BOSS Basics

So who exactly goes to "survival school?" Normal people? The kind of people you'd want to hang out with? Well, if you're anything like our alumni, you'll be happy to know that the people who go to BOSS are normal, healthy people looking for an adventurous experience and you'll probably fit right in.

BOSS got its start in the late 1960's with a man named Larry Dean Olsen, noted author of Outdoor Survival Skills. In the 40+ years since, the school has gone through a few changes of ownership and a significant amount of growth. The program, however, remains true to its original vision: create a place that teaches primitive skills and helps people grow through their experiences in the natural world.

BOSS is not for everyone. What we are not is just as important as what we are, so please take a minute to read this.

One of the major factors affecting your enjoyment and learning during your participation on a BOSS course will be your degree of physical fitness. We strongly encourage all of our students to arrive in good physical condition and offer the following words of wisdom as you consider how to best prepare for your course.

At BOSS, we hope to provide you with a wilderness experience that seeks to minimize your exposure to unwanted risks or injuries. However, this does not mean that we can eliminate these risks, for many of them are intrinsic to the types of experiences we offer. Many of the risks you experience on the trail (those related to hunger, thirst, weather, etc.) are, in fact, a critical component of your course. These may even be why you've come to BOSS in the first place.

Since 1968, BOSS has operated in one of the most beautiful and remote parts of the USA: the area surrounding the small town of Boulder, Utah. It is here where we begin and end all courses, using the surrounding public lands as our classroom.

Since 1968, the BOSS program has delivered life-changing, wilderness-based experiences to adventurous people all over the world. As a result, our alumni have become our best marketers, sharing their experiences and insights with family, friends and, hopefully, future alumni.