Winter Fire Workshop: Make & Use Your Own Bow Drill Kit
Dec 5, 2015, at Good Heart Farmstead in Worcester, VT
This one-day workshop will teach you independence from matches and lighters! Friction firemaking was the way of our ancestors, and we can reclaim an incredibly sacred connection to the element of fire by relearning this ancient skill. In this class you'll make your own bow drill set and get plenty of coaching on proper technique for easier firemaking. Topics covered: harvesting materials in the woods, which local tree species are best for bow drill sets, harvesting and preparing tinder nests, knife skills for carving and splitting, bowing technique, and how to turn your friction ember into a flame!
The class is taught by Mary Murphy, who has spent many winter months cooking all her food over bow drill fires. She knows the tricks that can allow anyone to have success with this ancient skill. Preparation and technique are far more important than strength. Please bring a bag lunch, a pair of work gloves, and a sharp knife if you have one. This workshops is open to all genders. The cost is $75.
Dec 5, 2015, at Good Heart Farmstead in Worcester, VT
This one-day workshop will teach you independence from matches and lighters! Friction firemaking was the way of our ancestors, and we can reclaim an incredibly sacred connection to the element of fire by relearning this ancient skill. In this class you'll make your own bow drill set and get plenty of coaching on proper technique for easier firemaking. Topics covered: harvesting materials in the woods, which local tree species are best for bow drill sets, harvesting and preparing tinder nests, knife skills for carving and splitting, bowing technique, and how to turn your friction ember into a flame!
The class is taught by Mary Murphy, who has spent many winter months cooking all her food over bow drill fires. She knows the tricks that can allow anyone to have success with this ancient skill. Preparation and technique are far more important than strength. Please bring a bag lunch, a pair of work gloves, and a sharp knife if you have one. This workshops is open to all genders. The cost is $75.
Sacred Fire: Make and Use Your Own Bow Drill Kit
June 21, 2015, 9-4pm at Good Heart Farmstead in Worcester, VT
This one-day workshop will teach you independence from matches and lighters! Friction firemaking was the way of our ancestors, and we can reclaim an incredibly sacred connection to the element of fire by relearning this ancient skill. In this class you'll make your own bow drill set and get plenty of coaching on proper technique for easier firemaking. Topics covered: harvesting materials in the woods, which local tree species are best for bow drill sets, harvesting and preparing tinder nests, knife skills for carving and splitting, bowing technique, and how to turn your friction ember into a flame!
The class is taught by Mary Murphy, who has spent many winter months cooking all her food over bow drill fires. She knows the tricks that can allow anyone to have success with this ancient skill. Preparation and technique are far more important than strength. Please bring a bag lunch, a pair of work gloves, and a sharp knife if you have one. This workshop is open to all genders. The cost is $75.
June 21, 2015, 9-4pm at Good Heart Farmstead in Worcester, VT
This one-day workshop will teach you independence from matches and lighters! Friction firemaking was the way of our ancestors, and we can reclaim an incredibly sacred connection to the element of fire by relearning this ancient skill. In this class you'll make your own bow drill set and get plenty of coaching on proper technique for easier firemaking. Topics covered: harvesting materials in the woods, which local tree species are best for bow drill sets, harvesting and preparing tinder nests, knife skills for carving and splitting, bowing technique, and how to turn your friction ember into a flame!
The class is taught by Mary Murphy, who has spent many winter months cooking all her food over bow drill fires. She knows the tricks that can allow anyone to have success with this ancient skill. Preparation and technique are far more important than strength. Please bring a bag lunch, a pair of work gloves, and a sharp knife if you have one. This workshop is open to all genders. The cost is $75.
2013 Schedule of Trips & Classes
Students in the 2013 Huntress Intensive class celebrating successful target shooting with a rifle.
2013 Schedule
(Scroll down for longer trip descriptions)
Full Trip Descriptions:
Blessing of the Mothers Dayhike
2pm, May 12, 2013
This event is open to anyone who has had a mother (even if you never knew her). We will celebrate the springtime blessings of new life, go on a gentle dayhike suitable for kids and adults, and hold a ceremonial circle of gratitude for our mothers. Bring an open heart and a song or story about a female ancestor. Gather at 2pm at the North Branch Nature Center parking lot in Montpelier, VT. This event is FREE.
The Vermont 4000'
May 27-June 4, 2013
This trip is offered in collaboration with Crow's Path of Burlington, VT. We will spend four days hiking some of Vermont's highest peaks on the Long Trail, then pick up some canoes and spend four days paddling to Lake Champlain. Along the way we'll learn to read the forest landscape, practice wilderness skills such as bow-drill fire making, and enjoy the beauty of spring in the mountains.
To learn more and register for this trip, please visit the Crow's Path website: Trip Description, Registration Forms. The cost of this 8-day trip is $1000, and scholarships are available through Crow's Path.
Honoring the Fathers: Celebrating Mentors, Allies, and Ancestors
June 15-16, 2013
This trip is open to people of all genders.
This event is open to anyone who has had a father (even if you never knew him) and is over age 14. As we hike up into the mountains and make camp in the wilderness, we will also take time explore the gifts we receive from our fathers; the archetypes of the healthy, loving fathers we find in mythology and stories; and the ways we see the sacred masculine energies nourishing our world. Regardless of gender, we can all heal and celebrate our relationship to the masculine principle, and express our masculine side to the world around us in healthy ways. We will meet up early Saturday morning and finish up by 2pm on Father’s Day, so that will leave you a little time for more traditional Father’s Day activities as well!
All food and group gear will be provided, see the “Gear List” page to review the personal gear you will need to bring. Participants under 18 must be accompanied by an adult parent or mentor. Cost for this 2-day trip is $250/person.
Bow Drill workshop at the Village Building Convergence (FREE!)
June 22-23
This event is open to people of all genders.
Come celebrate the solstice and resilient local living at the Village Building Convergence in East Montpelier, VT. Mountainsong Expeditions will be presenting and "Introduction to Bow Drill Fires" workshop (exact day and time TBA). The entire two-day Convergence is free.
Friction firemaking was the way of our ancestors, and we can reclaim an incredibly sacred connection to the element of Fire by relearning this ancient skill. Come learn about the ultimate "local" firemaking technique and say goodbye to chemically-produced matches and lighters! Try out a Vermont-harvested bow drill set and get tips for success with this rewarding skill. Instructor Mary Murphy of Mountainsong Expeditions has spent many winter months living outside cooking all her meals over bow drill fires, and is happy to answer all your questions about local firemaking.
Artemis Thruhike: Reclaiming the Wild Woman Within
June 26 – July 31, 2013
This trip is open to women only.
Have the Green Mountains been calling to your soul? Come learn what they have to teach you, in the company of other incredible, adventurous women. This once-in-a-lifetime transformational experience will take us up all 273 miles of Vermont’s Long Trail, hiking from Massachusetts to Canada in 35 days. Experienced thruhike guide Mary Murphy will teach everyone the skills to travel gracefully and comfortably through the mountains, respecting the wellbeing of the forest and its creatures. All you need is an open heart, an average level of physical fitness, and some determination – no previous overnight camping experience required. The wilderness will cleanse and nourish your spirit in its own ways, and to build upon that healing we will work with a curriculum of connection and empowerment, slowly transforming ourselves into Priestesses of the Natural World. We will spend a week studying the energetic lessons of each of the five elements (Air, Fire, Water, Earth, and Spirit), and work with the myths of strong and wild goddesses of nature from around the world. There will be daily time for silent reflection in nature, and evening sharing circles to speak the personal lessons we are learning from the Mountain Spirits. This trip will require grit and perseverance, but you’ll discover all the resources you need with in you, and with the support of your trail-sisters you’ll complete this magical journey through the mountains of Vermont -- and the wild lands of you own soul! You’ll return from this journey with all the skills you need to organize backpacking trips for yourself and your friends whenever you feel the call to pray with your footsteps once more.
All food and group gear is provided for this 35-day trip. You will need to bring your own personal gear, as listed on the “Gear List” page. The cost is $4500/person.
Sacred Fire Bow Drill Class
July 6
This class is open to people of all genders
This one-day workshop will teach you independence from matches and lighters! Friction firemaking was the way of our ancestors, and we can reclaim an incredibly sacred connection to the element of fire by relearning this ancient skill. In this class you'll make your own bow drill set and get plenty of coaching on proper technique for easier firemaking. Topics covered: harvesting materials in the woods, which local tree species are best for bow drill sets, harvesting and preparing tinder nests, knife skills for carving and splitting, bowing technique, and how to turn your friction ember into a flame!
The class is taught by Mary Murphy, who has spent many winter months cooking all her food over bow drill fires. She knows the tricks that can allow anyone to have success with this ancient skill. Preparation and technique are far more important than strength.
Please bring a bag lunch, a pair of work gloves, and a sharp knife if you have one. The class will be held in Worcester, Vermont and the class fee of $50 includes all materials.
"Pepsi Can Stove" Workshop at Solarfest
July 14
This workshop is open to people of all genders
Come find us at Solarfest in Tinmouth, VT, where Mary will be teaching workshop participants how to build their own "Pepsi Can Stoves", an ultralight backpacking stove design favored by thruhikers. Check the Solarfest website for the exact time and location of the workshop. Tickets for Solarfest are $15 per day or $39 for the whole weekend, and there is no additional charge for the workshop.
Wildcrafting in the Wilderness Dayhike
July 20
This hike is open to people of all genders
Come join Clinical Herbalist Rebecca Dalgin (of Wild Heart Wellness) and Wilderness Guide Mary Murphy for a day of herbal adventures in the Green Mountains! We'll go for a 5-mile hike in the Worcester Range and learn about edible and medicinal plants growing in the mountain forests. Come learn about ethical harvesting techniques, identify wild medicinals, sample medicines made from wild plants, and spend time learning to sense the spirit of a plant or grove.
Dress for the weather and bring a daypack stocked with 2 liters of water, a bag lunch and trail snacks, raingear, and a warm layer. Wear comfortable hiking shoes. The fee for this educational dayhike is $30.
Thruhiker Bootcamp: Skills For Your Journey
TRIP CANCELLED due to a private guiding contract, but let us know if you'd like us to offer it next year!
August 7-13, 2013
This trip is open to people of all genders.
Do you dream of being a Thruhiker? Whether you have your sights set on the Appalachian Trail, the Long Trail, the Pacific Crest Trail, or one of the many other amazing long-distance trails around the world, there are some basic skills to know that will make the experience more comfortable, affordable, safe, and fun! Come join experienced Thruhiker Mary Murphy (AT ‘09, LT ’06 and ’11) for a whirlwind training trip to get you up to snuff on essential thruhiker skills. Each day you’ll hike 8-12 miles on a beautiful section of Vermont’s Long Trail, learning the smooth and simple routine of life on the trail. We’ll cover the following topics: Planning your trip, resupply stops, blister care, protecting your food from critters, shelters and campsites, purifying water, layering clothing, keeping things dry, pacing yourself, personal safety on the trail, how to poop in the woods, wild animals, what to bring (and what to leave at home!), thruhiking on a budget, trail culture, listening to your instincts, hiking alone, ideas for documenting and sharing your thruhike, and much more! Come laugh and learn with other aspiring thruhikers and set yourself up for success.
All food and group gear is provided for this trip. You are responsible for providing your own personal gear for the trip, see the “Gear List” page. No overnight camping experience is required, but you should be in good enough physical shape to hike 8-12 miles per day with a backpack. The cost for this 7-day trip is $900/person.
Wildchild Homeschool Trip: Mountainschooling With Friends
August 28-30, 2013
This trip is open to homeschoolers of all genders between the ages of 10 and 18, as well as their parents and mentors.
When most of Vermont’s children are heading back to school, a few lucky homeschoolers will be headed into the mountains instead! Come on a journey of personal discovery, learn and share about your unique strengths and interests, plan some self-directed learning goals for your year, and meet lots of new friends! This is your opportunity to learn new skills, live close to nature, and learn about your own strength and determination. Former Unschooler Mary Murphy will teach you how to camp in the mountains, help you dream up some fun learning adventures for the coming year, and create space for the kids to take the lead and learn from each other. Come “mountainschooling” with us and start your learning year with fresh inspiration!
All food and group gear is provided for the trip. You are responsible for providing your own personal gear, see the “Gear List” page. All participants 17 and under must be accompanied by an adult parent or mentor. The cost for this 3-day trip is $375/person.
Adirondack Canoe Quest: Wild Women on the Water
September 7-15, 2013
This trip is open to women only.
September is a beautiful time for canoeing: crisp clear weather, fewer crowds, and barely any bugs! Come for a paddle with us and experience the peaceful flow of a journey by canoe. We will trace the western end of the Northern Forest Canoe Trail through the Adirondack lakes and rivers, portaging (carrying) our canoes to connect the waterways. Never mind if you haven’t canoed before, it’s easy to learn and you’ll be an expert by the end of the trip. We’ll share good food, stories, and songs at peaceful island campsites. Bald Eagles, moose, and bears may bless us with their presence along our way. We’ll have daily time for silent meditation, share stories about Water Goddesses from around the world, and honor the light of the divine feminine we all carry inside of us. This 9-day trip offers a time for rejuvenation of the spirit, a space to connect with other women about our lives and lessons, the challenge and satisfaction of portaging your own canoe, and the empowerment of an all-women wilderness trip. You’ll see strength, love, and laughter in your sister’s eyes, and she’ll see them in yours.
All food and group gear are provided (including canoes, unless you prefer to bring your own). You are responsible for bringing your own personal gear, see the “Gear List” page. Cost for this 9-day trip is $1200/person.
Equinox Backpacking Trip: Harvesting Balance and Renewal
September 20-22, 2013
This trip is open to people of all genders.
On this three-day backpacking trip, we’ll explore the wilderness around one of Vermont’s most beloved mountains: Camel’s Hump. At this time of harvest and balance, when the day and night are equal lengths, we will take time to reflect on what we are harvesting in our lives, all the good work we have done in the fertile spring and summer. In our modern culture of perpetual busyness, it is essential to take the time to celebrate all we have accomplished and appreciate successes big and small. We will weave the web of community between us, sharing who we are and creating friendships that can support and inspire us in our lives ahead. We will examine the concept of balance in our lives, and how we would like to shift our energies in the future to create peace and fulfillment. Come renew your spirit in the peaceful autumn woods, hike to the summit of Camel’s Hump, and sleep on Mother Earth.
All food and group gear is provided. You are responsible for bringing your own personal gear, see the “Gear List” page. The cost of this 3-day trip is $375.
Huntress Intensive: Taking Aim in the Sacred Hunt
October 5-6
Women Only
Do you hear the call of the Huntress? Whether you want to get healthy wild food for your family, understand the woodland landscape at a new level, or connect with power of the ancient Huntress archetypes, this weekend intensive will teach you what you need to know to become a safe, ethical deer hunter. Many of us weren’t lucky enough to grow up in a family that could teach us these ancestral skills, so this is your opportunity to come learn in a safe, positive, supportive environment. It will be a busy weekend! On Saturday we will review gun safety and practice shooting, learn about the gear you should take with you, and study the woodland landscape for deer sign. Saturday night we will hold a ceremony to honor our deer brothers and sisters, discuss and demonstrate the shamanic connection with the deer spirit, and learn about the respect, offerings, and prayers of the Sacred Hunt. On Sunday we will get up early and embark on a mock-hunt. In the afternoon, we will butcher a goat together, learning how to take an animal apart cleanly and dispose of the entrails. You will leave this workshop with new skills, confidence, and connection to the deer spirit.
This workshop is NOT a Hunter’s Safety course. You must take a state-approved hunter safety course (in person or as a home-study course) before you can get a hunting license. We will cover some of the same topics as a Hunter Safety course, but in more depth, more experientially, and in a friendly feminist environment. We’ll also cover both practical and spiritual topics that a Hunter’s Safety course doesn’t address. The course is taught by Mary Murphy, a vegetarian-turned-deer-hunter who values ethics, safety, respect, and connection as the core principles of hunting.
This class will be held near Montpelier, Vermont. We will run at least one all-women weekend, and add more women’s weekends or all-genders weekends if there is enough demand. All meals are potluck-style, you will be asked to bring an item for one meal. You can sleep off-site or bring your own tent and camp. The cost for the weekend is $195/person.
Hide Tanning Workshop with Clara Kazarov
October 12-13, 2013 (9am-4pm on both days) in Calais, VT
This class is open to people of all genders.
Learn the ancient art of turning fresh animal hides into soft leather. This alchemical process teaches us deep gratitude for our animal allies and the skilled craftspeople who are our ancestors. We will take time throughout the day to give thanks to the animals who have surrendered their skins for our workshop (all wild or lovingly raised). Clara Kazarov is an expert tanner and skilled instructor who will make our learning collaborative and fun. This two-day workshop will give you the knowledge and skills to tan your own hides at home for years to come. In this class we will tan a deer hide and a sheep's fleece together, and you are welcome to bring your own hides to work on as well (roadkill is an excellent source, and you can freeze the raw hides until the workshop). Bring songs to sing and stories to share while we work the hides together. Wear clothes that can get dirty/stinky and bring snacks. A vegetarian lunch is provided and space to camp on the land is available if you'd like to stay over on Saturday night. Cost for the weekend: $120.
(Scroll down for longer trip descriptions)
- May 12: Blessing of the Mothers Dayhike (FREE!)
- May 27-June 4: The Vermont 4000'
- June 15-16: Honoring the Fathers Backpacking Trip
- June 22-23: Bow Drill workshop at the Village Building Convergence (FREE!)
- June 26-July 31: Artemis Thruhike (Women Only)
- July 6: Sacred Fire Bow Drill Class
- July 14: "Pepsi Can Stove" Workshop at Solarfest
- July 20: Wildcrafting in the Wilderness Dayhike
- August 7-13: Thruhiker Bootcamp
- August 28-30: Wildchild Homeschool Trip
- September 7-15: Adirondack Canoe Quest (Women Only)
- September 20-22: Equinox Weekend Trip
- October 5-6: Huntress Intensive (Women Only)
- October12-13: Hide Tanning with Clara Kazarov
- Spoon Carving Workshop: From Tree to Table (Oct 26, 10-3pm)
- Ancestor Spirit Walk (November 1, 7pm, FREE!)
- Winter Fire Workshop: Make & Use Your Own Bowdrill Kit (December 7, 9-4pm)
- Winter Gift Weekend: Traditional Crafts with Clara Kazarov (December 14-15)
Full Trip Descriptions:
Blessing of the Mothers Dayhike
2pm, May 12, 2013
This event is open to anyone who has had a mother (even if you never knew her). We will celebrate the springtime blessings of new life, go on a gentle dayhike suitable for kids and adults, and hold a ceremonial circle of gratitude for our mothers. Bring an open heart and a song or story about a female ancestor. Gather at 2pm at the North Branch Nature Center parking lot in Montpelier, VT. This event is FREE.
The Vermont 4000'
May 27-June 4, 2013
This trip is offered in collaboration with Crow's Path of Burlington, VT. We will spend four days hiking some of Vermont's highest peaks on the Long Trail, then pick up some canoes and spend four days paddling to Lake Champlain. Along the way we'll learn to read the forest landscape, practice wilderness skills such as bow-drill fire making, and enjoy the beauty of spring in the mountains.
To learn more and register for this trip, please visit the Crow's Path website: Trip Description, Registration Forms. The cost of this 8-day trip is $1000, and scholarships are available through Crow's Path.
Honoring the Fathers: Celebrating Mentors, Allies, and Ancestors
June 15-16, 2013
This trip is open to people of all genders.
This event is open to anyone who has had a father (even if you never knew him) and is over age 14. As we hike up into the mountains and make camp in the wilderness, we will also take time explore the gifts we receive from our fathers; the archetypes of the healthy, loving fathers we find in mythology and stories; and the ways we see the sacred masculine energies nourishing our world. Regardless of gender, we can all heal and celebrate our relationship to the masculine principle, and express our masculine side to the world around us in healthy ways. We will meet up early Saturday morning and finish up by 2pm on Father’s Day, so that will leave you a little time for more traditional Father’s Day activities as well!
All food and group gear will be provided, see the “Gear List” page to review the personal gear you will need to bring. Participants under 18 must be accompanied by an adult parent or mentor. Cost for this 2-day trip is $250/person.
Bow Drill workshop at the Village Building Convergence (FREE!)
June 22-23
This event is open to people of all genders.
Come celebrate the solstice and resilient local living at the Village Building Convergence in East Montpelier, VT. Mountainsong Expeditions will be presenting and "Introduction to Bow Drill Fires" workshop (exact day and time TBA). The entire two-day Convergence is free.
Friction firemaking was the way of our ancestors, and we can reclaim an incredibly sacred connection to the element of Fire by relearning this ancient skill. Come learn about the ultimate "local" firemaking technique and say goodbye to chemically-produced matches and lighters! Try out a Vermont-harvested bow drill set and get tips for success with this rewarding skill. Instructor Mary Murphy of Mountainsong Expeditions has spent many winter months living outside cooking all her meals over bow drill fires, and is happy to answer all your questions about local firemaking.
Artemis Thruhike: Reclaiming the Wild Woman Within
June 26 – July 31, 2013
This trip is open to women only.
Have the Green Mountains been calling to your soul? Come learn what they have to teach you, in the company of other incredible, adventurous women. This once-in-a-lifetime transformational experience will take us up all 273 miles of Vermont’s Long Trail, hiking from Massachusetts to Canada in 35 days. Experienced thruhike guide Mary Murphy will teach everyone the skills to travel gracefully and comfortably through the mountains, respecting the wellbeing of the forest and its creatures. All you need is an open heart, an average level of physical fitness, and some determination – no previous overnight camping experience required. The wilderness will cleanse and nourish your spirit in its own ways, and to build upon that healing we will work with a curriculum of connection and empowerment, slowly transforming ourselves into Priestesses of the Natural World. We will spend a week studying the energetic lessons of each of the five elements (Air, Fire, Water, Earth, and Spirit), and work with the myths of strong and wild goddesses of nature from around the world. There will be daily time for silent reflection in nature, and evening sharing circles to speak the personal lessons we are learning from the Mountain Spirits. This trip will require grit and perseverance, but you’ll discover all the resources you need with in you, and with the support of your trail-sisters you’ll complete this magical journey through the mountains of Vermont -- and the wild lands of you own soul! You’ll return from this journey with all the skills you need to organize backpacking trips for yourself and your friends whenever you feel the call to pray with your footsteps once more.
All food and group gear is provided for this 35-day trip. You will need to bring your own personal gear, as listed on the “Gear List” page. The cost is $4500/person.
Sacred Fire Bow Drill Class
July 6
This class is open to people of all genders
This one-day workshop will teach you independence from matches and lighters! Friction firemaking was the way of our ancestors, and we can reclaim an incredibly sacred connection to the element of fire by relearning this ancient skill. In this class you'll make your own bow drill set and get plenty of coaching on proper technique for easier firemaking. Topics covered: harvesting materials in the woods, which local tree species are best for bow drill sets, harvesting and preparing tinder nests, knife skills for carving and splitting, bowing technique, and how to turn your friction ember into a flame!
The class is taught by Mary Murphy, who has spent many winter months cooking all her food over bow drill fires. She knows the tricks that can allow anyone to have success with this ancient skill. Preparation and technique are far more important than strength.
Please bring a bag lunch, a pair of work gloves, and a sharp knife if you have one. The class will be held in Worcester, Vermont and the class fee of $50 includes all materials.
"Pepsi Can Stove" Workshop at Solarfest
July 14
This workshop is open to people of all genders
Come find us at Solarfest in Tinmouth, VT, where Mary will be teaching workshop participants how to build their own "Pepsi Can Stoves", an ultralight backpacking stove design favored by thruhikers. Check the Solarfest website for the exact time and location of the workshop. Tickets for Solarfest are $15 per day or $39 for the whole weekend, and there is no additional charge for the workshop.
Wildcrafting in the Wilderness Dayhike
July 20
This hike is open to people of all genders
Come join Clinical Herbalist Rebecca Dalgin (of Wild Heart Wellness) and Wilderness Guide Mary Murphy for a day of herbal adventures in the Green Mountains! We'll go for a 5-mile hike in the Worcester Range and learn about edible and medicinal plants growing in the mountain forests. Come learn about ethical harvesting techniques, identify wild medicinals, sample medicines made from wild plants, and spend time learning to sense the spirit of a plant or grove.
Dress for the weather and bring a daypack stocked with 2 liters of water, a bag lunch and trail snacks, raingear, and a warm layer. Wear comfortable hiking shoes. The fee for this educational dayhike is $30.
Thruhiker Bootcamp: Skills For Your Journey
TRIP CANCELLED due to a private guiding contract, but let us know if you'd like us to offer it next year!
August 7-13, 2013
This trip is open to people of all genders.
Do you dream of being a Thruhiker? Whether you have your sights set on the Appalachian Trail, the Long Trail, the Pacific Crest Trail, or one of the many other amazing long-distance trails around the world, there are some basic skills to know that will make the experience more comfortable, affordable, safe, and fun! Come join experienced Thruhiker Mary Murphy (AT ‘09, LT ’06 and ’11) for a whirlwind training trip to get you up to snuff on essential thruhiker skills. Each day you’ll hike 8-12 miles on a beautiful section of Vermont’s Long Trail, learning the smooth and simple routine of life on the trail. We’ll cover the following topics: Planning your trip, resupply stops, blister care, protecting your food from critters, shelters and campsites, purifying water, layering clothing, keeping things dry, pacing yourself, personal safety on the trail, how to poop in the woods, wild animals, what to bring (and what to leave at home!), thruhiking on a budget, trail culture, listening to your instincts, hiking alone, ideas for documenting and sharing your thruhike, and much more! Come laugh and learn with other aspiring thruhikers and set yourself up for success.
All food and group gear is provided for this trip. You are responsible for providing your own personal gear for the trip, see the “Gear List” page. No overnight camping experience is required, but you should be in good enough physical shape to hike 8-12 miles per day with a backpack. The cost for this 7-day trip is $900/person.
Wildchild Homeschool Trip: Mountainschooling With Friends
August 28-30, 2013
This trip is open to homeschoolers of all genders between the ages of 10 and 18, as well as their parents and mentors.
When most of Vermont’s children are heading back to school, a few lucky homeschoolers will be headed into the mountains instead! Come on a journey of personal discovery, learn and share about your unique strengths and interests, plan some self-directed learning goals for your year, and meet lots of new friends! This is your opportunity to learn new skills, live close to nature, and learn about your own strength and determination. Former Unschooler Mary Murphy will teach you how to camp in the mountains, help you dream up some fun learning adventures for the coming year, and create space for the kids to take the lead and learn from each other. Come “mountainschooling” with us and start your learning year with fresh inspiration!
All food and group gear is provided for the trip. You are responsible for providing your own personal gear, see the “Gear List” page. All participants 17 and under must be accompanied by an adult parent or mentor. The cost for this 3-day trip is $375/person.
Adirondack Canoe Quest: Wild Women on the Water
September 7-15, 2013
This trip is open to women only.
September is a beautiful time for canoeing: crisp clear weather, fewer crowds, and barely any bugs! Come for a paddle with us and experience the peaceful flow of a journey by canoe. We will trace the western end of the Northern Forest Canoe Trail through the Adirondack lakes and rivers, portaging (carrying) our canoes to connect the waterways. Never mind if you haven’t canoed before, it’s easy to learn and you’ll be an expert by the end of the trip. We’ll share good food, stories, and songs at peaceful island campsites. Bald Eagles, moose, and bears may bless us with their presence along our way. We’ll have daily time for silent meditation, share stories about Water Goddesses from around the world, and honor the light of the divine feminine we all carry inside of us. This 9-day trip offers a time for rejuvenation of the spirit, a space to connect with other women about our lives and lessons, the challenge and satisfaction of portaging your own canoe, and the empowerment of an all-women wilderness trip. You’ll see strength, love, and laughter in your sister’s eyes, and she’ll see them in yours.
All food and group gear are provided (including canoes, unless you prefer to bring your own). You are responsible for bringing your own personal gear, see the “Gear List” page. Cost for this 9-day trip is $1200/person.
Equinox Backpacking Trip: Harvesting Balance and Renewal
September 20-22, 2013
This trip is open to people of all genders.
On this three-day backpacking trip, we’ll explore the wilderness around one of Vermont’s most beloved mountains: Camel’s Hump. At this time of harvest and balance, when the day and night are equal lengths, we will take time to reflect on what we are harvesting in our lives, all the good work we have done in the fertile spring and summer. In our modern culture of perpetual busyness, it is essential to take the time to celebrate all we have accomplished and appreciate successes big and small. We will weave the web of community between us, sharing who we are and creating friendships that can support and inspire us in our lives ahead. We will examine the concept of balance in our lives, and how we would like to shift our energies in the future to create peace and fulfillment. Come renew your spirit in the peaceful autumn woods, hike to the summit of Camel’s Hump, and sleep on Mother Earth.
All food and group gear is provided. You are responsible for bringing your own personal gear, see the “Gear List” page. The cost of this 3-day trip is $375.
Huntress Intensive: Taking Aim in the Sacred Hunt
October 5-6
Women Only
Do you hear the call of the Huntress? Whether you want to get healthy wild food for your family, understand the woodland landscape at a new level, or connect with power of the ancient Huntress archetypes, this weekend intensive will teach you what you need to know to become a safe, ethical deer hunter. Many of us weren’t lucky enough to grow up in a family that could teach us these ancestral skills, so this is your opportunity to come learn in a safe, positive, supportive environment. It will be a busy weekend! On Saturday we will review gun safety and practice shooting, learn about the gear you should take with you, and study the woodland landscape for deer sign. Saturday night we will hold a ceremony to honor our deer brothers and sisters, discuss and demonstrate the shamanic connection with the deer spirit, and learn about the respect, offerings, and prayers of the Sacred Hunt. On Sunday we will get up early and embark on a mock-hunt. In the afternoon, we will butcher a goat together, learning how to take an animal apart cleanly and dispose of the entrails. You will leave this workshop with new skills, confidence, and connection to the deer spirit.
This workshop is NOT a Hunter’s Safety course. You must take a state-approved hunter safety course (in person or as a home-study course) before you can get a hunting license. We will cover some of the same topics as a Hunter Safety course, but in more depth, more experientially, and in a friendly feminist environment. We’ll also cover both practical and spiritual topics that a Hunter’s Safety course doesn’t address. The course is taught by Mary Murphy, a vegetarian-turned-deer-hunter who values ethics, safety, respect, and connection as the core principles of hunting.
This class will be held near Montpelier, Vermont. We will run at least one all-women weekend, and add more women’s weekends or all-genders weekends if there is enough demand. All meals are potluck-style, you will be asked to bring an item for one meal. You can sleep off-site or bring your own tent and camp. The cost for the weekend is $195/person.
Hide Tanning Workshop with Clara Kazarov
October 12-13, 2013 (9am-4pm on both days) in Calais, VT
This class is open to people of all genders.
Learn the ancient art of turning fresh animal hides into soft leather. This alchemical process teaches us deep gratitude for our animal allies and the skilled craftspeople who are our ancestors. We will take time throughout the day to give thanks to the animals who have surrendered their skins for our workshop (all wild or lovingly raised). Clara Kazarov is an expert tanner and skilled instructor who will make our learning collaborative and fun. This two-day workshop will give you the knowledge and skills to tan your own hides at home for years to come. In this class we will tan a deer hide and a sheep's fleece together, and you are welcome to bring your own hides to work on as well (roadkill is an excellent source, and you can freeze the raw hides until the workshop). Bring songs to sing and stories to share while we work the hides together. Wear clothes that can get dirty/stinky and bring snacks. A vegetarian lunch is provided and space to camp on the land is available if you'd like to stay over on Saturday night. Cost for the weekend: $120.