14-DAY NAVIGATOR COURSE
14-Day Navigator Course
The BOSS wilderness navigation course combines the advanced use of map and compass with the art of low-impact wilderness travel and land navigation. Students learn and practice wilderness navigation techniques while traveling through the rugged terrain of the Aquarius Plateau.
Tuition – $3980
About the Navigator Course
Land navigation training with BOSS focuses on map reading, land navigation and orienteering, and offers you the chance to master the craft of backcountry navigation in the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument as well as the wilderness areas of the Dixie National Forest. All of this is done in BOSS style and begins with an introduction (or refresher) on low-impact wilderness travel.
14 Day Navigator- Course Highlights
- Learn traditional and low-impact wilderness backpacking techniques.
- Learn and practice map and compass navigation in the rugged and challenging terrain surrounding Boulder, UT.
- Face and overcome serious navigation challenges on an extended wilderness expedition.
- Take on increasing navigation responsibility as a group.
- Test yourself with a three-day solo navigation challenge.
Know More, Carry Less
In line with the BOSS Positive Impact philosophy, the wilderness navigation course emphasizes the use of renewable, natural, and local resources. Tents, sleeping bags, stoves, backpacks and many other “essential” pieces of outdoor equipment are replaced with their low-tech counterparts: a poncho, a blanket, a campfire, etc. The skills we teach you allow you to travel in comfort without relying on modern gear.
BOSS Challenge
On the BOSS 14-Day Navigator course, students will hike long distances over the rugged terrain found in Southern Utah’s mountains and desert canyons – sometimes 10 or more miles in one day. The combination of high exertion and moderate rations usually leaves students 5 to 7 pounds leaner at the end of the course. However, please note that rations on the 14-Day Navigator Course will be larger than those on our Field Courses. We also offer our standard Field Courses, Primitive Living Skills Courses, and Hunter Gatherer Courses each year.
Wilderness Navigation Prerequisites
- No prior camping or outdoor experience is required.
- BOSS requires that all Navigator course applicants undergo a complete physical examination and receive their physician’s approval in writing prior to final acceptance on the course.
- Students are asked to complete a 1.5-mile timed run during course orientation.
- Students must be 18 years of age or older.
Wilderness Navigation Training – Skills Covered
Every Navigator Course begins with a short course on BOSS style wilderness travel:
- Campsite location
- Shelter construction
- Fire construction using primitive techniques
- Water location and purification
- Map navigation, including map color & symbol significance, contour lines / intervals, scale, margins, and trail selection
- Compass navigation, including compass calibration and use in taking bearings, triangulating locations, and maintaining direction of travel.
- Declination, magnetic fields, and practical map and compass use.
- UTM, Lat. & Long, and Township & Range coordinate systems.
- Route finding and travel planning.
- How to problem-solve and manage mindset when lost.
Further navigation skills taught on the course vary with each group’s needs and desires.
Tuition Assistance Available
BOSS offers tuition assistance and discounts to qualifying applicants. Learn more about BOSS Tuition Assistance.
Practice Your Wilderness Navigation Skills
Students take on more and more land navigation responsibility throughout the course, culminating with a group expedition minus instructors, and finally a three-day solo wilderness navigation challenge.
Navigation Course Location
BOSS’s wilderness navigation course takes place in the canyons, mesas, and mountains surrounding Boulder, Utah. All 14 days of the course are in the field, where students learn traditional living skills and the art of orienteering.
Wilderness Food and Diet
All students are provided with BOSS food packs that provide a student with approximately 1500-2000 calories per day — enough to keep you healthy and active for the duration of the course. Students who wish to supplement their diet with wild edibles may do so in a responsible manner and only with instructor permission. Students with allergies or dietary restrictions should contact us before applying.
Upcoming Wilderness Navigator Courses
Jun 1 to Jun 14, 2025
$3980 – Space Available
May 31 to Jun 13, 2026
$4378 – Space Available
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