Learn. Explore. Grow.
EVERYTHING IS BETTER
IN HIKING BOOTS
"Eventually, all things merge into one, and a river runs through it."
~ Norman Maclean
ABOUT US
CAMP GRETCHEN was founded by Gretchen Swank in 2022. Gretchen is a retired Pennsylvania State Trooper. She worked in a Criminal Investigation Unit for the majority of her 20 year career and she specialized in Child Sexual Abuse Investigations.
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Doing stressful work of a traumatic nature lead Gretchen into the woods for long hikes with her son on her off hours, and often longer hikes alone on her days off to find peace of mind and enjoy nature; but, she wanted more. Nature was delivering so much benefit, she wanted to stay out overnight, explore, and feel confident she could take care of herself and her son if they got lost.
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Gretchen attended Basic Wilderness Survival Training and Advanced Wilderness Survival Training with Erik Kulick at True North Wilderness Survival School in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. These courses were taught keeping with the seven priorities of survival; Positive Mental Attitude, Wilderness First Aid, Shelter, Fire, Signaling, Water, and Food, along with an emphasis on the necessity of preparedness when venturing into the wild.
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Gretchen then attended Outdoor Survival Instructor Training Course with Byron Kerns at Itchatad in Madison, Georgia. Byron is a retired US Air Force SERE Instructor. This course was an instructor intensive course in various areas of wilderness study while expanding upon the seven priorities of survival into further skills.
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Gretchen is also a trained herbalist and Ayurveda Practitioner, with certifications in Essential First Aid Remedies, Introduction & Medicine Making Certificate, and Identify & Harvest Medicinal Plants, and Ayurvedic Practitioner Certification. As well, Gretchen is a Yoga Alliance certified Yoga Instructor and she has over 500 hours of study in various areas of mindfulness and movement for stress relief and trauma therapy in the study of yoga and meditation.
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Gretchen's life's work with vulnerable populations has led her into the wilderness where she has found the healing power of nature. To walk into the wild with everything you need to not only survive, but to thrive, is empowering, and Gretchen can teach you everything you need to walk into the forest, or onto that trail, with confidence. She also brings years of experience as an Herbalist and Ayurvedic Practitioner
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Wilderness Survival skills for young children can be a creative, fun adventure; adolescents can disconnect from social media and reconnect with themselves for a day or two and find more about themselves than they ever will online; women who may feel more comfortable learning from women, with women, can gain some confidence in a safe, empowering environment.
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ABUSE SURVIVORS: Gretchen is trained to work with you, having years of experience working with abuse survivors and vulnerable populations in various capacities. Learning Wilderness Survival Skills is empowering, and nature is inherently healing.
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CAMP GRETCHEN is twenty acres of wooded mountainside, located on Tussey Mountain, minutes from Penn State University. The land has a natural water source, plenty of area for building shelter, natural resources for survival, as well as locations to set up a tent and feel closer to our friendly neighbors if you need to take smaller steps in your wilderness experience.
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CAMP GRETCHEN is honored to have Steve "Woofman" Woofter on board our staff, as well. Steve is a charismatic, skilled Survivalist who graduated from Byron Kerns' Outdoor Survival Instructor Course along with Gretchen and Amy. Steve is a great fit for this team, and he brings a strong background in working with youth.
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One of Gretchen's first Wilderness Survival students, Corynn Taylor, proved to be a "natural" in nature. Corynn's enthusiasm, passion to learn, and love of the outdoors brought her to complete every on of the courses offered by Camp Gretchen Wilderness Survival School in 2022; and after Corynn displayed exemplary Positive Mental Attitude during the continuously cold, wet conditions of her four-day Advanced Wilderness Survival Adventure, she was invited to apprentice to become an instructor. Gretchen is excited to have Corynn on board this season.
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Amy Sellers is also a Wilderness Survival Instructor who will be teaching classes in the near future. She is currently busy with nursing school, and her extended studies will be an excellent addition to the wilderness experience.
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Read more about Gretchen, Steve, Amy, and Corynn...
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OUR GUIDES
Gretchen Swank
Founder; Owner; Wilderness Survival Guide
Stephen Woofter
Wilderness Survival Guide; Guest Instructor
Corynn Taylor
Apprentice to become Wilderness Survival Instructor
About Gretchen:
Hey All. I'm Gretchen and I'm sure you read a little bit about my credentials and experience above; I want to take this opportunity to talk to you about my mission, which is to offer Wilderness Survival experiences to children, women, and adolescents.
I grew up in Central Pennsylvania; camping, hiking, and sailing- nature was a second home for me. It informed my senses, became my inner voice, and a place I could go for refuge. Nature fueled my creativity, and it became my classroom, far more valuable than the kind with four walls and chalk boards.
I have found the same to be true for my own son who I have witnessed come to life in nature, overcome anxiety on trails, and become empowered by simple survival skills such as filtering water in the backcountry.
I recognize that some women prefer to be trained by women, with women, Whether you want to learn Basic Wilderness Survival Skills in a private class, or you and your best girlfriends want to book a class to prepare for a planned through-hike, or any other reason or purpose in between, we can accomodate you.
Children / Adolescents - private lessons and groups / workshops / days and overnights. Tailored to age / skill level / experience / needs.
ALL private classes can be tailored to the needs of the client upon consultation.
We all have different strengths, weaknesses, backgrounds, goals, and experiences. It is my life's mission to help others, and it is my personal experience that nature is a healer- a way back to our roots, a pathway to our best self. Walking into the wilderness carrying everything you need to survive on your back, paired with the skills to do so, is one of the most empowering experiences a person can have. Camp Gretchen can give you the power to own that type of skill and strength.
Contact us today!
About Steve:
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Hi, I’m Steve “Woofman” Woofter. I’m excited and privileged to be a part of the Camp Gretchen Team and to have the opportunity to help others become comfortable in and with nature. I am a retired Army and Air Force veteran with over 25 years of active duty and reserves that have included training in Survival Evasion Resistance and Escape (SERE level C), parachuting, rappelling, and water survival non-parachute to name a few. I also bring 25 years of teaching mathematics and coaching multiple sports in public middle and high schools. I’m currently a NOLS certified Wilderness First Responder, graduate of Byron Kearns Survival Instructor School and in the process of thru hiking the NC Mountains to Sea Trail. I look forward to sharing in your journey of becoming one with nature and discovering the benefits of wilderness survival techniques that can be applied to your everyday life.
About Corynn:
Corynn took her first Wilderness Survival Basic class with Gretchen Spring of last year and she fell in love learning about Wilderness Survival. Corynn loves the outdoors and in nature is where she found herself. Healing and peace came. She wanted to hike more and spend more time in nature but didn't know what to do in the event something went wrong and wanted to change that so she wouldn't have to depend on anyone for her own survival. Corynn wants to empower other women to do the same. Corynn signed up for every class she could with Gretchen and is now apprenticing to become a Wilderness Survival Instructor.
THE LAND AND THE EXPERIENCE
Camp Gretchen Wilderness Survival School occupies twenty acres of forest / mountainside of Tussey Mountain West of Tait Lane and East of the Tussey Ski Resort / Galbraith Gap Trailhead area. The land is privately owned and contains its own natural water source, as well as plenty of natural resources to utilize while learning survival skills and bushcrafting.
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The entrance to the property is accessed via a right-of-way accessed from SR322; therefore, you will receive directions to a parking area in Boalsburg Village safe to park your vehicle for the duration of the class, and transportation to and from the property will be provided given limited access via vehicle at the training site.
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Upon arrival at the Camp Gretchen, it is a short quarter mile drive, via right-of-way, to the property from SR322. The parking area is adjacent to the Workshop Classroom for easy access to day classes for those with special needs or limited mobility. There are plenty of treasures to be found as you explore this land which has been untouched for many years. It has been the greatest privilege to work with the nature here to create amazing spaces for you to come relax and learn.
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We look forward to welcoming you at Camp Gretchen Wilderness Survival School. Come find yourself empowered by nature.