The National Conference on Wilderness Medicine

Snowbird Ski & Summer Resort, UT

July 26-30, 2025

 PRE-REGISTRATION REQUIRED & CLASS SIZES LIMITED
The optional workshops listed below are offered in conjunction with the conference to enhance your experience. Reserve your spot for optional workshops listed below on the registration page.

PRE-CONFERENCE WORKSHOPS

Making a fire wilderness survival
shutterstock_159758516-min

WILDERNESS & URBAN SURVIVAL SKILLS

Saturday, July 26
8:00 AM - 3:30 PM, $135

A unique opportunity to learn and practice both basic and advanced survival skills from a Navy Seal Instructor and other renowned survival experts who train our elite Special Forces. This all-day “hands-on” workshop is a practical and fun, skill-building experience, designed to prepare you to survive on land, in the sea, in wilderness and urban environments. Limited enrollment (register early!)

Participants will learn how to:

• Signal and “be found”
• Escape and survive a hotel fire
• Obtain food and water
• Survive a plane crash
• Build fires with primitive tools
• Protect yourself during a disaster
• Assemble & Improvise survival kits
• Construct emergency shelters
• How to safely extricate if trapped in an elevator
• Travel safely in developing countries and avoid being “ripped off”

Faculty: Gary Kibbee, Philip White

 

Adventure travel Big Sky Winter Workshops
CME course Big Sky Summer optional nav

WILDERNESS NAVIGATION

Saturday, July 26
8:00 AM - 3:30 PM, $135

Learn and practice essential skills for trip planning and efficient wilderness navigation. 

Essential skills include:

• Signal and “be found”
• Escape and survive a hotel fire
• Interpreting topographic (contour) maps
• Taking and follow compass bearing
• Apply altimeter / GPS information
• Learn pitfalls and methods to get out of
trouble

Course includes syllabus and maps. We provide all necessary equipment, but participants are encouraged to bring their own (e.g. compass, GPS, altimeter, phone apps) to learn and practice.

Faculty: Nick Beer

 

 

Afternoon & Evening Hands-on Workshops

demonstrating a splint in the wilderness

Practical Splinting Skills

Sunday, July 27
2:00 pm - 3:15 pm, $65
3:30 pm - 4:45 pm, $65

Orthopedic and soft tissue injuries are among the most common problems encountered in the wilderness. A properly applied splint can have a variety of positive impacts and may make the difference between being ambulatory and needing an air evacuation. Learn techniques for immobilizing fractures and severe sprains using SAM splints and other improvised devices (you will receive a SAM Splint to practice with and keep).

Faculty: Kyle Allred, PA

Includes 1.25 additional AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™. 

 

Wilderness Survival CME Course

WILDERNESS SURVIVAL SKILLS

Sunday, July 27
2:00 pm - 5:30 pm, $80

This workshop is a hands-on skill building experience. You will learn how to construct shelters, obtain food and water, build fires with primitive tools, signal, track, route-find, improvise clothing and build survival kits.

Faculty: Gary Kibbee (Navy Seal and Special Forces Survival Instructor)

 

Wilderness Medicine Navigation CME Course

WILDERNESS NAVIGATION

Sunday, July 27
2:00 pm - 5:30 pm, $75

Learn and use essential skills for wilderness navigation and travel. Skills learned include terrain interpretation, topographic map navigation, utilizing a compass and GPS with maps.

Faculty: Nick Beer

 

 

Basic wound workshop

BASIC WOUND MANAGEMENT/SUTURE LAB

Sunday, July 27
2:00 pm - 4:00 pm, $75
Monday, July 28
2:00 pm - 4:00 pm, $75
Tuesday, July 29
2:00 pm - 4:00 pm, $75

A practical workshop on suturing and improvised laceration repair in a backcountry or other austere environment. Participants will have the opportunity to practice suturing, stapling, taping, and tissue gluing techniques on pig limbs. All supplies provided.

Faculty: Lanny Johnson PA-C

Includes 2.0 additional AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™. 

 

Ropes & Knots workshop

ROPES & KNOTS FOR WILDERNESS MEDICINE & RESCUE

Sunday, July 27
7:00 pm - 9:00 pm, $60

This workshop will teach you how to use ropes and tie knots for improvised medical care, splinting, litters, high angle rescue and swift water rescue. All material is provided.

Faculty: Sheryl Olson, RN

If you are taking the AWEP certification, there is no need to take this course as this information is covered in the certification. 

wilderness Medicine CME course optional urban survival workshop

URBAN & TRAVEL SURVIVAL SKILLS

Monday, July 28
2:00 pm - 5:30 pm, $80

You have just lost all of your belongings and your passport in an earthquake or act of terrorism. Your hotel was destroyed, and your companion is missing. Few Americans are prepared to cope with this type of crisis. Urban and travel survival can be more challenging than survival in the backcountry. Learn how to travel safely and protect yourself.

Faculty: Gary Kibbee and Philip White 

Wilderness Tracking Workshop

WILDERNESS TRACKING

Monday, July 28
2:00 pm - 5:00 pm, $70
Tuesday, July 29
2:00 pm - 5:00 pm, $70

Learn the lost art of tracking from veteran tracker Scott Kuipers. The ability to notice subtle disturbances in the environment left behind by others (called sign cutting) can be lifesaving for finding lost persons and getting out of trouble. Participants also gain insight on animal behavior and human impacts on the natural world.

Faculty: Scott Kuipers

 

 

Big Sky winter evening programs CME Course gps

Technology for Wilderness Navigation

Monday, July 28
2:30 pm - 5:30 pm, $70

A review of technology for planning and optimizing your wilderness adventures. Optimize phone apps, GPS, altimeters, radios, avalanche beacons, and global communication/rescue devices

Faculty: Nick Beer

 

 

Map compass navigation wilderness survival CME course

WILDERNESS NAVIGATION PRACTICUM

Tuesday, July 29
2:00 pm - 5:30 pm, $75

A great opportunity to learn, practice, and hone your navigation skills. Follow a compass bearing, verify your location, and interpret terrain while walking on and off trail at Big Sky.

Faculty: Nick Beer

 

 

shutterstock_388698154

Travel Intelligence & Improvised Care for Wilderness and International Travel

Tuesday, July 29
2:00 pm - 5:00 pm, $100

As a medical professional, people often look to you for direction in almost any emergent incident. Even with decades of medical and rescue experience, the most complicated incidents we've encountered have been on our “off time” with no equipment available. In this class, we will gather medical information in preparation for foreign travel and practice improvising the medical equipment needed for care and extrication. Stop the Bleed skills and Tactical Emergency Casualty Care (TECC) will be practiced along with use of multi-victim triage.

Faculty: Gary Kibbee and Philip White

Participants will receive a Stop the Bleed certificate. Includes 4.0 additional AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™. 

 

wilderness Medicine CME course women safety wisdom

WILDERNESS WISDOM FOR WOMEN

Tuesday, July 29
7:00 pm - 9:00 pm, $65

In the backcountry, women may have different needs and concerns than men. This workshop will address topics such as packing light, personal safety, and other needs of women traveling in the wilderness or a foreign country.

Faculty: Sheryl Olson, RN/BSN

Includes 2.0 additional AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™.

For more information or to register please call

844-945-3263

or

For more information or to register please call

844-945-3263

or

UPCOMING CME DESTINATIONS BY DATE