The love for outdoor adventure plus years of witnessing what goes wrong when hikers hit the trails unprepared are behind the newly launched TrailBound Project outdoor school in New Jersey.
RINGWOOD, N.J., Aug. 17, 2022 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- TrailBound Project announces the launch of an outdoor skills school, run by search & rescue professionals, that provides all levels of hiking & backpacking courses as well as outdoor challenges and community for those in NJ, NY, and the surrounding areas.
TrailBound Project Co-Founders Scott Fitterman and Joe Galvan have seen the reasons why hikers call for help. During years of search and rescue (SAR), an idea took shape of how to reduce SAR calls as well as enable hikers of all levels to be better prepared and capable of helping themselves and others. It is based on the three components of education, outdoor challenges, and community.
If hikers had the tools and skills to plan their treks ahead of time, they could analyze the risks and alter their plans to reduce the risks to an acceptable level. They could better calculate distances, visualize elevation changes, and assess terrain. They could easily share their plans with others and be tracked live by GPS or cell phone apps like CalTopo. This would reduce SAR callouts and speed up response time.
TrailBound Project teaches skills with the practical application each is intended for, increasing initial learning success and long-term retention. Hikers educated on what gear to carry and experienced in navigation, unplanned overnights, and wilderness first aid would reduce incidents and increase the chance of good outcomes.
Outdoor challenges are both fun and an opportunity to brush up on perishable skills. "It's one thing to learn a skill but it's another to retain it and be able to rely on it in an emergency," explains Joe Galvan. In one challenge, participants encounter patients along a hike in simulated medical scenarios where they must assess, treat, and plan to evacuate them. Another challenge drops expert hikers in the woods to complete tasks and find their way back. SAR and EMT resources are always on hand and participants are tracked for safety.
TrailBound Project fosters a hiking community by hosting a free monthly gathering called Dirt Time to practice skills, ask questions, eat good food, make friends around the fire, and mentor each other. Community extends into the woods where they are always ready to help anyone they encounter. "TrailBounders are already out there hiking so why not enable them to help others they encounter along the way?" ponders Scott Fitterman.
TrailBound Project fills a void, offering aspiring hikers and experts alike a hiking and backpacking school for a safe place to learn, challenge themselves, be part of a community, and help others.
About TrailBound Project LLC:
Formed in Feb., 2022, TrailBound Project LLC is a privately owned NJ-based company founded to support the hiking and backpacking community with outdoor skills courses, organized outdoor challenges, and a community to connect and share.
Media Contact
Scott Fitterman, TrailBound Project LLC, 1 2015756525, [email protected]
SOURCE TrailBound Project LLC
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