needed for fun, safe backpacking.

Ideal for hikers and outdoor enthusiasts, this course is also great for families, travellers and anyone wanting to get out there and stay awhile.

 

YOU WILL LEARN:

  • How to plan a trip with ease and on a budget
  • Preparing yourself physically and mentally
  • What gear you need and how to pack and use it. From bear bags to guy lines.
  • Planning meals, water and sleeping comfortably
  • How to go to the “bathroom”. (Spoiler, there is no "room".)
  • Leave No Trace practices
  • Pro tips & tricks for the trail and camp
  • Needs and awareness for Safety
  • And much more!
     

Start your adventure with the knowledge to make it easy.

 

CLASS SIZE is kept small (15 attendees) to facilitate questions, individual attention and safe practices.

CLASS INCLUDES: 10% discount for all AHS purchases when you create a Shack account as part of the Arizona Hiking Shack family.

 


header image


 

ABOUT THE INSTRUCTOR:

Jonathan Mincks, WFR – Wilderness Skills & Safety Instructor

Jonathan Mincks is a Wilderness First Responder and instructor of wilderness self-reliance at AHS Rescue & The Arizona Hiking Shack. He teaches modern wilderness survival, outdoor recreation skills and emergency preparedness. His educational programs have garnered him praise from new enthusiasts and seasoned professionals alike.

Holding multiple certifications and distinctions in industry standards; e.g., Wilderness First Responder, Community Emergency Response Team training), Mincks is also a boondocks scholar* who has been exploring the backcountry since he was in diapers. His practical approach & experience are only rivaled by his infectious passion, broad knowledge and witty perspective on self-reliance that confounds the important nature of the subject. He turns survival into "serious fun" for those who work or play in the backcountry because, "in the end, it is a positive attitude that will prevail."

Mincks is a go-to consultant on national and regional TV, news and media concerning outdoor recreation and safety. He has worked in the outdoor industry for over 20 years on trail crews, as a guide, outfitter, medic, educator, and outreach specialist.

*Boondocks Scholar. adjective
Possessing an outlook of being on a perpetual field trip. A lifelong student of the outdoors. One who continuously studies and practices what it takes to thrive in the backcountry.