The Hunter Gatherer Survival Experience

8 of us gathered at BOSS Base Camp, a 4 hour drive from Provo, Utah - among us was a Psychiatrist, a 24 year old Ph.D. Pharmacist and an ER Doc. Matt would be our leader, Dave and Eric would also be our instructors.

After introductions and lunch we drove off to Durfy Creek Camp on Boulder Mountain for 4 days. The first thing we did was make bowls out of gourds so we could eat dinner and drink from the creek. While at Durfy we learned to make Paiute traps, cordage, fish spears, eating utensils, tongs. We spent a day grinding corn and seed for food rations for later. We collected wild greens and learned of the coagulating properties of crushed yarrow leaves, which was useful for me because I cut myself flint knapping and using my new stone tools. To mark the next phase we cleansed through 4 rounds in the sweatlodge and I made it half way through the final Warrior Round. I wrapped my new tools, an extra sweater, toque and socks in a cloth, slung it over my shoulder and we set off into the slickrock landscape of The Grand Staircase - Escalante National Monument.

Over the next 10 days we stayed in 3 different canyons in cave-like rock overhangs. We ascended and descended canyon walls, crossed desert plains, walked along and through creeks and rivers, set traps, tried fishing with spears and with our hands. The days were full and time was warped.

I used twigs of willow to clean my teeth and the pine needles from the Ponderosa Pine as floss. I smeared the flesh of the prickly pear cactus on my face as a light SPF - but then decided the effort and pain of thorns wasn't worth it and that the dirt was probably doing a fine job. And I realized that life is much simpler when you live, work and sleep in the same clothes.

It was a good group. Everybody contributed and there was no greed or guilt. Our diet consisted of mice, packrat and snake (everything tastes good charred), fish (the roasted bones are delicious), squirrel (like chicken), wild greens, rose hips, berries, acorns and pine nuts (I don't want to eat nuts for a looonnnggg time), and prickly pear fruit (I still have tiny thorns in my fingers - what a process to prepare them for eating!!) - but that doesn't mean we had a lot to eat and we quickly started to feel our energy fade.

Cave 1 was a massive overhang with a stunning view - but if you wanted to relieve yourself, collect duff or food it meant going downhill, which of course meant you must go back uphill. And the trail to the creek was an obstacle course through poison ivy.

On the way to Cave 2, across the very hot desert, all I could think of was WATER, WATER! Finally, a small rain pool! I laid flat out on the earth and lapped up as much as I could, but we were off again. And my stomach was so sucked in with hunger that it hurt. After that journey I started to get a bit scared with my very tiny waist and my lack of energy. I decided to be more of a gatherer than a hunter in order to conserve my energy for future travel days.

The last day and a half at Cave 3 were pretty relaxing and Matt said we would leave late for the last location - so I prayed that meant it was close. But no, my worst fears came true... in the heat and with very limited energy we were going UP the canyon wall!!! So this was why cursing was not allowed - I was not happy. When I finally got to the top the guys were resting in the shade, but there was no rest for me as Matt smiled and said that we would like where we were going (better be more than another nice cave!) and off we went. We had barely begun and my legs done!

Walking through the soft soil of the desert is not easy either and I was exhausted. A couple of hours later we stopped under the shade of a juniper for a five minute rest that thankfully turned into a much longer nap break - finally my legs could recover for the remaining journey. I couldn't imagine where we were going because we were in the middle of a desert plain - no canyons, caves, etc. but the marching continued, nobody was speaking, it was hot hot hot. Then I started wondering if we were going to walk all through the night???! Although Matt continuously discouraged us from speculating, it was hard not to.

We came to a dirt road with no end in sight, we kept marching, but at least the surface was a bit more firm. My eyes were buggy from looking at the feet in front of me and I couldn't look up because the sun was too bright. Then we came upon a large tree under which was a cantine of... we watched as Matt picked up and read a note. It was a cantine of water for us..... after taking turns sucking back water, Matt announced we should follow him away from the road... further along under another tree there was FOOD - 1/2 acorn squash dripping with olive oil, garlic and onions with thick brown bread and rice - you can imagine the scene.

This is where we would spend the night. We prepared a large bonfire, gathered lots of wood for the night, passed the talking stick, celebrated under a near full moon and tried to sleep.

As I was dreaming about the Bee Gees (?), I heard someone announce it was morning - surely he must be joking! With just a sliver of daylight showing on the horizon we were up. We packed up our stuff, but were leaving it behind this time. Matt walked us back to the road and told us the rest of the walk was our own, and yes, he would be there to meet us - and then he took off running.

Still wobbling from sleep I set off walking in the morning cold, during the sunrise. It was perfect - just me and my experience. Matt and Eric greeted us each as we came in, with hugs, yogurt, granola and fruit salad.

At the BOSS office we weighed in - I couldn't believe what I saw on the scale - I was 92 lbs! The average weight loss was between 10-15 lbs. That night we went to an Italian restaurant in Provo for dinner, but when my meal arrived after the appetizers all I could do was look at it. I was stuffed. So I took it back to the motel for breakfast.

Matt is now leaving for a 4 year walk-about around North America. His life is a walk-about. We were essentially guests in his life for 2 weeks - so no wonder he got tired too, as even though we tried, he always seemed to bring back more food than the rest of us.

It turns out that women rarely take this particular course so it wasn't surprising that I was the only one there - what's that about?