Ridge Wilderness

02/26/2026

Just a bunch of kids who refused to stop playing outside! 😄

Some aren’t pictured here, and many have other awesome jobs too, but these look like some pretty cool kids — lucky to call them our work mates! We don’t usually hop on trends… but we couldn’t resist this one.

02/24/2026

It’s like a MTV Cribs edition of tarp shelters! The UBC RFA participants kindly showing us around their shelters 🏕️.

🚨: Remote First Aid
🗺️: Loon Lake, Maple Ridge
📸:

02/23/2026

A huge shoutout to the CN Rail crew in Kamloops for having us out last week 🙌 These stand up humans are now certified in Wilderness First Aid with CPR C and AED!

🚨: Wilderness First Aid - 40hr
🗺️: Kamloops, BC
📸:

02/20/2026

⛺ Team Highlight: Tim Skidmore - First Aid Instructor⛺

If you’ve taken a course with Tim, you already know: you’re in for a solid day of learning, a lot of laughs, and at least one moment where something clicks and you think, “Yep — this is exactly why this training matters.”

Tim has been part of the Ridge crew for nearly five seasons now, and he’s one of those people who quietly (and sometimes loudly 😄) raises the bar for everyone around him. He brings a depth of real-world experience into his teaching — shaped by years of wilderness travel and past Search & Rescue work — and knows exactly how to turn those lessons into training that sticks.

He’s also one of the most approachable humans you’ll meet. Tim rarely misses a team gathering, and he’s known for dropping by courses he isn’t even teaching just to say hello — something participants and instructors alike genuinely appreciate (and we all love him for - except for when he brings Shaun).

When he’s not instructing, Tim somehow balances full-on dad and husband life, an elite shoe game, a deep love of basketball, and plenty of time in the mountains or around a campfire. He’s endlessly curious, always learning, and constantly finding better ways to teach and connect with people.

We’re incredibly grateful for the care, energy, and heart Tim brings to Ridge. He’s the kind of instructor you want leading a course — and the kind of teammate you want in your corner.

Thanks for everything you do, Tim. We couldn’t do this without you. 👊🧡

Show Tim some love in the comments!

02/20/2026

Ramping up for March madness! Where will we be seeing you?

02/17/2026

🎒 Spring Break Babysitting Courses – Abbotsford

Looking for a productive way to spend Spring Break? Our Babysitting Course with First Aid helps youth build confidence, learn real-life safety skills, and get ready to babysit responsibly.

✔ Leadership & responsibility
✔ Childcare basics
✔ First aid & emergency response
✔ Canadian Red Cross certification

📍 Ridge First Aid Training Centre – Abbotsford
📅 Spring Break sessions available

Spots fill quickly — view dates and register here:
👉

Gain confidence as a babysitter! This Red Cross Babysitting Course with First Aid teaches childcare, safety, & CPR skills for ages 11-15. Register today!

02/13/2026

Team Highlight ✨

Some weeks, the photo says it all.

Jackie and Rachel are two people who quietly (and sometimes not so quietly) hold a whole lot of Ridge together. They show up early, stay late, problem-solve on the fly, and somehow still make space for laughter, learning, and care — for our clients and for each other.

Jackie brings a steady calm to everything she touches. She’s the person making sure the gears are turning behind the scenes, while still jumping in boots-on-the-ground to teach, paddle, guide, and support. She has an incredible way of helping people feel capable — whether it’s their first time holding a paddle or navigating a challenging first aid scenario.

Rachel brings energy, depth, and an undeniable love for the wild. She meets people exactly where they’re at and then invites them to stretch just a little further — into confidence, curiosity, and resilience. Her ability to connect, teach, and lead with both skill and heart is something special.

Together, they represent what Ridge is all about:
strong teamwork, genuine care, and a shared belief that time outside — paired with good training and good humans — changes people.

We’re really lucky to have them. 💛

02/12/2026

A little cribs tour through the Remote First Aid course last weekend! So much more fun content to come…

02/06/2026

More WFA training magic with the Department of National Defence last month 🚨🔥🙌.

🚨: Wilderness First Aid
🗺️: Chilliwack, BC
📸:

02/04/2026

🌲 SURVIVE + THRIVE
Basic Wilderness Survival Course

Think you’ve got what it takes to not just survive — but thrive — in the wild?

Survive + Thrive is a 2-day, immersive wilderness survival course built for adults who want real-world skills, practical knowledge, and the confidence to handle the unexpected outdoors. Whether you’re an avid camper, paddler, hiker, guide-in-training, or simply someone who wants to feel more capable in the backcountry, this course delivers hands-on learning that actually sticks.

This isn’t reality-TV survival.
It’s smart decision-making, efficient systems, and proven wilderness skills—taught in a supportive, skill-forward environment.

🔥 What You’ll Learn:

Survival mindset & decision-making under pressure
The five basic needs: signaling, protection, water, food & health
Fire craft: building, lighting & maintaining fire in varied conditions
Shelter systems, knots & personal protection
Water sourcing & purification
Foraging basics & food management
Navigation: terrain awareness & map fundamentals
Emotional control & mental resilience in stressful situations
Wilderness hygiene & basic first aid

Expect full days outdoors, hands-on practice, and realistic scenarios that build confidence without unnecessary theatrics.

🎒 BONUS: Every participant receives a premium RIDGE guide tarp — because good shelter is the foundation of good survival.

🧭 UPCOMING COURSES
YOUTH ONLY (Ages 12–18)

📅 March 24–25, 2025
📍 UBC Malcolm Knapp Research Forest
⏰ 8:00 AM – 5:30 PM daily
💲 $299.95 + GST
A supportive, age-appropriate course focused on confidence, teamwork, and core survival skills.

PUBLIC COURSE (Adult-Focused | Ages 12+)

📅 March 28–29, 2026
📍 UBC Malcolm Knapp Research Forest
⏰ 8:00 AM – 5:30 PM daily
💲 $299.95 + GST

This public course is designed primarily for adults, with instruction paced and framed for mature learners. Motivated youth aged 12+ are welcome when registered alongside a parent/guardian or when comfortable participating in an adult learning environment.

Survive the wild. Thrive in it.
Spots are limited — early registration strongly recommended.

www.ridgewilderness.com

Survival Courses  info@exploreridge.com  604-477-4663 Survival Courses Learn to Survive—and Thrive—in the Wild Whether you’re an avid adventurer, weekend explorer, or new to life outdoors, our Survival Courses are designed to equip you with practical, hands-on skills to confidently navig...

02/02/2026

🧭 Custom training, built for real-world environments

Last week we had the pleasure of running a 1-day Custom Survival Course with the crew at BC Helicopters, tailored specifically to the environments and realities they work in.

Huge shout-out to Rachel, who led the course with clarity, confidence, and plenty of hands-on learning — exactly how this kind of training should feel.

Custom courses let us meet teams where they actually work, not where textbooks assume they are.

Thanks for trusting us with your training, .

01/30/2026

🚣 Seasonal Canoe Courses – Lake Water (Lower Mainland)

Join us on the water this spring and early summer for our lake-based canoe courses in the Lower Mainland. Whether you’re building leadership skills or getting started in tandem paddling, these courses are designed to build confidence, competence, and time on the water.

Upcoming Dates:

• Big Canoe Intermediate Leader (Skipper Course)
April 11–12
April 13–14

• Intro Tandem Lake Water
June 7

Spots are limited — come paddle, learn, and lead with us this season.

www.ridgewilderness.com