Traditional Living & Survival Skills Since 1968

Our program got its start in the late 1960's with a man named Larry Dean Olsen, the noted author of Outdoor Survival Skills. Larry felt that our society had lost its edge when it came to facing and overcoming the pressures of modern life. Mental toughness and the ability to adapt to harsh conditions were no longer common character traits. To deal with this situation, Larry created a wilderness program featuring specific physical and mental obstacles that would produce more adaptable and resourceful people.

In 1980, this program was incorporated as the Boulder Outdoor Survival School, establishing the foundation for a new and exciting venture in outdoor education. In 1985, David Wescott took over the reigns as owner. At this point, BOSS already had a reputation for offering a tough physical challenge to its students. Wescott grew the program to include teaching the traditional skills of the local Puebloan cultures (such as the Anasazi and Fremont,) adding more integrity to the program, as much of what we know about Southern Utah comes from these cultures. He hired instructors who appreciated the history and legacy of indigenous people and who could teach the skills of so-called "primitive" cultures to modern outdoor enthusiasts.

By 1990, in addition to its world-famous Field Courses, BOSS was offering Skills Courses focusing just on traditional skills. With topics ranging from edible plants to pottery to stone tools, students had the opportunity to explore the world of primitive skills in greater depth than the Field Courses allowed, in an environment free from the hardships of extreme hiking.

In 1994, BOSS alumnus and past staff member Josh Bernstein returned to BOSS as Marketing and Administrative Director and opened new offices in Boulder, Colorado. Combining his degree in anthropology with an international perspective, Josh restructured the BOSS curriculae to include a greater emphasis on traditional cultures and recreated BOSS's marketing plan to reach a broader audience. In 1997, Josh took over as president and CEO and remains the owner of BOSS to this day.

In 2001, Jenny Stein joined BOSS as Customer Service manager in Colorado and, in 2004, Jeff Sanders took over as Field Director in Utah. Today, with the hard work and dedication of Josh, Jenny, Jeff and all the other staff members of the school, BOSS remains committed to its cause: To provide courses that challenge people to learn about themselves and grow through adversity. To show how ancient knowledge and wisdom must still have a place in our modern daily lives.

40+ years after its founding, BOSS is still based on its "Know more, Carry less" philosophy. Its course offering is broader, its staff is larger, but each course still brings to life the traditional skills of native cultures. While Larry Dean Olsen has not been invovled since 1980, Larry's legacy lives on.

For more information about what BOSS courses are NOT (which helps some people understand what they ARE), please click here.