Tracker Gathering Workshops and Clinics 

Leader:  Zander Balthasar

email: zanderbalthasar@gmail.com

Making Fire From Nothing - Primitive Skills for Real Life

Date: September 10.  September 11.  

Time:  9am - 4pm

Tuition: $100 per one day workshop

Location: Camp Ravencliff 

Maximum Participants:  8 per workshop

Reservations: are a must to guarantee availability... contact Zander by email. 

Meeting Spot:  See Course Description

Course Description 

In this workshop, I'll cover some of the basic Ancestral Skills, as well as basic Woodsman's skills used by humans throughout history. This workshop is both a great opportunity for a glimpse into our collective past, as well as practical skills to help you feel more comfortable and confident while venturing into the wilderness.

My intention is to make this course welcoming to all skill levels. I'm seeking to strike a balance of hands-on learning, as well as group discussion, skill sharing, and storytelling. All skill/experience levels are welcome. 

While these skills aren't directly related to tracking, they apply to all of us who love spending time in the outdoors and venturing into the wilderness, which certainly includes us trackers. I think you will find that this course nicely complements the hard tracking skills being taught at this gathering. I am also an avid tracker/trailer (level 3) and am always down to talk tracking as well!

Skills Covered:

  • Basic Knife Safety and Carving Skills
  • Making fire without a lighter or matches (Bow drills, Hand drills, and flint and steel)
  • Making rope/cordage out of natural materials   
  • Basic overview of what to do if you get lost in the woods  
  • Basic measures to take to help mitigate risk while out exploring  
  • Q&A on all things outdoors (camping, backpacking, navigation, etc.)  
  • Basic “survival” pack list for day packs  
  • A couple of handy Knots I use in the field 

This is a full-day workshop, though the last hour or so I’ll keep somewhat unstructured to give you an opportunity to work on skills you have found a particular interest in throughout the day. 

LOCATION:  We will be spending most of our time at my campsite (exact location TBD) or the surrounding woods. Once I have my camping arrangements figured out, I'll send out an exact meeting location to participants via email.

Zander Balthasar

Zander Balthasar holds a Level 3 Track & Sign Certification from TCNA. He grew up in the redwoods of Santa Cruz, California, where a lifelong love for the outdoors began early. His childhood was shaped by hiking, camping, and backpacking with friends and family, experiences that rooted him deeply in the natural world.

During high school, Zander spent his summers at Headwaters Outdoor School in Mt. Shasta, where his passion for nature grew even stronger. There, he learned a wide range of outdoor skills—many of which he continues to develop and now teaches to others. In 2021, he joined the Headwaters staff and has since been teaching and guiding backpacking trips.

Zander is an avid backpacker and has recently begun hunting. He also enjoys surfing, tracking, playing guitar, foraging for mushrooms and other wild edibles, and traveling. In addition to his tracking background, he is a certified Wilderness First Responder (WFR) and is trained in CPR.

Mora Carving Knife

Event will be $100 (this will include materials that I spend a good bit of time preparing for everyone) and everything that you craft/create during this class is yours to keep.

For an additional $15 you may purchase a Mora brand carving knife from me These knives are durable, inexpensive, and hold a good edge. If you don't have a good carving knife that you have experience using, I’d highly recommend this. It makes all the difference. I don't make any money from this, It's entirely for your convenience.

For sign-ups and other inquiries, you can email me at zbalthasar1@gmail.com